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DON'T LOOK NOW
Ian Dickens Productions at the Civic
26.01.09
Daphne Du Maurier's dark little story sits uneasily on the stage. This adaptation, by Nell Leyshon, has seventeen scenes, which means that mood, atmosphere and suspense are regularly broken by Stage Management trucking on beds, bars and altars.
Some of the most successful moments were the lighter ones, with nice character comic relief from John Banks in the restaurant, and a survivor from the old Newpalm days, Gary Taylor as a grizzled, dyspeptic Chief of Police.
Nicola Bryant did a good job with Laura, haunted, fragile and vulnerable. She got little support from Peter Amory as her sceptical husband – his theatrical CV is pretty much limited to this company, and his feelings, if any, rarely crossed the footlights. His Italian sounded good though – note to programme editors: Torcello, not Torchello; note to weird sisters: siamo, not siami.
The other big name was Shirley Ann Field, a strong presence as the sighted sister; her blind twin was an excellent Claire Vousden.
