Patricia bags star role in Wilde classic

Sep 19 2008 Amateur Stage with John Slim

* POSSIBLY the most famous exclamatory question in theatre is “A handbag?” – still guaranteed to pulverise an audience 113 years after Oscar Wilde made it the highlight of The Importance of Being Earnest.

Unfortunately, it sets an enormous problem for any actress playing Lady Bracknell. Should she go for the rounded classic consternation evinced so wonderfully by Dame Edith Evans both on stage and in the 1952 film – and invite the almost inevitably unfavourable comparison – or make it totally different and in effect throw it away?

Worcester’s Swan Theatre Amateur Company presents the play next month – with the presentational problem falling on Patricia Hobday, a new member of the group.

She first went on stage five years ago at Cinderella’s fairy godmother, but since then she has had a wide range of roles, including three Shakespearean productions. Tim Crow’s production will be at the Swan from October 7-11.

* THE revue to be presented by Albrighton Musical Theatre Company in January will be the 25th produced by Alan Wolverson.

He joined the group in 1978 and was soon asked to get to work on a revue to be performed on the Friday and Saturday of three consecutive weekends – since when, they have usually been a prominent part of the Albrighton calendar for the New Year.

He has directed musicals and taken many leading roles and been the group’s chairman several times.

And he will probably be at the keyboard when Albrighton presents The Railway Children next May – with his son, Christopher, as musical director.

* SUTTON Coldfield Musical Theatre Company, now celebrating its 75th anniversary, is about to look back on the shows that have been part of its story – with next month’s production of Back to Broadway.

The show is a collection of numbers from productions such as 42nd Street, Les Misérables, Guys and Dolls and The Rocky Horror Show.

It will be on at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall from October 14-18 and will have a Saturday matinée.

* COLESHILL Operatic Society launches its centenary celebrations with a dinner for members and former members on Friday next week at the Manor Hotel, Meriden.

WHAT’S ON

Open Wide, Grange Players, Grange Playhouse, Walsall (to Saturday); Dick Barton: Special Agent, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham (to Saturday); Loot, The Nonentities, Rose Theatre, Kidderminster (to Saturday); I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, Oldbury Repertory Players, Barlow Theatre, Langley (Sept 20-27); Men of the World, Oldbury Rep, Barlow Theatre, Langley (Sept 22-27); An Inspector Calls, All & Sundry, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham (Sept 22-27); The Lady in the Van, Highbury Little Theatre (Sept 23-Oct 4); A Slice of Saturday Night, Solihull Operatic Society, Lyndon School, Solihull (Sept 25-27); Comic Relapse, Lichfield Players, Lichfield Garrick (Sept 26 & 27).