A review of the Senior School production - The Pierglass

Date: Monday 10 December 2007

Mr Jon Dagley, Head of English, has written this review of the Pierglass.

Ah! Reflections…what exactly do you see? Standing before the mirror, in The Pierglass, this intelligent play by Tim Norton, the two worlds of nature and theatre collide and interweave. The Director, Richard Parsons, saw its potential at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006 and, with Assistant Liz Sears, adapted it for the St Edmund’s stage from 6^th to 8^th December.

Orlando Ballyvicks (Oliver Jones), the delightfully outrageous leader of a troupe of Victorian players begins with a wonderful moment of theatrical pomposity as he paraphrases Hamlet’s words about holding ‘the mirror up to nature’. For here, indeed, we have the essence of drama – as Orlando takes us beyond the glass. His motley crew of eleven arrive in provincial Porchester to perform Romeo and Juliet: but, alas, there is no room – except at the inn. Much hilarity follows, with innkeeper of the Pump, Mrs Fludden (a vibrant Clara Gibson) contrasting with the various thespians amongst whom Chloe Portman, Hugh Saffrey, Matt Dixon and Josh Magill stood out. The serious side of the play concerns the aspirations of an imprisoned heiress Charlotte (a delightfully poised Charlotte Hawken) who ultimately escapes the machinations of her captor stepmother (Emma Wink) and accomplice, the sinisterly saturnine Mr Thornhyde (perfectly presented by Sandy Wardrop) with the help of some good-hearted domestic servants. Life meets art as the two sides of the glass come together and Charlotte becomes Juliet in the troupe’s production having fortuitously emerged ahead of the histrionic Robina Leers (Marissa Fuller), exposed as a fraud, to meet her Romeo, (Jamie Tutt). The play closes with a metatheatrical moment as Oliver Jones’s Orlando reminds us of the magic of the stage.

The audience appreciated this challenging but delightful return to straight drama after a run of highly successful musicals and the team of Technical Director Guy Hawkins, prop-designer Steve Lund, costume creator Jan Keliris, to highlight a few, enabled Assistant Liz Sears and Director Richard Parsons to create three nights’ excellent entertainment.

For pictures of the cast see the news item entitled 'The Pierglass - a theatrical extravaganza' posted on Saturday 8 December.