Death of a Maiden

Kerry Bailey took a great deal of detail into consideration when directing her cast of 5 women and 2 men in’ Death of the maiden’… and the costumes were to period and well thought-through. She directed this cast well on the Oast stage, I could not fault any of them from young to old the whole cast were well characterized especially Doctor Parry (Neil Thorne) he played this part with a true concern for Mrs Bell (Julia Larkin) and the same concern came from Sylvia (Claire Feekings).Frances Daschner playing the spinster daughter was well controlled as was Rose (Erin McKeating)..Yes there was a few prompts but this didn’t matter as the cast kept us interested until the final curtain …John Sansom and Lauren Feekings as Arthur Fox and Ellen supported the cast in this play by Georgina Reid A period drama, set the 1900s. Mavis the spinster daughter has spent most of her life looking after her elderly mother, Mrs Bell, while sister Sylvia went abroad, had a daughter, Rose. Rose at school in England  she and Sylvia her mother visit Mrs Bell. Mrs Bell takes an instant dislike to Rose and makes it obvious, making the girl feel in superior, as she has Mavis for most of her life.. Arthur Fox, Mavis's lover of sorts in her younger days, returns to the village, and learning  that Mrs Bell was responsible for ending his and Mavis' courtship years ago, so she could keep Mavis. Later that night, a figure of Death appears to Mrs Bell's room and frightens her to a heart attack but she survives. Doctor Parry turns investigator, blames Rose for a prank, in fact, it was Sylvia, who hoped her mother would die and free Mavis of her Mothers grip. Finally, everyone leaves and Mavis is alone with mother and a letter from her beau, who is moving to Scotland and wants Mavis to come with him. Mavis knows Mother will never allow that, and taking Ella’s  cat (mother is terrified of cats) puts on bed in her bedroom, closes the door, and waits, yes you guessed, Mother has gawn…!!!!

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