Disposing of the Body – a review.

I’m not entirely sure why I neglected to look at the
synopsis for this play before going to the theatre. If I had done, I would have
realised that this wasn’t a whodunit and the murder I was expecting to occur in
the opening scenes wasn’t going to happen.

Henry and Angela Preece take early retirement and move from
London to the Cotswolds. Feeling bereft as their only son, Ben, is now living
in California, it is a fragile time for the pair. Angela is happy to continue
in her role as home-maker, but Henry is finding it harder to settle; order and
routine being a prerequisite for his contentment. They meet their neighbours,
Alexander and Joanna Barley, and the friendship that develops is promising, if
a little strained. When Joanna begins to take on secretarial duties for Henry,
it’s not long before the two begin an affair which ultimately proves to be the
unravelling of Henry. Then Angela disappears.

It’s very refreshing to see an amateur theatre group take
on a lesser-known play when we all know it’s far easier to deliver a comedy, a
spin-off from a TV show perhaps, which is certain to attract a sizeable
audience. But theatre groups are doing their members a disservice if they
always take the easy option.

Choosing Disposing
of the Body by Hugh Whitemore was a bold move by the St Nicolas Players. It’s not an easy
play and reviews of other groups performing it would seem to suggest it isn’t universally enjoyed. It could be a powerful piece of theatre but its lack of
pace in the first half, on account of the many monologues which pepper the
action, asks a lot of the audience. The second half is more arresting, as the
characters become more animated and visceral: emotions are heightened by the
pain of loss and betrayal.

Jed Laxton, who played Henry, is to be commended for
pouring every ounce of emotion into this complex role. His anguish was palpable
as his world began to crumble: his clothes, demeanour and mannerisms matched
the turmoil in his mind.

Martin Tyrrell has a strong stage presence. Very easy to
watch, he always looked comfortable in the role as Alexander, whether it was
being the rather pompous teacher at the start or later as the angry and
heart-broken husband, having to face his wife’s duplicity.

Arline Evenden explored how rejection can change a warm
and generous wife into the dejected, lost soul that Angela sadly became. It was
clear that husband-stealer Joanna, played ably by Jules Jones, hadn’t quite
anticipated how far-reaching her little fling would be.

A female Inspector Poole was played by Pippa Grover, who
delivered her lines with confidence and good diction: someone to watch for the
future. The character of Kate (Ann Temple) surprised us all with her own
revelations in the second half, as did the prodigal son, Ben (Kevin Palmer) who
displayed his own raw emotions because of guilt. And kudos to Rob Nicholls, the
hotel manager, for his expert upending of Henry which produced a whoop of
delight from the audience.

The set was cleverly designed, using three projection screens
to show the interiors and exteriors: without this, set changes would have
stifled the pace even more. I would have preferred the typing scenes to have
been played further downstage: any sexual tension between Henry and Joanna in
the early days of their relationship was lost behind the sofa.

Finally, just a personal opinion, but I do find it
awkward to see the cast already in place when I enter the theatre. The main
characters were seated, frozen on stage, while members of the audience took
their seats, rooted around in bags for sweets, talked to friends or hid behind
programmes, anything to lessen their discomfort. I love audience involvement
during a performance: the cast can run down the aisles and interact as much as
they like. But when house lights are up, the magic, for me, isn’t there.

Likewise, at the end, instead of the actors acknowledging
their audience with smiles and bows, they
slowly took their positions and held blank expressions. Hence, the applause
was short-lived as the audience members didn’t quite know how to show their
appreciation. I’ve never seen the South Holland Centre clear so quickly as it
dawned on everyone that the cast couldn’t go home until we did.

Well done, Nick Fletcher, for tackling this play as
Director and getting the very best out of your actors. I am sure they will have
found the experience of being involved in such an emotionally-demanding play
hugely rewarding. The society will certainly reap the benefit.