A Comedy of One Act Plays

What an original idea to have three one act plays, all using the same basic set and adapting it to suit each play. It worked extremely well, with the added interest of watching the stage hands slickly making the necessary adjustments. Far better than the usual curtain closing and five or more minutes staring at nothing.

The first play entitled `For My Final Act` was set in a home for retired actors, so it was an opportunity for `over-the-top` characterisations, and relish these these flamboyant parts the cast certainly did.  Even journalist Sam Bedford, played by newcomer to CAODS Kat Montagu, was larger than life. There were several wry asides from from the chair-bound Esther Goldblume played most convincingly by Suzie Chilton as well as from Gwen Stevens, as the harassed housekeeper, dressed in an appropriate, if unbecoming suit.  Glenys Lloyd-Williams lived up to her double-barrelled name, in the role of Rene (why the masculine version?) a supercilious `grande dame` who made it quite obvious that she was a cut above the rest and very well she did it, too.

The only two male residents were well contrasted with debonair Pete Harris as Sally Finesdteen, a former theatrical agent and a bit of a womaniser and Duncan Greaves as Marty Martin, a none too efficient ventriloquist.

The second play `Look After the Cat, Darling` had only three characters and somehow I wouldn`t have classed it a comedy, unless the idea of leaving your spouse of many years just because he was a dreadful dancer was an amusing situation. Vickie Quilter as Sarah, the niece of the deserted husband, gave an all too real performance as both the irritable, explosive wife and a very concerned, compassionate person who really cared about her uncle`s unexpected predicament. However, the most amusing part of this little story for me, was the - at least – ten page letter written by the absent wife. She must have had enormous handwriting to say the little she did on each page!

Unfortunately, I cannot comment on the third play `Look for the Silver Lining` as we had to leave early.  However, knowing the type of role Dinah Bowman often plays, I imagine she was the interfering mother-in law, Nora, which she would have portrayed to perfection. (No reflection on Dinah as a person, let me hasten to add).

I was a little bemused by the choice of Christian names in the first play. Was the author, Cheryl Barrett allowing for the parts of Rene, Sally, Sam even Marty to be played by either sex without having to change the names?

Cheryl`s next production with CAODS is to be an unique Christmas panto, based on the film Jungle Book. Plenty of scope there for all those amateur thespians to try parts that are a bit unusual and a welcome change for the audiences to enjoy a pantomime that is not run of the mill.

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