Three air hostesses walk into a Parisian apartment…
And chaos ensues in this 1960s farce, currently presented by Rowntree Players at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre this week.
Originally a French play, written by the French playwright Marc Camoletti, the English-language adaptation, which was translated by Beverley Cross, was first staged in London in 1962. Now, over six decades later, the York stage has been lucky enough to witness this excellent production.
As we enter the auditorium, the stage is furnished in the style of a 60s apartment, with several props that become of note as the show progresses – such as a photograph, telephone and globe to name a few.
Introducing each character in the style of sitcoms-gone-by worked really well, and helped to set the tone of the comedy and chaos we were about to see.
Since I knew almost nothing about the play before arriving, I wasn’t sure what the farce set up was going to be, as in the beginning we are introduced to Bernard, his fiancee Gloria, and their housekeeper Berthe. As an air hostess, Gloria is imminently leaving for a plane, but not before the arrival of Bernard’s childhood friend, Robert.
From there, we, and Robert, learn the truth of what’s happening – Bernard has three fiancees, all air hostesses, American, Italian, and German, who he keeps note of their schedules on his trusty pad of paper.
Like us, Robert is aghast to learn of Bernard’s conniving, but Bernard insists it works perfectly…until of course it doesn’t.
The five-strong cast are uniformly fantastic. Max Palmer as the lothario Bernard seems smooth on the surface, but as his plans unravel so does his mental state. His three fiancees – appearing on stage like the Heathers – are enamoured with Bernard, or so it seems. Bethan Olliver as Gloria has boundless energy with schemes of her own, Val Debenedetti as Gabriella has nerves of steel and an attitude to match, and Jorja Cartwright as Gretchen is zanier than she first appears and a true romantic; each absolutely delights.
Two standouts however, are Lizzie Lawton as Robert and Rebecca Thomson as Berthe. Thomson as the long-suffering housekeeper has an incredible dry delivery and perfect comic timing, and delivers not only through her words but each look and action too.
I cannot wait to see what Lizzie Lawton does next – I want to watch it all. They change the energy of play the second they bound onto stage, and act as a conduit for the audience as the consequences of Bernard’s infidelity comes to a hilarious head. They are quite simply brilliant – every gesture, movement, is perfect, and even when they’re in the background you can’t help but watch them.
One of the most important elements of a farce is its pace, and this production was slick, quick, and firing on all cylinders. And with every farce, you’re just waiting for the moment it all falls apart. The pressure cooker never once lets up, and the cast are always completely in control, and the lack of any faltering should be commended.
There are some extended scenes that could have been cut down slightly – it was a very long runtime – however the magnetism of the cast ensured that every moment was engaging.
It was a very confident showing from director Hannah Shaw, who also directed Rowntree Players’ The Importance of Being Earnest, and it’s clear Shaw knows how to squeeze every bit of comedy out of the material – and also trust her cast to deliver it.
The efforts of the cast are only elevated by the sound and lighting design. Each of the fiancees entrances are punctuated by lighting in their signature colour and musical theme. Other sound effects are deployed with precise comic effect, and adds to the genre of the play, while making it uniquely its own.
Boeing Boeing is a ride that you don’t want to miss – so head on down to the Joseph Rowntree Theatre to see it before it takes off, and watch it crash land spectacularly for yourself.
Boeing Boeing is at Joseph Rowntree Theatre until Saturday 25 July. Tickets are £15 and available here.
