UK Theatre Network

The Comedy Theatre Company presents Victoria Wood’s –dinnerladies, Richmond Theatre on 13^th July 2009. 

 

Who can resist a good love story?  There is a fine line between comedy and tragedy.  What may appear, at first sight, a tragedy, may be taken as comedy by other characters and by us , the audience.  Bren and Tony’s story in dinnerladies is made up of all of these elements.

True (sitcom) love never ran smoothly and that is exactly what makes it compulsive viewing.

dinnerladies was aired on BBC One for a period of 16 episodes in two series between 1998 and 2000.  The show took place inside a factory in Manchester, with its caterers and customers as the principal characters, who were predominantly female. It touched on their inner lives and their social interaction.

And, as always with Victoria Wood, as with Alan Bennett, there is an element of pathos, a feeling of pity along with comedy.

 

For more information on dinnerladies visit: www.dinnerladiesontour.com

 

The show’s two main stars, from the original BBC series, are Shobna Gulati,  best known for the four years she spent playing ‘Sunita Alahan’ in Coronation Street and Andrew Dunn, whose television performances include: 55 Degrees North, The Knock and Coronation Street, as ‘Roger Stiles’, a plumber and the love interest of ‘Janice Battersby’.

 

The first thing that struck me was how much attention to detail had been made when it came to the set and how much better the script worked on stage as opposed to the small screen due to it already being highly theatrical.  The guest I took along with me to see the production was also in agreement.

 

As for the cast, Jacqueline Clarke who played ‘Petula’ had to be my preferred character but, to be fair, she did have some of the best one liners.

Two prime examples of the pathos in Victoria Wood’s writing were when ‘Petula’ (Jacqueline Clarke) said to ‘Tony’(Andrew Dunn, at the stage when he is only the potential love interest of ‘Bren’, played by Laura Sheppard):

“has she (‘Bren’) told you what a terrible mother I was?

…put in an orphanage and lost the address!”

and the conversation held between mother and daughter, ‘Petula’ and ‘Bren’ :

‘Petula’ to ‘Bren’: “I had a baby once before (recollecting).

But I never really got involved.  Do you remember?

Oh, it was you, wasn’t it?!”

(all this is said whilst the others are dealing with a casualty after a spillage to which ‘Petula’ is completely oblivious.) 

 

‘Wood’s ability to make working class dialogue almost poetic allowed Dinnerladies to rise above its traditional sitcom trappings.’

(BBC website)

 

Laura Sheppard (Bren) was substituted in for Victoria Wood and Louise Dumayne (Philippa) for Celia Imrie.  The likeness is uncanny, especially in Sheppard whose movements and facial expressions are astutely like those of Victoria Wood. 

Dumayne’s first most memorable line is near the beginning when she says to Dolly, played by Liz Bagley: “are you too busy to have an orgasm?”, Dolly’s response to which is: “I haven’t even blown my nose, since Tuesday!”

 

Jean (played by Stella Ross) is surprised by Twinkle’s (Emily Butterfield’s) inability to spell well, saying: “didn’t they teach you at school?”

Always one to shock and to come back with a quick response, it would appear, she says:

“They taught us how to put a condom on a cucumber!”, believing it to be much more important than knowing how to spell ‘minestrone’!

 

There are some good lines from Andrew Dunn (Tony), when he wants one of the catering staff to make a quick cuppa: “I fancied a quick one.” (Tony)

“She hasn’t got time.” (Bren)

“Well, I’ve been in a building society but it doesn’t mean I don’t have time to go to the bank!” (Tony),

and a conversation held between Bren (Laura Shepphard):

“have you ever heard of an inferiority complex?” (Tony)

“yeah, but I never thought I’d be important enough to have one!” (Bren)

Enter Jane( played by Joanna Lee Martin), a sarky, couldn’t-care-less-type who comes out with lines such as:

“What do you get when you cross a wimp and an idiot.” (Jane to Tony)

 - “a catering manager” ,

and to Jean, who’s had her husband leave her after 27 years.

“I don’t care about your personal problems.  I lost 8 tropical fish in a power cut last week.”

Bren (Laura Sheppard), probably the most sympathetic of all the characters, not ever putting herself first, is finally fed up with Jean’s emotional guilt-tripping over her husband leaving and says to her:

“If you’re going to chuck toast at someone…

…chuck it at him”, (i.e. her estranged husband.)

 

Anita (Shopna Gulati) is the loveable dim wit, finding amusement in everyday objects, e.g. when she says to Bren (Laura Sheppard):

“don’t you think this potato looks like Dell boy from Only Fools and Horses?” (Anita).

“which one?” (Bren), i.e. which potato?

“David Jason.” (Anita)

Coming out with random comments like:

“My friend tried a dildo.” (Anita)

“-where was this…?!”

“I mean a lilo”, correcting herself when she realises her slip-up.

Her mind wanders when Tony (Andrew Dunn) asks her:

“Have you got your yogs out yet?” and she says: “Do you mean yogs as in breasts?”, after explaining to her what he meant by it, showing no feelings of embarrassment she says: “oh that’s alright.  I’ve no objection to that!”

 

The scenes are broken up by flashing neon lights, stating in short, the time that has passed and the date.

There is a realistic pause held by the cast on Stan (Barrie Palmer) announcing his father’s death, which is delicately broken by Dolly (Liz Bagley) when she brings up the subject of suitable funeral songs.

Cue Anita (Shopna Gulati), whom we have begun to rely on to break the ice or, in this instance, the arkward silence with:

“When our neighbour’s coffin went through the curtain, they played Countdown.”

Bren (Laura Shepphard), who has never understood referring to the dead as ‘being in the next room’, says: “if you’re gonna be dead, no need to be beggaring around.. ..don’t go being in the next room!”

Victoria Wood, never wishing for the audience to get too down, allows, at this point, for the fantastic entrance of Petula (Jacqueline Clarke) who has the whole of her face and arms covered in oil after an incident with a caravan.

Act 1 ends on a touching moment with Stan (Barrie Palmer) reading out loud a poem he has written and intends to read out at his father’s funeral.

 

In Act 2 the sexual innuendos remain just as strong as in Act 1, with Dolly (Liz Bagley) on realising Jean (Stella Ross) has a toy boy says: “.. he must be very fit, must take him 20 mins to get from one side to the other.”

Still on the subject of sex Stan (Barrie Palmer) says:

“I’ve got no sex life, no frying pan and I’m halfway through a tube of toothpaste. I don’t like.”

Anita (Shopna  Gulati) chips in and says: “I might be able to help you there.  I’ve got a wok.”

 

Twinkle (Emily Butterfield) suspicious that Bren (Laura Shepphard) has spent the night with Tony says to her: “alright Bren, are you shagged out?!”

Peter Bradleigh who plays a customer and who after waiting for a long time responds to Twinkle by saying: “oh just give me a bag (as in teabag), I’ll suck it on my way home. Pause.  I tell you what, forget the bacon.  Have you got any anti-depressants?”

 

There are many cultural references in the play that it would make it near impossible for a foreigner to understand.  Also, those people in the audience who reign from The North, i.e. myself, would be able to pick up on jokes a lot quicker than those people who do not.

 

With Christmas approaching Dolly (Liz Bagley) enquires: “Who has sex on Christmas morning?”

-“The Dalai Lama.” (Jean)

“Well, he must peel his sprouts the night before.” (Dolly)

 

Twinkle (Emily Butterworth) still eager to know whether Tony has got it on with Bren says: “he’s all vest and no cardie!”

At The Staff Christmas Party Petula (Jacqueline Clarke) makes another of her grand entrances and embarrasses Jean, whom she knows is dating again, says to her: “go Jean, there are some lovely girls around!”

 

In the final scene on the 24^th December- Bren’s Birthday, we see Bren and Tony finally become an item, despite Bren’s earlier reservations, put off by a previous failed relationship. Tony (Andrew Dunn) is about to open a letter and turns to her and says: “have you written me a love letter?” Stan on realising that it is, in fact, Bren’s letter of resignation she wrote earlier jumps in and saves the day by snatching it from his hands and swallowing it down whole. All the characters in the canteen of HWD Components and the audience exit with a warm glow on their faces.  A real pick-you-up piece of theatre.