Plaza Suite, Sinodun Players, Corn Exchange, Wallingford, July 2015

Set in the renowned New York hotel in the 1960’s, Plaza Suite is a three-act piece based around three different couples that check into suite 719.

As the curtains open to reveal the set, a suite at the Plaza hotel it certainly is. Set against a magnificent backdrop of a New York skyline, beautiful period furniture and décor adorn the stage, I could have moved in immediately.

The skyline was a brilliant touch and executed with great skill, designed and painted by Mike Simmons assisted by John Bailey. This together with authentic street sounds when the windows were open transported the audience to the Big Apple with immediate effect. A salute to director Marilyn Johnstone and set constructors Keith Yapp and Ron Quinton.

The stage is set (no pun intended) for a great evening, and the Sinodun Players didn’t disappoint.

The first act concerns a suburban couple that book the room on their anniversary, or is it? Enter Karen Nash. Karen has booked suite 719 to celebrate 24 or was it 23 years of marriage. This was the room they occupied on their honeymoon, or was it 819, you get the idea.

Jay Berry as Karen was totally convincing as the frustrated housewife trying to recapture the romance of early marriage and being thwarted by her businessman husband Sam nicely played by Peter Smithson. It later transpires he is having an affair with his young secretary Jean. The cad.

The evening I attended was the first night of a five night run so the American accents took a while to settle in. It was obvious some cast members suffered from the infamous first night nerves, but as far as I could hear there were few if any prompts and much respect goes to the all the actors who took on these mammoth parts, all the acts being essentially two handers.

The second act concerned Hollywood producer Jesse Kiplinger who on a visit to New York calls up his ex-girlfriend Muriel, now married with three children, inviting her to suite 719.

Jesse, played by Kevin Goodfellow, is hoping for an afternoon of passion and cancels all calls to his room and the scene is set for seduction.

Enter Muriel. Muriel expertly portrayed by Ginny Avery, who, nervous at meeting her erstwhile lover who is now a big shot Hollywood producer rubbing shoulders with her favourite movie stars, takes to hitting the Vodka Stingers whilst protesting she must be going.

Now if there were Oscars for amateur actors, my guess would be Ginny Avery would have a shelf full. A more professional performance would be hard to imagine. Looking, sounding and acting the part, Ginny was Muriel to a tee.

Kevin Goodfellow didn’t quite convince as the big Hollywood success. His outfit lacked the panache expected of the time and the accent, so difficult to maintain, did slip on several occasions, but he did bring in an able performance as the chameleon like producer bent on getting his way with poor Muriel.

After what did seem an overlong second interval, the final act checked into suite 719 in the form of the Hubley family, whose daughter Mimsey was getting married in the hotel that day.

Mimsey has locked herself in the bathroom and refuses all efforts by her parents to emerge for her nuptials.

Again superb solid performances from Gloria Wright as Mrs Hubley and John Jones as her husband Roy. When John made his entrance he was clearly nervous but forget that, he went on to give a brilliant portrayal of the overbearing father equalling if not surpassing that of Walter Matthau in the 1971 film.

Blessed with some of the best lines Neil Simon has ever written and going through the menu of anger, frustration, violence and farce, Mr Jones was entertainment itself. The scene where he comes back in from the window ledge drenched and covered in pigeon droppings is priceless.

This isn’t to decry Gloria as Norma Hubley who put in a masterly performance as Mimsey’s mother looking and acting the part with a faultless American accent.

All in all a night to remember for the talented Sinodun Players. As often happens on an opening night the auditorium was only around half full, shame. The good people of Wallingford don’t know what they’re missing.

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