Cheshire Cats

A comedy with a serious theme treated with fun and understanding of the relationships between friends with one aim in mind – to walk the walk and raise money for breast cancer. Not an easy play for the ladies to perform but they kept the humour and emphasised the cause.

The ladies Michelle Jennings, Rebecca Holmes, Julie Motton, Ruth Bosman and Rachel Holmes allowed one man, Jeremy Williams to join their illustrious band.

They portrayed walkers at all the stages of their London Moonwalk and the lines of the play could have been their own personal experiences of taking part in the walk as they have all completed this and in 2019 plan to enter again and to date that team will include the 5 ladies plus two more and 2 men. The team will be named ‘Disco Dames’ so watch out for them and be sure to donate to their funds the next time you visit Fellowship.

The audience were totally involved in all that was happening on stage and in the auditorium, and the entrances and exits via the stairs must have been good training for next year. It was a light-hearted look at the trials and tribulations of a tremendous undertaking and voicing aloud the doubts and worries of dealing with cancer, either personally or caring for someone with the condition.  I have admiration for the energy and emotion that performing this play demanded. Some men of the Players were allowed to take very small parts, a policeman, a handsome drunk who also had a pleasant singing voice, an Aerobics Instructor together with some members of the backstage crew representing bystanders.

It must have been strange for the Fellowship crew not to have scenery, furniture and lots of props to organise. The main furniture being a bench and some chairs and various signs for the station and miles covered etc. As the walkers would have tired during their 26 miles so the pace of the action slowed a little but immediately picked up again when the end was in sight.   

Writer Gail Young would have been proud of her play and the performances by the ladies of Fellowship Players (and one man!) Best wishes for your Moonwalk in 2019. I’m sure we will all be cheering you on.

 

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