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With one of the toughest winters for years, Belly laughs were a rare commodity, especially on a recent cold February night but Horsehay Amateur Dramatic Society managed to pull it off, along with our pants, metaphorically speaking, by providing a rib-tickler farce with their production of Mike Harding’s – ‘Fur Coat and No Knickers’.

This Northern comedy, co-directed by Brian Hughes and Edward Davies, combines with artistry, the best styles of verbal and visual comedy, witty lines and full-throttle slapstick, providing a sparkling night’s entertainment.

Laughing fit to bust, we were mixed up in the antics of a working-class Northern family, the Ollerenshawe’s, Harold and Edith as they prepare for the forthcoming wedding of daughter Deirdre to Mark, son of local councillor Ronald and his wife Muriel Greenhalgh, a middle-class family.
We follow the antics of would-be groom Mark on his stag-night, nearly ending in disaster, to the wedding and reception, beset by further calamities. Old rivalries and tensions culminate in a ‘fur and feathers’ pitched battle amongst the families and their guests.

The course of ‘True love’ seems doomed but as the character Nip commented he always enjoyed a ‘good scrap at a wedding’ so we must assume this was a common occurrence ‘up North’ and eventually all ended well in time for the happy couple to sail away on their honeymoon and hopefully live happily ever after.

Set in the eighties (the term: ‘dysfunctional’ hadn’t been coined, they were ‘problem families’) we look back with the benefit of hindsight and refer to those times as being ‘unenlightened’.

We can safely chuckle at the Ollerenshawes’ outpourings and regard their language and mannerisms as evocative of a time before political correctness swamped the world and mired all our lives, plus the creative arts.

The production featured a bold mix of theatre-in-the-round techniques and innovative digital video effects and also expanded the available acting area with additional side-staging used to good effect. Even the aisles between seats were utilised to portray the antics of the drunken stag-party and the wedding guests, plus providing exits and entrances for various characters.

These complex elements illustrated the fact that this particular production was a resounding success and a definite ‘first’ in this versatile dramatic society’s history which is famed for presenting accomplished comedy as equally deftly as it does dramatic subjects
Acting honours are shared by all as the main characters are written with such remarkable economy of style and equality of scale that everyone seems to have their full measure of the limelight thus allowing all the cast members to practise their art fully and contribute to a wonderful night’s entertainment.

Production values were very high with an abundance of elegant male and female costumes on display throughout the production.
This was complimented by the numerous well-presented and detailed props and settings.

It is fitting to pause here and emphasise that the play could not have been produced at all if not for the strenuous efforts of the entire backstage crew. Besides complimenting the set design/construction boys and the props ladies, It is also hats-off to the stage-hands who had their work cut out for them as we shifted from scene to scene, living room to church to Masonic hall - and all done with seamless proficiency.

Edward Davies, co-director of the play and leading light of the society was particularly pleased to comment: “Everyone on the stage, as well as behind it, worked tirelessly to bring the production to fruition and our devoted fans as usual responded magnificently by attending in their droves making it one of our most well-attended and successful shows.

“Ultimately, It is they who make or break our fortunes and we are eternally grateful that they came and supported us as well as bringing along with them some new friends and relatives to swell their ranks and increase the enjoyment for all.”

Once again, judging by their continuing popularity (they were sold out on their main nights with people turned away disappointed) Horsehay Amateur Dramatic Society is going from strength to strength which is a rarity given the current cash-strapped times that are proving to be challenging for any and all local entertainment. Well done, Horsehay!