Edward Alderton Theatre Home | News | This Season | Next Season | Bookings | Auditions | Members | Archive | History | Location | Links | Contact Us   Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo Adapted by Gavin Richards Directed by Steve Marshall 18-25 May 1985 (7 performances) In December 1969 a bomb exploded at the Agricultural Bank in Milan. A Young anarchist was arrested for the offence and subsequently 'flew' from a fourth floor window of Police Headquarters. The police claimed it was suicide. This is a starting point for this farce, which attacks the misusers of power both of the right and the left... Cast Bertozzo Tony Donnelly First Constable Bob Phillips Maniac Dave Phillips Pissani Martin Heard Second Constable Bob Phillips Superintendent Brian Senner Feletti Sue Higginson Crew Stage Manager Carol La Roche Assistant Stage Managers Susan Hampton, Richard Clarke, Anne Woods Set Design Steve Marshall Italian Consultant Nicky Corfield Lighting  Tim Hewitt Sound Phil Hedges Poster Design Justin Bateman   Review Tragedy and farce You will travel a long way before finding a better group of amateur players than those at the Edward Alderton Theatre, Bexleyheath, and their production of Dario Fo's Accidental Death Of An Anarchist this week (until Saturday) demonstrates this completely. Knockabout farce and real human tragedy is a unique and evocative formula and to succeed in giving equal weight to both, as this group most certainly do, is a credit to director Steve Marshall. In a performance of sometimes breathtaking proportions it is difficult to single out any one member of the cast for special praise but credit must go to Dave Phillips for he handles the demanding central role of the Maniac in such a professional manner that it is a shame he has to do a day job as well. Bob Phillips beautifully underplays the two constables and Tony Donnelly, Martin Heard and Brian Senner all contribute outstanding performances as the bungling and totally corrupt trio of police officers. A word of praise for Sue Higginson playing the investigative reporter. It is never easy to join the action of farce in midstream, when everyone else is in top gear, but she does so with commendable ease. I have only one criticism of what is otherwise a first-rate all-round performance. It is now 16 years since the bomb blast in Milan which inspired the play and so naturally the action is a little dated. Even this particular translation, with its reference to the Carter Administration and the Anthony Blunt affair, fails to give it the topical flavour it needs. Perhaps, therefore, the director might regret not drawing on more recent events to provide greater impact. Nevertheless this is a performance of the highest calibre. C S Kentish Times | 23 May 1985