Set on a stormy night in the middle of nowhere. The bridge is down and Biffy (Geoffrey Pye) and his actress wife Ophelia (Natalie Gunn) find themselves stranded on the wrong side of the bridge they need to use which has collapsed in A Jolly Sinister Jape.

The storyline unfolds quickly as the couple enters a stranger’s house in the hope of finding a telephone and calling for help only to discover the lines dead and the spirit decanters are quite full!

As the couple discusses what to do next entered Lord Stubbs ( Henry Oastler) also stranded on his way to a party, he was the younger brother of the famous “Lord Stubbs”. The trio decides to split up and investigate the house further to see if anyone is at home.

Fatty (Rachel Cantrill) the character’s name, not my interpretation stumbles up the trio under the guise of being stranded too. Ophelia and Fatty are “friends” from school although the reunion is short-lived.

Set in the 1920s depicting attitudes of the time and phrases to match. However, at times the humour appeared to be more from the 1960s innuendo-styled comedy. Slightly outdated but it suited the nature of the play.

As the plot twists and characters entwine we discover the sinister undercurrents and watch the preplanned situations unravel. Things are not how they appear.

It’s funny, entertaining and an all-around “jolly jape” The cast works well together which is important in a twisted plot such as this.

For more information on this production please visit the link below.

Three Stars.

https://www.squaretower.co.uk/

https://www.concordtheatricals.co.uk/p/11309/a-jolly-sinister-jape