In a season riven with problems due to Covid and problems with casting causing late substitutions of plays, Cliff Francis stepped up to the plate to close the season directing STOP! …The Play, a comedy by David Spicer. A professional company is seen to be in trouble as the script keeps being changed by the author, even at the very last minute. We get to see dreadful rehearsals, peopled by an unhelpful cast, and an excerpt from the resulting shambolic performance.

A very simple basic set sufficed; costumes were mostly everyday efforts; and sound and lighting were on the ball. The director’s programme notes hinted at a short rehearsal period, but in terms of certainty of performance by the cast this was not evident. And remember, to seem to be able to act badly requires skill.

Matt Gray as Hugh, the arrogant and prickly leading man, used his strong vocal ability to considerable effect in the many squabbles and tiffs with his fellow actors. Devi Smart as Linda, frequently unhappy with Hugh’s attitude and performance, despaired and commented to no avail. Two bold performances in difficult roles.

Joe Hogan was introduced as the laidback professional Kriston who was brought in to offer support and, disappointed with this situation, sulkily pushed off. Out of her depth Gemma, keen to demonstrate her aptitude but in reality hopelessly on the wrong path, was an amusing and often very funny portrayal by Amy Walker. Her facial expressions while posing were a delight. An ageing actor, who spends all his time reminding his buddies of his supposed earlier successes but is really not with it at all, was created by Keith Swainston, and a fast-talking assistant director trying to keep the show on the right path was in the hands of Lauren Ryan. There were degrees of truth and realism in all these comedy characters but as played they jointly were a mismatched, achingly incompetent bunch, as the author intended. They were in the hands of the one overdrawn, definitively comic Evelyn, the archetypal artistic numpty, drowning in his belief that he knew anything about direction. Hilariously dressed and totally out of touch, Lester Adams allowed his ship to drift to disaster.

It somehow seems a bit suicidal of theatre companies to do plays which highlight their weaknesses, but it is a fruitful area for comedy. This script did not have the class of Noises Off nor the background detail of A Bunch of Amateurs. The first act revealed the chaos of the clashing interests, ambitions and lack of talent in the company as they tried to develop, and the second act was the revelation of their failure. I found the former too repetitive to offer enough laughs but the latter had the better dialogue and situations, allowing the cast more opportunity to get the laughs, and these moments were firmly established. Each member of the cast was at ease with their creation’s foibles and weaknesses, and there were many good moments, but the whole piece did not flow easily. In my opinion this was the script rather than this production or these performances but, given the situation which had required Cliff to offer this work, we should applaud their efforts. All involved deserve our congratulations.