Review: Jack the Ripper by the Heath Players at Hatfield Heath Village Hall

THIS was director Eve-Marie Downey’s first production for Heath Players.

Eve’s work has a trademark “out there” style. A willingness to experiment and do things a little bit different.

This production was no different. It was a riot!

This could be best described as a steampunk telling of the Jack the Ripper story.

But to do that you needed to have style, fashion, bravura, wit and verve. This had it all and more.

Very well written, wonderfully acted and with great pace.

The stage at the village hall had never looked better and was used ever so well.

The use of silhouette and lights were excellent. You could smell Victorian London.

An early mention here for stage manager Roger Newman and all those involved in lighting and design.

And a special mention to Linda Falco-Waites and her team.

Despite having a steampunk theme, the music used was firmly under seventies rock. Good use of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin though!

Each actor made their character their own. This was not only achieved by their acting but also the costumes that were fantastic.

But strangely, even though this called for very extrovert characters, the actors all reined it in. Yes, Jack Downey as The Commissioner was his usual extravagant self but it was still disciplined and was part of the narrative.

The same could be said of Linda Helm-Manley’s Witch and the hilarious Isaac Wood as the Familiar. They all made the character their own but were greatly aided by a very good script. Linda was every witch and Cassandra you had never seen and Isaac stole every single scene.

This could have descended into chaos but instead you always appreciated that this was a good old fashioned whodunnit.

That is why posh amateur sleuths, Mark Ratcliff and Ginny Ellison-Madden were so effective and engaging.

It is a while since we have seen Chris Redman but he was wonderfully outlandish as The Duke.

It was quite an evening to watch a Duke mired in scandal. History eh?

And the other actors, Amanda Green, Steve Foster, Douglas Sheppard, Lynn Guyton and Helen Rees were so good. They all carved out their characters like bright Halloween lights. They all made an impression and gave it everything.

Special mention to a fantastic Jess Foster as Esmeralda.

We appreciate that from the first time a writer starts etching down their thoughts to the last bow on Saturday evening, an enormous amount of work goes in from people with very busy lives.

We don’t think this production may be for everyone. It may be a bit out there but as a reviewer who attends all the performances across Harlow and the villages, it is the variety that is the spice of our theatrical life-blood.

A packed house on a Thursday night is a great thing to see.

An excellent production.