Double acts shine in a first-rate show
REVIEW by Evelyn Harper

EVEN the best laid plans, as they say, can do awry. And while the comedy shone through the latest Falcon Players production, one of the biggest roars of laughter came from an unforseen moment - when a doorknob fell off.

Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Keselring pivots on the lives of the elderly Brewster sisters, members of a fairly 'crazy' family.

They, we realise, are rather more crazy than we at first thought, when we see them planning the burial of the latest 'old gentlemen', whom they have seen off to a bettwe place with their very special elderberry wine.

On even keel
The two sisters, Abby, played with verve and perception by Janet E. Holmes, and Martha, played by Sylvia Fall, were the first of two particularly impressive double acts in the play. They were delightful doddery, dotty old dears.

The other comic duo were Stuart Bailey and Roy Emmett in the roles of Jonathon Brewster and Dr. Enistein. Their characters contrasted darkly with the others in the play and kept it on an even keel.

It was good to see a wide cross-section of ages represented in the good humoured audience at Stanford Hall. Perhaps this reflects the choice of play, which certainly had great appeal as the show sold out.

As with any first night there was a certain amount of line bluffing, but on the whole this did not spoil the evening too much.

Producer Lawrence Holmes, who also appeared as Officer O'Hara, put together a very likeable show which made for an easy-going, enjoyable evening.