Run for your Wife

RD wrote: “Run for your Wife has enjoyed many very successful long runs in London, toured extensively and it is easy to understand why. It must be one of the funniest plays that Wick has presented being a cascade of one hopeless situation following another as John and Sally try to extricate themselves from a showdown that becomes increasingly inevitable.

Working on this production has provided both myself and the cast with many hours of enjoyment and hard work. I hope that you will enjoy a relaxing and entertaining evening.”

Programme Note #2: Run for your Wife

Ralph Dawes was founder member of the company and has more than 80 acting rôles to his credit – with six productions as a director. His production of The Crucible won the All Sussex Three Act Festival in 1967. Recent acting rôles include Bennett in Travesties and Arthur Wicksteed in Habeas Corpus. He also sings chorus with Southwick Opera and is treasurer of both the Wick Theatre Company and Southwick Opera. In his ‘spare time’ he designs and constructs scenery with the workshop team.

Rosemary Mose joined Wick in 1984. Her rôles have been varied and numerous. She will be remembered for her portrayal of Mrs Swabb [Habeas Corpus], Childe [The Killing of Sister George], Vera [Stepping Out] and most recently Adelaide [Guys and Dolls].

Judith Berrill has appeared in ten Wick productions since 1989 – a versatile run that has stretched from the Cheshire Cat (in Alice) to Cecily the Stripping Librarian (in Travesties)! In between, Judith has given Barn audiences plenty of lively moments in parts such as Constanze (Amadeus), Fay (A Chorus of Disapproval), Esmerelda (The Royal Pardon) and the title rôle in Hedda Gabler and Olivia in Twelfth Night.

Bob Ryder has produced four very distinctive shows for Wick since 1991 – Habeas Corpus, A Chorus of Disapproval, Hedda Gabler [in his own translation] and Twelfth Night [for which he also composed the music for the songs]. He has acted in several Wick productions, including lead performances in Amadeus [Salieri], The Royal Pardon [Luke] and Travesties [Henry Carr].

Charles Porter first appeared in the Wick’s production of My Fair Lady as a chimney sweep – at the age of eleven! His rôles include Shem [Noah], Dennis Wicksteed [Habeas Corpus], Ian Hubbard [A Chorus of Disapproval]. He recently co-directed Wick’s award winning production of Travesties.

Vic Gough has acted regularly with Wick as well as performing many baritone rôles for the local operatic companies, most recently in Bill Hikock (Calamity Jane), Baron Von Trapp (The Sound of Music) and John Wellington Wells (The Sorcerer). Straight acting parts at the Barn have included Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre), Inspector Goole (An Inspector Calls). He won the one-act festival best actor trophy as ‘Sailor’ Zeale (The Zeale Brothers). Comedy rôles include Sir Percy Shorter (Habeas Corpus) and the mad director, Dafydd (A Chorus of Disapproval) and Feste [Twelfth Night].

Andy Chalk made his straight acting debut in Wick’s production of Beyond Reasonable Doubt. More recently he has appeared in Guys & Dolls, The Wizard of Oz (as the Tinman) and Stage Struck. He has also begun to work on play direction, with a studio production of A Glass Menagerie in Wick’s annual programme for work by new directors. His most recent part was Sebastian in Twelfth Night.

John Barham is responsible for some of Wick’s funniest comedy performances in recent years, including Bernard (Season’s Greetings), Orsini-Rosenberg (Amadeus), Jarvis (A Chorus of Disapproval), Scoblowski (Daisy Pulls It Off) and Sir Toby Belch [Twelfth Night].

Kevin Isaac joined Wick in 1991 and has since appeared in six different productions ranging from a Policeman in The Royal Pardon to a Munchkin Farmer in The Wizard of Oz and most recently a failed Stage Manager in Stage Struck. He has also provided the sound effects for two productions and appeared in a number of One-Act evenings.

Media & Reviews

Publicity #1: Run for your Wife
Publication: Shoreham Herald
Publication Data: December 2 1994 issue – page 19
Reporter: Michael Bristow
Text Header: “Confused? You soon will be by Wick TC”
Text: Content

RAY Cooney’s hilarious comedy Run for your Wife is Wick Theatre Company’s latest venture at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, from December 7 to 10.

John Smith is a taxi driver. In Wimbledon there is Mary in Streatham there is Barbara – the two women in hi life. He is married to both of them. His schedule is very complicated – late-night with Barbara, early-morning with Mary, day-out with Barbara, night-out with Mary.

Escape

One night John ends up in hospital and misses his night shift with Mary and the early-morning sting with Barbara, which is where the play starts. John tries every lie in the book to get out of trouble and hilarious confusion and contradictions pile up as he tries to escape the truth.

Directed by Ralph Dawes, the comedy is being staged nightly at 7.45 pm.

Tickets, priced £4, are available on 0273 597094.

Review #1: Run for your Wife
Publication: Shoreham Herald
Publication Data: December 16 1994 issue – page 17
Reviewer: Michael Bristow
Text Header: “Racing certainty of a play carries Wick first past the post”
Text: Content

FOR THOSE who like their humour Carry On style, the comedy Run for your Wife was just the ticket. The play, written by Ray Cooney and performed by Wick Theatre Company at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, last week, concerns a man who has two wives (Exceptionally fortunate or just doubly unlucky? I still hadn’t made up my mind by the end of the show).

The first-night action got off to the same start as the 1963 Grand National. The curtains open, the two wives came on but, sadly, someone forgot to flick the light switch. But unlike the fateful Aintree steeplechase that never was, the false start was soon forgotten with the cast getting quickly into their stride. John Smith, played by Bob Ryder, was the man trying to divide his time between two women. His precision timing helped him slip comfortably from the bed of one wife into the arms of the other. In between, the inexhaustible husband managed to drive a taxi. He came unstuck only when he had to go to hospital after being attacked by a hand-bag-wielding woman.

The script is full of innuendos and double entendres. And the characters are the best British stereotypes, even down to homosexual with the high-pitched voice, hip-swinging walk and penchant for pink. The play would probably not appeal to the politically correct. To be funny, the quick-fire script required sharp, clean delivery with no stumbling, which the cast managed quite well. Director Ralph Dawes deserved acclaim.

Definitive

Judith Berrill and Rosemary Mose, who played the two Mrs Smiths, showed fine acting skills and not an inconsequential amount of body. A typical scene in Run for your Wife ran something like this: Woman drops suitcase and bends down to pick up clothes. Two men assist, door flies open and new arrival finds menage-a-trois. It’s basic unsophisticated humour. I laughed, though I am of the school which believed the definitive Julius Caesar was played by Kenneth Williams.

[/showhide]

03336 663 366

Run for your Wife

Run for your Wife

Barn Theatre Southwick Street Southwick BN42 4TE