........The Watermill Theatre, Newbury is a fantastic venue!
Imagine one of those lovely summer evenings we had last week. Think of a clear Hampshire river, ducks dabbling, roses and lavender, delicious fresh food waiting to be selected from the buffet. Add to that, a delightful, funny, entertaining, nostalgic and moving play performed in the old mill now turned into a very intimate theatre and you have all the ingredients for a delightful evening.
The play, 'Laurel and Hardy' wasn't a variety show of their best comic sequences or a biographical drama. Cleverly blending both, we followed the characters from their beginnings, through success and ultimately, to their deaths.
They performed 'By the Light of the Silvery Moon' which had our section of the audience joining in quietly with the words and attempting a seated soft shoe shuffle! They incorporated classic moments like the chandelier scene and looking after a baby.
But, by the end, the closeness of their relationship, their different talents - I hadn't realised that Laurel actually wrote and directed a lot of their films as well as acting - the ups and downs of their lives had resonated with the audience leaving a fond regret that their style of comedy is no longer relevant .
This was a brilliant production, inventive, clever, amusing and performed by two superb actors and a pianist!
We came out singing into a perfect summer's night - warm and starlit.
A great night out. Do visit the theatre there if you have a chance.
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