Daisy Pulls It Off

On a very hot night we visited  the recently renovated Stowmarket Regal and fortunately the theatre was now air conditioned and lovely and cool for the audience. My heart however went out to all the girls with their school blazers and dressing gowns, they must have been melting under the lights!  Thank you to Glynis Hunt and David Dodson for your kind hospitality  and cool drinks on our arrival.

This comedy play written by Denise Deegan tells the ‘spiffy’ tale of a group of girls in an English boarding school in the 1920’s   with their ‘scrummy’ midnight feasts and ‘jolly hockey sticks’ at the ready.  However things aren’t always quite so jolly as they might seem.   Sharon Preece plays Daisy Meredith who gains the Grangewood School’s first scholarship which is not popular with some of the regular girls. She gives an impressive performance with plenty of energy. Karen Ingerslev,  is her lively ‘madcap’ co-conspirator Trixie Martin, as they go on a quest to find the school’s hidden treasure and save the school from being sold. The two girls work very well together and Trixie is always dashing around to help Daisy overcome her problems with being the new girl. Sybil Burlington (Cassandra Fisher) gives a strong performance as Daisy’s arch enemy and Monica Smithers  (Karen Long)  also gives an excellent performance as Sybil’s subservient friend with the ‘hang dog’ expressions who will do anything Sybil asks of her.  They all share the same dormitory but Sybil and Monica are very aggrieved that the school has decided to take scholarship pupils and do their best to get Daisy into trouble and expelled.   

Although this was a play there were a couple of songs strongly sung by the cast under the coaching of Sharon Preece. To finish, once the treasure had been found and the school saved they all celebrated with an energetic Charleston dance, choreographed by Cassandra Preece. This after a somewhat far fetched and improbable, although scripted, denouement.  It is quite a large cast for a play, predominately all female, although many have very small or even non-speaking roles. They all worked very well together and it is also good to see several new faces that have joined SODS in recent months.  

The set designed by Meryl Bunce and built ‘in house’ by the ‘Wednesday morning crew’ looked good and was reminiscent of the large wood panelled rooms in old country houses. This set was not changed although  the front apron served as several differing locations. Pace was maintained  throughout as most of the props were moved by the cast.  The girls all looked very smart in their school uniforms and all very appropriate.

Well done to Martin Tyrrell and all his cast and crew for a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment playing to a very appreciative although disappointingly small audience.

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