NORTH ESSEX THEATRE GUILD FULL LENGTH FESTIVAL 2025-6
GROUP: DOVERCOURT THEATRE GROUP
PLAY: MORE TALES FROM LITTLE GRIMLEY by David Tristram
VENUE: The Studio, Dovercourt
Adjudication Date: Friday August 1st, 2025

This author's series of one-act comedies set in a village hall, with the same small cast of amateur theatrical characters, no complex set changes, and minimal costume concerns (well, OK, a cow's head!) are understandably popular with real-life, (LESS amateurish!) drama groups.

"Little Grimley – Saving The Planet" and "Murder! In Little Grimley", are written with such easy-flowing flair that the cast and audience can expect to share a warm-hearted comedy experience.

There is a potential chuckle in almost every line, so, as well as getting the lighting cues right, the group simply has to come up with actors who convince us that they are, on the whole, a rubbish drama group.

The idea isn't unique: The Vicar Of Dibley has a similar opening, of village characters at a committee table, even down to the slightly bewildered little lady (the equivalent of Joyce), so this is a sort of Farndale meets Dibley meets Grimley.

Personally, I would have presented the plays the other way round.

The Murder play shows that Joyce can be clever enough to exact revenge on bossy Gordon. It's then hard to accept her as a slightly dotty and forgetful person in Saving The Planet, if you put that one in second position.

Thanks to clear directions, we found this tucked-away venue fairly easily, and received a very warm welcome on arrival. We stepped through a mysterious darkened doorway into an enviable studio theatre – raked seating, with nice chairs and a stepped gangway in the middle
In the interval, the stage tables were magically shunted together in a trice, and overlaid with a tempting array of refreshments. Everything from popcorn to breadsticks and much more, with juices and plastic cups of Prosecco or similar - .all for a voluntary donation. There was also a little offshoot doing a roaring trade in a well known brand of chocolate-coated ice creams on a stick. And raffle tickets! It all felt like an absolute treat, served with smiles and jollity.

The advantage of these plays, as already mentioned, is the simple staging. The small tables were used flexibly at floor level and the rail of costumes was wheeled into a curtained alcove when not required.
The low stage hosted a convincing, small lighting control desk, and at one point a narrator's lecturn. Props included everything from a retractable (and bloody) knife to Margaret's cosmetic potions, Joyce's craftwork and a very good cow's head mask.
The accompanying "udders" (a leaking rubber glove) didn’t work so well, as they were held up too high to be funny. We realised that the cast were picturing small children craning to see, but if the glove had been lowered more, after that point had been made, it would have been funnier...especially bearing in mind the line about Margaret finding her humiliating experience "slightly erotic" .

Extremely good for such a deceptively small venue.
Abi Porter disappeared into her little corner at the back of the auditorium and proceeded to give us a faultless series of lighting changes and sound effects.
Credit must also go to Lighting Technician, Greg Potter…the atmospheric and colourful fluorescent tubes, (to up-light the base of the rear tabs) were a nice touch, worthy of a small night club. The overhead lighting was also well-positioned, and well-used.

Detective Sam's suit and slightly outrageous wig went down well, and both Margaret and Joyce had an array of increasingly smart costumes. Margaret needed more than one handbag.
Joyce could have been a bit plainer and more timidly-dressed.
Bernard wore his work overalls with casual ease, while Gordon looked suitably stuffy and business-like.

Unfortunately, the director had to bow out halfway through the rehearsal process with health issues , so the group's solution – to keep his early ideas and then carry as a group effort – deserves credit where it's due. But of course, a director can move around to spot blocking problems and to judge, from out front, whether roles need sharpening up, and when more volume is needed, and so on.
GORDON: Rob Porter was amusing, but dropping his chin meant dropping his volume from time to time. He generally commanded the motley crew well, but giving Gordon a more loud, tetchy, and bossy nature would have made for a clearer hierarchy among the cast and raised the laughter levels too.
Rob undeniably rose to the challenge of Gordon being wrongly (jokingly) arrested for murder and looked genuinely helpless and terrified.
But we all love to see a bully brought low, and the underlying decency of this character (he admits when he's been fooled) is a clever touch from the writer. This lighter side would have benefitted from a contrasting darker one, making Gordon's admissions more poignant.
MARGARET: Katherine Johnson, who surely deserves a new programme photo, is a strong actress. She looked stunning in a series of well-fitting, stylish dresses (yet, strangely, with only one handbag), she was always a striking presence and spoke with clear diction. Again, for a more humorous interpretation, Margaret could have had more of a stern Margot Leadbetter personality, making the milking scene funnier.
JOYCE
In the scripts, Joyce is potentially more nervous and fluffy-brained than Liz McLeod was encouraged to be. Sitting, relaxed, with her craftwork did not seem apt for this character. But Liz, is a confident performer (unlike Joyce)
BERNARD
Richard Kemp-Luck's lugubrious expressions and solid grasp of Bernard's character were entertaining, comical and enjoyable, whether attempting to work the lighting desk or the udders, or indeed being flabbergasted by Gordon’s near-arrest
DETECTIVE (SAM)
Greg McDowell's cameo role as the fake detective brought in by Joyce, caused amusement with his use of certain tropes, such as flicking with nonchalance through a tiny notebook, and doing a Columbo-style exit/re-entry – although this trope works better if you stop, pause, and turn without leaving the room.

Here we had some pleasing acting potential, simply needing an independent extra person to direct, partly to fine-tune Tristram's characters and partly to avoid masking other actors. For example: The "detective's" final farewell was partly hidden behind activity at the table stage left, Also, the final horrified gaze into the "audience" needed better positioning – this cluster left Bernard hidden behind Margaret; The production was amusing rather than hilarious, with some of the chucklesome lines thrown away. Aiming thoughts out front towards the audience is also a good device to add variety.
We were grateful for this chance to visit your extraordinary little theatre. There is clearly so much potential and enthusiasm .

Kind regards
Liz Mullen accompanied by Anne Sexton

More Tales From Little Grimley written by David Tristram
Directors - Dovercourt Theatre Group

Performed at the Dovercourt Theatre Studio, Dovercourt on Thursday 31st July at 7.30pm.

I was warmly welcomed on arrival and was able to discuss the performance at the end with most of the cast.
Unfortunately the Director had withdrawn from the production after casting and blocking, due to personal issues so the society members collectively carried on to complete the production. I was impressed to hear how the members had rallied round to ensure that the show"must go on"!

The production was two One Act plays from the Little Grimley collection ie Murder in Little Grimley and Little Grimley Saving the Planet. Unusually the same characters were in both plays and the same actors took the same parts in both.

There was an excellent pace to the action and the diction was good with every actor projecting well without microphones. Everyone could be heard clearly The script was immensely humorous and the timing and delivery was impeccable.

The set, as always with this society, was well designed and built by society members and included a small stage this time. A props basket (mostly hats) and a costume rail were included with tables and chairs being moved around seamlessly as appropriate. Lighting, including five spots was complementary and costumes were all relevant to the period. There were several costume changes for most of the cast.

Rob Porter was Gordon the self appointed "leader" of a dysfunctional amateur drama group of four members desperate to produce a play and to sell tickets. Rob was authoritative and bossy, a somewhat sardonic character who was convinced that he had the ability to write a who dunnit. In reality he ended up as a murder suspect in real life, thanks to a practical joke by the others. His so called breakdown was hilarious !

I loved Katherine Johnson's characterisation of Margaret who loved the theatre and was a potential diva. Katherine has such amazingly good facial expressions and contortions that the audience reacts to her unconditionally. She played a stellar role here earnestly believing that the drama group had great potential if only enough tickets were sold. Katherine had a number of costume changes with some stunning outfits.

Liz McLeod was Joyce, somewhat dyslexic, not very talented and perhaps a simple character who gave the audience some really comical moments in her inability to learn and deliver her lines in the play being rehearsed. However, Joyce was heavily involved in the practical joke against Gordon so maybe there was more to Joyce than the audience was led to believe.

Richard Kemp-Luck was Bernard, a banana munching rather thick builder who was cast as a farmer. His attempts to emulate country speech sometimes sounded more like a pirate but drew much laughter from the audience.

Greg McDowell had a small role as the novice detective Sam and was quite convincing.

I was mentioned at the end of the first play as leading a group of three potential audience members descending on the venue. Touche !

This was a real fun evening with an extremely talented cast and the audience were very engaged and appreciative. Well done to everyone involved.

Hazel Hole MBE
Regional Representative
NODA East
District 11

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