Stepping Out – Inverleith St Serf’s Church Centre

Mavis (Sophie Williamson) teaches a weekly tap class in a church hall. Most students are rather uncoordinated, but they have fun anyway. Then they are invited to perform at a local gala. Will they be ready in time for the big day?

Stepping Out, written by Richard Harris, has a lot going for it as a community theatre production. It has a mostly female ensemble cast and is, itself, about a community group preparing for a performance. The excellent cast have some great lines to play with, but I think the script does have some flaws.

There are some hilarious moments, with one liners such as a pointed “You know, I used to be fat…” and “Just pretend. Like you do with your husband.” It feels a lot like an old-fashioned sitcom. I enjoyed the build-up to the final dance scene, where the cast finally got to show off their moves. I liked that the play was both set, and performed, in a church hall. Above all, I enjoyed the performances.

Characters include snooty Vera (Jane Black), whose mean streak drives a lot of the humour; mild-mannered Geoffrey (Dougie Arbuckle), the only male in the cast; and anxious Dorothy (Sammi Watson) whose job at the social security office is a source of conflict. Sharp-tongued pianist Mrs Fraser is played to perfection by Irene Cuthbert, in a succession of marvellous hats.

Behind the scenes, the piano is played live by Norma McMalcolm, providing a jaunty feel to the proceedings. The choreography, by Rona Anderson, really shines and it is lovely to see the characters, and the cast, enjoy the dance performance at the end of their journey. The earlier scenes, where the dancers are learning the steps, are surely deceptively tricky to choreograph and perform, since the actors already know how to do the dance correctly.

There are a lot of good things about the script, but there is far too much exposition. I would like to see a more focussed narrative. The characters are all quite downtrodden and they talk far too much about their husbands. I understand that the tap class is meant to be their outlet and escape, but I would like to see some variety in the characters’ back stories. Women’s lives are more complex than many male writers imagine them to be.

I would really like to get a red pen and ruthlessly edit the script until a polished diamond emerges. Then I would give it back to this wonderful cast and let them work their magic once more. Nevertheless, I had an enjoyable evening watching this show.

Reviewer: Wendy McEwan

Reviewed: 14^th August 2024

North West End UK Rating: