There’s something very reassuring about a packed theatre on a warm summer evening, and The Grange Players’ production of The Odd Couple (Female Version) had exactly that feeling from the moment audiences arrived. Every seat was taken, the foyer was buzzing, and in a lovely example of proper theatre spirit, director Dawn Vigurs could even be found outside helping guide cars into spaces before curtain up due to the sheer number of people attending.
That warmth and enthusiasm carried straight through into the performance itself.
Neil Simon’s comedy depends heavily on pace, timing and believable relationships, and this production understood that from the outset. Dawn Vigurs deserves huge credit for keeping the show moving so naturally throughout the evening. Comedy can easily become frantic or forced, but here the rhythm felt confident and relaxed, allowing both the laughs and quieter moments to land properly. Having previously won BFAME’s Best Director award, Dawn clearly knows how to build a production that keeps an audience invested, and this was another fine example of that skill.
Charlotte Pilbeam led the show confidently as Olive Madison, capturing the character’s chaotic energy and sharp tongue without ever losing her charm. She felt completely at home in the role, handling the fast-moving dialogue with ease and creating a believable centre to the production.
Opposite her, Emily McKay’s Florence Unger was particularly impressive. Florence enters the play at such an emotional high point that it can sometimes leave an actor with nowhere else to go. Hysterical can very quickly become repetitive. Thankfully, Emily avoided that trap entirely. She found real light and shade within the performance, allowing Florence’s vulnerability and warmth to emerge underneath the panic and perfectionism. It made the character feel human rather than caricature, which gave the audience far more reason to care about her.
The accents throughout the production were handled well, particularly by the principal cast. They never became distracting or overdone, which helped the dialogue flow naturally.
The supporting cast all contributed strongly to the lively atmosphere of the show. Molly Hill brought plenty of energy and confidence to Sylvie, while Kay Munday, Jill Simkin and Kathryn Vance all created distinct personalities within the trivial pursuit scenes that felt natural and believable.
Special mention should go to Molly Hill and Jay McKay, both making their stage debuts. First performances are difficult enough without adding accents and comic timing into the mix, but both deserve enormous credit. Neither looked overwhelmed by the occasion. Molly settled comfortably into the ensemble, while Jay McKay fully embraced the role of Jesus Costazuela and clearly relished every moment on stage.
Alongside him, Chris Lambeth as Manolo Costazuela helped provide some of the evening’s biggest laughs. Their scenes injected a completely different energy into the play and were received warmly by the audience throughout.
The technical side of the production quietly supported the show very effectively too. The lighting and sound matched the tone perfectly without ever becoming intrusive — exactly what good technical theatre should do.
And perhaps the biggest compliment of all is this: despite taking place on one of the hottest nights of the year in a completely full theatre, the production managed to keep everyone’s attention firmly fixed on the stage rather than the temperature.
Funny, warm and full of heart, this was a thoroughly enjoyable evening from The Grange Players and a reminder of just how rewarding local theatre can be when talented people come together to tell a story well. I do home my dinner doesn’t smoke as much as Florences did. Congratulations Grange Players.
Reviewed by David T.
….Stop Press….. I’ve just heard from the lovely team at The Grange Playhouse that we actually had three first-timers on stage in this production—not just Molly Hill and Jay McKay, but Charlotte Pilbeam as well.
Charlotte, making your debut at The Grange in a principal role in the female version of The Odd Couple—I’m not sure how you top that!
I’m really looking forward to seeing what all three of you do next.
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