Tom Jones
9 June 1999
to
19 June 1999
Dunham Massey Hall - June 9 -19th 1999
A huge cast gave eight performances of Joan Macalpine's adaptation of Henry Fielding's bawdy romp of a novel, "Tom Jones" Although the evening may have seemed a little long (maybe the seating was not quite as comfortable as it might have been!), the original novel runs to over 800 pages in a modern printed edition, so a finish time of 10.15 pm was quite an achievement!SAM's view on "Tom Jones"
Alas smitten Jones - Womaniser Tom keeps crowd warm
It may have been a slightly chilly evening in the stands in the courtyard of Dunham Massey Hall, but the goings on in Tom Jones, performed by the Altrincham Garrick, were, to say the least, hot. Tom is a philandering womaniser of the first order but he has a directness and a candour which endear him to the audience and, ultimately, to his true love, Sophia Western.
Charlie Tomlinson throws himself into the part of Fielding's hero with an abandonment only equalled by that of his lovers. He frolics tirelessly with his dalliances, has dust ups with the men and performs acrobatic impossibilities when he dives under a neatly constructed bed and hangs from a drainpipe - a performance which will be recalled and savoured!
Sophia, played by Juliet Glaves, is a decorous, becoming and well bred young lady who becomes excessively tearful when her father foists the wrong man on her.
Tom's first fling is with Pam Nolan's voluptuous Molly, who has a sexy Somerset drawl. "I never done that before," she sighs innocently while wantonly seducing him and indulging in rough and tumble behind the strategically placed hay cart.
His last encounter gives Helen Busby a chance to shine. She positively sparkles as the scheming Mrs Fitzpatrick who guilefully illustrates that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
In between comes Angela Wetherill who, as Mrs Waters, is a mistress of farce. Hers is the funniest scene. It's not unlike a silent movie.
Special attention has been given to the costumes, from the Royal Exchange, high powered lighting and first rate sound.
Julia Taylor