Writer and Director: Tess Seddon
Music: Lee Affen
Sheffield People’s Theatre, the community company based at Sheffield Theatres, returns to the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse with their latest play, Something Old, Something New. The play takes place on Nat and Alex’s wedding day. The wedding is already off to a tricky start with unwanted visitors and family disagreements, only made worse when the couple lose their reception venue. When a decision is made to hold the reception at the closed down community centre that Nat used to work at, a day celebrating love becomes a day celebrating the importance of community centres.
Tess Seddon’s script is hilarious, whilst at times shoehorning in political messaging a little too clunkily. Seddon has also done a fabulous job writing and directing this new play with a huge number of characters, ensuring the audience always remembers who each character is (or at least who each group of characters is). Lee Affen, sound designer, composes some fun music for the show although given there is a band (that sings) on stage it is a shame that the wedding’s first dance, which becomes a full company finale, is only an instrumental.
Rūta Irbīte’s set design is simple but fills every inch of the Playhouse stage. It is very adaptable, showing many different locations across the whole city of Sheffield. Irbīte’s costumes are outstanding, particularly some of the costumes the ensemble of Drama Kids wear. They are colourful, larger than life and some have a little comedic value to them.
Leading the cast are Ezzie Nettleingham as Nat and Mark Kenny as Alex. Both are very strong leading actors, and Seddon has given them likeable yet complex characters to portray. Jacq Exton gives a great performance as Mia, the pushy ex who just wants Alex back, whilst Rachael Hope and Gary Rossiter give fantastic performances as the stuck up rich parents of Alex.
The supporting cast is filled with talented performers and Seddon gives each one a chance to shine. Debbie Audus is well cast as the strong willed mother of the bride, Trish, and Ian France gives a brilliant performance as absent father Gary. The reuniting scene between Gary and Nat is particularly heartwarming. Lyn Armstrong has immaculate comic timing as Dorothy, as does Hannah Wade as Toni. Ashley Gregory and George Glasby are a very entertaining double act as the best man and groomsman, getting plenty of smiles and laughs throughout. Gregory, in particular, develops a great rapport with the audience during the pre-show. Jenny Derbyshire and Carol Adams make the most of their very limited stage time as Carol and Dawn respectively. Other standout performances come from Max Marriott as the larger than life famous-from-the-telly chef Pierro, Lilly Tear who plays aspiring chef Maya, who is one of the character’s with the most development in the narrative and Claire McLaughlin-Dunn as the enthuastic amateur cook Cath.
The ensemble of Drama Kids, consisting of Grace Bower, Holly Boyer, Gabrielle England, Rory Harneis, George Ingall, Dylan Jones and Will Memmott, are an utter delight to watch whenever they appear, acting as a sort of Greek chorus.
Something Old, Something New is a riotous comedy, with plenty of heart as well, making audience members proud to be citizens of the great city of Sheffield. The show is currently sold out, but do keep your eyes peeled for any returns and see this brilliant, feel good play. Hopefully one year soon Sheffield People’s Theatre will return to the Crucible main stage so more people can see their shows which are always of a very high quality.
Runs until 17th August 2024.
