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'ALLO! 'ALLO!
Ferndown Drama Group
Barrington Theatre
Ferndown
April 2004

RE-CREATING a popular television series on stage can be fraught with danger, not least because the audience generally knows the characters so well. And then of course there is the additional problem of numerous scene changes that must be accomplished quickly and efficiently if the action is to flow smoothly.
All credit then to the group for providing its capacity audience with a fun-filled evening that descended, as intended, into total mayhem.
An ingenious set, including a clever three-part revolve that became variously Rene’s counter, his kitchen and Herr Flick’s headquarters, and a bedroom up above the café, worked a treat.
There were some cracking performances too among the 20-strong cast, and none more so that Stephen Hawker as the bemused Rene, whose quizzical facial expressions had the audience in stitches. And Micki Bennett (Edith), Trish Binding (Yvette), David Palmer (Colonel von Strohm), Richard Harker (Captain Bertorelli), Dawn Hollington (Private Geerhart) and Chris Green (Herr Flick) also left a particularly lasting impression.
Oh, and the story, which was about the hidden picture of the Fallen Madonna With the Big Boobies, a proposed visit by Hitler and several blow-up dolls. Well, that was by the by really, in such a fun evening.

Linda Kirkman
Courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo


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