Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
NEVER sit in the front row. I should have known something was up when the smiling (or was it an evil smirk?) door attendant at the British Club walked me to my seat whispering ‘so you’re Stan from GulfWeekly’.
I should also have listened to my teenage daughter Immy too, playing the part of a fairy in the Manama Theatre Club’s production of Sleeping Beauty by Alan Frayn, who had mentioned on one journey home from rehearsals that they’d been a few glib comments about a Stan.
I dismissed it at the time, thinking they must be referring to someone of the same name, perhaps a member of the committee. No chance, they knew I was coming for the opening night.
As soon as busty Dame, nurse Dottie Dettol, played by Sylvia Young Stage School-trained Chris Woodrow, spotted me weakly grinning in his direction I was the hapless target, the running joke, and if that wasn’t bad enough I got a bright red lipsticked-smacker of a kiss on the head for my troubles.
I had to grin and bear it like the brave soul I am and enjoyed every minute I wasn’t under the spotlight. This was quickfire family pantomime – funny, frivolous and as fantastic a frolic you could find on any professional stage in the UK.
Palmyra Mattner, playing the elder Princess Rose, once again shone like a star on stage and, in fact, all the main cast put in solid performances of pure slapstick theatre, with marvellous Muddles, Jenny Cairns, Amy Tommie as Good Fairy Lilac, boo-hiss Bad Witch Hazel, namely Lizzy Wahba, and much as I hate to admit it, delightful Dottie, outstanding in their delivery.
Other notable turns included James Beedie’s breakdancing exploits and Andy Savage’s football jokes.
Congratulations also to directors Hannah Lynch and Carrie Bell who pulled out a festive cracker from the bag … but please let me sit at the back next year!
– Stan Szecowka
