Albert Nobbs

Published Monday 26 June 2006 at 16:20 by Natalie Anglesey

Retirement, encroaching old age and death are all themes explored in Gordon Steel’s gentle little comedy. Originally set in the north- east, Kevin Shaw, Artistic Director of the Oldham Coliseum, has chosen to transpose the location to Oldham and the text is peppered with local references.

Set in the household of the Nobbs’ family, designer Alison Hefferman’s floral wall-paper is suitably over-powering, with an unusual sliding screen which affords glimpses of their bedroom.

It is here we first discover that Albert’s wife Connie has just died and Sue Wallace is delightful as the corpse who may have passed away but has not yet passed over. As Albert mourns, she joins in the conversation and continues to cajole him out of his loneliness until he can look forward to a fulfilled life.

Kenneth Alan Taylor returns to play newly-retired Albert who is frustrated by his enforced leisure time and finds it difficult to cope without his wife. They have some nice comic lines and their timing is perfect.

Su Douglas doubles as Alice, a caricature of a nosy neighbour who has lost her teeth and borrows someone else’s pair. However, she is given the opportunity to show some dignity as Rose, a friend of Albert’s dead wife, who offers much-needed support.

There is something very old-fashioned about this simple story and the manner of delivery, with characters freezing as they wait for the laughs, is reminiscent of times past in repertory theatre, much to the audience’s delight.