The lady vanishes.

Where does she go? Will Iris save her in time?

The lady vanishes.

I went to see the Lady Vanishes on the 9th of February. My seat was right at the back of Theatre Clywyd, however, I could still see the stage and hear most of the cast. Though I think I missed a few jokes along the way. However, I have hearing difficulties, so this may not have been the case for the rest of the audience. When viewing a play, I can lip-read which helps, and I am used to working out words from context. However, jokes often rely upon words being used in an unusual context, meaning I sometimes miss them. But I think I got most, judging by the audiences responses. And whilst this was a murder mystery play, there were plenty of jokes to lighten it up.

The audience were mostly adults. I think with the gunfire, and the somewhat complex plot, this was not really a suitable play for children. It took a while to begin and at first the audience were chatting amongst themselves, but then they began to grow a little impatient. I wasn’t too bothered, as once the play started, it was well worth the wait. They didn’t announce a reason for the lateness. But eventually, it began. There was smoke, along with suitcases, and lots of people rushing around the busy, black and white platform where the train had been stopped by a hurricane. Some were trying to book hotel rooms. “There’s only one room left, and that belongs to the maid. We can move her out…” The actor complains bitterly “They’re moving her out!”

The set design was amazing. The train parts all slid together seamlessly, and the backdrop looked like it had come out of an old photograph, filled with smog, in black and grey. And when they left the platform there was the inside of the carriage in cream, with fully functional doors and compartments within the train which looked like it belonged in the pre-war period. The props were also very realistic, and the guns made loud noises and flashed.. The suitcases all looked suitably old. The lights flickered, giving the idea of movement which made the set come alive.

The accents were mostly decent, though there were a few that sounded fake, such as the German doctor, though they weren’t so bad as to ruin the show. The classical-style music was on a soundtrack, yet it was perfectly timed to add suspense or excitement. The lighting was effectively used to convey movement, and the lighting on the train turned on and off, when they had a crash, or when something dangerous was about to happen. The acting was very good, and really drew me into the story, so much so that I grew to care for Iris, and found that despite her stuck up ways, she was brave, and determined. I was crying at the end when Iris and her friend meet again. She plays the piano as her and her new boyfriend dance, and the lighting dims till it's only the three of them dancing together. Like she lived on in them, or that they would always remember her. I like that idea. In a way, she drove the story, provoking their own journeys and adventures. However, there was an awkward pause, where she stops playing and they go over to her. I think she forgot what she was playing. Some of the audience laughed. I couldn't hear it, so I wasn't sure what happened, but they handled it suitably professionally, and soon recovered.

An interesting play, full of twists and turns. I had only seen children’s plays or musicals previously, and this was refreshingly different. Dark, yet still full of hope, that if we hold on to our nerve, and keep on going, we can all do the right thing. It was very patriotic actually, which felt unusual for a play. I was not used to such a medium being serious. The country, to this day, still has a military. Hopefully, in the case of Nazi Germany, times have changed.

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2 Comments

  • Bee Snellen

    On 14 February 2019, 18:30 Bee Snellen Voice Team commented:

    Thanks for the review, Molly! I'm always amazed by set design and how they portray large and complicated locations as a set. Having a train on stage must have been amazing to see!

  • Judy McFall

    On 26 March 2019, 12:20 Judy McFall commented:

    This sounds like a fantastic show to see!

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