Doctor in the House - Richmond Theatre

London Event Reviews by May B

With fond memories of the Carry On films and early television comedies about young doctors, I took my teenage daughter (who is a huge fan of Casualty) to see this production at Richmond Theatre.

Joe Pasquale (2004 winner of "I'm a celebrity") and Robert Powell (I still remember him in Franco Zeeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth) topped the bill. It was Monday evening, the theatre was barely half full and the audience was definitely on the mature side.

The music was from another era (1957) and as the show started we were greeted by that squeaky voice of Joe Pasquale who left the audience as a 'doctor in the house' to go on to the stage. The set was a rather detailed portrayal of a somewhat grand student apartment complete with posters on the walls, a high mounted radio set and bicycle and non matching sofa and chairs.

So it's two doctors (including Pasquale who plays Tony Grimsdyke - who's family bequest means he receives an allowance for each year he remains a medical student - so he is a perpetual figure at St Swithin's) and Tony's partner Vera (Emma Barton) who is like a character from 'Allo 'Allo who are joined by another student who happens to be the nephew of the overbearing surgeon Sir Lancelot (Robert Powell).

It was a gentle start and took a bit of getting used to. I was beginning to worry whether my daughter would stay the course. But in the second scene we meet the portly porter Bromley (Peter Dunwell) and his beer drinking ways and Ozzy (Allison McKenzie) a loud mouthed and crude Australian. To say that her characterisation was rather over the top would be an understatement.

45 minutes later and the interval commenced. I admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the unusual mix of songs that were played - including I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts, teddy bears picnic and picking a chicken with me.

The second half introduced the stereotypical tyrant Matron (Gay Soper) and some silly, slapstick humour where poor Bromley is subjected to a talk through of surgery on his immense stomach. The next scene sees them playing up as they rehearse for a hospital theatrical production. Finally, the nephew gets himself in a bit of a pickle with Janet (Rachel Baynton) and everyone plays a part in extracting him from the misunderstanding.

It is a tame production that you would be perfectly safe taking old and young relatives to see. Whilst I smiled on more than one occasion, there were some in the audience who simply roared with laughter at regular intervals. There's no question that the humour (sometimes ad libbed) and audience asides by Pasquale breathed life into what could have been a rather muted outing for this British comedy classic.

It runs until Saturday 26th - further details here http://www.atgtickets.com/Doctor-in-the-House-Tickets/45/316/

Posted Date
May 22, 2012 in London Event Reviews by May B by May B