MEN IN Green by Redditch playwright Roger Goddard at Droitwich’s Norbury Theatre is classic British comedy with a modern day twist.
All of the action takes place in a typical middle class suburban living room and centres on Marie and Stephen who are fresh out of university and determined to make their mark protesting against the climate crisis.
Stephen, unfortunately, is a hopeless rebel with his efforts usually ending in disaster.
Marie’s parents are dismayed when – as members of the radical ‘Greenbacks’ movement – their protests intensify.
The generational differences provide both conflict and comedy and, indeed, comedy through conflict and moral questions.
Goddard has penned in a wonderful group of colourful relatable characters and situations – like people we have all met and conversations and scenarios we have all found ourselves in.
Talented cast
Clive Webb makes for a fantastically authoritative (some would say ‘jobsworth’) police officer John. Each time he entered the living room, he strutted and captured his character brilliantly.
Brad Hemming (Stephen) and Ellen Fearnley (Marie) are wonderful as the post-uni idealistic couple who, whilst in purgatory between student life and gainful employment, are full of optimism and vying to ‘save the world’.
Deb Macmillan perfectly portrayed her ‘looking-for-love and a little bit naughty’ Rita. The gossipy, banter scenes between her character and Marie’s mum Janette were enjoyable to watch – so much so, you would happily spend an evening with the pair and a few bottles of wine.
Joy Williamson and Miles Nicholls were made to play parents Janette and Andrew. Everything about their interactions on stage depicted a typical long-term married couple and parents, from their seemingly-trivial disagreements to the softer moments which show their characters love each other but romance has faded over the years.
Relatable situations
Most people can recall one parent being more lenient than the other stricter one and both Goddard’s script and the pair’s delivery encapsulates this typical family dynamic.
The first act was a great scene-setter and there were plenty of comedic moments but the second half, when the plot gathered pace, was when Men In Green came into its own.
As well as the obvious environmental issues, climate crisis and how we need to make dramatic alterations to our lifestyles, there is also some acute and astute observations about how hope, optimism and a willing to change disappears with age and years.
Men In Green runs at the Norbury Theatre until Saturday (March 15) with performances at 7.30pm each evening.
This production is a perfectly-mixed cocktail of comedy and social comment and is well worth a watch.
Visit: norburytheatre.co.uk for tickets, which are £15 (£13 concessions), and more information.
