Rossendale Players review: The Revival by James Cawood
A play within a play about an old theatre in, well, an old theatre, is the evocative latest offering from the Rossendale Players.
‘The Revival’, James Cawood’s wonderful ghost story, with lashings of humour and scores of scares, marks a welcome return to form for the Players, and what better place to see it than their own beguiling venue, the historic New Millennium Theatre.
Directed by Jim Rowe, this superb ensemble piece had a packed opening night audience cackling with laughter and jumping with shock in equal measure.
The play within a play, a well-trodden dramatic mechanism, works perfectly here as we see ambitious director Michael Prentice arrive with his cast to rehearse their revival of Lucian O’Keefe’s long-lost 1946 play ‘Scared to Death’.
Prentice, a commanding albeit flustering, presence is played superbly by Players debutant Connal O’Reilly, whose boundless energy saw him stride around the very real audience in the Millennium making for a truly immersive experience.
His paramour, the beautiful but dippy American actress Sophie Essenheimer, is played with full comic effect by another Players debutant, Cassie Hardman. Cassie is wonderfully engaging as the ham-fisted Sophie whose portrayal of Betsy leaves her co-stars’ spirits drooping.
Indeed, spirits also play an integral part, which without giving the game away, are wonderfully recreated in special effects by the as-always talented backstage team of the Players.
On-stage, in more ways than one, Sophie’s fellow actors positively let rip with buoyant, extravagant luvviness in the form of Players regulars Stephen Claxon as the effete Hugo Tilling-Hunt (Timothy) and the always hilarious Dawn Row as stage veteran Diana South (Zelda).
They are joined by the understated calming presence of Liz Wood as the sedate Alison Woodley (Penelope) and not just Players, but complete stage debutant, Will Curvis who looks as if he has been performing all his life with his word-perfect performance as Eddie Wilde (Gerald).
The Revival is great fun, a rollicking, humourous, at times dark ghost story, which conjures up feelings of 1950s radio plays.
It is also one of the largest ensemble pieces the Players have attempted in some time with regular Martyn Frost as stage technician Clive Munro, and Steve Gill who almost steals the show as the eccentric academic Giles Heath.
The play runs until March 22nd at the New Millennium Theatre, Waterfoot.