NODA Review June2014
The choice of the Winslow Boy was a change to the comic genre, usually associated with this group. Written by Terence Rattigan and based on a true story which occurred before the First World War. The boy was expelled from Osborne Naval College after being accused of stealing a £5 postal order and tells of his father’s fight to prove his innocence. The action takes place in the sitting room of Arthur Winslow’s House in London, and extends over a period of two years. The set was up to the very high standard that I have come to expect from this group, with great attention to detail. Centre back was an arched opening onto the hallway, one side leading to the front door and the other to the rest of the house. There was a door stage right, which lead to the dinning room and French doors stage left, which lead into the garden, outside was the start of the garden with trellis and ivy. This was well dressed with appropriate furniture, pictures, lamps books and ornaments, giving the impression of a family, which was comfortably off. The lighting had been well designed lighting the whole stage and dimming off stage through the French windows during the storm. Lighting and sound were both well cued.
The costumes were in period and worn well, with generally appropriate deportment for the period, except perhaps Dickie, who, I felt was a little too modern. The outfits worn by Catherine Winslow, the daughter of the house were particularly attractive showing her to be a fashionable young lady.
Most of the cast were confident in their roes,characterisation was good, i, with the characters of Ronnie Winslow, Arthur Winslow, Catherine Winslow and Sir Robert Morton being particularly strongly portrayed.
Director Shelagh Fagin had worked hard with her cast helping them to understand their roles and develop their characters, and keep up the pace; also to bring out the humour from a very serious subject. Congratulations to everyone on a high quality production.
Director: Shelagh Fagan Choreographer: Sian Bagnall