Christopher Gray reckons the Mill’s festive farce is a hoot
The ever-reliable farceur Ray Cooney is supplying the Mill at Sonning’s festive fun with a welcome revival of his 1990 West End long-runner Out of Order, a vehicle in its day for the comic talents of Sir Donald Sinden, a sorry loss to the stage this year. After a fine dinner of turkey and Christmas pudding in the theatre restaurant, what could be more agreeable than two hours of well-managed silliness (director Ron Aldridge) scripted by one of our cleverest laughter-makers?
As may be guessed from the title, the play’s background is political. At its centre is a junior minister in the Cameron government — yes, there are judicious updatings to the script. He is a randy gentleman by the name — and we can be sure this was not hit on accidentally — of Richard Willey (Mark Curry). It will be noted that the usual diminution of the forename is as likely to provoke sniggers.
We meet him as he settles into a suite at the Westminster Hotel, under the tetchily pompous eye of the manager (John Arthur). This slightly run-down establishment is convenient for the House of Commons where — in a tale devised for his wife — Willey is supposed to be at an all-night sitting. Convenient, too, for the offices of a pretty young Commons secretary, Jane Worthington (Kate Middleton — no, not that one) who is soon to share Willey’s bed and even now is hiding (but of course!) in the bathroom.
That their liaison must stay secret hardly needs saying, not least because Jane works for political rival Ed Miliband and has a madly jealous husband (Jonathan Niton), whom we can confidently predict will soon be on the scene. So when a corpse is found half-way into the room — an intruder ‘guillotined’ by a malfunctioning sash window — the discovery can hardly be proclaimed abroad.
Disposing of the stiff, gamely played through numerous indignities by Paul Cooper, becomes a problem not just for Willey but, more acutely, for his harried PPS George Pigden (Michael Shaw), to whom falls most of the dirty work.
A money-grubbing French waiter (Tom Lionetti Maguire), a pneumatic nurse (Lizzie Stables) and — you guessed! — Mrs Willey (Elizabeth Elvin) all contribute to the ensuing chaos. A hoot.
Out of Order
Mill at Sonning
Until Jan 17
For tickets, call 0118 969 8000 or visit millatsonning.com
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