THE VICAR OF DIBLEY 2017

PUBLICITY PHOTOS

PRODUCTION PHOTOS

AUDIENCE COMMENTS

“It has to be said !!! this was soooo funny, we loved every minute of it no wonder it was sold out 📷😊 well done to everyone, i am sitting typing this still chuckling at those jokes !!! fab, fab, fab."

"Well done to you all for an excellent show tonight. You were all brilliant. Jillaine Reay Hindson (first class performance) Gary Kenneth Thomas Eglinton (no no no no no YES!) and the rest of the cast who are not my Fbook friends! Loved it! Michelle Coulson........superb."

"Had a brill night at Vicar of Dibley, fab performances from everyone. Well done!!"

"Excellent, really enjoyed tonight. Well done to all the cast of The Vicar of Dibley and everyone concerned."

"Well Done to everyone involved in The Vicar of Dibley. Glad we were able to get back from Scotland to see it."

"Absolutely BRILLIANT a lot of work goes into it well done."

"Fantastic show, well done to the cast and everyone concerned."

NODA REPORT

The Vicar of Dibley originated as a well-known, extremely successful and very funny television programme running from November 1994 till January 1998 with a number of Christmas and New Year specials all of which were entered into the top ten programme of the year ratings at the time, everyone has such fond memories of the charismatic characters that made up the village of Dibley and it isn’t an easy to try and emulate these characters on stage as the audience automatically try and judge the cast against the original actors from the television series, it is also difficult for a director to choose from the many episodes and try and link four television episodes into one stage play not an easy task, but not everyone is Michele Coulson, and she ensured that she brought her own stamp on this well directed play. It was also good to see Brian Pennick in his usually spot accompanying the play on the piano. Whilst I have seen performed previously three episodes, the arrival, the engagement and love and marriage, I have never seen the window and the weather therefore I was pleased to see this as part of the play and wasn’t disappointed.

From the onset it was obvious that the show was well cast as each individual character came to life but sadly not in Gary Blackbirds case as the character Reverend Pottle sadly died in the first scene as he delivered his sermon, how else could the village of Dibley require a new Vicar. Jillaine Hindson delivered a first class performance as Geraldine Grainger the new vicar, excellent performance and stage presence and was very funny, the humour she brought to the show was delivered with impeccable timing a first class performance. There was some great chemistry between Geraldine and her trusted and loyal friend Alice Tinker played by Libby Kennedy, Libby delivered a dry performance as the dim witted and naïve verger who drove everyone to distraction with her useless advice and empty headed comments apart from Hugo Horton played by Stephen Shield (again strong characterisation) and they both were a joy to watch especially the kissing scene which I thought was well delivered. David Horton was played by Bill Taylor as head of the Parish Council - this character is seen as the pillar of society or at least Dibley, Bill delivered this character well with plenty of stiff upper lip and I particularly liked how his character changed towards his son in the wedding scene, well delivered.

Peter Johnson delivered a great performance as Owen Newitt the village farmer who suffers throughout the play with gastric health complaints and a slightly obsessive relationship with his animals, excellent delivery of this character and very funny. Frank Pickles was equally played by Lee Passmore who delivered the characteristics of this character well and brought more than a slightly mischievous sparkle  to this highly eccentric character, great acting, I loved Gary Eglinton portrayal of the character Jim Trott with the perfect depiction of Jim’s no no no no no, yes stutter, excellent characterisation and he stole many a scene with the power of his performance and excellent stage presence - a great performance as Letitia Cropley was Annette Morris  - I loved this character with her eccentric ways and her unusual taste of food coupled with her knitted hats she certainly added to the principal line up.

The principals were well supported by the ensemble including Neil Hindson, Sarah Hutchinson, Kirsty May, Dan Nelson and Karen Scott, special mention also to the youth members Nicoile Blair- Foulds, Jessica Callaway, Alicia Cook, Zora Dubre and Kaitlyn Taylor all of whom added to the delivery of a professional performance .  The show was extremely well staged and well dressed and each set looked very authentic as did the costumes I loved the over the top wedding dress including fairy lights and the teletubby bridesmaids in the wedding scene, lighting and sound was good and the whole production ran with pace and kept the audience completely captured throughout and provided a belly laugh or two , well done to everyone at Dryburn Theatrical Workshop.

Author: Peter Oliver

PROGRAMME