Cheshire Cats

This is the first time I have had the pleasure of seeing Gail Young’s Cheshire Cats.  Published in July 2011, this play follows a group of Cheshire girls' emotional journey as they aim to speedwalk their way to fund raising success for the fight against Breast Cancer in the London Moonwalk while also enjoying a girly weekend away in the capital.

This warm, funny and at times thought provoking play is also the best overall production I have seen by the Whitwell Players and the fact that this was the first night and the first time the whole cast had been together for some time due to various ailments in no way detracted from the performance.

At the heart of the play are the relationships between the ‘Cats’ Hillary, a great matriarchal performance by Joanna Thorpe, Siobhan - a warm supportive portrayal by Joanne Parry, Yvonne, played with great realism, sarcasm and frustration by Sarah Reynolds, the ultimately tragic Maggie – delivered with great pathos and empathy by Lauren Richards, Vicky – the ‘cougar’ with a heart of gold played with great humour and skill by Nic Pelham and Andrew the unexpected tomcat played with just the right overconfidence hiding the vulnerability by Neil White.

The Cats were very ably supported by the ‘comic cameos’ from Christina Goucher, Shirley Hill, Paul Wood, Taylor Hill, Jeanne/Julie and David Beamish which were, in every case, pitched just right – not too big to upstage, not too small as to be unremembered.

Sound, Lighting and costuming/stage props were again very well judged as was the decision to stick with an open set rather than use of a curtain.

Many congratulations to all at Whitwell and especially to Jeanne and Julie for delivering a quality piece of theatre in a friendly setting.    

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