by Ray Cooney
12th - 14th March 2009

Detective Sergeant Troughton : Jeremy Austin
Newspaper Reporter :David Brown
The Aged Parent :Joe Brooks
Stanley Gardner : Rob Cording
John Smith : Andy Cragg
Bobby Franklin : Graham Hawkins
Detective Sergeant Porterhouse : Simon Jackson
Mary Smith : Caroline Papp
Barbara Smith : Penny Pearson

Director : Barry Baynton

Set Designer : Mark and Jackson Ellen

RAY Cooney's best loved farce received a slick airing in Wimborne last week, delighting the audience who responded with giggles and at times belly laughs.

It's a cleverly constructed plot telling the story of a London cabbie, John Smith, whose juggling of two households goes spectacularly awry when he intervenes in a mugging.

It is impossible to single out one actor from the eight-strong cast as all deserve accolades, and so I will take them in order of appearance.

Caroline Papp taking her first major role as wife number one, Mary Smith went from irritation to sheer hysteria as her seemingly ordered life unravelled into a web of improbability.

Penny Pearson had played wife number two, Barbara, on a previous occasion, and she brought a confidence to the role.

Andy Cragg coped with the challenging role of the duplicitous John Smith with panache.

If there is one actor who is born to play the part of a quirky, yet pedantic policeman, it is Jeremy Austin who reprised his role of Det Sgt Troughton - which he first portrayed in 1996. A master of facial expressions, he is a first rate character actor.

Rob Cording is one of the best young actors on the local scene and he clearly relished his first opportunity to go for laughs.

Simon Jackson bumbled beautifully as DS Porterhouse and Graham Hawkins was a scream as the over-the-top dress designer from upstairs.

David Brown clearly enjoyed his brief appearance as the reporter/photographer.

Finally Barry Baynton deserves recognition for directing such a well-rehearsed and tight production which gave the audience such a jolly evening.

A triumph.

Marily Barber - Stour and Avon Magazine