Review: The Continental Quilt, Saughtonhall Reformed Church, Saughtonhall

Published on Monday 8 August 2011 22:48

The Continental Quilt, Saughtonhall Reformed Church, Saughtonhall ***

HARKING back to the Seventies, Saughtonhall Drama Group's take on Joan Greening's bedroom farce provides plenty of laughs and comic routines amongst the sauciness and free-love shenanigans.

Director Morag Simpson has judged the smuttiness just right, only allowing it to tip over into full-on innuendo when it is the characters who are mistaken, leaving ripples of laughter to emerge as the audience works out just what the character must be thinking.

It is very conventional stuff, though, and rather of its time, as Colin Mitchell's Mike has to put up with the arrival of his lothario brother Dick (Alan Moonie) just as he is about to jump into bed with his new girlfriend (Sarah Howley).

The success of the play depends on making the obviously contrived circumstances appear normal, as sister-in-law, uptight mother and various neighbours arrive at the flat. On this level, the production is undone by over-hesitant delivery, with Moonie in particular needing to let go and enjoy himself. But the pace is spot on and there are a couple of stand-out performances in the smaller roles, with Chris Mitchell and Gavin Watson excellent as neighbours Priscilla Plankton and Humbert Carpington. Hilarious!

Run ends Saturday