An Evening of One Act Plays

Play 1: Words, Words, Words by David Ives

A scientist Dr Rosenbaum, an unspoken cameo appearance by the director Robert “Milky” Tomkinson, is conducting a laboratory experiment to prove that monkeys at typewriters might eventually produce Shakespeare. The play is full of literary jokes and quick verbal humour as the three “guinea chimps” get to work. Milton, well played by Lindsey Knight in brightly coloured shorts and a rainbow baseball cap, is the realistic one of the three realising that if he looks as though he is giving Rosenbaum what he wants he will receive treats. As a philosophical Swift Janice Hyndman gave an excellent performance, as she crossed to and fro across the stage railing at Rosenbaum and plotting rebellion. Jacqui Graham as the naive dreamer of the three Kafka gave a very strong performance as she steadily worked away tapping at the keyboard and – surprisingly – it was she who managed in the end to write some of the lines from Hamlet! The staging was very simple with just 3 desks, stools and typewriters and the small stage made made it easy to believe the characters were in a cage. Well done Robert on your directorial debut.

Play 2: After Midnight, Before Dawn by David Campton

Set in the 1600s at the height of the witch hunts the play tells of six villagers who have been accused of practising witchcraft and sentenced to death the following morning. First we learn about Boy, a teenager, who has been cruelly tortured until he confessed. Matthew Ness, making his stage debut, gave a very strong performance. Katie Rodway-Swanson was excellent as Girl who befriended him – seemingly naive but able to look after herself as Man found to his cost when he attacked her. Dean Wallace as Man too gave an excellent portrayal as the leader of the violence which the fear and uncertainty of their position gave rise to. Morag Robertson was outstanding as Calm Woman standing quiet and assured as the others panicked around her. She prophesied that she would not die by hanging making the others believe she was in league with Satan and her calmness enraged the others and they turn on her and beat her to death making her prophesy come true. Strong support was given by Jackie Hector as bible reading Old Woman and by Ada Carmichael as Young Woman. The small stage and dim lighting gave a convincing feel of a cold, damp prison cell. The acting by all six characters was so powerful that throughout the performance you could have heard a pin drop and the violence when it came was all the more shocking. Well done all the actors and congratulations to Ben on his directorial debut.

Play 3: The Second Floor by Robert Scott

This play tells of a young business woman, Chloe, striving to come to terms with the death of her husband. She is on her way to a meeting when the lift she is in shudders to a standstill and she is trapped with a man it transpires she knows, Stephen. As the play progresses it becomes clear that Stephen is the ghost of her late husband who had died when he went into a blazing building to help rescue a family. She rails at Stephen for doing what he did leaving her to cope – unsuccessfully – with life. Stephen comforts her and eventually makes her see that she has to stop living in the past and look to the future. Fleur Hamlin Stuart gave a tour-de-force performance as Chloe, a woman on the verge of a breakdown, as she ranted and raved at Stephen and finally sobbed in his arms. Aidan Hyndman gave an excellent portrayal of Stephen as he quietly tried to make Chloe see that life was still worth living. Janice Hyndman gave strong support as Chloe’s assistant Wendy. Once again the small stage made it easy to imagine being confined in a small lift with only a bench as stage dressing. Congratulations to Gayna on her directorial debut and to the actors for their stellar performances.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.