• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire

  • News
  • Things to do
  • Radio
  • Vouchers
  • Categories
    • Business
  • More
    • Comments
    • Advertise
    • Contact us
York National Book Fair 2022
The GRand York York
The GRand York York

Review: Whisky Galore

Lila Clements, Shuna Snow, Alicia McKenzie, Isabel Ford, Christine Mackie, Joey Parsad and Sally Armstrong
Friday 27 April, 2018 @ 10.16 am Things to do Angie Millard
Share via...

The year is 1943, the setting a Cooperative Hall… take an all female Theatre Troupe, add a stalwart comedy writer and you have playing a production of Compton Mackenzie’s Whisky Galore.

Whisky Galore

York Theatre Royal

Till Sat Apr 28

£14.50-£30.50

More details

It is an erstwhile Ealing Comedy and I remember it being the subject of many TV repeats in my childhood.

Wartime nostalgia abounds as the play tells the story of two Hebridian islands: named: Great and Little Todday. The government are busy diverting all supplies of whisky to the USA in an attempt to bribe the Americans into supporting the war effort.

The islanders are running out of booze when magically, a ship carrying a cargo of 50,000 cases of whisky is wrecked on their doorstep; cue a game of cat and mouse with the authorities and the fun begins.

Cycle Heaven York
Cycle Heaven York
Cycle Heaven York
Cycle Heaven #ad

Play within a play

The plot predictably includes, much hiding of whisky from the Home Guard and Customs employees and the problems of attempting to plan two different weddings against family intervention.

So far so good, the adaptor Philip Goulding, has added the device of a play within a play. In his version it is performed by an all female Theatre Company something which was popular between the wars.

Thus we move away from the original concept and the cast of seven take 26 parts exploiting this framing device to the full.

Isabel Ford and Christine Mackie

The set designed by Patrick Connellan cleverly uses wooden crates which ingeniously are turned into ships, cars and quaysides. Scenery is created by using objects on sticks which move across the stage, Costume is basically land girls plus fours with various additions, hurriedly donned as characters change roles.

All these ingredients should have produced an excellent comedy but although the director: Kevin Shaw runs the play with pace and energy, it lacks true cohesion.

Excellent performances

Shuna Snow, Christine Mackie and Sally Armstrong

All seven actors work hard but somehow we don’t get the edge of farce which was much needed. There are some excellent performances: Christine Mackie doubles adroitly as the suave Doctor Maclaren and the battleaxe Mrs Campbell, Shauna Snow plays a brilliantly observed Cockney Sergeant but elsewhere the humour is applied with a very large brush stroke and often misses the mark.

Part of the problem lies in the plot which doesn’t introduce the ship wreck until after the interval. We have met the island characters but need more substance for them to work with and more sharp dialogue.

I loved the use of the setting and props but there was no real physical comedy and the whole piece felt dated. When one considers that there was a heavy rumour that Dad’s Army was based on Compton’s Keep The Home Guard Turning the talent of the author seems to have been much diluted.

However, the Oldham Colliseum, Hull truck and New Young Vic Theatre provided the audience with a free dram and much ambient Scottish music… it’s just a pity that the director and adaptor failed to get the tone and style right.

It was a huge opportunity missed and perhaps another reason to curtail the recent outbreak of adaptations.

Related YorkMix stories

Stars of Corrie and Versailles head cast at York’s pop-up Shakespeare theatre

Unedited, undiluted – York’s young people to reveal what they really think in powerful new film

Review: Legacy

Footer

YorkMix
News 01904 848 766
Email YorkMix news »
5-6 King's Court, Shambles, York  YO1 7LD
YorkMix Radio
General enquiries 01904 375 029
Studio/competitions 01904 375 030
Email YorkMix Radio »
Selby Superbowl, Bawtry Road, Selby  YO8 8NA
YorkMix is a trading name of YorkMix Media Ltd
Registered in England
Company number: 07814727
VAT number: 154 0364 34
© York Sound Ltd

Copyright © 2022 YorkMix Media Ltd

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT