The Ladykillers

Sheltering from the cold weather at a midweek matinee in Leicester's Curve, I lined up amidst so much grey hair it was akin to joining Harry Hill's Badger Parade! Once inside and watching The Ladykillers unfold before our eyes it was apparent from the unduly loud and sometimes over-long laughter from behind me that one or two patrons might have forgotten their medication.
The pre show view of the stage, a slightly run-down house front from which emanated the tinkling ballads of a bygone age, belied the darkly comedic goings on to be unveiled. Based on the very successful 1955 film starring the immeasurable talents of Alec Guinness, Herbert Lom, Cecil Parker and Peter Sellers, this is the touring version of Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse's production from the pen of Graham Lineham, the creator of Father Ted. Really, that should tell you exactly what to expect; farce, physical theatre and surreality, all mixed together in a darkly comic cauldron.
Addressing the problem of various bits of action that occur outside of the confines of the stage, the producers use models imaginatively. A police car, barely a foot long, speeds across the front curtain at the beginning to signify the arrival of the local beat bobby and thus the tone of the tale is set. Once the curtain rises that skewed view of things is reinforced with the design of the set, a house with nary a vertical line; a dwelling worthy of Salvador Dali's warped imagination. It is riddled with effects, enough to warrant a round of applause in its own right. In fact the set had more tricks than a hooker on a Bank Holiday.
As the plot unfolds we witness the inept planning of a robbery which leads to a very unlikely climax.
The cast, unusually performing with no additional amplification, proved their professionalism right from the start. Mention has to go especially to Clive Mantel whom, channeling Basil Fawlty, veered admirably between confidence trickster and no-confidence trickster; Paul Bown, following in Alec Guinness's footsteps successfully emerges from his shadow and makes the part of Professor Marcus his own. Modern comedy productions seem to increasingly include a slapstick element and Ladykillers is no exception. This very physical role is beautifully filled by the talented William Troughton, part of what must now surely be considered an acting dynasty stretching down from grandfather Patrick (Dr Who).
As the plot progresses you wonder how they are going to cover things like the robbery, the car chase and the first death. Surely they will gloss over them in the manor of 'Oh look, there's a car chase. Hear the squeal of brakes' But, oh no, in a style that Michael Bentine would be proud of, each external chase is seen in detail without resorting to audio visual trickery!
Finally, the second act tumbles ever faster towards the denouement as death after death occurs. Each assassinated character is dispatched with a new special effect ever more imaginative than the last until, finally, there was one.
As seems to be the trend, for which we here in the shires are very grateful, much thought and design has gone into the production and I doubt very much if we miss anything that was in the West End staging.

© Paul Towers 6/2/2013