Review
Published: Tuesday 26 January, 2010 by Christopher Hansford, The Bath Chronicle
At the end of a special gala night to officially celebrate the Mission Theatre's fifth birthday, artistic director Ann Garner made an official announcement.
After many months – probably years – of careful negotiation, the council, she said, now seemed willing to grant a secure tenancy to Next Stage to replace the current lease which expires in five years' time. What that does, she said, was to potentially secure the long term future for not only the company she founded 15 years ago but also what has become home for many other theatre and music groups in and around Bath.
The news might have overshadowed what was by standard you cared to set another triumph for a company which has already had praise heaped upon it. But it didn't. Rather the council's decision and the first night success served to together highlight what a mighty contribution Ann and her team has made, and is making, to Bath's cultural life.
The company handles powerful and difficult productions with the kind of assurance that is, frankly, astonishing to find in amateur theatre.
This Alan Ayckbourn play is easily one of his funniest but perhaps one of his saddest too as he shows that in searching so hard for happiness, we often fail to spot it when it lies right under our nose. You won't, I promise, easily forget Nicky Wilkins' very real tears pouring down his face as he listens to his wife telling him she wants a divorce. Nor waiter Ian Garforth's hilarious attempts to remove what he thinks is a prostitute sitting at one of his dining tables.
But then each member of the team produces a memorable performance. Call it amateur theatre, call it a hugely professional production in every sense of the word but in the end what you get for your money is powerful, thought-provoking theatre.
If you still haven't discovered Next Stage and the Mission don't miss this one if you can possibly help it. You won't ever have a better night's entertainment.