Billy Liar - Quaysiders

Marina Theatre, Lowestoft

Keith Waterhouse's comedy-drama Billy Liar is challenging but the talented amateur dramatic group the Quaysiders made a brave attempt at it.

Ricki Peake plays the Walter Mitty character Billy Fisher who escapes from the constant warring of his parents and his job as a clerk to an undertaker, into a world of fantasy.

But his world begins to unravel as one by one his lies are uncovered by those nearest and dearest to him, including his two fiancées, Rita and Barbara.

In fact the scene where the two girls confront each other in the Fishers' front room was one of the liveliest, with a spirited performance from Karen Thompson as Rita and Abi Watson was perfect as the unimaginative, orange-eating Barbara.

Grandma, played by Pat Cregan, was perhaps the most rounded and convincing character.

But the punchlines were well delivered raising quite a few laughs and the whole performance was well appreciated by the audience.

And in the finest tradition of the theatre, the lead man who had fractured an ankle earlier, turned in a good performance even though we caught sight of a wince or two, making sure that the show went on.