Steps In Time

It’s a truth not universally acknowledged that church halls are probably the same everywhere. Mid week, early evening, they kick off their sensible shoes and masquerade as dance classes and every week you’ll see the same group of people dancing their heart out. Playwright Richard Harris’ wife was a dancer and at her suggestion he researched the world of church hall dance classes. The end result is Stepping Out, a play with musical numbers that’s currently on tour in the UK and celebrating its 25th anniversary.

You can see why it’s a success. The situation is recognisable for anyone who’s done a dance class, as are the character types. Among them there’s the upper class Vera (Anita Harris) who blithely steps on everyone’s feelings, the typical lone man in the class Geoffrey (Brian Capron) and tap dance teacher Mavis (Lucy Williamson), who looks back on a brief career while trying to encourage her students towards a performance of their own. Then there’s Sylvia, Maxine and Rose who, like the Naughty Three Graces, stir up the class with their irreverent exuberance.

There are plenty of comical moments which often involve teasing Geoffrey, misplaced hands (often Geoffrey’s) and the students’ varying dance abilities and timing as they get caught up and caught in the choreography. Vera’s leotards and dance wear becomes a running gag culminating in a silver number that defies explanation.

It’s not all about the dance though. As the characters inevitably clash, Stepping Out touches on a range of varying themes not least of all the deathly serious and very truthful panic inherent in working towards a public performance. On a deeper level too it observes the loneliness inherent in all relationships and what drives people out of the comfort of their own homes and their comfort zones to take part and dance.

The final dress rehearsal reminds us that there’s only one thing better than the physical comedy of people learning to dance and that’s a slick chorus line. Therein lies the catch; while the humour of the situation in no way wanes, we don’t get the pleasure in seeing people improve. Likewise, there’s sameness to the scene structure which tends to even out the show.

However, these are minor quibbles. The audience tapped their way out of the theatre with a smile on their face and a spring in their step. I myself toe heeled toe heeled toe heeled all the way home.