"He Wore A Red Hat"
by New Perspectives Theatre Company..

An alternative festive offering from New Perspectives, the theatre group who brought "Hood" to the Theatre Royal. The story is one of Josh Rogan, a poet who wanted to be a local sleuth, out to solve the issue of several loosely-based Christmas themed crimes in the area, but failing to curry favour with the local police force. Unperturbed he decides to go it alone, along with his protege, and along the way a strangely behaving woman called Gwyne who arrives in a strange unorthodox way!

I'm not going to say any more of the plot because it may spoil it for anyone who sees the play.Also, quite an integral part of the tension and atmospheric building, is Josh's, hired from Gumtree, sound technician (don't ask, just go and see), who wears a couple of masks all the way through. Apart from applying the sound effects, she creates a bit of the humour as well with the choice of sound bites.

A cast of three (not counting our mysterious sound person) appear in the flesh, Gerry Howell (Josh), Mufaro Makubika (protege), and Kate Kordel (Gwyne). There are several other actors who make appearances through the power of cinematography.

The cast set the play in Sneinton, Nottingham where I saw it, but, as they will be touring the play, it will be set in whichever area they will be in at the time. A nice localised touch I thought.

Some really nice sound and lighting effects from Alex Stafford and Adam McCready respectively and directed by Jack McNamara, I just felt there was a page that I had missed here and I don't know why that is. New Perspectives pride themselves on presenting new and different pieces of theatre but this may be just a bit too different for me. I'm not saying there was anything wrong at all because I loved the concept of the storyline but maybe it was the "bare-bones" approach of the production that just didn't grab me, I don't know.

A good story, written by Jack McNamara, and really well acted but I just felt that it lacked.....something, I don't know what. Saying that I'd really recommend anyone wanting to see it to do so. There's a lot of comedy in there and some very well timed sound and light effects which will make you jump and create, at times, quite an eerie atmosphere. Great acoustics as well in the St Christopher Church Hall.

To find out where "He Wore A Red Hat" is touring near you, or to find out more about New Perspectives Theatre Company, go to http://newperspectives.co.uk/?idno=1157