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THE VILLAGE FETE
Poulner Players
Poulner Church Hall
Poulner, Ringwood
June 2004

FOR the first 15 minutes or so of this play I wondered why on earth the Players had chosen it. Originally written for radio and set around a family who have moved from London to the country, where they are expected to get involved in the local fete, it seemed to consist of a series of rather ordinary conversations and threatened to be a long and tedious evening. But then the excellent Steve Russell, in the guise of handyman Winston, appeared on stage, and tedium was replaced by gales of laughter.
This unusual comedy movingly touches on issues of loneliness and need, but essentially shows how the family’s lives are transformed by the presence of this ‘rather common but with a heart of gold’ man – and Steve brought out every facet of his character’s complex personality with real skill.
Judith Kemp was touchingly vulnerable as Nancy, the older sister losing control over her father and siblings, and Judith Lansdale (Rosie) and Peter Ansell (father) also portrayed their characters well. However, Mike Freemantle as the girls’ nerdy brother, William, seemed to veer too much into caricature and was not helped by a truly awful and unnecessary wig.
But overall an enjoyable production, I think.

Linda Kirkman
Courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo


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