Reviewed by Allison Thomas
October 2017
I’m still laughing and giggling inside as I write this review the morning after I saw “No Sex Please, We’re British” by Tea Tree Players last night!!
The first scene introduced us to the main characters Frances and Peter, the newly married couple, passionately kissing in the 1970s orange and green kitchen with the defective hatch and set the scene for this funny romantic sexy farce by Anthony Marriott and Alistair Foot.
Richard Hobson alternated between soft and romantic husband and efficient assistant bank manager very well. Rhi Shapcott as his loyal supportive wife, Frances, who wants a bit more out of life in a small town, and she certainly got it, with pornographic photos, videos and we were entertained with these and other sight gags galore!! However it was Stephen Mulady’s excellent bumbling nervous portrayal of Brian Runnicles that initially stole the audience’s hearts and began the wave of laughter that grew as the show progressed from artistic cucumbers and porn to nudity, whips and sporrans!! Stacey Webb, as Peter’s snobby mother Eleanor, and Barry Hill as Leslie Bromhead, his boss, were well cast with many flirting innuendoes from two seemly “straight” older people.
It was how Samuel Creighton, as Arnold Needham, a wimpish, nervous, sexually inadequate and hilarious character, really cracked the whole audience up, and made us laugh and cry for the whole of Act 2!!!
Samuel also designed and built the set, which was suitably dull 1970s colours. The costumes (especially the leather) were well chosen by Gloria Seymour and stunning props (especially the flowers) by Beth Venning.
I expected no less from director Damon Hill, who always entertains, no matter where he is in the production.
The tasteful cleverly executed nudity was highlighted especially when Samuel uttered the title of the farce! The whips, sporran and “cock of the north” were just a few of the hilarious highlights of this sold out show.
Pity it doesn’t go on for longer or that the improved Tea Tree Players theatre isn’t bigger to hold more people to enjoy this performance!!
