How The Other Half Loves FARNWORTH LITTLE THEATRE Runs until Saturday.

Box Office number : 0845 643 0808 DIRECTOR John Howarth has led a talented cast of six to bring to life one of Ayckbourn’s finest.

Set in the front room of the Fosters’ and the Phillips’ households I did wonder how this was going to work — but Sara Hassall’s cleverly designed set worked brilliantly.

Jennifer Lee is every bit the elegant 70’s housewife. She breezed through the part with ease and gave us yet another showing of her fine acting ability.

Her husband, Frank, played by Matthew James, was always on hand to take charge of any situation and make it much worse than before.

Frank’s forgetfulness and confusion of words was well played by Matthew who kept a cracking pace throughout and caused many a laugh with his nonsense words – but we know what he meant!

Bob and Teresa Philips, played by Mark Bloomfield and Becky Chaplin bring things down to earth with Teresa’s hippie style values and Bobs womanising. Both turn in credible performances. Frank and Bob work together and in a bid to help a friend, both couples invite office colleague William Featherstone and his wife Mary to respective dinner parties. The setting and direction of the dinner party where all six actors were having dinner for 4 (work that one out) was nothing short of excellent.

William, played with comic perfection by Andy Withers is a man’s man and the interaction with his wife Mary, played by Ellie Brooks works well. Ellie Brooks proves to be an expressive actress whose facial expression throughout the dinner parties was superb. She had the audience in stitches without saying a word. In turn Withers also added to this with his own facial expressions that caused several outbursts of laughter.

I must mention set dressing and costumes. Both were just right. Pam Masseys’ costumes were true 70s and attention to detail, in terms of costumes props and furniture was maintained throughout.

This final play of the season at FLT did not disappoint and the capacity audience bore testimony to this as they walked out into the balmy evening with smiles a plenty!

Paul Cohen