Vicar of Dibley at Rugby Theatre

THE VICAR of Dibley is coming to Rugby.

An adaptation of the hit BBC comedy is being staged by Rugby Theatre until Saturday May 18.

When their vicar passed away in the middle of a service, the inhabitants of the small Oxfordshire village of Dibley expected his replacement to be another old man with a beard, a Bible and bad breath.

Instead, they got a babe with a bob-cut and a magnificent bosom. Geraldine Granger is a woman - yes, woman - who enjoys nothing more than a good laugh and a packet of chocolate hob nobs. The thoroughly modern, pop music loving vicar is far from the only eccentric character in the village, however.

The locals include the very, very dim verger Alice Tinker, David Horton the pompous parish councilor, Hugo his indecisive son, the incomprehensible Jim Trott, Frank the boring parish clerk, straight-talking farmer Owen Newitt and terrible cook Laetitia Cropley.

The play consists of three episodes from the television series -Songs of Praise, Celebrity Vicar and Love and Marriage.

Tickets for the production – top price £12 (concessions available) online via www.rugbytheatre.co.uk or by calling the box office on 2 (weekday evenings 7pm to 8pm, Saturday mornings 10.30am to 12.30am and during the week of the show noon to 2pm).

Review

Having watched and enjoyed the television series a number of years ago I did wonder how this comedy would translate to the stage and hoped that the characters that were loved so much would be replicated. In true Rugby Theatre style I need not have worried because in both voice and image the characters were impersonated impeccably. When listening to the unique voices of Owen (Tom Browning,) Jim (Neil Morgan) and Alice (played by Michelle Marsella) if I closed my eyes I could have been at home listening to the television. But with eyes open they completed the picture with the wonderfully apt costumes and wigs. On one occasion the near lack of costume had the audience in uproar, but I won’t spoil the surprise for those still to see the show.

The performance comprises of three episodes from the television series and not one disappointed. My particular favourite was Celebrity Vicar where Geraldine (Marie Phillips) danced about the stage in a pink tutu, with her celebrity pal Darcey Bussell (Sophie Jones). Marie’s facial expressions were wonderful and her entertaining ballet would give the real Darcy a run for her money, especially when she stopped to pull her knickers straight.

It was so great to see the theatre almost full with people of all ages and everyone laughing away, forgetting the stresses of the world. Here’s to more evening’s like that in Rugby.

David Main

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