The Happiest Days of Your Life

The Chipstead Players

The Courtyard Theatre, Chipstead

Reviewed by Oliver Cownden

I was particularly looking forward to seeing this play - the film version starring Alastair Sim and Margaret Rutherford as the head teachers and Joyce Grenfell as assistant mistress Miss Gossage, is an old favourite of mine.

The play is set in the masters' common room at Hilary Hall School for Boys.

Set designer Myles Ruffy did not disappoint - the standard was as high as any play I have seen at The Courtyard Theatre. A convincing set, you could almost smell the chalk dust. Lighting and sound by Don Hindle and John Gallagher complimented the performance well.

It is the start of a new school term at the school, the first after the Second World War.

Chaos soon descends however, as the staff and pupils of St Swithins Girls' School are billeted at the boys' school – the headmaster was not expecting this at all.

The pace at the beginning of the play was at times laboured, however this soon changed when Lauren Milsom came on stage as the effervescent Miss Gossage.

For me she took the acting honours on the night. She earned every laugh from the appreciative audience and her sense of timing, stagecraft and 'jolly hockey sticks' manner were reminiscent of a young Joyce Grenfell.

Collin Edgerton was convincing as the headmaster Godfrey Pond - he projected his voice and played the comedy of his part well.

Maggie Taverner as the headmistress of St Swithins, Miss Whitchurch, was perfectly cast as was Andy Wiggins as the school caretaker, Rainbow. Their sense of comic timing and facial expressions at the absurdity of the plot were a joy to watch.

Glyn Jones as male teacher Rupert Billings delivered his acerbic lines in a deadpan manner, perfect for the part. A strong performance from an actor with real stage presence.

Michael Rahman and Fiona Radford as the play's love interest, Dick Tassell and Miss Harper, delivered the awkwardness of their parts well.

Daniel Baty and Charlotte Morris as the schoolchildren were a fine addition to the cast. Baty had a good sense of mischief about him and delivered his lines well. Morris also gave a good performance. Both actors were well cast.

Director Pam Jarrard should be congratulated for delivering a polished performance from her large and able cast.