CAMBUSDONALD ROYAL: THE SECOND SORCERER'S TALE

performed at Cumbernauld Town Hall, October 1974

BROTHER BARNABUS	Harry Glass	BROTHER DONATUS	Jim Haldane
BROTHER SIMON	Brian Gillespie	THE ABBOT	Jim Clark
REVEREND MOTHER	Ena Simons	CARDINAL	Charles McKinnon
HELEN OF TROY	Betty Naismith	MAGDALENA	Rena Haldane
ADDITIONAL CAST	Pat Currie, Carol Finlay, Christine Cullingford, Billy Young

THIS WOULD HAVE LEFT THE GOON'S SPEECHLESS! NEW APEX PLAY WAS STRICTLY FOR LAUGHS

The Apex Players production, which they insist was strictly played for laughs, ended at the Town Hall last night.

The play was called "Cambusdonald Royal", subtitled the Second Sorcerer's Tale, and written by James Scotland. It has a quality of humour which begs the question: Stands Scotland's reputation where it did?

Some of it was of such mind-dampening banality that at times the cast must have thought the first-night audience had gone home. Not true. We all stayed and were rewarded by some goonish interplay that would have left Milligan and Secombe blinking.

Set in a 15th century Scottish abbey it is written as a highly irreverent romp involving a covey of spell-working monks and the ongauns in the alchemist's cell. The Brothers Barnabus and Donatus have trouble with the ingredients in the making of a home-brew, which yields them a host of problems in the shape of Helen of Troy, the Empress Messalina, a local lady and two sisters "frae the convent doon the road".

At the wind-up the place is certainly the busiest cell in Christendom, and with various members of the heirarchy popping in at intervals to see what's what, it takes on the atmosphere of a Brian Rix farse.

In common with the author, words fail me to do justice to several good performances which kept the evening's fun alive. Harry Glass, as Barnabus, is the hinge-pin of the whole affair. darting around like a demented hen waiting for the axe to fall. His puckish features which ring the changes over joy, sorrow and fear in once second flat, are a delight to behold. Jim Haldane, as Donatus, makes a perfect fool of a foil. At one point he assumes a saintly pose with his feet in a cauldron of water that would make the devil roar with laughter.

Brian Gillespie's Simon is the completion of the piece, and is played with growing assurance as the performance develops. Jim Clark as the Abbot, looking at first sight like Charlie Chan on a night off, is adequate, if perhaps less unwordly than the part demands.

Ena Simons' Reverend Mother makes as much of the frozen matron as required, and Charles McKinnon's Cardinal is played with sufficient reserve to make the revelations about his human foibles worth a few giggles.

Betty Naismith, as Helen of Troy, is strong and vaunty in her short gownie, Rena Haldane doesn't miss out as Messalina, and Pat Currie and Carol Finlay perform well as novices.

Christine Cullingford as the young lady, and Billy Young as her trusty beau, are brought to a state of grace by a hasty marriage, and the baby is an absolute doll.

The production by Jim Morrison is effective, allowing for the shortcomings of the play itself, though some late cues from cast and sound were obvious on the first night. The set and backcloth by Joe Simons and John Bruce, are impressive, if somewhat luxuriant for a monk's cell, with the elaborate fun-vaulting and stained-glass window.

Lighting and effects give bright support to this Apex Players' latest production, demonstrating once more their penchant for comedy.