If any theatre group deserves good marks for ‘bad behaviour’, it’s the Pepperpot Players.
Now well over 50, they perform on the tiniest of village hall stages without the basic necessities, like a dressing room, or even a backstage area.
They have shone sufficiently to be invited to perform at Shanklin Theatre many times, and the Pepperpots continue to deliver good quality, including their latest offering at Niton Village Hall: two one act comedies under the label ‘Women Behaving Badly’.
The first – Dirty Business – homes in on two scheming cleaners and their blackmail of a cost cutting council manager to persuade him to think again about making them redundant. Next up, four university students gather for a 30 year reunion that quickly goes pear shaped, in White Lies.
Both comedy gems were directed by Nick Turvey, who added some nice touches to two well-crafted plays. Not only that, but he also compered the evening, and operated the sound and light desk: another example of the amdram spirit embodied by the Pepperpots.
Everyone rose to the occasion on a freezing cold night when a hot cup of interval tea was more in demand than the wine on offer.
Pepperpots stalwarts Faye and Peter Farrin and Chris Turvey appeared in both plays and used all their experience to good effect. Jane Loizos seemed very much at home on her debut in White Lies, and we hope to see her again before too long. Jenny Manning made immediate impact, too, and not just because of the biker gear.
There were times when the action stalled but it didn’t detract from another good night’s entertainment from one of the Island’s longest established theatre groups.
Carry on ‘behaving badly’, Pepperpots!
‘Women Behaving Badly’ is at Niton Village Hall, Friday to Sunday, February 7th to 9th.
Review by Kevin Wilson
IWtheatre 