ACT Reviews 2022-2023 Season

FUNNY ABOUT LOVE by Terence Frisby Directed by Malcolm Cooper Altrincham Little Theatre

I think, as an audience member, we all look forward to, as the director Malcolm Cooper says in his introduction, “a good laugh”, to help us out of difficult times. Terence Frisby also wrote “There’s a Girl in My Soup” which was a successful stage play and then transferred to screen starring Peter Sellers and Goldie Hawn. This play, whilst not side-splittingly funny one, does provide quite a number of laugh-out-loud moments that keep the audience engaged till the end. The premise is that two couples swap partners with poignant and comedic results. Rosie has been dumped for a younger woman by Piers, her middle-aged husband. Rosie is quietly living alone when Darren, (Rob Butler) the abandoned husband of Piers' pregnant mistress, tricks his way into meeting her. Darren's rage at being left ignites Rosie's anger and together they plot revenge. Darren also awakens long-latent feelings in Rosie and, as they embark on their unlikely romance, Piers' world starts to fall apart. Brigid Hemingway, as the environmental warrior, Amnesty International supporter and betrayed wife Rose, gave a good performance. There was expression in her voice and nice timed delivery of dialogue. Her barbed lines referring her husband’s secretary as “open legs Annie” had audience members laughing out loudly. Brian Cresswell, the cheating husband Piers, gave an insight into a man who feels very confident with life at one point but how a series of actions can alter how life pans out in the end. It is always nice to welcome a new player into the AmDram world: Brian Cresswell, as the spurned but fertile husband of Larissa and lover of Rosie, trod the boards for the first time. As the not-exactly-bright and