Trelawney
of the Wells
“The Stage and
Television Today”
At the Arts,
Under Richard Cottrell’s
expert direction, the play unfolded smoothly, with a twenty-strong cast which
delighted a full and appreciative audience with its highly polished
performance, its zest and discretion in presenting characters who are all “stagey” and exaggerated.
There were so many
clever performances they read like a school prize-list; Angela Scoular’s Rose Trelawney had charm and bravery in a part
ranging from joyous exuberance to near-heartbreak and back. Richard Ommaney as
Arthur Gower, Rose’s aristocratic lover, timed his hesitant speech of thanks to
perfection. Prunella Scales’s
Avonia Bunn was extrovert, noisy and likeable, The “heavies” Mr and Mrs Telfer, (Alan MacNaughton and Wynne Clark) were almost Dickensian in
their bombast and, later, quite courage in adversity. Michael Pennington and John Cater were gay
and mischievous as Ferdy Gadd
and Augustus Colpoys.
As actor-dramatist Tom Wrench, Daniel Massey deployed the charm and
sterling worth of the character with authority, not least in his handling of
the wild Irishman O’Dwyer (John Cording) who went up
like a rocket and down like the stick.
The aristocratic
Vice-Chancellor Sir William Gower (John Woodnutt)
ranged from grim conventionality to conspiratorial co-operation most
convincingly and had admirable support from Betty Hardy’s portrayal of his sister Miss Trafalgar Gower (rightly
named!).
Return to Production
Information