Fishy tail at Gainford (Teesdale Mercury)

For the past fortnight, the small Academy Theatre at Gainford has been sold out with another fine offering from Gainford Drama Club.

This year”s production was Fringe Benefits by Peter Yeldham and Donald Churchill. In the club”s usual tradition, it was a farce centred around a small cast.

Set in the 1970s, the play was about two couples who are about to embark on their annual joint holiday to Torremolinos. However, the two men and their wives make up their minds they do not want to go, in order to pursue extra-marital activities.

All the action takes place in the small maisonette of one of the couples, Colin and Isobel Hudson. But problems occur when both the men and the women decide they want to use the same house for their illicit affairs.

The usual chaos ensues as lie and counter-lie is told. All of the cast handled the quick dialogue extremely well and timed the jokes to perfection, making the most of the innuendos and smutty asides.

Mike Sillars was particularly memorable as the philandering Jim Nash and Paul Illingworth performed the role of his reluctant friend to perfection.

Di Peat and Jane Graham were also very good as their wives, who were not quite as virtuous as first appearances might suggest.

The scene which drew the most laughs was when Mike and Paul and Kate Littlefair and Jennie Dobson (playing Doreen and Fiona) put aside their modesty and their clothes, as their characters stripped off to their underwear in a drunken game of one-two-three click. However, as might be expected, the game was destined to come to a premature end…!

The whole play was very well directed by Viv Cordial, who got the best out of her actors and the script and was rewarded with an extremely enjoyable performance.

Finally, praise must also be given for the costumes and the set. Both brought the 1970s to life – kitsch and all!

David Roberts.