*****

Sutton Arts has  taken a risk performing an unknown play by  a local  actor turned playwright. However that risk is mitigated by two things. Firstly, the doyen of Midlands  comic Amdram Barrie Atchison directs, secondly an outstanding cast has been assembled to deliver the goods.

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What is it about? University Therapist assembles a handpicked ragbag assortment of humanity for a series of explorative introspective sessions about Self, and an amusing motley crew they turn out to be. However very quickly it becomes apparent that  a light is being shone upon us as  the audience, upon our own egos prejudices and artifices in a clever, adroitly written piece combining monologue ,  duologue, and drama.

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The play itself is 21 years old, and although some of the caricatures are showing their age it is delivered as a period piece.  It is unclear to me whether one quip about there being too many Asian news presenters on the BBC was contemporaneous, or current, with  veteran politician Trevor Phillips quoting the exact  observation from an attendee at  a dinner party he recently attended that very Thursday.

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At the heart of proceedings are two towering acting performances. Posh Doreen channels Margaret Thatcher even before she is name checked by Joanne James borrowing from Penelope Keith’s “Margot” and Dawn French’s wry, dry delivery. Sarah Stanley is fantastic as the cheap as chips “tart with a heart” Pat. Both clearly enjoy performing their roles as much as we do watching them. However, while Doreen bludgeons her way, and Pat wise cracks hers , there are some hugely satisfying side-shows.

Pat and Doreen consider the respective merits of Jimmy Choos and Shoezone.

Michelle Dawes eschews her normally glamorous persona in favour of a de-glammed Judith, who hitherto has not found a chance to grow up and escape home,   unravelling and flourishing before our eyes in a particularly rounded performance.

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The identity issues facing British, born  second and third generation Muslims is seldom visited in plays. Leighton Coulson handles that challenge as Mo with considerable aplomb, sensitively, without stridence.  The youngest cast member, Ella Clarke plays single parent  Dawn with astonishing maturity and depth, I have no doubt that we will be seeing much more of her on stage in years to come.

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Sessions facilitator Richard Clarke as Roy is effectively the narrator  for the proceedings  and the superglue on the Teapot, unassuming, always there, doing his job and keeping the disparate parts held together.

 Hitherto I ave never seen a play in which the author and Director are individually  performing. Playwright Jonathan Owen ( who also plays Frank) is at his best and most comfortable sketching out the comic foibles of folk.  He admirably does his bit unobtrusively allowing others to shine , giving himself plenty of time to count the audience to ensure that his royalties cheque is correct.

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 Stuart Goodwin  co-directs and plays Greg, I am surprised that they did not give props manager Tina Townsend a `part too! Stuart in acting terms plays the part of the Midfield General in a football team, maintaining pace and flow in a show which has off stage Director Atchison’s comedic fingerprints smeared all over it.

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This is a fabulous evening’s entertainment, illuminated by Sarah Stanley’s hilarious Pat. I was too afraid to approach her in the bar after the show fearful of being on the receiving end of one of her withering put downs.  Teapots and Superglue runs until 23^rd March. Go and see it.

Gary Longden