The Boobytrap

‘The Boobytrap’ was written by UK playwright, actor and director Jane Hilliard, who lives in Dorset on the south coast of England. Jane has produced believable characters and naturally flowing dialogue.
As I saw this well-structured, two-hour play at 8.00 pm on Saturday 7th December, the final evening of its three-week season, I apologise for the delay in this review. This very funny comedy / farce had good twists and a couple of surprises; it was presented by the Rockingham Theatre Company at the Rockingham Castle Theatre, 8 Attwood Way in Rockingham.

The scene: is present day in the lounge of the Caunfield’s Tudor style, country home.
The set: was designed and solidly constructed by David Heckingbottom, Danny Joyce and Callon Leam.
The lounge room had cream walls with oak beams and a dark wood floor. The studded burgundy leather suite sat on the large green Indian rug. On the rear wall was a drinks bar and patio doors, showing the garden beyond. Centre of the back wall was a window with a leafy hedge outside. A great set but the pink curtains did not work. On one side of the room was a door leading to the kitchen and on the other side a door to the cellar.
The stage management was by the father and daughter team of Danny and Tegan Breann Joyce.
The lighting and sound were both smoothly teched by Jacki Hiscox.

Whinging MP Gerald Caunfield (Robert Walker) is having a quiet weekend with his wife Debbie (Kirstie Francis) at their country retreat. Debbie’s best friend, randy Flora (Cherry Allen) has called around to borrow some wine, when the Caunfields learn that their student son is arriving soon with his latest girlfriend, voluptuous Chrissie (Kimberley Barry).
With fine wine and good food on the agenda, the gardener Sam (Kris Davis) can smell a free drink at 100 metres, but with his formidable wife, Clara (Miranda Santalucia) his whisky drinking is limited.
When a set of prudish parents High Court judge, Cyril (Ian Butcher) and his pedantic wife, Margery (Sally Payne) arrive the family is thrown into panic mode.

The director Alison Gibson is well known for both her excellent farce direction and comedy character portrayal. In this show she has taken Callon Leam under her wing. Callon has shown in a brief couple of years how he has conquered the skills as a technician, then a comedy actor and is now being guided into the task of directing. His team have selected a few of the talented regulars and encouraged new blood by bringing back two or three actors who have been ‘resting’ – due to age or childbirth.
Kirstie is always tuned in and has an especially good comedic delivery. After ten years, Kimba came back giving an abundance of laughs. As always, a warm welcome and a fun night out.