" TRIVIAL PURSUITS"
by John Vickery

Presented at the Phoenix Theatre in Ross-on-Wye
by ROADS (Ross Operatic And Dramatic Society)
April 15th. to 24th. 1999

CAST
Teddy - James Lee-Hynes
Joyce - Jane Russell
Mona - Carry Bullock
Pearl - Denise Hall
Deidre - Sarah Rogers
Roz Loraine Worrall
Derek Richard Mayo
Jessica Katharine Leech
Eddie Graham Isle
Nick Rolf Clark

DIRECTED by Mike Ball




One of the 'essentials' missing in ROADS play

AMATEUR dramatic groups have to be careful in choosing plays to perform They have to consider the physical staging the quality of the script and, of course, the actors available.
In selecting Trivial Pursuits by Frank Vickery, Ross Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (ROADS) appear to have considered only two of these essentials.
The script is poor, and despite some very funny lines and situations it does not hold together very well.
The setting is a patio where the local operatic society is holding a barbecue.
The plot involves various members of the group conniving to have their choice of musical selected for the next production.
The Phoenix stage, despite having previously accommodated a two-bedroomed flat, and a motorway trallic jam, among other impressive Sets, was inadequate for all the machinations that were taking place between various couples.

Upstaging

Consequently a lot of upstaging resulted, with actors directing conversations away from the audience, and blocking each other.
The set, in fact, was charming, with excellent painted backdrops, and as seems usual with the Phoenix Theatre, all backstage support was faultless.
Director, Mike Ball, certainly did a good job in selecting some very good performers from ROADS' extremely talented membership.
Space does not allow me to name all ten actors, but notable were the very expressive face of Jane Worrall, Jane Russell's convincing drunk with a laugh that seemed to come from her toes, and Richard Mayo, who resisted the very real temptation to overact which his role offered. These three, and the other seven characters, provided a lot of genuinely hilarious moments, and Trivial Pursuits is definitely visit.

S.E., Hereford Journal, 21st. April 1999

Actors on the verge of a nervous breakdown

Trivial Pursuits by Frank Vickery. At the Phoenix theatre

This was the first time I had seen ROADS, and the first time I had been to the Phoenix Theatre. I was pleasantly surprised on both counts. The Phoenix Theatre is tiny, as anyone who has been there will know, but it's also very comfortable and intimate, and the actors were all very impressive.
Considering the subject of the play - amateur drama group meets for barbecue - you would expect much over the top histrionics and big acting. In fact almost everyone put in understated, well balanced performances.
Notable, and very funny, exceptions were James Lee-Hynes as Teddy, Jane Russell as Joyce, and Cherry Bullock as Mona. However their performances were all spot-on -the three of them. Competing to be the most demanding drama queen of the fictional Amdram company. Countering these big performances were Denise Hall as Pearl, Sarah Rogers as Deidre and Loraine Worrall as Roz. These three, playing sensible, down -to-earth characters, held the play together. While not deliberately upstaging anyone they ensured that their performances shone through.
Everyone else was somewhere in between.
Depressed, suicidal Derek, played by Richard Mayo, budding prima donna Jessica, played by Katharine Leech, weird Eddie, played by Graham Isle and Roz's husband/Jessica's lover, the easily manipulated Nick, played by RoIf Clark. These performances could have easily spilled over into parody but the actors all kept their heads and put in creditable, realistic performances without sacrificing any of the humour.
Frank Vickery's plays have up to now been in a bit of a Welsh ghetto - from this performance it is clear they deserve a wider audience. However one odd thing was the mention of Welsh place names and references (Cardiff, the Treorchy Male Voice Choir) when other things had been changed (mentions of The Ross Gazette and the Hereford Journal). There was no reason Cardiff couldn't have transmuted into Gloucester or Hereford.
Still, that's a minor quibble in what was a highly enjoyable night out.

Elise Harris, Ross Gazette, Thursday, April 22nd.1999.

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