Colder Than Here

The  Players certainly had audiences laughing from the word go  with their production of  this poignant but funny play, touching on the uncomfortable subject  of the approaching death of a loved one. Myra has been diagnosed with a terminal disease but undeterred she bravely presses on through her last winter by planning her funeral, researching biodegradable coffins, and finding a burial spot in an idyllic environment.  Much to the bemusement of her rather dysfunctional family, her irascible husband Alec and her two profoundly different daughters, Jenna and Harriet, she is determined to find a lighter and more humorous side to her desperately sad situation, and even announces that the family cat has gone off with another woman! The central role of Myra was beautifully and understatedly played. An empathy with the audience was established from the start, and any uncomfortable fears or anxieties allayed as she showed from the outset her determination to find the funny-side of every aspect of her forthcoming tragic journey. Alec her prickly and dour husband  was well portrayed, covering his true feelings in order to cope with the circumstances, trying manfully to handle the mundane household tasks but obviously preferring his own company at the end of the day!  Two newcomers to the Blackmore completed the cast to good effect as the daughters who were poles apart. Jenna was expressive and headstrong, her conversation peppered with strong language and constantly defensive of her rocky romantic relationship. This “attitude” perhaps covering a feeling of inadequacy compared to her quieter and more conventional sister. Harriet was believably played, sharing her father’s love of classical music she showed tenderness and concern, trying to maintain the bond between them, and also find common ground with her sister.   The play moved between various external scenes and the living-room of the family home, and was achieved by a simple raised upstage area for the outside spaces, and a sofa and armchair downstage for the inside, with effective lighting changes from one to the other.  On the whole this worked well, although there was a slight sight-line issue for the seats on the far right of the auditorium when Myra laid down at the end and was masked by the arm chair.  The music for the scene changes was well chosen, and changes performed smoothly, with hindsight though perhaps an “extra” costumed as a Park Attendant or Ranger might have been an idea for the outside spaces. A clever touch though was the small screen pulled down in the living-room to represent a venetian blind, and used to display Myra’s lists from her lap-top, which on Friday evening proved elusive to the Stage Manager’s pole, much to the audience’s amusement! The costumes were just right for the characters with some nice splashes of rust and orange amongst the neutral shades.  Congratulations on a warm, sensitively directed and thought provoking production!

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