Sunday, October 27, 2019

CHARLEY'S AUNT


Written by Brandon Thomas
Directed by Michael Weston
Tempo Theatre
Belconnen Theatre to 2 November


Reviewed by Len Power 26 October 2019

‘Charley’s Aunt’ is a delightful farce that was first performed in London in 1892.  It was so successful that it broke the box office record at the time for the longest-running play in the world at nearly 1500 performances.  It has been a popular favourite ever since and, more than a hundred years later, still comes up as fresh as a daisy.

In 1892, in an Oxford college in England, undergraduate student Lord Fancourt Babberley is persuaded by two other students to impersonate an old aunt of one of them so that two girls they are keen on will quite properly have a chaperone when they visit.  Of course, unexpected complications pile up immediately, leading to chaos but, ultimately, a happy ending.

Director, Michael Weston, has staged the show well.  He ensures that it runs at a swift pace with lots of energy from his actors.


The large cast of ten do well with their colourful roles.  Bertram O’Brien as the undergraduate, Lord Fancourt Babberley, is particularly convincing in his character of a young aristocrat and is very amusing in his impersonation of the aunt.  Ash Hamilton and Patrick Hayes do well as the silly ass students, Jack and Charley.

From left: Ash Hamilton (Jack Chesney) Lard Fancourt (Bertram O’Brien) and Charley Wykeham (Patrick Hayes)

Paul Ballenger displays fine comic timing in his role of Jack’s long-suffering and cynical valet, Brasset.  Andrea Charlton is commanding as the down to earth real aunt, Donna Lucia, and the rest of the large cast get their moments to shine.

Performed in three acts, the play’s settings are a challenge for a small company with three distinct sets required – a college room, a garden and a stately home drawing room.  The substantial and attractive settings designed by Jon Elphick and, director, Michael Weston, work very well.  Costumes coordinator, Anne-Maree Hatch and her assistants have come up with striking and colourful period costumes.

Tempo has given some less inexperienced actors an opportunity to perform in this production and they all do very well.  Michael Weston has produced a very entertaining show.  The audience at the Saturday matinee I attended clearly enjoyed it and so did I.  It’s a great opportunity to see this much-loved classic play.

Photos supplied by the company
 
Len Power’s reviews are also broadcast on the Artsound FM 92.7 ‘In the Foyer’ program on Mondays and Wednesdays at 3.30pm.