Director PETER YATES has adapted Kneehigh Theatre director EMMA RICE'S expansion of NOEL COWARD'S playlet 'and film, cutting the songs Rice incorporated and including just two - Matt Monroe's 'Walk Away' which, beautifully sung by JAMES GOULD and KATE ROBBINS, makes an effective opening to this production, and, somewhat anachronistically, 'The first time I saw your face'.
Gould and Robbins are Alec and Laura, each already married but falling in love after meeting in a railway station café in sooty, austere postwar England, playing absolutely straight, giving us a lovely romantic wallow.
Additional characters include the café’s proprietress (LOUISA ASQUITH) and her less repressed beau (JON MORGAN), Beryl (CHARLOTTE FORSTER, who has a touching speech) and the owner of the flat where Alec and Louisa attempt to rendezvous (KEVIN BOWERS, cunningly given a touch of the Noel Cowards).
Atmosphere is added by PETER ALLEN'S piano and BARRY KITCHEN'S sound design.
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