VIVA Kirtonia! I have carried out my annual search for superlatives on the occasion of CODS (Crediton Opera and Dramatic Society's) presentation of Viva Mexico! and the best and most appropriate I can come up with is an extravaganza!

A fantastic show, for two hours taking us away from all the problems brought on by the recession, leaving the theatre with a great deal to remember and talk about when browsing through the programme again.

The programme itself was a superb production with brilliant photographs of many of the cast peering through an assortment of large cacti, also many of their faces attached to caricature bodies, also rehearsal photos of the cast appearing to be very happy, if not always so!

Congratulations, too, for the excellent publicity in the Courier and around the town which, I am certain, resulted in full and happy houses throughout the run.

Requiring such a large floor space for such a big cast the set was a bit simpler than that in many past productions, but there were touches of genius in the lowering the top of the arch to reveal the Aztec Princess, whilst the flea circus was itchially brilliant.

Although there were many outstanding comical moments throughout the show, I will only mention one particular member of the large cast who were all excellent.

He would be the short-notice replacement for Pablo, who managed the difficult but extremely funny moving around the screens with Pepe in the bedroom scene, whilst at the same time saying his lines.

I am sure that well before the final night he had thrown away the bit of paper! This reminded me that what appears to be a major disaster when lines are forgotten or a bit of the set falls down; on-stage it seems a long silence before the dialogue is resumed, but in fact some of the audience may not even have noticed it and will have forgotten it within a few moments, but this may not apply in the dressing-rooms after the act!

Congratulations to the whole company for a wonderful show.

Our enjoyment of the evening was heightened by our carrying out a very large picnic hamper, the major prize in the evening's raffle, a very rare event.

Not picnic weather, but we enjoyed the contents a few days later.

Thank you CODS!

Peter Phillput,

Flat 16

Redvers House

Crediton