Love Begins at Fifty

Reporter: Colin Meredith
Date online: 12/06/2008

St Anne’s Players latest production Love Begins At Fifty proved to be a popular choice with their audience, who had a laughter packed evening at the parish hall. This fast moving farce opens as Clive Debanks is approaching his fiftieth birthday. Stuck in a long but dull marriage, he decides to have a final fling before settling down to old age. He responds to three lonely-hearts ads in the local paper, and arranges to meet them all at his house on one night, while his wife is away on one of her many evening activities.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster, and the stuff of which classic farces are made. Clive, skilfully played by Ian Mansfield is ably abetted by his friend Jack another consistent characterisation by Andy McKay. His wife Anita was played by his real wife Judith Mansfield so the rapport was immediate even though their relationship was I presume well acted.

His wife enters them for a 'happily married couple' contest, while slagging off Clive to Claire, the friend from hell played by Christine Simpson. To complicate matters, their feisty daughter Tracy arrives home, having split up from her husband. A strong performance from Michaela Mansfield.

Clive's first date is Annabel, a cheekily laid back performance from Sue Howarth, who arrives to find Clive wearing a Roy Orbison wig and glasses (a suggestion from his friend Jack to make him look younger). Next to come is vitamin-pill sales-lady Mavis, a very funny caricature by Molly Leach.

These two are soon dispatched, but Clive falls for the final one, Emily, played by Annette Nodwell. The Farce really gets into top gear when Michael Cole, as the photographer from the local rag, adds to the confusion wanting to take a photo for the happily married couple contest. Anita and Clive are fundamentally not very compatible, and Judith Mansfield gave her an edge which made us empathise with her husband Clive and his desire to have a final fling.

Ian Mansfield is always watchable, working well with his confidante Andy Mckay who both had excellent timing. The standard of the acting, by all the cast, was very high, the timing was good and the pace was fast. Producer Barbara Fielden ensured the audience were held all evening even down to the choice of toe tapping nostalgic music, so no one left the Parish Hall disappointed.

Love Begins at Fifty
St Anne's Players
Parish Hall
21-24 April 2004