Dangerous Corner Review

‘Telling the truth is about as safe as skidding round a corner at sixty’ asserts Charles Stanton in the first scene of ‘Dangerous Corner’ by J B Priestley, currently showing at The Apollo Theatre, Newport.

‘And life’s got a lot of dangerous corners,’ agrees his hostess Freda Caplan. Her husband Robert is confident that he can negotiate round these corners successfully, and discover the truth about the death of his brother Martin. Along the way however, he does indeed skid into many unpleasant truths, with a denouement that invites the audience to question whether honesty is always the best policy.

The catalyst to this quest for truth is a chance remark about a cigarette box which is pursued by Robert, capturing the interest of their dinner guest, novelist Maud Mockridge, played by Maureen Sullivan, clearly on the trail of a plot for her new book.

Steve Reading as Robert Caplan steers the play believably through its treacherous waters, weathering revelation upon revelation towards the inevitable finality. His real wife Helen plays Freda with equal skill, evoking empathy with her own anguish, yet laughter with her ‘light touch’ as she ponders the social etiquette around offering sandwiches to a guest about to be accused of criminal activity.

The young couple Gordon and Betty, played by Jack Tutt and Amelia Harvard, portray love’s young dream admirably at the beginning of the play; each actor dexterously tracing their character’s descent into despair as their own secrets are revealed.

Ian Moth as Stanton is the epitome of a 1930s upright middle-class gentleman who just about manages to retain his proverbial stiff upper lip despite being forced to admit that he is not what he wishes to appear to be.

Even Olwen, the trusted employee of the publishing company run by the three men, has her secrets, and Maria Wilkinson adroitly brushes off the questioning until she is forced to recount her experiences in  an intensely moving speech.

Each performance from this cast of experienced actors enhances the others on the stage, itself set beautifully to portray a typical 1930s drawing room. A special mention should also go to the costume department for the way in which each actor’s outfit illustrates their character.

If you enjoy a play that entertains wonderfully and leaves the audience with food for thought, I strongly recommend that you see ‘Dangerous Corner’ which plays at the Apollo until this Saturday, 20^th February.

To Lie or Not To Lie....

The stage is set: the home of Robert and Freda Caplin, an upper middle class 1930's drawing room. A prosperous couple, the centre of an intimate group of friends linked by family and business ties, they are holding one of their delightful dinner parties. The gentlemen are laughing over their brandy and jokes while the ladies have withdrawn to drink coffee and listen to a radio play 'about lies and a gentleman shooting himself''.

Total fiction of course. Or is it? As the evening's conversation begins to open up questions and suspicions, it does indeed reveal secrets and lies which, as their friend Olwen believes, may have been better off remaining hidden. Why did Robert's brother Martin commit suicide the previous year? Was his death connected to money going missing from their successful publishing company? Robert is determined to find out, but in pursuit of the truth he finds his whole world is not as it seems.

JB Priestley, best known for 'An Inspectior Calls', has written another tightly plotted mystery play which leaves us pondering the nature of truth in our society. Is it always best to tell the whole truth, or is it 'about as safe as skidding round a corner at sixty?'

If you think you know the answer, come at watch Dangerous Corner - it might just give you pause for thought. The play will be staged at The Apollo Theatre on February 12th, 13th and 16th - 20th; tickets available from the Apollo website.

I'll name that tune in......

Attention to detail is really important in staging a play, and the Apollo in Newport can certainly claim to have done that with its next production - the J B Priestley classic, Dangerous Corner.

The plot requires a cigarette box that plays a tune when you open the lid. The play's director, Di Evans found a box of the right vintage, but no-one could identify the tune until cast member Ian Moth approached Angel Radio, who played it on air and invited listeners to identify it. The phone rang within ten seconds and it turned out to be a Bing Crosby recording first made in 1928.  The vintage cigarette box is not quite the star of the show, but its music does play an important part.

Dangerous Corner is built around an intricate plot with plenty of intrigue, twists and turns, and the Apollo believes it will keep audiences gripped.  

All seems well at the Caplan’s independent publishing house, until a can of worms is opened at Robert and Freda Caplan’s dinner party. A chance remark plunges the guests into a re-examination of the mysterious events surrounding the recent death of Martin Caplan, and skeletons come crashing out of the closet.

The cast includes Jack Tutt, who was once a pupil of Di's at All Saints Primary in Freshwater.  He recently turned professional but is performing in this play alongside an experienced cast, as an amateur.

Dangerous Corner runs from February 12 to 13, and 16 to 20.

More information at www.apollo-theatre.org.uk

Di Evans directs some members of the Dangerous Corner cast: left to right - Maria Wilkinson, Amelia Havard, Steve Reading and Ian Moth, and Jack Tutt (seated).

Dangerous Corner

“I think telling the truth is about as healthy as skidding round a corner at sixty.”

“And life’s got a lot of dangerous corners, hasn’t it?”

Is it always a good thing to tell the truth?

Robert Caplin thinks he knows his world: he has good memories of the much-loved brother he sadly lost the year before, but he has a wife who is surely a little too good for him, and is a partner in a thriving publishing business; he is lucky enough to count both partners, and their employee Olwen as close friends. His younger business partner is happily married to a beautiful young woman and the older partner is just about as steady and reliable a friend as a man could want.

So when he invites them all to dinner, along with a novelist they represent, what could possibly go wrong?

To tell the truth, everything. 

Dangerous Corner is the next Apollo production: details here - http://www.apollo-theatre.org.uk/dangerous-corner/

The Apollo Theatre is serving up a fiendish family fantasy instead of a panto for Christmas this year.

Its next production is a stage adaptation of Roald Dahl's famous children's story 'The Witches', in which a boy and his grandmother manage to foil the Grand High Witch's evil plot to rid the earth of all children... but not before the boy gets turned into a mouse!  The production has been billed as 'top drawer family entertainment' and 'a glorious journey of fiendish fantasy'.

The Apollo has lined up a cast representing all ages, including members of the theatre's Apollo Juniors.

The show is directed by husband and wife team Amy and Dan Burns.

Amy said: "We have loved directing The Witches! It is a fabulous production and has been a real team effort, with amazing costumes, and a clever stage set that I won't say too much about ..."

'The Witches' is on December 4 and 5 (a Saturday matinee replacing the evening performance), and from December 8 to 12.

More details at www.apollo-theatre.org.uk

Picture shows:  Amy Burns (bottom right) directing Chrissie Blow as the Grand High Witch (front centre) with other members of the cast in a scene from 'The Witches'.

The Witches: a Perfect Pre-Christmas Show!

Come and see our next production, from Saturday 4th December, with a matinee on Sunday 5th; then Tuesday to Saturday 8th-12th December. A perfect pre-Christmas show.

Here's what one of the cast members has to say about it:

The Witches is about this boy and his grand mamma. Most of the action takes place when they travel to a Hotel called The Hotel Magnificent and encounter some women who aren't who they seem. It's a great story and good for all ages as it's funny and not rude.

Featuring Dave Talbot as The Doorman.

Here's a rehearsal shot of Dave with Amy, the director.

Here's Carole Crow as Grandmother and Jamie Mallon as The Boy:

Tickets on sale here: http://www.apollo-theatre.org.uk/the-witches/

The Kitchen Sink

This is a very good place to come from. Cos it’s knackered and funny and it’s falling in the sea… But it’s not a good place to end up

The Kitchen Sink is set in a run down seaside town, following a family through a year. Martin’s milk float has seen better days – particularly the bits strewn over the kitchen floor. His wife Kath is concerned about him, about the state of her kitchen sink – and with their children: Billy aspires to enter art college, but his Dolly Parton portrait could let him down, while Sophie dreams of training as a ju-jitsu teacher - if she can keep her temper under control, and deal with the attentions of a young plumber who is himself caring for his ailing granny.

There is poignancy and pain, but through it all runs a deep vein of black comedy: the play is by turns hilarious and very touching; witty and warm.

The Telegraph’s review of it west end debut judged it: “one of the best new plays I have seen anywhere this year, and I cannot recommend it too highly.”

Neither can we!


The Kitchen Sink is on 16-17 and 20-14 October: tickets and further details are available on our website.