We went from the sublime to the ridiculous with the second piece of the night - the Georgian ‘afterpiece’ Polly Honeycombe by George Colman The Elder, a close friend and writing partner of David Garrick. Coleman went on to have great success with The Jealous Wife and The Clandestine Marriage co-written with David Garrick. It is a comedy that satirises the effect of romantic novels on young women at that time.

Miles Jenner rightly chose a cast adept at not only comedy but at harnessing the crucial rhythmic structure of the language and style of the comedy of this period. Meg Depla-Lake knew exactly what she was doing as the coquettish, manipulative Polly. With her command of language, styles and genres she was able to employ the appropriate sparkle required. Mrs Sharp as the cheeky, self-serving Nurse worked well bantering with Polly and had a good connection with the audience. Anna Crabtree as Mrs Honeycombe was very funny and also managed to find truth in the relationship with the excellent Nigel Sharpe as Honeycombe the thwarted irascible father of Polly. Mike Piller as the odious stockbroker Ledger, on the look-out for a trophy wife, was perfectly drawn. As ever, Mike’s innate comic talent served him and the piece well. Alan Chapman as Scribble, the cheeky chappie on the make, provided us with the perfectly dodgy suitor who was not all he seemed. Miles Jenner chose a brave and imaginative start to the LLT season and with his cast and hard working crew pulled it off with aplomb.

Lucie Fitchett