Hilariously out of order

This week our thespian IB students produced a splendid performance of the 1990 Ray Cooney farce, Out Of Order. The play tells the story of a junior UK minister who has been having an affair with his secretary and his lies that he creates to cover it up. More comedy unfolds after the discovery of a dead body in the sash window of their hotel room!

In a slight change from the original play the 11 stars took the play back a hundred years and set it in the 19th century. The realistic and detailed set was built by staff and the authentic-looking costumes were supplied by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Review by George Speller

Quite often the perfect antidote to a long and intellectually challenging day (quite often the norm at St. Clare's) is a good helping of laughter and a healthy serving of frivolity; this term's superb play Out of Order certainly fitted the bill, providing a tour de farce of comedic action at a fearless pace.

High quality performances from all the cast ensured that the laughs came quick and fast; pun-fuelled dialogue was combined with gymnastic facial hair (especially eyebrows and moustaches) and slapstick routines that left the audience with bellyfuls of giggles.

The cast were ably helped by an impressive and beautifully designed set which included a perfectly working faulty sash window and spacious wardrobe, providing numerous avenues for the main characters to get themselves even further embroiled in their tangled web of deceit and lies.

All the students and staff involved, particularly the cast, lighting and sound operators, and, of course, the overseeing puntaginist Victoria Watson, should be congratulated for an excellent and hilarious production.

December