DECENT amateur theatre performances are few and far between but All & Sundry more than did justice to this classic comedy.

It's just a shame the enthusiastic and well-rehearsed cast were let down by the inadequacies of their chosen venue.

It seems the centre is not used to audiences of more than a few members, judging by the chaos caused by a queue of eager theatre-goers.

But, organisational mishaps aside, Arsenic & Old Lace was certainly the right play to distract the audience from any pre-performance troubles.

Made famous in the Frank Capra film starring Cary Grant, the tale of mysterious goings-on in the Brewster household is light-hearted and amusing.

And All & Sundry did it proud, with strong performances from Melanie Hart and Katherine Higgins as Abby and Martha Brewster, and David Berrisford playing a great baddie as Jonathon Brewster.

The small cast produced a well-executed, slick show, and worked well to bring the whole thing off but the most impressive performance came from Ben Hart as Mortimer Brewster, who acted with panache and energy to keep the audience entertained throughout.

All in all, the performance exceeded my expectations and provided a decent night's entertainment.

I am told the Artrix is on a learning curve - let's hope that curve is a steep one, or it is popular local groups like All & Sundry and their audiences who will suffer.

ECB