Reviews & comments on Habeas Corpus
Letter received by the Landmark Theatre
Dear Studio Theatre
I wandered into the Landmark on Sunday night (30-07-06) on the spur of the moment and not really knowing what to expect ...
What I got was a healthy dose of good belly laughter and wonderful night's entertainment! I enjoyed Habeas Corpus immensely and didn't want it to end.
Thank you all for a wonderful performance and for a truly uplifting evening.
J.G.
Ilfracombe
Cakes with icing taste best!
What should you do for entertainment when visiting Ilfracombe for a short stay? “Visit the Studio Theatre at Ilfracombe College.” we were told. “They are performing Alan Bennett's Habeas Corpus, and the first night is Wednesday 5 th. It only costs £5.”
So who or what is this Studio Theatre? A venue? Well yes, but also a group of theatrical enthusiasts who like to bring joy to lots of residents and visitors to Ilfracombe. I checked their website at www.studiotheatreonline.org and found the page about the play. It is described there as a “hilarious, fast-moving comedy of mistaken identities and sexual encounters”.
As I am not really interested in football, the World Cup semi-final that evening held no real attraction. With the weather being not too promising, my wife and I didn't want to spend time sitting in the hotel bedroom watching TV. We ventured out to find the local college in good time for the performance.
Never before have I sat watching a play where you could literally reach out and touch the actors. This was truly an intimate theatrical experience. Don't misunderstand me and think that the bijou theatre and the intimate seating arrangements meant that the performance was in any way amateur. Some professional theatre casts would have difficulty engaging an audience in such an intimate environment.
With a cast of only twelve and an audience twice that size, I wondered just how many other people were involved in the background, helping to make the performance such a success. Even the prompt (sat just in front and to my right) had nothing to do other than read through the script as the cast gave a flawless performance. The whole cast were totally involved in their performances, and there was much evidence of their characters being played skilfully even when on stage without lines and in the background.
The most impressive performances had to be from Larry Fabian (Dr Arthur Wicksteed) and Alan Bailey (Cannon Throbbing) whose characterisations left me worried that they might really speak and behave as questionably as their characters in real life. They were closely followed by Su Scott-Goldstone (Mrs Swabb) and Elizabeth Johnson (Lady Rumpers), whose individual contributions were again considerable and highly convincing.
The rest of the cast should not be dismayed just because they have not been named here. Every one of them performed so well that they made the whole two-hour performance thoroughly enjoyable. It was so refreshing to see a team effort rather than a few prima donnas with a supporting cast.
After a full day exploring the local scenery and coastal path, with breathtaking views, the play was the icing on the cake and finished the day off superbly. Thank you to everyone involved. We will certainly schedule other visits to Ilfracombe around the performances of Studio Theatre as it is such an enthusiastic and accomplished group.
Ian Kerry
Exeter
