The BBC sitcom ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ is a representation of British comedy at its finest. They just don’t make comedy like it anymore so what a treat it was to find that the well known show had been adapted from screen to stage.
The Vicar of Dibley follows the journey of a confident female vicar with a huge personality, as she becomes the vicar of the church in a small, conservative village where her presence is not, at first, welcomed.
Walking into ‘The Mix’ at Theatr Clwyd, we were met with a simple set that was effective in supporting the cast to tell the story. Scenes moved between the Dibley Parish Hall, the church vestry and the Vicar’s living room. Particular effort had been made to ensure that each set was instantly recognisable, and certain aspects could be likened to the locations seen on our screens. Lighting was used effectively to complement the set. For example, the stained glass church window that was lit from the back to highlight its beauty, and the light that changed as the door to Geraldine Granger’s (Nicola Simonds) living room opened and closed.
A particularly nice touch was the invitation given to the audience to join in with the hymn during one of the church service scenes – song words were included at the back of the programme. This provided audience members with a well received, immersive experience. Unfortunately, the decision was made not to use microphones during this performance which did, at some points, hinder the flow of the dialogue. The volume of the laughter after some of the comedic lines meant that the next line was missed by the audience.
The casting of this production was excellent and it was evident that each cast member had studied their character, and their characteristics. Alice (Sara Griffiths) and Hugo (Luke Crofts) were particularly convincing- their on stage double act was hilarious and they were extremely well received by the audience. Owen (Ben Wheelhouse) and Frank (Eric Jones) were also instantly recognisable as the much loved characters that once graced our screens.
A huge congratulations to the cast and crew of this production. The team is small, but evidently mighty. My first experience of watching a Phoenix Theatre Company production and, God willing, it won’t be my last!