The Vicar of Dibley
May 2022
Written by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter
adapted from the original TV series by Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer.
With kind permission of Tiger Aspect Productions
Directed by Helen Caston
This production won NODA's "Accolade of Excellence in Drama".
Cast List
David Horton
Steve Berry
Geraldine Granger
Kathy West
Hugo Horton
Kevin Lane
Alice Tinker
Charlotte Gentry
Letitia Cropley
Claire Feekings
Jim Trott
Gerald Flanagan
Frank Pickle
Andrew Manktelow
Owen Newitt
Rob O'Hanlon
Woman
Jill Balderston
The Children:
Archie
Oliver Crammond
Lizzie
Darcie Crammond
Luke
Jack Jago
Katie
Sophie Jago
Cameron
Tommy O'Hanlon
Stage Manager
Ian West
Set Construction
Ian West, Alan Godman, Hugh Bailey,
Steve Berry, Kathy West, Dave Neale, Mick Feekings, Gerry Flanagan, Helen Caston,
Kerry Bailey, Joanna Godman, Brian Redding, Cara Micallef, Zoe Micallef, and Zoe & Martin Turner
Stage Crew
Jill Balderston
Prompt
Melody Harbour
Props
Jill Balderston
Lights and Sound
Janine Hewlett
Costumes
Claire Feekings and cast members
NODA Review
Friday 20th May 2022
This bloody (chink of money in the Lent fines box) hilarious play, adapted from the popular 1990s TV comedy is set in the sleepy village of Dibley, where the previous elderly vicar has just died and the parish council members, led by their pompous, opinionated chairman, David Horton (Steve Berry), are waiting to greet his replacement. They are not expecting anyone like Geraldine Granger (Kathy West), a babe with a bob cut and a magnificent bosom! (is bosom a swear word?) Nevertheless, kind-hearted, fun-loving Geraldine, aided by pea-brained verger Alice Tinker (Charlotte Gentry), sets out to win over the oddball members of the parish council of Dibley while staying true to herself. Although female vicars are no longer considered particularly unusual nowadays, this play's humour has remained fresh, partly thanks to the wonderfully eccentric characters who make up Geraldine's, parishioners. Helen Caston (Director) what a bloody (chink in the Lent fines box) brilliant cast you chose. I have seen lots of Dibley's but by far this is the best, and I don't think I can get better. Helen you directed this Dibley with such professionalism, you have an eye and ear for perfect timing of comedy. Also moving your cast around the small stage with ease. I frigging (chink in the Lent fines box) loved the way the cast moved the set, to give us quick and easy set changes. Brilliant!! This due to a thoughtful stage manager (Ian West). I must mention the costumes (Claire Feekings) and the cast for getting it right down to such a little thing such as a button on Jim's cardi done up sloppily in the wrong button hole. It's things like this I look for and it was abundant in this Dibley.
Geraldine's wit, free spirit, and chocoholicism, sets about winning the hearts of all on the parish council, and she also wins our hearts, what an actress Kathy West is, no one else could have given this part so much comedy as Kathy. Alice Tinker (played to perfection by Charlotte Gentry), the vicar's bubbly, but not so bright, new best friend, is in love with the equally daft Hugo Horton (Kevin Lane), perfectly portrayed as only son of influential parish councillor David Horton (Steve Berry), who fails to warm to Geraldine's quirky appeal ‐ this man has great facial expressions. Gerald Flanagan's characterisation of the 'no no no no no' Jim Trott was very funny and outstanding, and he played Jim with ease. The dotty Letitia Cropley (Claire Feekings) gave us the right amount of silliness. Frank Pickle (Andrew Manktelow) was a nice portrayal of a thick secretary and his timing was good. Now for the sex!! Owen Newitt (Rob O'Hanlon) - Rob's scenes with Geraldine were frigging (chink in the Lent fines box) hilarious, so well directed and delivered. Superb!!
Clever to have the kids perform back stage: these were Oliver Crammond, Darcie Crammond, Jack Jago, Sophie Jago, and Tommy O'Hanlon - well done kids and, of course, Jill Balderston as the woman. Oh, and Melody [our prompt], I never heard you at all.
To sum up, this Vicar of Dibley is so bloody (two chinks in the Lent fines box) good, actually frigging exceptional.
Gordon Harris,
NODA SE District 5
This bloody (chink of money in the Lent fines box) hilarious play, adapted from the popular 1990s TV comedy is set in the sleepy village of Dibley, where the previous elderly vicar has just died and the parish council members, led by their pompous, opinionated chairman, David Horton (Steve Berry), are waiting to greet his replacement. They are not expecting anyone like Geraldine Granger (Kathy West), a babe with a bob cut and a magnificent bosom! (is bosom a swear word?) Nevertheless, kind-hearted, fun-loving Geraldine, aided by pea-brained verger Alice Tinker (Charlotte Gentry), sets out to win over the oddball members of the parish council of Dibley while staying true to herself. Although female vicars are no longer considered particularly unusual nowadays, this play's humour has remained fresh, partly thanks to the wonderfully eccentric characters who make up Geraldine's, parishioners. Helen Caston (Director) what a bloody (chink in the Lent fines box) brilliant cast you chose. I have seen lots of Dibley's but by far this is the best, and I don't think I can get better. Helen you directed this Dibley with such professionalism, you have an eye and ear for perfect timing of comedy. Also moving your cast around the small stage with ease. I frigging (chink in the Lent fines box) loved the way the cast moved the set, to give us quick and easy set changes. Brilliant!! This due to a thoughtful stage manager (Ian West). I must mention the costumes (Claire Feekings) and the cast for getting it right down to such a little thing such as a button on Jim's cardi done up sloppily in the wrong button hole. It's things like this I look for and it was abundant in this Dibley.
Geraldine's wit, free spirit, and chocoholicism, sets about winning the hearts of all on the parish council, and she also wins our hearts, what an actress Kathy West is, no one else could have given this part so much comedy as Kathy. Alice Tinker (played to perfection by Charlotte Gentry), the vicar's bubbly, but not so bright, new best friend, is in love with the equally daft Hugo Horton (Kevin Lane), perfectly portrayed as only son of influential parish councillor David Horton (Steve Berry), who fails to warm to Geraldine's quirky appeal ‐ this man has great facial expressions. Gerald Flanagan's characterisation of the 'no no no no no' Jim Trott was very funny and outstanding, and he played Jim with ease. The dotty Letitia Cropley (Claire Feekings) gave us the right amount of silliness. Frank Pickle (Andrew Manktelow) was a nice portrayal of a thick secretary and his timing was good. Now for the sex!! Owen Newitt (Rob O'Hanlon) - Rob's scenes with Geraldine were frigging (chink in the Lent fines box) hilarious, so well directed and delivered. Superb!!
Clever to have the kids perform back stage: these were Oliver Crammond, Darcie Crammond, Jack Jago, Sophie Jago, and Tommy O'Hanlon - well done kids and, of course, Jill Balderston as the woman. Oh, and Melody [our prompt], I never heard you at all.
To sum up, this Vicar of Dibley is so bloody (two chinks in the Lent fines box) good, actually frigging exceptional.
Gordon Harris,
NODA SE District 5
This stage adaptation of The Vicar Of Dibley takes its source primarily from the first two series of the show aired between 1994 and 1998. Featuring all of your favourite characters - Geraldine (the vicar), David Horton (chairman of the Parish Council), his none too bright son, Hugo, who has his sights on the equally dim Verger, Alice, plus all the other eccentric members of the Parish Council.