The Ring of Truth
By Wynyard Browne
Orange Tree Theatre Richmond
Directed by Auriol Smith

Yet again the Orange Tree has managed to delve into that rich but forgotten canon of English comedies to give us a highly enjoyable evening with its latest offering ‘The Ring of Truth’. The cast are superbly led by Steven Elder and Cate Debebham-Taylor as Tom and Emma Gore and there are some entertaining cameos from Ian Talbot as Sergeant Borall and Paul Westwood as PC Wimbush. Briony McRoberts does a sterling job by doubling up the roles of Lady Pritchard and the somewhat prickly Nanny

The play starts off, a touch creakily, with a New Years Eve gathering, where we discover that although everything appears to be rosy; Emma Gore has lost her engagement ring, of little consequence as it was only worth £80. Of little consequence! That would be about five times the average salary, around £3000 today; well that does show how far the Gores have come, but even better times are ahead. They decide to try and claim on their insurance policy and Mr Filby the insurance agent, played by Paul Bigley who doubles it with the role of Sir John Pritchard and doubles it very expertly, suggests to them that there might be a suspicion of theft and not accidental loss. This does mean that the police have to be notified of the loss. The hope is that if it turns up, found by a jeweller as someone tries to sell it, then it can be returned. The result is suspicion is cast on all and sundry and what an interesting little cocktail mixture do we have. Ambrosine Wyman played charmingly by Juliet Howland, an habitual American divorcee, Clifford Small, a neo communist borrower/ intellectual/ secret admirer played by Dudley Hinton, the staff, a very upset staff, of Joe played in a very delightfully suspicious manner by Kieron Jecchinis and Mrs Prizboski played by Catherine Harvey and her protective spouse Mr Prizboski played by Piotr Baumann. The cast is completed by Jane How playing the mother, Mrs Gore senior who, not only is upset herself, but manages to upset her unseen companion.

So what is this ‘Ring of Truth’? The programme quotes Charles Duff as noting that it was the best comedy written between Blithe Spirit in 1941 and Entertaining Mr Slone in 1964. It was the fourth and last play that Browne wrote and despite excellent reviews quickly disappeared. The format is somewhat old, but this production has concentrated, wonderfully on the more bizarre aspects of the situation. It is very Ortonish in the way that the characters extend the ridiculous situation to absurd conclusions. In doing so the world of the Gore’s crumbles. Suspicion is cast upon Tom and his suitability to be made a director. Emma has doubts cast upon her fidelity. I particularly enjoyed this part of the production, but then I am a sucker for a good laugh and this production does produce some excellent comic moments and a lot of laughs.
The problem for Wynyard Browne was 1956, it all changed when ‘Look Back in Anger’ was first produced in 1956, comedies with French windows and comic characters were out and so this play suffered as the audiences sort the real world of kitchen sink drama! If only he had written the play in 1964, just after ‘Entertaining Mr Slone’ then it would have predated ‘Loot’ and then the audiences would have flocked to see these absurd characters and their laughable situations. Unfortunately by 1964 Wynyard Brown was dying and the chance to see more plays of this ilk was gone.

Reviewed by Evan Rule