A DRY wit underpins Edinburgh Makars' solid production of
William Douglas-Home's old-fashioned 1960s comedy. Set in the country
home of writer Hugh Walford, the comedy follows his younger wife Liz's
announcement that she is about to elope with a handsome American, John.
Instead of flying off the handle, Hugh proposes that he will do the right thing by her, and give her the grounds for divorce.
Derek Melon makes a solid Hugh, a convincing buttress of common sense
as he announces that he will invite his secretary, Molly, down for the
weekend, so he can be found in bed with her by the housekeeper - an
outraged Jan Renton.
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Emma Needs' Liz is spot on, determined but
faltering as Hugh also invites John to stay. Her sense of being torn as
Hugh carries on his stiff-upper lip act is excellently observed.
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Anna
Kenyon also gives a great performance as Molly, a fish out of water.
Director Margaret Milne could have pushed John Hogg much harder for the insipid John, however.
The
humour here lies not in quick and witty one-liners, but in the
recognition that the correct order of things will be preserved against
the rising tide of modernity.
Run ends August 20
Thom Dibdin
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