REVIEW: Southwick Players, Blue Remembered Hills, Barn Theatre

By The Newsroom
Published 17th Oct 2016, 11:23 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 01:30 BST
Southwick Players' cast for Blue Remembered Hills, from left, Steve Martin as Willie, Tobias Clay as Donald, Andrew Wesby as Raymond, Bea Mitchell-Turner as Angela, David Balfe as John, Kate Stoner as Audrey and Andy Bell as PeterSouthwick Players' cast for Blue Remembered Hills, from left, Steve Martin as Willie, Tobias Clay as Donald, Andrew Wesby as Raymond, Bea Mitchell-Turner as Angela, David Balfe as John, Kate Stoner as Audrey and Andy Bell as Peter
Southwick Players' cast for Blue Remembered Hills, from left, Steve Martin as Willie, Tobias Clay as Donald, Andrew Wesby as Raymond, Bea Mitchell-Turner as Angela, David Balfe as John, Kate Stoner as Audrey and Andy Bell as Peter
The impact of Southwick Players' production of Blue Remembered Hills was clear from the start.

With no curtain, there was ample opportunity to explore all the aspects of the stunning set, from ramshackle barn to climbable tree and rickety bridge to deep dugout.

A large part of the Forest of Dean had somehow been condensed to a single stage and yet each area remained clearly defined.

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The opening scene emphasised this, as each character arrived separately and appeared unaware of the presence of the others – giving the suggestion that they were actually far apart in the woods.

The production is one of six competing in this year’s Brighton and Hove Arts Council Drama Awards and adjudicator Trevor Jones, who has worked extensively in professional theatre for 50 years, was at the Barn Theatre on Friday night.

He told the Players: “It is very difficult to imagine that this is a huge wood with different areas. What you have done in this small space to create these different areas is absolutely amazing.”

Tobias Clay as the tormented outcast Donald and Kate Stoner as butch Audrey were rightly picked out by Trevor for their outstanding performances.