Review by: Paul Towers, 23 January 2017
Don’t Dress For Dinner by Marc Camoletti, adapted by
Robin Hawdon
Leicester Drama Society Production directed by David
Kimmins
The Little Theatre 23-28 January 2017
“a traditional farce of mistaken identities”
Don’t Dress For Dinner is a traditional farce of mistaken identities
and multiple door openings involving a couple who are both having affairs and
circumstances conspiring to have them all staying in the same house at the same
time.
As deceits pile on lies and people pretend to be other
people the laughter builds as each twist adds further confusion. As with the
best farces people go on and off stage as pratt falls follow spilt drinks until
the final denouement when all is resolved.
A tight cast of just six work well together on a nice
spacious set of doors, stairs and comfy furniture. Rick Lamoure and Rachel
Draper as Bernard and Jaqueline, the straying married couple portray a great
sense of duplicity as they attempt to cover up their adultery. The friend Robert,
Bernard’s bestie and Jaqueline’s bit on the side, is nicely confused and ever
more neurotic as played by Trevor Butlin. As the cook, Suzannne, Marie Di Rito
reminds me of Jane Horrocks as she
gradually gets drunk while Emma Bamford as Suzette, Bernard’s paramour, oozes
sex appeal as she slinks in the front door. The final cast member is George,
Suzanne’s husband, played by Graham Muir. A small part but vital for some final
laughs as the play ends.
This is fairly standard LCS fare, well performed, pretty
unlikely to upset anyone and leaves you with a warm chuckle to see you home.
I do wonder if, as the play was originally written in French
with a European sensibility about infidelity, whether it would have worked even
better played with French accents.
Don’t Dress For Dinner is at The Little Theatre until
Saturday 28th January 2017
First published on Western Gazette
