Dirty Dusting

 The medical profession is always advising us that laughter is the best medicine they can prerscribe - if this is true, then I had more than a year's quota last night at the Carriageworks Studio - I can honestly say I have never laughed as much for many years - I positively ached watching a marvellous production from LYM called 'Dirty Dusting' - the title was a clue but I didn't realise that a few hours would be filled with so much hilarity!

Written by Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood and directed so well by Bryan Craven, it told a very simple and heart-warming story - three cleaning ladies of mature years find out they are to be made redundant and a young team of contract workers will be brought in to take over their jobs. In their panic at being out of work and having no money, they hit upon the idea of setting up sex chat lines,using the office phones when the workers have gone home - this leads to some wonderfully acted scenes and the whole enterprise is nearly scuppered by their sneery boss, Dave, who comes into the office unexpectedly at the weekend.

This laugh-a-line dialogue is cleverly demonstrated by three first-class actresses - Jane Collins as Elsie, Marie Isbister as Gladys and Carolyn Craven as Olive. Their comic timing was impeccable - clear dialogue and strong presentation. In the relatively small space of the Studio, I admire the fact that they were so near the audience and yet kept totally in their 'bubble' - only experienced performers get this so well and it showed that this piece was well rehearsed and impeccably performed.

During the action, which takes place totally in one of the offices, it's decided that they will be called 'The Telephone Belles', each with a sexy name - thus, Elsie became Kylie, Gladys, at first a reluctant participant, became Madonna and Olive became Marilyn - she had been a Guide mistress for many years, so this was an eye-opener for her. The laughter really gets going when they begin as down-to-earth Yorkshire working class women, then putting on sexy voices for their (male) clientele - this play is not for the faint-hearted, as nearly every line contains innuendo of a sexual nature. However, if like me, you have reached a certain age, there is nothing smutty to dislike here - it may be 'dirty' but it's 'clean'!  That is not to say there are also some poignant moments as they discuss aspects of their private lives.

Their boss, Dave, played with great style by Matt Hills, becomes the butt of the women's fury - he is a misogynist of the highest order but is then put down very strongly by his cleaning ladies in the best twist I have seen in a play - I didn't see it coming at all! 

As I have said earlier, Bryan Craven has directed this play with integrity and a genuine understanding of working on a small, well designed and dressed set, yet giving the audience a feeling of space. Paul Harding was Stage Manager, Tina Nutt, Lighting, Gilly Carr, Props, Carolyn Craven, Publicity and Graham Siddle, Prompt. This small, dedicated team are always so supoportive to the actors on stage.

I read recently that professional producers are becoming reluctant to bring plays on tour to the provinces - this means that the only way audiences may see plays in the future will be from the amateur sector - but they will have nothing to fear if the high standard of drama groups continue to perform in the way that LYM has raised the bar to this professional height.

My sincere congratulations to you all for keeping drama (and comedy) alive and well in West Yorkshire!  During the course of the play, there is some wonderful business with a faulty vacuum cleaner - I will say no more, but house work chores will in future, be carried out with a huge grin on my face........

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