Lynne Savege writes:

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   Unable to participate as usual in our Filkins Theatre production this year, I had a different experience, watching it from the other side, in the audience, live in the paddock  on Saturday evening.  The setting was just perfect, hot and sunny initially... perhaps too hot for the players (I vividly remember sleeping on the green sward, as Titania, in a beautiful green gown awaiting Bottom, in a previous production and thinking how hot it was, too hot...)

   Jeremy Irwin-Singer, as ever, did an amazing job directing and taking the lead in the play.  Jane Martin was our wonderful wardrobe mistress, letting out too tight suits and finding charity shop bargains for thrifty costumes and Lorraine Chitty, admirably sourcing all the props prior to going on holiday. Thanks to our bar staff, Michele & Alan Heath, keeping everyone in drinks from the village shop and to Edmund Irwin-Singer for bringing round much needed nibbles in the interval.  Everyone was wonderful...

   It's a tale about provincial life in a small Russian town where those in power are totally corrupt and the poor are downtrodden and abused (sound familiar?) Of course, it is rich for milking humour from every situation, something in which Jeremy excels and he has willing players to bring out, from Dob and Bob (Dobchinsky and Bobchinsky played by Charlie Payne and Trevor Milne Day) and their bumbling silliness,  to Mandy Scott’s police chief - attention! Yes sir!

   From Avdotya (Julia Neame) and her guttural responses, to Jeremy as the handsome rake, Kolestakov, gambling and women are his bag, just the right amount of leering , raising sniggers from me! From Sally Peach’s German Doctor, happily chuntering along in German and not understanding a thing said, to Barry Heath’s Osip, Kolestakov’s servant, under no illusions about his master’s vices but willing to say anything for another meal and roubles. From Anna’s (Sue Ashforth-Smith) self-absorbed “it’s all about me, me, me”! to Netty Lings and Biz Gooddy who admirably switched from downtrodden servant to policemen to abused shopkeepers.

   From Eleanor Martin, the Mayor’s daughter subdued by her grasping mother, suddenly elevated to the glorious betrothed, to Richard Martin as the greedy, corrupt mayor, dreaming of glory... He’ll break your fingers if you don’t give him the best of your stock! And his useless, corrupt team – Paul Molyneaux as Magistrate, Teresa Smallbone as Hospital Director, Peter Sangston as Education Director, all more than willing to bribe to cover their inept management.

   Then there was the town’s Postmistress (Avril Payne)... She opened and read everyone’s mail, dreadful!  But if she hadn’t been so very nosy, they would never have realised what Kolestakov really thought of them: how embarrassing!

   Paul Harvey did a great job on sound effects, especially the snoring, rumbling and farting whilst Kolestakov slept off the sumptuous meal, and the ending was just fabulous with the whole cast gasping in open-mouthed horror as the Postmistress revealed the truth and realisation dawned that they had been duped, Kolestakov long gone, and the REAL Government  Inspector about to pay them a visit.

   Finally, and in the context of this strange Time of Corona, thank you Alan Law for helping with the necessary dance with our new best friend... Gov.UK Covid guidance.

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Well done all! 

Superb effort and I hope to join you next time.