An excellent cast brings a wonderfully controlled slow-burn to William Gaminara’s tale about a village acapella group and an enigmatic newcomer who insinuates herself on their recreation.

Ruth Jones (Nessa in Gavin and Stacey, Hattie in the BBC’s film of the same name) returns to the stage to star as Maggie, the new face in town, who wins over the sympathy of the locals when she wanders into one of their rehearsals “just to listen”.

Choirmaster Steven leads a five-strong ensemble that includes his wife Diane, married couple Ben and Connie and Bruno, who often arrives for rehearsals late because of work commitments. When they sing they sound sweet, but underneath there is little harmony in their private lives. One by one, as they begin to doubt Maggie’s account of herself, their own inner turmoils begin to boil over.  All they really need is love it seems, but these protagonists all suffer from relationship dysfunction – partners falling short, dreams frustrated. Calling themselves The Nightingales, the singers crank up their performance for ‘Talentfest’, an entry competition that offers the chance to appear on Britain’s Got Talent. The stakes are raised and the pressure begins to tell.

Steven Pacey is excellent as the reasonable and dry 60-year-old ‘Steven’, leader of the pack.  Mary Stockley delivers a simmering, agitated performance as his wife Diane, just turning 41, who is unleashing her desires for a child on an enamoured Bruno (Stefan Adegbola). Keeping their tryst a secret sparks palpable tension throughout the house. Connie desperately wants another stab at life – the choir’s tilt at stardom is a last chance to savour what she’s always wanted – excitement and acclaim. Sarah Earnshaw turns in some furious histrionics in the role. Husband Ben (Philip McGinley) pulls in lots of laughs with his no-nonsense dry wit but is secretly smarting from his wife’s constant putdowns.

On a beautifully realised stage design by Jonathan Fensom that recreates a typical village hall interior, complete with beamed ceiling, notice boards and the local scout troupe flag, Director Christopher Luscombe, of Rocky Horror Show fame, brings a very natural pace to the proceedings. Nothing feels forced and the actors look like they have had the chance to grow their roles within the play.

Gaminara employs monologue to take us further into the mind sets of the villagers. Jones especially seems at ease during these more intimate moments with the audience, relishing the opportunity to give us a Maggie who, while seemingly vulnerable, seems to harbour darker intent.

Have Maggie’s new musical friends been duped by fraud, or have they all lost their moral compasses? Following Gaminara’s sometimes very witty explorations of emotional duplicity in this immaculate production is a treat.    ★★★★☆     Simon Bishop     7^th November 2018

Producyion photo by Geraint Lewis