Barnard Castle Watercolour Signed Print - Ken Burton
Price:£29.00
Keeping Up Appearances - Darlington Civic Theatre
Jul 15, 2010
I HAVE to admit that I am losing count of the number of television shows which are now on tour as stage shows, the latest to arrive at Darlington was Roy Clarke's Keeping Up Appearances. With most stage shows of this style they take a few episodes and try and put them together for the stage. Roy Clarke, though, has written this especially for the stage allowing for a production which flows for the audience and allows for a little updating. It is a brave decision as out go those memorable car journeys with Richard and Hyacinth as well as Liz being too nervous to drink tea with Hyacinth. Instead we find ourselves in the Church Hall as Emmet is preparing to direct an amateur production, in which Hyacinth feels she should play a suitably regal part.There are many familiar characters, all played to perfection, Emmet (Steven Pinder), Liz (Kim Hartman), Daisy (Christine Moore), Onslow (Gareth Hale), Hyacinth (Rachel Bell) and Rose (Debbie Arnold). There are two new characters Mr Milson (David Janson, who appeared in the TV original as the postman) and Mrs Debden (Sarah Whitlock). A lot of effort has gone into getting the actors to play the characters as we would expect them and this works brilliantly. Rachel Bell as Hyacinth has all the mannerisms and facial expressions mastered perfectly. The only disappointments for me were that there was no sight of Richard, Hyacinth's long suffering husband, he is mentioned and is apparently watching from the audience and that the farcical scenes just got going and then were underplayed. This does not detract though from an excellent evening's entertainment not only for fans of Keeping Up Appearances, but for those who just want to sit back and be entertained.
Keeping Up Appearances can be seen at Darlington Civic Theatre until Saturday 17th July.
A J Harrison