A light-hearted double bill that takes you back in time
OnBook Theatre presents a comedy double bill of Red Peppers by Noël Coward and Aged In Wood by Cian Griffin. Directed by Jason Moore, both acts of this evening of entertainment are set in the same music-hall dressing room, 89 years apart. Two short plays in one evening is a feat for any theatre company, especially when the cast have been plagued with last minute changes as this one has been. With brand-new cast member Philip Gill in one of the roles, this ensemble bands together and pulls it off.
Described by Coward as ‘a vaudeville sketch sandwiched in between two parodies of music hall songs’, Red Peppers is just 30 minutes in length, performed in two scenes. It was originally one of ten short plays that made up a larger production of Tonight at 8.30, a series of plays written to be performed across three evenings. Following a night in the run of a flailing comedy act by a husband and wife duo, even with the witty dialogue from the legendary playwright, Red Peppers has not stood the test of time. Despite extremely strong performances by Jessica Martin and Jon Osbaldeston, this rather plotless short play about the demise of the vaudeville era may have worked in its original cycle, but not as a stand-alone first act.
Paired with a lengthier second act of 60 minutes, the show is brought home by Aged In Wood, tenuously linked to Red Peppers through the use of setting. The set itself by Ian Nicholas is beautifully detailed, everything down to the torn wallpaper to show the ageing venue has been thought of. Lighting by Jonny Danciger works perfectly in tandem, effectively transporting us from the stage to the dressing room and back again throughout the show.
Although Aged In Wood has some laugh out loud moments to rival the writing of Coward, it also lacks plot and momentum. We revisit the same topics and gags frequently, with considerable line uncertainty from most actors also slowing the pace. Jessica Martin who remains onstage for the entirety of both plays, is a total powerhouse as the tyrannical leading lady. Jon Osbaldeston returns, as her ex-husband this time, with patience and stoicism, and casts a commanding figure in the small theatre.
Emma Vansittart is a chic and hilariously brutal showbiz agent in an equally fabulous outfit by Ian Nicholas. Philip Gill does an exceptional job as a last-minute call up, with both Rhys Cannon and Dominic McChesney giving strong performances. This is a tight ensemble and once their confidence with the text increases, undoubtedly so will the pace and urgency of the second act.
A thoroughly entertaining night at the music hall, this double bill is testament to an ambitious and talented theatre group. Although this production lacks something of that ol’ razzle-dazzle, this company is undoubtedly one to watch.