The Matchmaker, The Barn Theatre, review: Southwick Players deliver sophisticated farce

Most people must know the song Hello, Dolly but how many remember the actual storyline from the film?
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It is all based on Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker, though this play is based on other stories and was rewritten itself more than once.

Southwick Players’ version at The Barn Theatre in Southwick this week has been described by director Kate Armes as a sophisticated farce and it is all a bit mad.

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It has a huge cast of 14, with most roles being probably unlike anything the actors have tackled before.

Southwick Players' cast for The Matchmaker at The Barn Theatre. Picture: Miles DaviesSouthwick Players' cast for The Matchmaker at The Barn Theatre. Picture: Miles Davies
Southwick Players' cast for The Matchmaker at The Barn Theatre. Picture: Miles Davies

It is hard to take it seriously, to be honest, but I guess you are not supposed to. It is light silliness filled with mistaken identities, one romance after another and even a bit of a chase.

It felt a bit dated and the repetitive nature of the script became a bit irritating but there were some good laughs even if they were backed up with the thought ‘what on Earth is going on?’.

Barbara Isaacs gives her all as Dolly and Sam Razavi gets some good laughs as Horace Vandergelder.

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Nettie Sheridan seems to be having a lot of fun with her part as Miss Flora Van Huysen, all very fluffy and bouyant.

Giles Newlyn-Bowmer throws himself into the role of Cornelius Hackl and Ollie Dean makes a great sidekick as Barnaby Tucker.

Sally Saunders is rather commanding as Mrs Malloy and Hannah Whitty makes the most of her big moment as Mrs Malloy’s employee Minnie Fay, sliding drunkenly off a chair.

Sally Diver makes two appearances, as the rather doddery Gertrude, Vandergelder’s housekeeper, and as Flora’s cook, a much bouncier character, and is highly entertaining in both of these small roles.

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As well as dealing with a large cast, director Kate Armes has had a complicated set to contend with, having four very different scenes to portray.

Vandergelder’s apartment at the start is all rather brown but when it is turns into Mrs Molloy’s hat store it suddenly bursts with colour.

For the second half, the walls are turned and become beautifully floral for the verandah at the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant.

Then it is on to Miss Van Huysen’s apartment and suddenly a balcony appears where previously the stable doors to the restaurant kitchen stood.

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It is all rather clever, although the need to change so many props for each scene took a small crew, working as quickly as they could.

The Matchmaker is at The Barn Theatre, part of the Southwick Community Centre complex, until Saturday, December 14, at 7.30pm daily. Tickets £11. Box office 01273 597094 or via southwickplayers.org.uk