Theatre Review - THE VICAR OF DIBLEY, PEOPLE'S THEATRE, NEWCASTLE

 

Alice (AlisonCarr) & Geraldine (KirstieCorfield) photo Jess Chapman

Thank God it’s back! Once again, the strange and endearing characters grace the stage to create an evening of heavenly laughter. Written by Richard Curtis, Paul Mayhew-Archer and Emma Freud, we sit down to join Vicar Geraldine as she rolls her eyes at yet another Parish Council meeting.

Parish Council photo Jess Chapman

Director Ian Willis has consecrated the stage with laughter with this production. Using performers, stage and music to bring us all to the quirky rural world of Dibley. The set (designed by Ian Willis and Stewart Dives) was ingenious in its simplicity, being used in many different ways; on one side, the cosy vicarage, on the other a slightly seedy looking Village Hall and, centre stage, a church window. The stained-glass window, lit to reflect its colours on the stage, also reflected well on the lighting design by Phil Bradley. Sound Design (Mike Cornish) and lighting (Lighting Crew Claire Brissenden) worked seamlessly throughout the production. Vocal coach Jonathan Goodman and Choreographer Julie Bowman worked to develop an unexpected and hilarious all-singing all-dancing moment.

David (RogerLiddle) photo Jess Chapman

It was wonderful to see some of the main cast from the last production of Vicar of Dibley returning to reprise their starring roles. In particular, the comedic wonder that is Kirstie Corfield as Geraldine Granger, who led the show with a perfect characterisation of this beloved character. Roger Liddle delighted us once more as the sardonic, and occasionally touching, David Horton. Robbie Close took on the nice, but dim, Hugo Horton, with Matthew Hope as the revolting farmer Owen Newitt. Alison Carr, praise be to God, was also back as the barmy Alice Tinker-Horton. Tony Childs played an understated, but apt, Frank Pickle. Barbara Edmundson certainly recreated the perfect flavour for ‘ahead of her time’ baker Mrs Cropley. Ruth Gibson was a charming Rosie Kennedy, even when we didn’t want her to be. Pete McAndrew (playing Harry Kennedy) made a great heart-throb and had excellent on-stage rapport with Geraldine. Tony Sehgal as Jim Trott was, of course, a comedy highlight - although I feel the pillow-stuffed stomach was a little unnecessary. Certainly, all the actors did very well to withstand the extreme heat (on one of the hottest days of the year) and still produce an excellent experience. The other actors of the ensemble added depth to several of the scenes, making them feel multifaceted. A joy to behold.

The Vicar of Dibley 2 is running at the Peoples Theatre, until  23^rd July 2022.