We all saw it: HRH Elizabeth II beating the prone figure of Donald Trump – or in this case, all-round American baddy Donald Trumpet – round the head with her handbag.

Or at least, the entire village hall audience saw it, at the Cheriton Players’ latest offering: the surreal and exceedingly funny ‘Diamonds are for Trevor’.

Known for their ambitious productions and ability to ‘punch above their weight’ as a village drama group, the Players’ part-film, part-play production was new territory which groups of twice their size might have shied away from.

Under Helena Gomm’s able direction and with her updates to Simon Tytherliegh’s original story, the cast appear both in person and via interspersed and interconnected filmed sections.

Cue some wonderful Hampshire locations, including the Winchester Science Centre masquerading as Trumpet’s secret lair (complete with ‘My Other Lair is a Volcano’ sign) and Gatley’s Pet Centre, Liss, standing in as the bottom of the sea.

‘Diamonds are for Trevor’ centres around the hapless brother of 007, Trevor (Charlie Hellard, suitably innocent and Jonny English-esque), who becomes embroiled in a dastardly plot by Trumpet (a hilarious Mike Cornter) and Vladimir Putitov to kidnap the Queen (Pauline Cornter / Jan Conway), steal the Koh-i-Noor diamond, install Putitov on the British throne and laser cut both Ireland and South America away from their respective land masses.

Jim Glaister’s excellent filming is full of visual gags, pop culture references and local sights, and the entire filming crew should be congratulated.

Likewise the large cast, who sadly cannot all be named here, threw themselves into their parts with gusto and produced quality performances; Paul McTaggart’s henchman, Bigjob, was both thuggish and imbecilic, whilst Katie Hind’s Q was a charming and quirky British inventor.

Kudos to the cast for their bravery and enthusiasm. Charlie Hellard donned a mankini and plunged into the freezing Solent and John Weston as Putitov also had minimal wardrobe requirements as the fitness-obsessed autocrat.

Original music performed by Hornblower Down (who also feature in cameo roles) was extremely high quality and predictably ear-worm-inducing (“Don Trumpet / He’s the man, the man with the orange hair) and covered the – sometime slightly sluggish – scene changes between live and filmed action.

However, given the usual space constraints of the Cheriton hall and the highly ambitious nature of the piece, the result was remarkably slick and brought the house down, with audience members crying with laughter on numerous occasions.

All in all, the Players’ production proves that much can be accomplished with vision, hard work and a strong team. Clearly, size isn’t everything – unless you are Donald Trumpet and Vladimir Putitov.Review by Eleanor Marsden