The 65th year of seaside rep theatre at Sheringham Little Theatre sticks to tradition with a farce – pretty much the only thing missing is the vicar.
Ding Dong is adapted from a French play by Marc Camoletti and takes place in a Parisian apartment, where Bernard plots revenge on his wife Jacqueline and her lover Robert for their affair.
All three come together for an unlikely dinner party, along with Robert’s wife Juliette, Barbara the escort, and put-upon house maid Marie-Louise.
It’s a classic single set farce, packed with confusion, secret clinches, and copious double entendres.
The first half is a little slow, despite the best efforts of Rachael Cummins as the maid, whose eye-rolling and exasperation is a constant sparkle throughout the show. With the setup dispensed with, post-interval the farce really comes alive with increasingly incredible scenarios as the crossed lovers become ever-more confused.
Meg Atherton as Barbara amps up the sexuality, turning the tables on Barnard (Kyle Fraser) who goes from hardman to bunny in the headlights. Joe Feeney as Robert gives a spectacular turn as he goes into Fawlty-like spasms at the arrival of his wife (played by Emma Fenney), delivering some captivating physical comedy.
Kate Cresswell gives a more nuanced performance as Jacqueline, with pouts and smiles giving off a coquettish and calculating air.
The play text does show its age in places (a call girl being paid by cheque sticks out in a contactless age) and while there have been some attempts to modernise, swapping in a mobile phone message for a telegram doesn’t always quite work.
Most of the gags, however, are relatively timeless, resting on our hang ups on sex and the schadenfreude of seeing others in excruciating situations. It’s the reason rep still runs after 65 years.
- Ding Dong continues at Sheringham Little Theatre until Saturday 16 August 2025, tickets £19-£26.
