So says director Mariam Gaballa Gill of BEDROOM FARCE, Hemel Hempstead Theatre Company’s upcoming production of Alan Ayckbourn’s hilarious Seventies’ bedroom comedy.
“We are finding things that we don’t think Ayckbourn was aware of,” she added. “Imagine Donald Trump sits on your bed”; “How would Ross from Friends say it?”; “She wants to try whips and chains” are just a few random comments from rehearsals.
“It’s going really well, and we are having a lot of fun rehearsing it,” added Mariam.
There are, however, some physical challenges set-wise, as the action takes place in three bedrooms in different houses. Each bedroom contains a double bed; and since the stage is not tall enough to put one bedroom at a completely higher level, this means that every inch of space must be managed.
“Set designer and builder John Eames has been drawing and re-drawing and re-re-drawing the set plan,” says Mariam.
The plot of BEDROOM FARCE involves four couples, three of whom are the owners of the three bedrooms. Kate and Malcolm are trying to have a house-warming party in their new love nest; Nick is in bed with a bad back, which does NOT please his wife, Jan, who goes to the party without him; and Delia and Paul are an older couple, celebrating their wedding anniversary, who don’t really want to know about the intimate marital difficulties of the others.
The fourth couple, Trevor and Susannah, have a dramatically dysfunctional marriage and take their problems to the other three couples, leaving a trail of psychological damage behind them.
“The relationships of the characters are still very complex,” says Mariam, “which makes people think about them later – but it’s also a bit of escapism.”
And that, of course, is what so many of us need in these difficult times.
Bedroom Farce will be on-stage from March 26-29 and you can book tickets by calling 0333 666 3366 or online at
www.hhtheatreco.com
