Comic Potential
Written by Alan Ayckbourn
Directed by Ian Macdonald
18 – 23 March 2002
A sensation in London and New York, this is one of the funniest and most inventive plays by Britain’s grand master of comedy. A hilarious satire of television and a touching romantic comedy, it begins in a television studio where a hospital soap opera is being taped. One actor starts speaking gibberish; he is an “actoid,” a robot, and his programming is off-kilter. Adam, the young nephew of the producer and an aspiring writer who worships the director (once a great movie director and now a broken-down has-been), is on the set. Adam starts chatting with Jacie Tripplethree, the actoid (serial number JC333) playing the nurse and finds, to his surprise, that not only can she carry on a conversation but, due to what she calls a fault in her programming, she has a creative imagination. Adam wants to build a new television series around her, but the studio will not hear of it. He also finds he is falling in love with the charming robot! Will Adam get the green light on his series? Will love prevail? Jacie is one of Ayckbourn’s greatest characters; her portrayer won all of London’s major acting awards.
Cast
Chandler Tate – Tony Bate
Prim Spring – Shelley Peters
Trudi Floote – Kate Griggs
LM 05623 – Graham Frosdick
LJM 54823 – Alex Freeman
CW 77502 – Janet Pearce
JCF 31333 (Jacie Triplethree) – Suzannah Churchill
Carla Pepperbloom – Christine Angell
Adam Trainsmith – Ben Gaston
Lester Trainsmith – Graeme Horner
Marmion – Alex Freeman
Desk Clerk – Graeme Horner
Girl in hotel boutique – Kate Griggs
Man in hotel boutique – Graham Frosdick
Dress shop assistant – Janet Pearce
First waiter in the hotel restaurant – Graeme Horner
Second waiter – Alex Freeman
Man in restaurant – Graham Frosdick
Girl in restaurant – Kate Griggs
Prostitute at Hotel Mombassa – Janet Pearce
Turkey – Graham Frosdick
Technician – Alex Freeman
Crew
Stage Manager and Set Designer – Graham Peters
Assistant Stage Manager – Elsie Bate
Wardrobe – Marjorie Sawyer and Carole Bramall
Costume theme consultant – Shelley Peters
Lighting – Mark Woodham, Alan and Pam Hunt
Sound – Tom Ellis, Keith Jarman
Properties – Pat Vale
Choreography – Nicky Bate