"Flare Path" by Terence Rattigan

Nottingham Lace Market Theatre

Based on Rattigan’s own wartime experiences, the story involves a love triangle between a pilot, Teddy, his actress wife, Patricia, and a famous film star, Peter Kyle.

Patricia and Peter had a love affair before she met Teddy, but she left because Peter was not free to marry her.

Patricia married Teddy after a "whirlwind wartime romance" while he was on a week's leave. She does not know her husband very well, and she was still in love with Peter when they wed.

She reconnected with Peter in London and now plans to tell Teddy she is leaving him, but she is annoyed by Peter's unexpected arrival at the hotel. Peter tells her that his career is waning as he gets older and that he needs her. Will she leave Teddy and go with Peter.....?

The play is perfect and the staging of the play is perfect, although there may have been some poetic licence taken by Rattigan as I'm sure that the Squadron Leader wouldn't stay in the same lodgings as the rest of the crew, and they wouldn't be as vocally familiar with the Squadron Leader as they were. That aside the play wouldn't be the same if licence hadn't been taken.

Directed by Colin Treliving, who also designed the wonderful set, everything was spot on and time relevant prop wise, costume and hair wise and design wise for 1942, the year this play was written. I know that Colin is hot on these things and he never fails to deliver. possibly one of the best sets I've seen at the Lace Market Theatre, and I've seen so many excellent sets there.

Doris (Kareena Sims) is a lovely character and Kareena really delivers in the emotion stakes, The section in Act Two, which I'm not going to give away but anyone who has seen this play will know which bit I mean, was really heartfelt and you could have heard a pin drop on a carpet. I loved the accent ducky as well.

Peter Kyle (Mark Gadsby) has come to the hotel for one reason only. Mark's initial posing as the big actor was great but it was lovely to see the waning of his aim as the play develops. His scene with Doris is so touching and is one of many of the highlights here.

Mrs Oakes (Cassandra Stone) is the comedy character who provides the laughs just by being Mrs Oakes, the owner of the hotel. Cassandra is perfect for this role as she is so good with natural dry sense of humour. Even in the lowest parts of the play, she lightened the mood.

"Dusty" Miller (Wayne Parkin) and Maudie Miller (Arwen Makin) were that kind of couple who balanced the other characters out and were needed to provide the "normal" in the couples.

Percy (James Whitby) the waiter who also added to the comic stakes. Under that wind up comic exterior though it was nice to show his offer of hope to Doris in the second act. This role played well to James' acting strengths.'

Count Scriczevinsky (David Hope), the Polish husband to Doris. For those who, like me before seeing this play, didn't know the story, will discover that he is absolutely vital to the secondary storyline of the play, and David smashed the accent.

Teddy Graham (Lloyd Popp) is the other end of the spectrum where characterisation is involved. If you can imagine Michael McIntyre in 1942, then you're pretty close to how Graham is. A typical "Hooray Henry" type but, again in Act Two there's a turn around and we see another side of Graham which effects the decision made by his wife Patricia. Loved Lloyd's character acting, which I imagine leaves him pretty tired at the end of each performance, such is the energy and enthusiasm he puts in.

Patricia Graham (Charlie Osborne) obviously punching below her weight with Teddy, which makes you wonder why the two got married. You can see why she was attracted to Kyle when you see Teddy, because Kyle and Patricia have a lot in common, but they do say opposites attract! A lovely soft side shown by Charlie which again we see change sides in the second act.

Squadron Leader Swanson (John Parker) borders on how we envisage the archetypal Squadron Leader. John looks every inch the role and the clipped accent is there. As i mentioned before though, would he allow Teddy to call him "Gloria" to his face, and would he fraternise with his men while off duty. That aside John tapped into the Captain Mainwaring side of the role and, as always, delivered a classy performance.

Brilliant lighting design (Simon Carter) which evoked, along with the wonderful sound design (Matt Allcock), a special feeling and atmosphere. The air raid warnings, the all clear, the planes, the attack and the flare path lighting up really put you in the middle of the atmosphere.

I must also mention Barbara Fisher for her role as vocal coach. I am fascinated by accents and when they are done well, they really add something to a play. All of these actors mastered the accents, whether it be Polish, upper class, Lancashire and this was due to the guidance of Barbara.

The play is an absolute joy to watch, thanks to the talents of everyone involved. No wonder the week is practically sold out, which is becoming the norm now at the Lace Market Theatre on every production they produce. Nottingham's hidden gem has been discovered and this benefits both the theatre and the theatre loving audiences.

Read the original article here.

Second World War play Flare Path at Nottingham's Lace Market Theatre is 'a triumph'

'Besides being tense and suspenseful, it’s humane, heart-rending, uplifting and funny'

Director Colin Treliving has gathered all essential elements together to ensure that Flare Path, the Lace Market Theatre's latest production, is a triumph. The play as written has all the qualities contemporary audiences are rediscovering about the work of Terence Rattigan. Acting across the board is first-class; and set and sound design are terrific.

The play is set in 1942, in a hotel adjacent to a Bomber Command station in Lincolnshire; it follows events over a twenty-four hour period before and after a bombing raid over Germany. We see not only the RAF personnel involved but the women in their lives, some of the hotel staff, and a film actor come over from America to re-kindle an old romance.

Rattigan might be exercising dramatic licence by having officers and other ranks sharing the same pleasant billet and on such easy-going terms. But he tells a satisfying and well-constructed story. Besides being tense and suspenseful, it’s humane, heart-rending, uplifting and funny - there’s a wonderfully well-timed and comical turn from Cassandra Stone, as down-to-earth pragmatist, Mrs Oakes, the hotel proprietor.

And, especially in its most striking scenes, there’s complexity and paradox. For example, Flt.Lt. Teddy Graham (Lloyd Popp) confiding to his actress wife Patricia (Charlie Osborne) that after 17 missions and a DFM he’s cracking up. (On the silly ass side of his character Popp is often over-enthusiastic, but here he’s outstanding).

Or Peter Kyle (Mark Gadsby) simultaneously translating and reading a farewell letter from a Polish airman, missing presumed dead, to his English wife (Kareena Sims). Both Gadsby and Sims make this scene memorable.

The sounds of aeroplanes and anti-aircraft fire, as well as background vocal recordings of the period, are strikingly authentic.

This production will undoubtedly generate excellent box office, and for very good reason. Get a ticket if you can.

Read the original article here.