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| The Castle Players - photo credit - Helen Brown |
THE CASTLE Players are renowned for their lavish outdoor
productions in the grounds of The Bowes Museum, where they enjoy the large
outdoor space. During the winter, they move indoors and take to the stages of
the local Village Halls, which are certainly different and varied in size.
With Gordon Duffy-McGhie at the helm as director, his choice
of Stewart Howson’s performance adaptation of Dicken’s The Old Curiosity Shop
is inspired. It is one of the most perfect productions for this talented company
from the physical theatre, comedy and characterisation. The cast of eight work tirelessly
for two hours taking us on a journey through Victorian England, they tell the
story of Nell Trent, Janie Caldbeck, and her grandfather, Andy Moorhouse, whose
gambling has led to their financial ruin. It is from here that the eight actors
present an array of Di
ckensian characters to perfection. |
| Sarah Fells as Dick Swiveller. photo credit Helen Brown |
Janie Caldbeck slips with ease between Little Nell and the
evil Quilp. Andy Moorhouse switches between the Grandfather and the Single
Gentleman with some delightful characterisation. Sarah Fells as Dick Swiveller commands the
stage with one of the best performances I have seen her produce, full of energy,
drawing the audience in with every movement. Lois Falshaw excels playing the
contrasting Kit Nubbles and The Marchioness. Charlotte Perkins plays Sally
Brass and Mrs Jarley showing an excellent use of accents and as part of the Chorus
was one of the best trees you will see. Harry French, Peter Firby and Amanda
Falshaw complete this talented cast with superb timing, filling the stage with
action ensuring swift pace throughout.
The set comprises of a central revolving wardrobe, which ingeniously
creates all manner of scenes from doorways, to a bed and best of all, the Punch
and Judy scene, perfectly executed.
I feel as if I should say you won’t see a better production
from The Castle Players, but they are about to start on The Comedy of Errors
for their summer production, so I better wait and see!
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