On Tuesday evening, on what would have been my mother’s 99th birthday, I went to see Oddsocks Theatre Company perform their production of A Comedy of Errors in Middleton Park.
The weather was perfect for the outdoor event and families and friends congregated in front of the new bandstand/stage. In fact, so many came to enjoy this comedy in the sun, that the rows of various shades of camping chair stretched all the way back to the cafe, which the Friends of Middleton Park (FoMP) kept open for the whole of the evening. People of all ages attended the event and there was a friendly atmosphere throughout. Many arrived early, but the stage is placed in such a position that it affords good views from most angles, so those arriving last minute were still able to see everything.
Oddsocks are a professional company and are performing all through the summer at various venues, but Middleton is the only place where they perform their production for free, so thank you to them and the FoMP who have been able to organise this treat.
The performance lasted just over two hours including the intermission, however, the players entertained with live music both before the show and during the interval. The play itself was well acted, the players, acting more than one part yet not a line was missed. There was a “Sister Act” style opening which was both lively and funny and that was how the whole performance continued, no one could have been bored as we were swept along from scene to scene, which incidentally was changed via a decorated drawbridge like device with false windows and door. The characters used this very well climbing up and down, moving in and out of the set reminiscent of a Brian Rix farce.
The show closed to rapturous applause and the evening ended on a high. Families left in an orderly manner, collecting and disposing of their picnic litter as they left. I do hope we can all do this again next year.
