RICHARD Brinsley Sheridan’s wonderful comedy of manners and class, The Rivals, celebrates its 250th anniversary this year, so what better choice of summer touring play for the aptly- named Rain or Shine Theatre Company.
The company was founded in 1998, with the specific intention of performing whatever the weather, and many nights have found sodden audiences watching dripping actors – as the show must go on. This year, in the charming surroundings of the garden of Upper Leigh Farm just off the A350 at East Knoyle, the weather gods could not have been kinder, and the packed audience, most of them very evidently enjoying an annual tradition, settled in for grand picnics before the action got underway.
The story is set in Bath, where wealthy heiress Lydia Languish spends her time reading romantic novels and pining for her penniless suitor Ensign Beverley (who is in fact Jack Absolute, son of a substantial landowner.) Lydia lives with her eccentric and pretentious aunt, Lady Malaprop – a woman who might have a word for every occasion, but it’s usually the wrong word.
Jonathan Legg has adapted and directed the production, with its 11 characters played by five actors. He has added some delightfully witty modern allusions, as well as some hitherto unknown Sheridanian malapropisms, and all much to the amusement of the audience. The addition of Mrs Jillian Cooper to the list of Georgian romantic authors was inspired.
Fun is the order of the evening, as actors change character in unseemly haste rather than hold up the proceedings, and Sheridan’s witty observations of English society ring alarmingly current.
Anthony Young, who has been in 29 Rain or Shine shows (they perform in winter, too), is an established audience favourite, and here he made his first appearance as Lucy, Mrs Malaprop’s maid, in a wonderfully Chris Harris-influenced performance full of coquetry and wile, before transforming into the bombastic and choleric Sir Anthony.
The audience first meets Pippa Meekings selling the programmes, a gentle run-in for her terrific triathlon of characterisations as Julia Melville, Mrs Malaprop and Bob Acres. Emily Harverson makes her professional debut as the lovelorn Lydia and Jack’s servant Fag.
Charles Upton’s wry Capt Absolute (aka Beverley and coachman Thomas), squares up to Adam Wright as Sir Lucius, a very different role from Julia’s doom-laden suitor Faulkland.
Of course it all comes right in the end, but not before a night of riotous fun and frolics. There are 25 more venues on the Rain or Shine Rivals tour. Visit the website, www.rainorshine.co.uk for full details, pack the picnic and join the anniversary celebrations.
GP-W