Dirty Dusting

On a rather cold and very wet evening, the welcome at the Trinity Theatre was very warm and the atmosphere was lively. It was good to see the theatre virtually full, confirming that the CAODS team have a knack for finding enjoyable and watchable shows plus an indication that light-hearted comedies go down well.

The programme was colourful and contained rehearsal photographs, information on the script writers and details of forthcoming events. The set was attractive with the usual attention to detail comprising an office set in the North of England in the 1990s. Costumes were of the normal high standard. Liz Santer has a good eye and a vivid imagination. From the predominantly green/khaki outfits for Olive, acknowledging her alliance with the Girl Guides, to the Madonna-style conical bra for Gladys, once again attention to detail was paramount. Lighting and sound were also seamlessly and efficiently maintained by Peter Ferguson.

Director, John Plumbly, had a stellar cast to work with and they certainly did him proud.

The plot evolved around a group of senior lady cleaners being informed of impending redundancy by a smug, sexist and ageist young man. Following a wrong number incident, the women hatch an outrageous plan to run a sex chat line over the weekend to make some easy money.

The characters were expertly brought to life and were totally believable. The camaraderie was palpable. It was very easy to like all the women, who not only made us laugh but also demonstrated the complexities of life’s ups and downs with conviction and showed the meaning of true friendship.

The extremely talented Fiona Gwinnett, played the, initially rather nervy and anxious Gladys superbly. Her facial expressions were a joy to observe. The transformation once she had persuaded her husband to exchange leeks for lust, was hilarious and a scene stealer as she relayed the story of their night of passion. Fiona had the line ‘I feel like I can do anything on the stage’. She most certainly can! Maria Wilkinson as Elsie was equally well cast and her timing, as always, impeccable. As the more extrovert, fun loving woman, with an obsession with death, she was utterly convincing. Julie Stonestreet, as the quiet Olive, constantly harking back to her Girl Guiding, was also a pleasure to watch. From being quite bossy and maybe slightly boring, she expertly showed a more relaxed and feminine side to her character when she revealed her secret and long-standing affair. Dave Newton, as the vitriolic Dave, was very easy to dislike as he strutted around the office like a peacock. Whilst thinking he was in control; he had not reckoned with these formidable women. His characterization was spot on and he also was totally convincing.

The cast had the audience in their hands from the outset and there was much laughter at the constant risqué comments and innuendo. The pace was rapid and perhaps, at times, some of the lines were slightly rushed or drowned by laughter from the audience. However, this did not detract from the enjoyment and this excellent production was much appreciated by everyone.

The downfall of Dave followed the discovery of his vacuum cleaner fetish which emitted a very loud noise when it blew up and was hilarious. In the finale, the women performed a creditable song and dance routine, dressed in fruit costumes, to very loud applause. However, this was not the end as Dave then strutted onto the stage fully suited. This evolved into him performing a strip tease down to a bathing suit and gyrations with the vacuum cleaner. He was magnificent. What an ending! What a show!  Totally enjoyable from start to finish.

Many congratulations to everyone involved on this memorable show.

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