Divine transition to the stage

The Vicar of Dibley Te Puke Repertory Reviewed by Stuart Whitaker .. .. ..

Te Puke Repertory’s production of The Vicar of Dibley is tailor-made for anyone seeking a divine experience. And it’s not my place to preach, but this is one show definitely worth seeing.

Based on the original television series, the arrival of a female vicar into the conservative Parish of Dibley isn’t universally welcomed.

But vicar Geraldine Grainger is a sometimes irreverent reverend, and she has no problems endearing herself to all but the most orthodox parishioner.

Played famously in the television series by Dawn French, Stacey Wylie takes on the role here and stamps her own mark on the character, avoiding the temptation to be a carbon copy of the original.

Others in the cast also manage to make their mark on their character — most notably Gordon Cliff as Jim Trott and Lydia Williams-stewart playing the ditzy Alice Tinker.

Te Puke High School student Lydia belies her age with an accomplished, memorable performance, delivering her lines with excellent timing.

The interactions between pairs of characters the script facilitates have clearly been worked on in rehearsal. Stuffy David Horton, played by Steve Buys, and his son Hugo (Jack Brawn), are one such duo, as are Hugo and Alice and Alice and Geraldine.

David — the parish council chairman — sees female vicars as “one of the excesses of the modern church” and doesn’t want a bar of it. But will his campaign to send Geraldine back from whence she came succeed? Or will Geraldine finally gain universal acceptance?

There’s so much to like about the play, the production, the sets and the comedy. Director Michele Cliff has moulded what is clearly a talented cast and crew into a cohesive unit more than capable of bringing the much-loved characters of the television sitcom to the stage.

There’s (deliberate) awkwardness, romance, running gags and a little risque humour, great scenery and, of course, plenty of laughs.

The Vicar of Dibley at Litt Park Theatre runs from November 29 until December 10, and is the perfect way to find an escape from the pre-christmas madness.

Tickets are available through Eventspronto or at Giftrapt Te Puke.

A special charity performance on November 30 is raising money for the Graeme Dingle Foundation. Tickets for this performance are available only from Giftrapt or by calling 0275614170 and are $32 each, including supper.