There Goes the Bride

Darlington Theatre Players’ production of There Goes the Bride is in its final days, and fans of a good British comedy would be well advised to grab a last-minute ticket to this beautifully presented, precisely acted and well directed production.

Set on the morning of Judy Westerby’s wedding, the beautiful drawing room of her parents Timothy and Ursula is brought to life with a sumptuous set designed by George Boyd - really one of the sets of the year. Lit with care by Shelly Miller, the show features an effective sound design from Guy Jackson. Costumes, mostly wedding attire, are nicely created by Marjorie De Caux - with the beautiful costume of Miss Polly Perkins a standout.

High stakes comedy, the plot centres around what happens when father-of-the bride Timothy accidentally conjures up a 1920s flapper girl that only he can see. His strange behaviour threatens to derail the wedding and possibly his own marriage.

Luke Miller gives a highly energetic performance in the catalyst role of Timothy Westerby, in a performance that several audience members likened to John Cleese - an actor he matches for verve and heightened performance. Tracey Morrison is very relatable as Mother-of-the-Bride Ursula, with Belinda Beatty lovely as the hapless bride. John Pomfret has great comic timing as perpetually confused Grandad Gerald, with Jacqui Warner rounding out the family nicely as Grandmother Daphne.

Fleshing out the imaginary Polly Perkins beautifully is Ellie Bawdon, who brings comic flair and elegance to the flirty fictitious flapper. Gavin Crane brings momentary touches of sanity as business partner Bill Shorter, with Rex Gray bringing antipodean bluster to millionaire father-of-the groom Charles Babcock.

Nicely timed, with great pace, there are lots of mistaken identities and clever confusion. At times, the script feels a little dated - and I found myself wondering if it might be better played as a period piece, and set at the time it was written - in the mid 1970s. Having said that, the show is still very capable of drawing laughs.

A fun and at times frenetic comedy, There Goes The Bride provides a very satisfying evening at the theatre.

Kimberley Shaw