Post Horn Gallop (St Vincent's Amateur Dramatic Society, Over Hulton).Runs until Saturday WHEN the curtain went up on last night's opening performance of this farce by Derek Benfield, produced on this occasion for the society by Kevin Forrest, it was evident that the set and props department had been working to full capacity to produce an interior of a baronial hall to good effect - and indeed this was appreciated by the audience.

The story centres around the hard times which have fallen on the hall and its owners - the bumbling, gun-toting Lord Elrood (Kevin Forrest), who seemed oblivious to what actually was going on, and his wife Lady Elrood, a majestic performance from Alice Bowmer.

It is, however, the mad, man-hungry, maid, Ada, (Joan Rogers) who, from her first appearance to her last, steals each scene she is in.

The story tells of how Lord and Lady Elrood open the doors of the hall to the public in order to raise money to meet the running costs of their home. This enables us to meet some wonderful characters, in particular, the delightfully dotty Maggie (Elsie Atkinson) and her down-to-earth husband Bert (Peter Gerrard) - superb comic performances from both who complemented each other well.

Of course there are the starry-eyed newly weds - Patricia and Chester (Mary Riley and Allen Christie), bad guys Capone and Wedgewood (David Johnson and Frank Runcorn) and a drippy scout master - (Howard Clare) to add to the confusion. All of which culminates in a high speed chase across the stage.

Give it a whirl if you can stand the pace! LINDA HURST

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