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National Operatic & Dramatic Association London Region
Society : Chesham Theatre Company
Production: The Titfield Thunderbolt
Date : 11 November 2017
Venue: Elgiva Theatre, Chesham
Report by: Zena Wigram, district 2
Show report
In the unavoidable absence of your usual rep I was delighted to attend this production of ‘The Titfield Thunderbolt’, adapted from the original whimsical Ealing Comedy by Philip Goulding. The 1950s story of villagers trying to save their local branch line from Beeching’s cuts resonates at a time when I believe Network Rail is considering reopening some of them. It also celebrates community at a time when more and more neighbourhood services have to be run by volunteers if they are not to close, and the play’s jokes about bureaucracy, jobsworths and the economic situation are just as relevant now as in 1952.
General
This charming evening of nostalgic fun was much enjoyed by the audience.Production manager Peter Threadgold led an excellent technical team, and Director Trevor Pillingencouraged the actors to get all the gentle humour across. Even the ‘nasty’ characters had more fallible humanity than unpleasant meanness, so Titfield was full of amusing eccentrics.
Players
Thecast of dotty villagers was ably led by Eleanor Phillips as local grande-dame Lady Edna Chesterford, proving at the end to have a heart of gold, as she gave up poaching rights on her land for the sake of the community.
Paul Eckersall played well-meaning Rev Sam Weech, her partner in the scheme to save the railway. He was delightfully enthusiastic about the railway; I particularly liked the way he downed his sherry clearly without overplaying the comedy. Alex Micallef was tremendous fun as villainous Vernon Crump: his enthusiastic ‘driving’ over the cattle grid and hump back bridge were very funny indeed.
Lisa Colin was a feisty Joan Weech, with really good work on projection. John Mills made a sympathetic character of her suitor and ultimate hero, Harry; he will be even better when he trusts his own ability to act from inside without using his hands, and to hold the audience without rushing. I wasn’t convinced he needed to work so hard to change his vocal timbre between the two characters of Harry Crump and Sergeant Wilson – the costume was enough, particularly with the script’s not-especially-subtle jokes about double-casting.
It was lovely to see the energy which Jason Middleton brought to the part of Mr Valentine, with clear enunciation helping us to enjoy the silliness of the dialogue.
Judy Consden projected the pomposity of officious councillor Ms Blakeworthand later some splendid night-time bravery in dressing gown and wellies. Sally Carrington made jobsworth Ms Clegg more conscientious than nit-picking, and we felt she probably needed her little nap, resulting in the report which allowed the happy ending for which we had all hoped.
Other parts were played by Jonathan Coburn (Mr Ruddock), Mike Consden (dour platform manager Clifton), John Dilks (disreputable Dan Taylor – with some great farmyard noises) and Liz Gloverhelping manage the audience water-carrying after her ‘turn’ as blonde bombshell music hall artiste-and pseudo trade-union rep - Miss Coggett.
Everyone stayed firmly in character, knew exactly what they were doing and why, and worked hard to project the dialogue clearly. However, there was a bit of shuffling about: it’s best to stand still unless you have a reason to move.If you drag your feet on the stage as you move, you also make your dialogue harder to hear!
Direction
Peter and Trevor had clearly worked as an admirable team, pulling together all the complicated disparate elements from the tricky script.
While the cast may not have been keen on singing the supplied music of the Ferroequinologist's lament (with all its echoes of Flanders and Swann’s ‘Slow Train’), having them recite it line by line needed much brisker cueing in. Each person needed to start walking before the previous person had finished speaking to allow the lines to follow immediately rather than with a pause between each.
Full use was made of the auditorium for entrances and exits. However, a number of the early scenes were rather static, and the actors needed more to do than stand and talk to one another as they set out the plot. It’s not always easy to find something realistic, but perhaps the people talking on the platform could have sat on a bench and rolled a cigarette, or whittled wood, or strolled along the apron and back as they talked. Joan couldhave cheated her dialogue front while plumping cushions on the chair, straightening antimacassars, and dusting the pictures rather than only the side of the desk – in the same way as she so appropriatelymanaged her bar cloth in the publater.
More movement would have helped clarify the sectionin Act I sc 4 on the moving train. It was difficult to understand why after rushing to catch the train Lady Edna and Ms Blakeworth stood still on the platform discussing it rather than boarding! Some jolting and swaying by the actors, perhaps holding empty picture frames to suggest windows, or props moved sideways behind them, or projected moving scenery, would have helped make it clear that thecharacters were chatting on the train as it pulled out of Titfield station.
Passing the water containers through the audience caused much hilarity and was very well managed. The joke could have been carried even further, using more than just one row to involve even more audience members. The final thimble was exceedingly funny, and the super chase soundtrack throughout enhanced the scene.
It might be useful in future to ensure you rehearse the bows and acknowledgement to tech crew more thoroughly. Bear in mind that they’re the last thing the audience sees, so a truly slick and tidy ending sends them out suitably convinced of your expertise. I suggest you save mutual congratulations for backstage and avoid applauding each other as part of the bows. It usually looks a bit messy and also suggests to the audience that you aren’t working together as one team, which isn’t as positive as presenting yourselves as a coherent unit.
Costumes, hair and make-up
Alison Threadgold’s large range of most attractive costumes included some lovely attention to detail, such as suitable period shoes for all the women, and seamed stockings for Lady Chesterford. However, in the 1950s ladies would have worn gloves as well as a hat outdoors.
The hairstyles were perfect, particularly Joan’s lovely style. Pauline Richards had done a super job on the make-up, particularly that of Mr Valentine and Sam Weech. However, although the ladies, particularly Miss Coggett and Joan Weech, had suitably bright red lips, some of the eyeshadow was a little too dark – lighter shadow withdark eyeliner and mascara would have been more appropriate.
Stage management, props, sound and lighting
Peter Threadgold and Roger Miller had clearly put a great deal of thought as well as hard work into the set design and build, with most impressive results. They and additional crew member Katy Devine opened the splendid Titfield (later Mallingford) station platforminto either the vicar’s study stage right or the pub stage left, and later created a final marvellous reveal of the Titfield Thunderbolt itself, complete with lights and sound and a gorgeous smoking funnel.
The actors might perhaps have helped with the scene changes to keep the scenes flowing into one another. For example, if Joan and Sam had been helping to open out the vicarage they could have gone straight into the scene rather than wait, then come on, then start. In the Pig and Whistle, some of the actors could even have entered through the impressive working back doorbefore the scene change, to be discovered there on the opening of the ‘wall’.
The set was beautifully dressed, from the central noticeboard and helpful date (unobtrusively changed as required) to the apt pictures on the wall of the vicar’s study.
I’m not sure whether to call the train and bus ‘props’ or ‘set’ – but they were utterly delightful. The yellow bus, complete with starting handle and headlights, certainly was ‘a beaut’, as was the train, driven with such gusto by Sam with Lady Edna’s help. After the water ‘rescue’ scene, it would have been more effective if the train had been in front of the actors carrying the water containers offstage rather than behind, where the headlight illuminated them as it followed them ‘down the track’.
Jen Smyth and Katy Devine provided the props which included a fabulous big shotgun and a droll rabbit produced out of Dan’s sack; Lady Chesterford’s handbag might have been less empty, perhaps – she struck me as a woman who’d have carried glasses, notebook, pen, handkerchief, compact and lipstick everywhere she went, and it was very flat.
Excellent and perfectly-timed lighting by Steve Cherry and sound by Charlie Carrington supported the performance throughout, from pools of light for the different locations – including the audience - and the track gobo on the floor, to owl, gunshots, train noises and the crash into the river. There was just one occasion when the conversation about poachingwas ratherdifficult to hear over the sound of the engine stopping for water, but that minor quibble merely highlights the rest of the top-class technical work throughout.The wittychoices of music for the scene changes reinforced the period, the style of the play and the various situations.
Programme and front of house
Andy Murray had designed a truly delightful programme with most appropriate fonts and images, and some delightful touches (such as ‘staff and customers’ instead of ‘actors’). Moreover, it was packed with information. Just perhaps bear in mind that patterns behind text make it harder to read, particularly for those of us whose eyes are no longer as young as they were!Thank you to Peter and Jane Larkham for their warm welcome, and to Nick Lansdowne for sorting out the tickets.
Not everyone can study full-time at drama school, and I would encourage CTC members to consider attending the NODA summer school, where they can learn more about their craft (directing, backstage and on stage) from experienced professionals.
After thiswarm-hearted evening of quaintly rural nostalgia, I shall be interested to hear what you select for your next production! I wish you all the best with that and also your 70th birthday celebrations
Zena Wigram
District 2
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