An Ideal Husband – Gainford Drama Club [Teesdale Mercury November 2013]

WHEN it comes to Oscar Wilde my knowledge goes from The Importance of Being Earnest to The Happy Prince and Other Tales for children. But thanks to Gainford Drama Club I have now been introduced to An Ideal Husband. It has been brilliantly adapted by Chairman, Director and Producer Joan Hillery Robinson which has created a thoroughly enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

From the curtain opening you know that a treat is in store as you are greeted with a visually stunning scene from the set to the costumes and the jewellery, which if you know the play does feature later in the story.
Although An Ideal Husband was first performed in 1895 the plot of political corruption and blackmail is timeless. The story revolves around Sir Robert Chiltern, Allan Jones, a respected politician whose marriage and career are threatened by attempts of blackmail by Mrs Cheveley, Jean McCann.

There are so many delightfully witty one liners, which are well delivered. It makes such a change to see a gentle comedy with an exciting plot so well performed. My favourite moments were the scenes between Lord Goring, Tom Brown and Mabel Chiltern, Emma Simpson. They were an absolute delight to watch and they certainly had some of the best lines between them. Emma Simpson had her characters mannerisms to perfection with a voice to match. This does not take away anything from the cast as a whole as the characterisation they produced was excellent and it was obvious they had put 110% into everything giving me the feeling that I really did spend an evening in the late 1800s.

An Ideal Husband was yet another brilliant production from Gainford Drama Club.