Reviews of the One Act Play Festival Closing Night

The evening opened with Is This Seat Taken by Sean Baker, performed by the Service Players. We’re in the bar of the Hideaway Hotel, Will (Neil Callin) arrives, spots lonely Laura (Helen McKenna) and makes his move. As Hawkeye Andy the barman watches from the bar (Howard Caine – in between reading his newspaper – it’s a quiet night) we discover a few interesting things. Will’s in lingerie and Laura’s in drugs, which might account for the double Bicardi’s she is not sure she likes. Worst of all – they’re married, and it’s 50 shades of roll play night (I think the safe word is ‘sorry’). Despite the rehearsals ‘if I come in again, maybe you could start the conversation?’ it doesn’t work and they row. Laura wants a baby but she’s unhappy with Will. Will went with a prostitute once and thinks missing the toilet bowl is creative(?) They row more! Will storms off and Laura turns to Andy for solace (and wine… then more wine). They barely have time for a worthy discussion on the Master and Margarita (Bulgarkov, not the cocktail), when Carrie (Beth Davies) stilleto’s in, brandishing a thong. Has Will thrown his off in despair? Are Andy & Laura having a fling? Carrie thinks so, but too late, Laura flees leaving Andy to perish. Except Carrie is Andy’s partner & they’re into roll play too. (By now my money’s on Andy & Will ending up in a clinch). Andy leaves Sassy Carrie in charge of the bar, Will gets drunker cos Carrie pours whiskey by the pint (that’s my kind of barmaid), but Andy’s bowtie is still twitching, he’s Den Watts to Carrie’s Ange and he wants a divorce. Fortunately Laura reappears and plays the prostitute especially for Will, which is ok cos she’s awfully good value. I’d like to finish with ‘and they lived happily ever after’ at this point but I’m not sure it’s in very good taste. A comedy of confusion, with four strong performances, spirited dialogue and excellent timing throughout. Great start to an entertaining evening.

Second up was The Book Club of Little Witterington by Joan Greening, performed by Hog The Limelight. The opening English country village music told us we were in a sitting room, not a lounge, and there is probably a body in the library. There’s also a vicar called Denis (unseen), and a husband called Jeremy also unseen (he’s apparently playing bowls, but I think he’ll be in his shed). Terminally nice Jenny (Jenny Kelly) the facilitator (like the Terminator but with cake) has opened her home to the charming ladies of the Little Witterington book club. They’ve been reading Pride and Prejudice, but I’m not sure which version because they didn’t get the irony. Belle (Maire Stevens) is unhappy because she can’t persuade the Denis the vicar that he might wear the frock, but she’s got the trousers. Hippie Ruth (Tracey Jones), sorry, happy Ruth was crocheting something square, because the whole makes up the one, but I think this one was more hole. Sarah (Christine Edge) is a resting actress but the wine glass from where I was sitting, looks like it’s half full of whiskey, so lets hope she’s not driving home (arrested actress..!). Into this warm friendly bosom of welcomeness comes Paula (Sinead Venus) the new money. She’s only got a 10 bed, 6 acre mansion, and when she’s not trying to work out what drugs Ruth is on (I reckon Ritalin), she’s so hungry she’s trying not to chew her own arm off. The cake is mere inches away but Paula just can’t persuade anyone to hand it out. Belle can smell chavness a mile off and snipes away at Paula till she realises there’s something to be gained, i.e. a mansion and 6 acres for the Church Fate, (if only we knew what the donkey got up to last year). This appeared to be a gentle village comedy but it actually had five strong, contrasting roles for women. We enjoyed meeting these clearly defined characters and there was some great comic timing and delivery, the cast were enjoying themselves too. What more could we ask for!

The last piece tonight was Last Train to Nibroc by Arlene Hutton performed by Rushen Players. This was a non competitive entry. May (Saoirse Coyle-Carroll) and Raleigh (Michael Williams) played out the first act of this play and left us all wanting to know how if finishes. It started well, a packed train to heading eastbound across America in the early years of the 2nd world war. Rayleigh didn’t get a seat for most of the way, he’s heading to New York after his discharge from the Army on Medical grounds. He spots an empty seat next to May, and her religious book, but it doesn’t put his off. She plans to be a missionary and is travelling home for Christmas. She also thinks he’s trying to steal her window seat. The window seat she fought for, so she tells him very clearly, he’s not having it. It’s lovely speech, he hasn’t asked her to move, but that doesn’t matter, May is not budging for nobody (or anybody), if anyone is going to drum their head into concussion snoozing up against the rattling window it’s going to be May. Raleigh then tells her that F Scott Fitzgerald and Nathaniel West are on the train. May knows they are both dead, so they can’t be, but turns out they’re in their coffins. Now there’s a chat up line! (Must admit, I’d have gone and looked). They discover they are from neighbouring towns and Raleigh wants to take May to the festival at Nibroc, but that’ too racy for May, she hasn’t been but she’s heard stories. May was played as a sweet, naïve, brave young lady, she’s planned her life as a missionary but the worlds opening up, and there might be more to it than she thought. Rayleigh is similar but with the experience of a young man who’s served in the American forces. He’sgoing to be a writer, and is full of confidence about his future. This young couple spoke for 20 minutes before even introducing themselves, that is the joy of the writing. The atmosphere was perfectly pitched, both actors delivered beautifully understated performances, and they looked and sounded authentic. The simple staging enhanced the whole thing, so roll on part 2! I’d love to see it.

  • Helen Clarke, MADF Treasurer

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