Audiences at Trinity Theatre were recently given a double dose of locally-written plays with ‘It Never Rains But It Pours’ and ‘If The Fetes Allow’, both written by Cheryl May, who also directed the productions and – due to cast illness – even had to step into one of the roles.

She and Carolyn Ferguson , who stepped in as  Japeth’s wife Jocaster and as apprentice angel Sam, did so admirably, and slotted in well with their cast mates.

The first play, ‘It Never Rains But It Pours’, had a split setting, with part of the action taking place on Noah’s Ark, which was a veritable hive of activity, and the rest taking place on the front desk of Heaven, Inc. who were destined to be on the other end of a call about a leak aboard the famous ship.

A great concept, but with so many sub-plots that some of the gags did wind up getting lost along the way; however, those that were seen through to the play’s conclusion, such as the defecating giraffe and the complaint call to Heaven, were very entertaining – after all, who hasn’t been confused and infuriated by the endless list of automated options on the other end of a phone?

Particular highlights were David Stradling and Amanda Robertson as Noah and his wife (later named Joan…of Ark, of course!), who were the lynchpin of the play, alongside Sarah Kellett as Brittney, with her wonderfully sunny demeanour and uncanny impression of an automated voice.

The second play, ‘If The Fetes Allow’ was more streamlined, following the misfortunes of Tom and Nigel, two Health & Safety officers trying to ensure a village fair goes ahead – but safely!

A hapless psychic named Sylvie (Edna Crosbie), an overzealous first aider named Mary (Anne Walpole) a lone Morris Dancer named Roger (Karl Whitmore), and even an out of control dog (sources say that Mike Buckett gets the credit for this amusing cameo!) all featured with memorable performances to support John Kirk and Martin Deane in the central roles as Tom and Nigel.

The entire cast was delightfully unafraid to throw themselves into the physicality of the play’s humour, be it by dancing, tripping over birdcages, or performing makeshift tooth-extraction.

There were lots of pockets of humour, but Karl Whitmore stood out as Roger – you heard him before you saw him, and he could certainly cut a caper! His facial expressions, too, first while being savaged by the dog and then being ministered to by Mary, were excellent.

The set deserves a mention in both plays, with a lot of little touches raising extra smiles: from winged chairs, to the aforementioned giraffe’s backside, to a comically-overpriced bric-a-brac table, the attention to detail was undeniable.

Trinity Theatre really is a gem of a venue, where the enthusiasm is always high, and the welcome is always warm – it’s always a pleasure to pay it a visit.