n, You Can’t Get there From Here opens on Thursday, Feb. 9 and the production is bound to tickle some funny bones during its 14-day run on the stage at the Village Theatre in Qualicum Beach.
The play written by Pat Cook is a comedy centered around a giant pot hole and some crazy characters. Director Wendy Punter is confident there will be plenty of belly laughs for the audience as they get a glimpse into the shenanigans at the Mavis Garner Bed and Breakfast.
The B&B isn’t the sort of place you would find on a freeway or even a map. That’s because they get most of their customers from cars disabled when they hit the pothole on Main Street.
When big city reporter Arthur Lyman gets stuck in the small town because of a pot hole the town voted for he decides to do an exposé on the pothole scam.
When he checks into the B&B he meets Liz and Myrtle who run the place and do double duty as city officials and fleece him out of his money. Arthur who is stuck in town until his car can get fixed falls in love with Ann, Liz and Myrtle’s niece. During his stay he’s fined eight times, dragged across town by the local watchdog and fired from his job. Punter said it’s the perfect play for this time of year when most people are suffering the winter blahs.
She admitted it is not a thick plot, it’s done purely for laughs.
“Its not a family story, its just pure comedy and it is funny.”
Punter said comedies can be challenging to direct but for her it is a natural fit because she comes from Liverpool where all the good comedians come from.
She said passing on her comic timing to her cast has been an easy job and she is particularly thrilled with the performance of Anne Jinks, who had never acted before, taking on a lead role in the ECHO production of Robinson Crusoe.
“She was brilliant in Robinson Crusoe. She is so funny … we all start laughing when she comes on. She has been a dream to direct,” Punter stated.
Punter said she is pleased with her choice of Alycia Dunbar to play Ann and James Matthews who plays the character of Arthur.
Also in the cast are Nancy Nicholson who plays Queenie, Tina Sturgess who plays Dolores, Mike Andrews who plays Horace and Evelyn Applin as Liz.
Punter said she is looking forward to opening night February 9. The play at the Village Theatre in Qualicum Beach runs until February 24. For ticket information call 250-752-3522.