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The Weekend

by Michael Palin

Directed by Keith Miller

Cast
Stephen Febble Greg Slaughter
Virginia Febble Libby Bellhouse
Diana (their daughter) Samm Short
Alan (Diana's husband) Tom Miller
Charlotte (their daughter) Hannah Palmer
Duff Gardner Peter Spencer
Bridget Gardner Penny Kenward
Hugh Bedales Steve Hill
Mrs. Finlay Juliette Vane
The Dog Evee Pippin
Voice of God Roger Kingston
The action takes place in the Febbles' house in Suffolk in the early 1990's.

Synopsis

Faced with a family gathering, world-weary Stephen Febble does his best to be difficult. When his daughter, her dreary husband Alan, their precocious child and - not least - the dog come to stay for the weekend it's enough to make him reach for the whisky, and the sarcasm. The climax arrives on Saturday night when his patient wife Virginia has laid on a dinner party and the chiropodist comes too.

In his first stage play, The Weekend, Michael Palin takes a look at family values which is not only very funny but also has its darker side.

The Weekend had its first West End production at the Strand Theatre, London in spring 1994, and starred Richard Wilson. No surprise then that grumpy Stephen Febble bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain Victor Meldrew.

  

 

In his first play as director, Keith Miller struck the difficult balance between pathos and humour to present a play that had the audience gripped from start to finish. Lighting and sound were used to exceptionally good effect, with some of the most moving sequences being played in silence and near darkness. In the penultimate scene, one could literally hear a pin drop in the auditorium ... at least, one could, had anyone dared to drop one.

Approximately one half of the cast, including the dog, were making their debut for the Players in this play, and special mention should go to Greg Slaughter who took on the demanding role of Stephen Febble on his first appearance. Meanwhile, Libby Bellhouse, as his long-suffering wife, gave an outstanding character performance.