Reviewed by Kate O'Sullivan
The beloved TV show The Vicar of Dibley brings its charming characters to life in this stage adaptation, performed by Harbour Theatre at the Hamilton Hill Memorial Hall. Under the direction of Jarrod Buttery, the cast presents solid interpretations of these familiar faces, managing to capture the spirit of the original while avoiding direct mimicry. It’s a delicate balancing act, and overall, the cast delivers.
Meredith Hunter shines as Geraldine, the Vicar of Dibley. She keeps the energy buoyant throughout, landing the comedic beats with ease. However, in the play's final moments, a deeper dive into Geraldine’s reluctance to leave might have added some emotional weight to the performance. Morgan Halket is a standout as Alice Tinker, effortlessly walking the tightrope of portraying Alice’s endearing naiveté without turning her into a caricature. Her chemistry with Peter Clarke’s Hugo is particularly delightful (with the intimacy well coordinated by Michelle Ezzy). Clarke himself offers a solid performance, though a bit more variation in his portrayal could have added depth, especially in his scenes with Dean McAskill’s David Horton. McAskill, on the other hand, nails Horton’s bluster, giving the audience everything they’d expect from the domineering councilman.
The ensemble cast rounds out the small village of quirky characters well, invoking a sense of nostalgia for fans of the original series, and hitting the comedic beats on the nose. However, the script itself presents some challenges. While the show delivers plenty of humour, the narrative structure feels uneven. The main plotline doesn’t fully emerge until well into the first act, and the abrupt ending leaves little time for audiences to absorb the emotional resolution before being ushered into a post-bows scene.
From a technical standpoint, the production faces a few hurdles. The set design, though simple and serviceable, lacks the warmth and cozy, small-town charm one might expect from the world of Dibley. The dual settings —the parish council room and the vicar’s home— staged alongside each other on the wide but shallow stage sometimes suffer from lighting bleed, which detracts from the immersion in the world at times. Scene changes also drag, possibly due to the need to enter and exit on the sides of the wide stage, with long transition times pulling the audience out of the flow.
On a brighter note, the costuming is spot on, particularly in the wedding sequence and the humorously unfinished jumper, which adds an extra layer of comedy.
Overall, The Vicar of Dibley at Harbour Theatre offers plenty of laughs and warm, familiar characters, even if the script and technical elements occasionally falter. Fans of the original series will enjoy seeing these much-loved personalities brought to life, and if the sell-out audiences say anything, it's "No no no no... I quite like that bit."
Reviewer Note: Kate has previously worked with Harbour Theatre, most recently in 2023 alongside both Meredith Hunter and Jarrod Buttery. She has also worked with other members of the cast (Kerry Goode and Alex Hickman). Tickets for this review were provided by the theatre company.
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