Experienced cast set for Dibley

Chris McKenzie on set at Amdram.
PHOTO / Paul Brooks

Chris McKenzie is directing Amdram's production of The Vicar of Dibley, which opens this week at Amdram Theatre.

"It's going very well," he says. "The beauty of the cast I've got is they are all theatre experienced, even the younger ones. I think it's going to be fantastic."

Chris is earning a reputation for his relaxed directorial style, allowing the cast to develop the characters and creating extra humour from their own ability to use facial expressions and body language.

"I'm not a stickler for making sure it's word perfect, as long as the gist of the line is intact and it doesn't throw the person following. They're playing off each other well.

"I've been reading and watching it for 10 weeks now, and I'm still laughing."

Chris loved the TV show and it's a play he has always wanted to direct.

"All eight of the main characters are unique. They've all got their little quirks and everybody recognises them. Jim's 'no, no, no' and Geraldine is not your typical vicar, with her fascination for chocolate and her risqué side; Hugo is obviously dense, but in such a good natured way that you still love him ... and Alice is even denser."

Chris says the cost to use the play was reasonable and each performance fee is donated to Comic Relief.

"I've talked to directors who said they'd only start directing when they got sick of acting. But I'm not sick of acting at all. There's a part of me, down there, watching them [the actors], that wants to be up there with them. Not instead of them, but with them."

Chris is involved with his players and will sometimes demonstrate how he thinks an actor should play a scene. In other ways he is more "hands off", allowing an actor to use the qualities he saw at the audition without interference.

Giving praise where it's due and employing a positive approach to his directing is getting results.

"These are adults and they don't need to be yelled at.

"I have said to them, you won't see me panic or get stressed, because, come opening night, I'm not going to be the one on the stage.

"My job is to provide you with all the opportunities and guidance I can." He says nerves can be a tool for a good performance, but as long as the cast know their lines, moves and stage directions, they can concentrate on the role. "They need to enjoy themselves, playing these characters," he says.

"I like to have the best possible available people around me." He lets others take care of costumes, sets, props and stage management without constant directorial input.

"For example, Yvonne Jones is on props. I know she will have gone through the script and found all the props needed."

Chris's wife Jacqui is an integral part of the show.

"I would not direct a show if I did not have my wife involved, because she is just awesome. There are things she thinks of that I don't, things she does ... she's my assistant director. She's also stage manager but she does a lot more than that."

Chris has worked with a lot of directors over the years and found they mostly have completely different techniques: he has learned from all of them.

The Vicar of Dibley opens tomorrow night at Amdram.

By Paul Brooks
Whanganui Midweek 19/6/19