Review: Roll Out The Barrell, Sway Drama Club

ARMED with a picnic as per instructions, I attended Sway village hall, transformed back to the '40s for Sway Drama Club's commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D Day, Roll Out The Barrel.

The show followed a family, played by Lisa Siuda as mother and impressive youngsters Amelia Smith, Max Robinson and Penny Collins as the children, from just before the declaration of the war until the end of the conflict, with sketches, some written by Bernard Dunleavy, and various songs interspersed by clips of newsreels of the time.

As well as taking part in sketches and songs, Grahame Goodyer was the Master of Ceremonies smoothly introducing the various acts. Sixteen Sway Players were joined by the three youngsters, 10 Lindy Hoppers and 15 Friday Girls, some joining as part of the other groups.

All the actors performed and sang with their usual faultless verve and gusto but my favourites – in no particular order – were David Forgham-Bailey delivering a superb Albert at Christmas (presumably before he was eaten by the lion) and Margaret Soares as a very glamorous scantily-clad Marlene Dietrich.

I especially enjoyed Chris Davis and Chris Murray brilliantly performing the Noel Coward songs Can You Oblige Me with a Bren Gun? and Don't Let's Be Beastly to the Germans; and The Friday Girls' Amanda Hubbard stepping in at the last minute with a beautiful A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, written in 1939 by Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin, the latter becoming a spy with SOE later in the war.

The sketches were excellent and most realistic, for instance Sheltering from the Blitz represented how everyone, rich and poor, gathered together in one place to avoid all the bombs showered on London.

Skilfully directing in his usual manner, John Petroff was supported by Friday Girls' Cynthia Wilson as the musical director, Michelle Gravely as choreographer for the Players, and a strong backroom crew, making for a “good fun” evening, ending with spirited community singing by the packed audience.

Sway Drama dedicated this production to Robert “Bob” Hayward, their dear friend and long-time member who sadly died earlier this year.

Alison Smith