Bowing Out

Adrian Cale’s “Bowing Out” (a nice play on words) is set in a retirement home for actors. On the day on which the action takes place manager, Lorna, while trying to maintain order among her eclectic mix of retirees and staff receives a visit from head office in the person of Sheila who has been tasked with deciding the fate of the home which is in need of both more residents and more funding. The comedy develops as Lorna tries to energies everyone into strategies which will rescue their home.

Alex Underwood (Lorna) and Leisa Cooke (Sheila) both brought their considerable acting expertise to their roles and delivered believable characters. They were well supported by Jane Walker and Emma Williams as staff members Cindy and Milly who were given the unenviable tasks of disguising themselves as pseudo extra inhabitants of the home. These roles gave both actors the opportunity to produce extremely over-the-top performances which they both relished. Newcomer to the company Kate Clements made her mark as Zoe the young hairdresser with ever an eye to the mainchance. However my star performer of the evening was Lynda Wilkin who, as the manic cook, Fran, was really quite scary – I wouldn’t have wanted to be caught in her kitchen! The cast was completed by the four lady retirees Janet Askew (Greta) Eileen Moloney (Mary) Christine Haynes (Betty) and Caroline Jervis (Rita).

Comedy always depends for full effect on timing. On the whole I felt that the timing wasn’t quite there but have to qualify this by saying that I saw the first performance. There is a necessary time between final rehearsal and performance when comic timing needs to come to fruition – however for a first performance I thought all the performances showed promise. At times diction needed to be delivered with more clarity. Light and sound were fine and all went well backstage. I felt that the set could have done with just a little more dressing. This was a gently amusing play which I felt that the audience found entertaining.                                                                                                                        

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.