HARVEY

HARVEY

Chelmsford Theatre Workshop at the Old Court

07.04.17

Harvey first “appeared” on Broadway a lifetime ago, but this pooka pal has remained popular ever since, due in part to the Jimmy Stewart movie.

Now he's haunting the Old Court stage, in a gently amusing production by Jade Flack.

Elwood P Dowd, “the biggest screwball in town” and the rabbit's constant companion, is given a warmly absorbing performance by Dave Hawkes, perfectly capturing the sunny innocence of this harmless eccentric. Strong in support are Lynne Foster as his desperate sister, with some great moments of physical comedy, and Alec Clements as Sanderson, the callow, charismatic junior doctor at the sanatorium run by Dr Chumley [Jesse Powis in a memorable bow tie].

Not all the performances are quite as assured as Hawkes', but there are nice cameos from Stephanie Yorke-Edwards as Mrs Chumley, Fabienne Hanley as Aunt Ethel, and Ian Russell as the all-important cab driver.

Not many laughs on a thin Friday night, despite the sterling efforts of some experienced performers, but some excellent work in key scenes; Sanderson getting advice from Dowd, or left alone on stage with Ruth [Jade Flack].

And the scene changes from The Dowd Library to Chumley's Rest are very efficiently managed.

HARVEY

HARVEY

Kytes Theatre Group at Brentwood Theatre

17.05.12

A daughter and her nervous mother receive no gentlemen callers. The embarrassing man in their life leaves the home to drink in cheap taverns and shady bars, and brings home unsuitable friends to play cards. Magazine subscriptions are sold to a "circle" over the phone.

Familiar Tennessee territory ? Well, this is the feel-good comedy Williams never wrote: Mary Chase's ever-popular Harvey.

This is the one – best known as a Jimmy Stewart vehicle on celluloid – about Elwood P, whose imaginary friend is 6 foot 1, and has holes in his hat where his ears poke through.

For her début as a director, Claire Hilder wisely assembled an experienced team of all the talents. Lionel Bishop was "the biggest screwball in town", giving a wonderful study of this oh so pleasant philanthropist – a laid-back, almost throwaway performance, but exuding childlike innocence and naïve charm.

The useless shrinks who fail to turn our harmless hero into a "perfectly normal human being" were Darren Matthews as Sanderson and Paul Sparrowham, predictably excellent as Chumley: his closing scene with Dowd – Pittsburgh and maple trees – was beautifully delivered.

Jeanette Tirmizey played the distraught mother, Emma Feeney her frustrated daughter. Plenty of pleasure to be had from the supporting cast, including Bob Thompson's taxi driver, Alan Thorley's judge and Sacha Flory's feisty nurse.

The clever set design – by the director and Dr Sanderson – swivelled to allow a reasonably seamless cross-fade from family mansion to funny farm, and the incidental music [Happy Days Are Here Again] neatly established period and mood.

Our visits to the bijou Brentwood venue sometimes recall a regular old-style repertory company: familiar, friendly faces playing a range of styles and roles over a season. This week, for instance, our two doctors and our Myrtle May, not to mention one of the lady callers and the director herself, were to be seen on this same stage just days ago in College Players' hugely entertaining Roxy Krasner.