THERE is only one other aspect of play production
as bad as over-acting - and that is under-acting.
It's an obvious statement, but sometimes it has
to be made. And the great pity is that it has to
be made at all.
Sadly this was the case with some actors in last
week's production by the Wesley Players of A Letter
from the General. And, unfortunately, this was made
worse by one
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or
two who were not sure of their 'lines.
This particular, aspect meant that the pace of the
play was much slower than it should have been when
I saw it on the first night. And there was an added
difficulty for the audience in that they had to
adapt to the intermittent quicker paces of the actors
who were confident.
The general story line is interesting. A nuns' mission
in an eastern country 25 years ago is threatened
by communist forces.
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With
the second world war still a bitter memory, there
are added problems over hiding a German priest.
With such a plot one would expect plenty of reaction,
particularly when the force captain is near discovering
the priest, and the British Consul's wife threatens
to reveal that she knows where he is.
But, unfortunately, any shock reactions were not as
violent as they should have been. I know nuns are
supposed to be mild-mannered, but they are human.
However, Iva Barr made a compassionate reverend mother,
and Myrtle Newbury a forth-right Sister Henry.
But particularly liked Stephon Pilling as the hard-hearted
Captain Lee and Sue Barker as the sarcastic Consul's
wife. |
