THE ROSE BOWL AWARDS

NAME OF PRODUCTIONS The Virtuous Burglar

Aelfreda & The Burnt Buns

NAME OF COMPANY Kelvin Players

VENUE Kelvin Theatre Studio

DATE Saturday 14 December 2002

ADJUDICATOR Barbara Smith

THE VIRTUOUS BURGLAR

OVERALL PRODUCTION/ACHIEVEMENT

This piece of drama is Farce in genre and should be played at breakneck pace, with exaggerated action and
reaction, and presenting larger-than-life characterizations.

This drama was not played in the style of Farce and often did not achieve Comedy play with its overall pace,
timing and cueing. Apart from slow movement and body language, and a pedantic pace of delivery, there
was a basic problem with all actors in that there was little appreciation of the rhythm of the language. All
played with a heavy and very factual style of speech, with downward inflection, and delivery therefore was
literal and without light innuendo and suggestion. The finale was weak and without vocal build up and
alarm. This was not the case with “Aelfreda & the Burnt Buns” – here there was outstanding appreciation of
the rhythm of the writing, with the timing, inflections and cueing giving classic suggestion and innuendo to
this piece of Fantasy Comedy. “The Virtuous Burglar”, although with meticulous attention to Set and
Costume, did not succeed as a frothy piece of Farce and, I felt, was under-rehearsed and insecure.

CHARACTERISATION

BURGLAR
He was very realistically confident in entering the room, and realism was projected instead of a
Comedy/Farce entrance, but followed by excellent and noisy searching of sideboard – pity no exaggerated
alarm at the bell ring. This first piece of play did not set the scene for a Farce, and his movement was slow
and body language very casual, but as the play progressed he developed an appealing gaucheness and faster
pace of delivery with quicker and more exaggerated reactions. Good piece with drinking and grabbing the
gun. There was a fine potential and, I think, once the actor has really become confident in playing the style
of Farce with a quickening pace, both vocally and physically, a really funny character will be projected.

WIFE
Again, a quickening of pace, both with voice and movement – the ‘nagging’ quality was missing. Yes,
bossiness was projected – but go further and be bigger! There should not be a beat missed with the cross-talk
with Burglar, unless of course for a pause for suspense or effect to heighten the fun. The phone conversation
was slow and lacked variety of vocal pitch, pace and power, and vocal ‘attack’ should be much stronger.
Burglar and Wife needed to react vocally at a faster pace and then when we finally see her in the house it
should make another impact – I am not sure that seeing her on the side of stage works – a strong vocal
impact over the phone first could perhaps offer more Comedy opportunity later when we see her.

THE MAN
A fine sense of Comedy play, but he seldom reached Farce; again, because cueing and pace with The Woman
was slow. Effective reactions to the Burglar and with the gun business. A fine pace was developing between

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Man and Burglar as the situation developed. With a lighter and less literal play, the text could be given a
‘racy’ quality which would lift the character from Comedy to Farce.

THE WOMAN
A good comedy nervousness with her first entry, and throughout some good reactions to Burglar and
situation. Again, the pace of delivery and cueing was slow and a tighter vocal play with The Man could be
worked on, as well as more stylized body language and movement – you could develop a little more ‘Italian’
body language and gesture – it’s worth working on.

ANNA
A good first entrance and impressive visual presence but a slow pace of delivery and movement and, I felt,
too much reliance on the wit of the text rather than developing a farcical character. Her vocal inflection was
good, with a vitality which did give a good rhythm and was evocative of the Italian origins of the Farce.
Again, with the whole team giving faster delivery, Anna could be a more fully developed character.

ANTONIO
An entrance which lacked impact, and energy was missing – by the time he enters there should be a frenzy
of activity and mistaken identities – so, again, with more team building and pace, Antonio would grow in
stature.

2nd BURGLAR
He looked around the apartment in good style.

TEAMWORK/PACE and TIMING

I did not feel that the cast truly related as a closely-knit team, with all in tune with each other. Although there
were some fine pieces of duologue energy, overall the cueing was slow and lacked confident delivery. In the
first piece, with Wife and Burglar, the pace was slow and Burglar had not, in fact, raised his voice over the
business of a fridge so Wife’s “don’t raise your voice” had no motivation to raise a laugh from the audience.
Burglar did not relate to audience to point “where shall I go!” and movement was not fast enough. The Man
and The Woman, although with a sense of Comedy play, did not move fast enough around stage, and their
opening duologue was conducted with an even pace of delivery – little variation of pace, pitch or power and
little use of upward inflection to highlight urgency and innuendo. The Man gave an excellent pause “An
hour or two? – yes, use it” and good play over shocking himself with the gun. Although Anna entered with
fine vocal vitality and with good use of light upward inflection, her movement and body language was slow
and she paced in the same track for some considerable time. A farcical element did appear when Burglar’s
Wife appeared and Burglar thinks he now has to have two wives – pace better and farcical situation now
developed. Pity no more physical strength made of the Anna and Antonio situation; here movement and pace
was very slow. Business of key was poor, as this was a golden opportunity for climatic farce with cavorting
around room trying to retrieve it.

SET and PROPS

The Set was excellent, with black-and-white furnishing all beautifully marbled and suggestive of the Italian
background, and just a touch of red on the knobs of the early-60’s hat stand. The props were, again, well-
conceived, with telephone, soda siphon and furniture in 50’s/early 60’s style. Excel1ently conceived design
and execution.

WARDROBE

The theme was delightfully echoed with all of the costuming in black-and-white, and touches of red via
decoration or accessory. Again, all meticulous in period and style, suiting character.

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LIGHTING

Was overall effective and, again, complemented the Set and atmosphere.

STAGE MANAGEMENT

All sound and lighting cues were well-timed and quality effects. I liked the Dean Martin song at the opening.

AELFREDA & THE BURNT BUNS

OVERALL PRODUCTION/ACHIEVEMENT

I was a little concerned when I read the script – I recognised the poetic quality of the text and hoped it would
be realised, and I was also concerned that the characterisation would be surface and lacking credibility –
how wrong I was! In genre I would put this drama as a Fantasy Comedy and the piece was played as such,
with superb timing and cueing, and with a fast-moving overall pace. The two actors related to and were in
tune with each other to perfection, with Alfred the serious foil to the outrageous Aelfreda – and the actors
kept the balance of action and interaction to perfection. The overall production and achievement was
excellent and my only concern was with the period validity of the Set.

CHARACTERISATION

AELFREDA
Throughout, the phrasing of the text was brilliant, with subtle relating to the audience, and a lovely randy
older West Country woman was projected with comedy perfection. There was effortless switching with the
excellent narration to the audience, and then into the action of the drama with relating and talking to Alfred.
I was in stitches of laughter with her ‘riddle’ and the beautifully timed “...and the answer is bread”. Well-
executed piece of business in getting him drunk, and again with the kneading of the dough – “one lesson
from an older woman like me”. I liked the improvisations in relating to her husband, goose, and the crowd,
which were very convincing and, again, effortlessly introduced within the realism of text. A superb
performance.

ALFRED
I was impressed with the remoteness he kept throughout and the aura of nobility which was, of course, a
wonderful contrast for Aelfreda. A fine-quality voice which, combined with the intelligent vocal technique,
pointed the text and the rhythm of the dialogue perfectly. There was excellent control over the stage business
and, again, he was perfectly in tune with action and reaction to the physical and vocal advances of Aelfreda.
The actor had a fine feeling for the poetry of the drama and, again – a first-class performance.

TEAMWORK/PACE & TIMING

Throughout, the brisk overall pace of delivery, the timing and pointing of humour – particularly with the
one-liners – and the upward inflections – particularly with the ‘double entendres’ from Aelfreda – made for a
fine piece of comedy play between the two actors. Both related sensitively to each other, and the reflective
Alfred was the perfect foil for the earthy Aelfreda. The piece where he is thinking of ways of escape and she
of keeping him resulted in well-timed cross-purpose talk. Both characters had an excellent grasp of the
descriptive poetic pieces, which again were delivered with effortless switching from and into the realistic
dialogue.

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SET & PROPS

At first I was very critical of the period authenticity of the Set and Props and was ‘precious’ with my
thoughts; the fire for a Saxon hovel (and indeed for a wealthy home at that time) would be an open fire in
the centre of the room. There would be no dressed stone at all, there would be no fashioned metal oven (this
looked circa 1800) and – above all – the hovel was far too clean. I then realised that this drama was a
fantasy; why should the Set not be part of this fantasy piece and be idealised in concept? After all, if it was
realistic the quality of the drama could become a sort of ‘time-team’ reconstruction into Saxon England. I am
pleased to say that, after my initial concern, I grew to admire the fantasy Set and its realistic improbability –
the reed-like walls were spot on for the area of Somerset (I think the ‘time-team’ would have approved of
that aspect of reproduction). Some props were, of course, idealised and improbable, but the wooden platters
and clay vessels were fine – the wonderfully riveted and metal-bound pail stage left was realistically very
improbable. An excellent visual effect was created.

WARDROBE

The costuming was in good period style – even if Alfred was very clean and dry after wading around the
swamps of Saxon Athelney, and Aelfreda was also very clean. But, again, costume was idealised and that
was fine – all in good style.

LIGHTING

Good overall lighting and an effective red light when Alfred dreams. Bright sunlight effect was good and
appropriate.

STAGE MANAGEMENT

Very good sound effects and all well-cued. Smoke appeared on cue, as well as storm and rain sound effects.
Well-managed lighting and sound.

Thank you for an excellent and entertaining evening – and good luck with the Bristol One-Act Play Festival.