The Vicar of Dibley Christmas: The Second Coming
Written by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter
Presented by Amdram Musical Theatre Whanganui
Directed by Chris McKenzie
Was it really two and a half years ago that a strong Amdram cast gave us a successful run of The Vicar of Dibley?
Those who saw it, and many who heard about it, would have been keen to get back to Amdram for the second helping, The Vicar of Dibley Christmas: The Second Coming.
Once again, it was staged in the Amdram hall where the audience were seated at tables, with drinks and platters before them. The bar was open and the theatre was set for an evening of fun.
The stage was divided into the vestry room and the vicarage, so scenery changes were minimal and unobtrusive. Of course, Maddi McKenzie's swift lighting adjustments and a fleet-footed backstage crew helped.
The play was blessed with the same cast as in June 2019 PC (pre-Covid); after all, if it ain't broke ...
Jayne Fields returned as Geraldine Granger, the vicar of the sleepy hamlet of Dibley. She made the role her own, playing the vicar with a raunchy past and a craving for chocolate with flair and complete credibility. She was surrounded by an accomplished set of players, most with another 30-odd months of stagecraft and experience under their belts since they first trod the Dibley boards. To see them slip back into their roles meant there was hardly any work required by the audience — we believed they were those characters.
Tori Whibley was back as Alice Tinker: naive, gullible, and now married to Hugo Horton (Heath McKenzie). Both have grown into their roles nicely, and Alice did a little extra growing throughout the evening, as she discovered she was pregnant. Her deadpan delivery and lack of comprehension of the vicar's humour was nicely understated, with the odd touch of drama thrown in to round out the character.
Heath's Hugo had energy, silliness, plus that extra something that helped make him and Alice a team. Together, they made credulity most becoming, but Hugo was also able to show a glimmer of steel in a confrontation with their opposition.