Robin Hawdon’s comedies never fail to attract a capacity audience and so it was at Sonning for the opening night of Birthday Suite. Having given up acting in favour of play writing a quarter of a century ago, this is one of his earliest efforts, a precursor to the tremendous success his plays have enjoyed in the West End and all over the world.
Martyn Stanbridge as Bob, a stick in the mud civil servant whose marriage is on the rocks, is promised a night he’ll never forget, a birthday present from a colleague. Arriving at a hotel, that asks no questions, he is shown to his room by an excitable Italian concierge cum waiter cum bell boy, played with great aplomb by Patrick Monkton.
Next to arrive in the adjoining room is Joanne Heywood as the somewhat shy and apprehensive Kate, on an assignation arranged by a computer dating agency. Opening a door, she finds herself in what she assumes is a suite and coming face to face with Bob, presumes he is Dick, the psychiatrist she is expecting to meet from the agency. Likewise, Bob thinks she is the promised surprise, known as Mimi. Enter Glyn Kerslake as the ever so smooth psychiatrist followed by Lisa Hull as who? But that would be giving the game away.
Sufficient to say Stanbridge gives a star performance with strong support in the numerous twists and turns of a highly entertaining.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Content is copyright © 2012 The Stage Media Company Limited unless otherwise stated.
All RSS feeds are published for personal, non-commercial use. (What’s RSS?)
