Di and Viv and Rose

DI and VIV and ROSE a play presented by Too Friendly Theatre Company at The Bijou Cinema, Post Office Street, Southport, on Saturday, 10th June 2023.

Di and Viv and Rose… is a funny, moving and thoughtful exploration of friendship penned by Amelia Bullmore in 2011.  The play, set in 1983, tells the story of three very different young women who are thrown together at the age of eighteen whilst attending University. As ‘University Freshers’ they decide to join forces and share a house … life is a blast and they feel unassailable, but, after a short period of time, they find themselves living in each other’s pockets, living together becomes intense and life has some unexpected plans for all three and their friendship!  Their ‘friendship’, with all its up and downs, now spans a dramatic 30 years …  let’s take a glimpse at the journey that these three friends take!

The Production Team… Joanne Wasilew not only directed this play, but also took on one of the three characters roles… and what a great job she made of both!  Those who know The Bijou Cinema, will know that it’s not the largest of event spaces, nor does it provide the ideal venue to stage such a busy play as this with its many scene changes… but Too Friendly did just that … with awesome results!  Be proud Joanne, be proud all those involved… you really are a ‘Too Friendly’ theatre company! 

The Cast… I’ve said this before and I’ll probably say it again… whenever you have a small cast, it’s imperative, for the success of that production, that everyone works together well!  Each will have their own part to play, their own story to tell, but there must be chemistry, they have to be willing and able to work together as a team… all those characteristics were ‘front and centre’ here at The Bijou that evening!   We had ‘no individual star performance’ and ‘MY ‘showstopper’ was the ‘CAST’ … three young ladies, who came together as one and worked their socks off!  That day had been, the hottest of the year so far, the theatre space was humid…just before the commencement of the play, the heavens opened outside and we were treated to an impressive thunder and lightning show and on top of all that, two of the cast members were suffering with ‘hay fever’ symptoms’… yet they were still able to create a wonderful piece of theatre!  Be proud ladies… great job! ‘Di’ was played by Tracy Holmes-Smith … a sporty lesbian business student, bursting with energy!  Tracy brought this character to life and was a perfect fit for this role!  She provided us with some lovely comedic moments, but she showed us a completely different side to the character when she became a rape victim!  Great characterisation, great stage presence… worked really well with Jennifer and Joanne, be proud Tracy great job!   ‘Viv’ played by Jennifer Johnson was the more mature one of the group… aloof, judgemental, driven, an ambitious design student, who doesn’t suffer fools lightly and who’s overwhelming ambition is to escape her roots!   Confident, assured, Jennifer gave us another great characterisation… great stage presence, looked totally comfortable in this role…   be proud Jennifer, great job!   ‘Rose’ was played by our Director Joanne Wasilew (one job is hard enough, two… ‘credit where credits due’!)  We see two versions of ‘Rose’ during the play… the first, the middle-class character, nonchalant, plain speaking, a student of Art History, who provides the flat they live in… she’s a party girl, revelling in her newly acquired freedom who develops a ‘lust’ for men!  Second side... after the birth of her two children… when she becomes a tired mother and then????  Another who provided us with a totally believable character, stage presence aplenty (as always) with some great comedic moments thrown in… well done you!   I’ve had the privilege, in the past, to see these three ladies on stage many times in many different situations… together/separately … they all have the ability to create wonderful, relatable, believable characters and tonight was no exception…. well done ladies, great job, great play… be ever so proud!

Magic Moments / Magic One Liners… the writer of this play provides the actors with so many amazing opportunities to make people laugh, to make them gasp, to make them sit up and take note and to make them cry…   Loved, loved, loved …
The ‘CORSET CAN’ reference….
‘OH ROSE, WHO’S ARE THOSE TOES’ ….
‘BEST BOOK ON GLOVES I’VE EVER READ’  
(so many one liners, just didn’t have time to write them all down/some that I did write… couldn’t read!) 
The scene where the rape was covered… created audience reaction as it should, as did the deterioration of Di’s health at the end when she appears in a wheelchair and after the heated conversation with ‘Viv’…  so authentic! 
But, to top it all, we had the testimony, eulogy, monologue from ‘Di’ (aka Tracy) about Rose!  This was something that you had to hear, to feel, to totally understand!  Did it work?  Well, you only had to look around the auditorium and listen …  
the ‘silence’, people dabbing tears from their eyes, putting arms round people sat next to them… ‘Did it work’ …FOR SURE!  Well done… Tracy!

Stage/Set/Tech… a simple yet imaginative set was used throughout which included a ‘portable stage floor’, a couch, small table, chair and on the opposite side of the stage a lone telephone which was essential and used throughout.  The actors ‘entered and exited’ the stage area using the main entrance door which gave them access to the ‘changing room’ situated to the rear of the stage. Changing also took place in the small room constructed on stage.  Scene changes (of which there were many) were done in ‘blackouts’ but covered by well-chosen music and a lighting plot, both under the watchful eye of the ever so talented Cliff Gillies (Now a true Sound and Lighting Engineer).  Stage Crew … included Jenny Roby, Helen Haygarth and Mark Haygarth… well done guys!

Costumes were apt and of the era.   Props… were excellent and used really well.

To sum up, this was a fast-paced witty play littered with strong language!  It was very much an ensemble piece, with all three actors bringing us the light and shade to the whole friendship business! The story they all told was told with great aplomb. They fought, they fell out, they dealt with death, sexual assault, alcoholism and cancer… but, the bottom line was, they grew to love each other, they came together as ‘strangers’ but, after thirty years, they ended up as sisters!

Thank you so much for inviting my wife and I … really enjoyed the production, can’t wat to see you all again soon!

Stay safe, keep well…
‘Stronger Together’.

Jim Briscoe
NODA NW
District 6 Rep

 

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