When Compton Mackenzie adapted his own comedy novel for the screen in 1947, he pared the story down to fill a sprightly 82 minutes of celluloid. Philip Goulding’s 2018 adaptation for Hull Truck and Olham Coliseum is a much more expansive affair altogether, and not only does it develop the story in more detail, but it also sets it within a metatheatrical framing device.
Keeping within its original WWII era setting, we are introduced to the Pallas Players, a fictitious all-female amateur theatre group who are staging their own version of the spirit-soused story. Things are looking bleak on the remote pair of Scottish islands Great and Little Todday, because the supply of whisky has run out. Then fate comes to the rescue, as a ship laden with the nectar is wrecked just off their coast. What ensues is a farce that marries the very best of Ealing Comedy territory with more than a hint of Dad’s Army, as the Home Guard try to maintain some sort of decorum amidst the liquid-gold rush.
Goulding’s version calls for a staging that makes heavy use of physical theatre, with multi-roleing and slapstick very much to the fore. Lexie Fox-Hutchings directs a spirited cast with huge gusto and big performances, especially from Dawn Adams as the indefatigable Connie Calvert and from Kim Finn, whose Flora Bellerby is an absolute comic delight.
Carrying us through the play’s quite extensive running time is the energy and obvious enjoyment of the ensemble, who are clearly having an absolute hoot performing the piece. What perhaps is slightly lacking is some of the movement, clowning and bouffon that was envisaged by Goulding. Whilst the dialogue moves at a rollicking pace, the performers delivering it are often rather static.
Nonetheless the vocal delivery is exceptionally well done, with a great many excellent pieces of character work and a lot of fun to had in both the one-liners and the clever set-up gags.
Whisky Galore is exuberant, silly and enormous fun, and with its end of term hair-down feel is a fine way to bring the Little Theatre’s season to a close.
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| Members of the cast of Whisky Galore - picture © Stephen Cain Photography |
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