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Two One-Act Plays - directed by Tricia Childs
"These two short plays were presented in contrast to one another - the first being dark and somewhat macabre and the second light, fluffy and more comedic. The contrast was definitely achieved although the same set was able to be used (with minor dressing changed) for both plays. In the first, (although I did make some allowances for being a dress rehearsal) the authenticity of the characters was a little lacking. Interestingly, the essence of the story was not in doubt though, as they did manage to put this across. I had to kick into my imagination to contemplate what a cottage 'on the outskirts of Fulham' might have been like in the early 1900's. It was complicated as I could hardly comprehend what outskirts of Fulham would have been like. However, the cast made the most of this eerie tale and whilst costumes may not have been quite right, they were acceptable for the script. The players needed to be conscious of playing to the front. On occasion, near the beginning of the play, some dialogue was missed due to their delivering across or upstage. The interaction amongst the characters was very good and the emotion of the piece was certainly achieved. In the second play, the characters were better drawn and I particularly liked the portrayal of Miss Violet by Helen Langley - completely OTT but played the part down to the ground. But all of these ladies were ideally suited for their parts. Costuming here was very good as was lighting and the props deserve special mention as they had been well conceived and true to the period. The story, whilst hugely far-fetched amused me immensely and I congratulate the cast and director on their achievement."
Eric Smart-National Operatic and Dramatic Association
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