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East Town House Play 2011 - ‘According To Hoyle’

After the performance of Worcester House’s version of The Vicar of Dibley, it was time for East Town to present another professional performance. Last year’s production of Reservoir Dogs was a surprise contender for awards in the House Play competition and it seems as if they have done the same again this year. ‘According to Hoyle’ is not a particularly well known play, but it was a massive success as it entertained the audience with a nice blend of dramatic and comedic moments.

The setting was an apartment just before Chris (Dylan Trenouth) moves out after the unfortunate events of his friend Micky’s (Charlie Moore) suicide. It showed the standard comfortable living layout of the apartment, which saw gradually more and more objects placed into the brown boxes, evoking a sense of emptiness not only in the apartment but also amongst the characters. The upper part of the stage showed the bar which presented some very dramatic moments but also some hilarious scenes, of which more later.

Music and lighting, like last year, was essential to the play. The green light presented moments of “flashback” which helped the audience's understanding of the piece and which importantly wasn’t off-putting for the actors or the audience. Music was effectively used to set the scene at the end of the 20th century, with dance music in the bar and then melancholic songs used to enhance the intense moments (Micky’s final scene was a good example).

The actors themselves were very well cast. Of course, the main comedy came from Henry Barnes and George Hood as the audience were in fits of laughter at Hood's “seductive” prostitute who took advantage of Cedric (Barnes). Some might have suggested that it was a little out of place, as it slightly distracted from the serious subject of suicide, but on the whole it was one of the highlights of the show and helped to lighten an otherwise dark play.

The five main actors of the piece must be highly congratulated as each of them performed to an exceptional standard and really made the audience believe in the characters. Kevin, played by Johnny Gill, presented a typical lad who had the surprising habit of dressing up as the opposite sex and finding it completely normal. Eddie, played by Jasper Couper, the smallest of all the actors, certainly had his fair share to say and helped to create some great chemistry between the other actors. The Trenouth brothers displayed the best form of acting in the entire piece with contrasting characters. Chris, played by Dylan, presented a strong mature character that was ready to be married. He also managed to convey how isolated the character had become and how he had changed since the suicide and revealed at times his vulnerability to the audience.

Clive, played by Jonah Trenouth, certainly displayed the “cheeky chappy” disguise, until the very end when the audience saw him completely breakdown in front of everyone. Finally Charlie Moore who played Mickey, who was also directing the play, managed to portray the unstable character who was going through such emotional trauma that he felt he had nothing left to live for. He portrayed it with great power and conviction that made his final scene, as mentioned earlier, a very memorable moment.

To sum up, this play was a mixture of drama which dealt with the serious subjects of suicide, marriage break ups and affairs but also managed to sprinkle it with humour. The play seemed to run very fluidly and there were no real hiccups. A very strong production overall!

* * * *

Play number six and the responsibility fell to East Town. They did not disappoint. The theatre was buzzing well before the action started, the atmosphere aided by some gentle music. The set looked impressive, and with ten stage hands, it should have done. East Town had chosen the little known play ‘According to Hoyle’, an emotional drama about four men who play poker together for the final time. One of their number, Micky, has committed suicide and this has psychologically damaged their group. The final poker game is wrought with suspicions of cheating, emotional (and frequently rude) outbursts from the stressed Clive (aptly played by Jonah Trenouth), and the appearance of Micky’s ghost (Charlie Moore).

Some actors have recently involved the audience, updating them on the plot, narrating the storyline, and occasionally making cynical comments about other characters. East Town avoided this, ignoring the crowd until the very end. This resulted in the audience giving their undivided attention to the pretenders, and during the emotional scenes at the end, hardly daring to breathe.

The Trenouth brothers, Dylan and Jonah, produced strong performances as Chris and Clive. Jonah displayed a great spectrum of emotions, boisterous and welcoming in one scene, in the next stressed and confrontational. He also displayed great composure to brush off nearly parting company with the stage at one point, taking the slip into his stride and continued with his lines. Charlie Moore was given only the flashback scenes, understandable considering that his character was dead. However, he made the most of his chance, delivering a chillingly good performance, especially in the penultimate scene. He seamlessly fitted into the character of the repressed and depressed Micky, his defining moment looking into the lights accepting that his path had come to an end.

East Town continued this Drama Festival’s fine tradition of cross-dressing, with George Hood and Johnny Gill adding a much needed comic touch to the performance by respectively acting Clive’s promiscuous daughter Misha; and Kevin, one of the four who secretly does a stand up routine, while in drag.

Both the technical managers, Chris Fleury and Johnny Whitaker, and the Stage Manager, Anjan Sarangi, played a huge role in the success of the production. The lighting was impressive, the green hue accompanying the flashbacks giving the stage a haunted feel. The transition between sets was handled professionally by a small army of stage hands, although it was aided by having only two locations. There were no expenses spared when it came to props, on display was a bar, two sofas, a television, a real telephone and a number of bound books. The programme credits Anjan with this, stating ‘Anjan Sarangi who has been finding, fetching and making props since Day 1’. There were no noticeable gaffes, and they had clearly spent a long time rehearsing in the Redgrave, with the sound effects and lighting both arriving perfectly on cue.

The play lived up to its hype, with some virtuoso performances both on and off the stage resulting in a play that will be a real contender for the title. Congratulations to all involved.

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