The review of the play

Here's what John Slim (until recently the Amateur Drama reporter for the Birmingham Mail) had to say about our play on his website, Behind the Arras

Fast moving thriller does not disappoint

The Small Hours

Billesley Players

Dovehouse Theatre, Solihull

***

A NEW-LOOK company has no fewer than four players in the cast making their first appearance - and the result is undeniably satisfying.

This is a Francis Durbridge story that was written as a radio play, which is probably why its ten scenes give it an episodic flavour, but Iain Neville's production moves slickly between them and never gives its audience time to become restless.

At its heart is a toy koala bear - and the fact that Carl Houston just happened to mention koalas on his flight home from Australia is enough to put his life in danger and cause his wife nearly to lose hers.

It seems a tenuous link between koalas and crises, as he was speaking only to his passenger neighbour. It leaves us to suppose that his neighbour must have decided to relay the conversation later to somebody who turns out to be a Mr Big in the world of fencing stolen valuables.

WELL ENGINEERED

Not that it matters. The tension builds. There are some well-engineered confrontations between anxious people. And we go on guessing at the secret of the unseen koala.

Graham Mason is Houston, a clean-cut British hero type, delivered in a performance of confidence opposite Anna Downes, in fine form as his feisty wife Vanessa.

There is confidence, too, in the quick, high-heeled strut of Claire Davies as his PA, and in the probing questioning of Sheila Parkes, as the representative of the law.

Michael Nile gives us a pleasingly unusual character in Bernard Decker, the chef with quiet little expressions, an amusing snigger and an optimistic line in blackmail. Gemma Harris pleases as his wife and Edward Fellows is another strong performer as the shady Oliver Radford.

BLOWN THE GAFF

Nick Storr is the aeroplane passenger we suspect of having inadvertently blown the gaff on a stranger's casual mention of koala bears. He and Graham Mason set the production rolling on their borrowed aircraft seats - thank you, Flybe - with a conversation that rolls with satisfying unstoppability.

It's an excellent all-round effort. What a shame it was all for the sake of a production lasting only two nights. The only cavvil is that several players could do with a bit more push and projecion on a stage that is apparently without microphones.

To 14.11.09.

John Slim

http://www.billesleyplayers.co.uk/

The last week

Or alternatively this post could have been entitled "Hectic".
I started at Ernst & Young on Monday and it's been a bit of a baptism of fire. Usually I start a job and the last 5 times at least I've been surrounded by apologies. 'Sorry it's so busy, you've joined at a really bad time.' 'Sorry there isn't much time to train you, but you look as if you're ok' etc. Temp or perm that's always how it's been. I can't recall having training that's lasted more than a morning and all this week has been nothing but! There are 20 of us and we are all joiners, mostly new, and all of us have been trained on the procedures and equipment all week, with another week scheduled in to go before we go live. It's pretty heavy but reassuring and it's just a very different work environment to get used to. However plus points so far are:
Easy journey in to work, nice people starting alongside me, nice managers (so far), nice toilets, city centre location (therefore good for shops and yummy lunches)
However every night after work I got the bus home then jumped in the car and drove to Solihull for the final rehearsals of The Small Hours. On Friday and Saturday we performed in front of approx 290 people which was a real thrill. It has left me officially pooped however. Too tired to write much more but below are the photos I took on my camera of the set build, rehearsals and break down. In a few weeks I should get the official photos and be able to see what I looked like! In summary though it was great fun!

Este semana he empezado mi trabajo nuevo y ademas presentamos el obra de teatro este fin de semana y cada noche he estado ensayando. Esta manana desmantelamos el escenario y al finar puedo descansar. Bueno, descansar - es decir planchar mientras viendo Doctor Who...

A summary in Spanish

Vale, que poco he escrito en Español asi que aqui está mi sumario. A ver, en mi vida, dejé el trabajo que me jodía tanto para encontrar cosas nuevas. He pasado los últimos dos meses trabajando temporalmente, en contratos de 2 o 3 semanas y he ido a montones de entrevistas. Finalmente encontré una posición permanente y empiezo allí la semana que viene. Ha sido totalmente genial dejar Leukaemia Care, la mejor decisión que he tenido en anos... lo he gustado un montón, he conocido a mucha gente y después de tantos meses de un ambiente muy negativo todos que he conocido me han apreciado. No podía escribir en ingles como sentía, ni cuando trabajé alli ni despues porque no quería ser indiscreto pero al fin y al cabo no tengo ni el menor cantidad de fe en las decisiones de aquella organizacion.


Que mas? He estado practicando mi segunda obra de teatro y nos la realizaremos el viernes y sabado que viene. Mi papel es mas grande esta vez y mas interesante así que ha sido mas durillo pero ya que falta tan poco para hacerlo todo parece estar casi listo. Crúzate los dedos!

Pads, nuestra gatita, es muy contenta - mas que nunca me parece, pero le gusta mordear nosotros y nuestros amigos un poco mas de lo que yo considero natural. Hay que mantener la paciencia con ella porque es una gata rescatada pero aun diciendo esto la tengo que castigar. Por lo monos asi puedo practicar hablando como una mamá frustrada con su hijo travieso...

Mañana nos llevaran las alfomras nuevas y esto me hace muy contente. Es el final del proyecto que empezo casi hace un año cuando renovaron la instalacion electrica. Ya era tiempo!

Continuamos viendo amigos de los fines de semana como siempre. Ahora mas que nunca siempre parece haber un cumpleanos o fiesta o plan en el calendario. Es la temporada supongo pero me parece que ha sido asi desde anos! Hay los amigos de la universidad, mis amigos de Coventry, los amigos de Al que son un poco mas esparcidos por Inglaterra, amigos del trabajo... en fin demasiados para ver lo suficiente y no me gusta no mantener amistades. Los que nos vemos más son Nathan y Laura y su hija Emma porque son los amigos mejores en birmingham y porque viven muy cerca. Emma ya tiene 3 y es una monada. Ella pasó la noche en nuestra casa por primera vez hace un mes y fué genial. La leímos cuentos de hadas, nos vimos dvds y me acompané a la iglesia el domingo.

Y pues poco mas. Alex trabaja mucho, yo poco, la gata muerde, los tareas domesticas y amigos nos distraen y... pues ya esta. Estamos felices!
 
Y si mi español es tan pobre que ya no puedes leer ni entender lo que he escrito aqui pues perdoname por favor, pero creo que las cosas no van tan malos asi que no voy a preocuparme... claro!