FARCE is a particular genre of comedy that uses absurd and highly impossible events in the plot.

Situations are humorous because of their ludicrous and often ridiculous nature.

Diplomatic Baggage by John Chapman, being one of the original Whitehall farces, is such a play and was the Falcon Players latest production at the Cope Auditorium.

The plot is centred around Barry Layton, a Board of Trade official, who due to the indisposition of his senior, Harrison Tweedie (a hypochondriac) is sent to France as his deputy to settle the signing of an Anglo-French treaty.

An orchestra of ill timings, mistaken identities plus the unexpected arrival of Barrys wife and an aged uncle in France result in an incredibly convoluted plot.

Successful farce depends on sure fire pace and knife edge timing, both of which were lacking in parts of the Falcon Players first night performance of this very dated play.

It was the experience of Peter Legg, who, as Barry Layton, lifted the momentum considerably especially during the second act, where his total bewilderment and timing as the confused official was hilarious to watch.

Able support was given by the rest of the cast, notably by established members, Ian Swift and Gill Pritchard as the French minister and his food loving wife with several newcomers making their debut appearances with the Falcon Players.

Colin Deans dual set depicting the Laytons house and a Paris hotel suite was highly effective but would have benefited from more subtle lighting when the audience were dazzled by the garish blonde wig worn by Janet Harrison playing Eloise, the seductive secretary during the second half!

Farce is what the Falcon Players are known for doing best, but this production only hovered instead of flying high, so, hopefully, their next show in May, A Bolt from the Blue by David Tristram, billed as an electrifying comedy will see them soaring to greater heights.

By Lynette Watson