Dirty Dusting

Wakefield Little Theatre gave a hilarious presentation of Dirty Dusting, written by Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood.  For those not familiar with the comedy the action is set in an office block where three cleaners Olive, Gladys and Elsie are threatened with redundancy.  Being over 70 they feel that this is a pivotal moment for them.  The likelihood being that they won’t secure other jobs and will be resigned to days of loneliness and financial struggle.  The camaraderie and the pleasure they find in their weekend cleaning work makes their poor treatment at the hands of their misogynistic and ageist supervisor, Dave, tolerable.  With the end of their careers dangling like the sword of Damocles’ these three decide to open up a telephone sex line and as the programme states “They’ve got a lifetime of experience” to bring to their new service.

Director, Rebecca Newham, had worked to find the humour in the most mundane of cleaning activities, even before the main action started which most definitely heated up as the ladies decide on their career change.  The small, but brilliantly put together cast worked hard as they were barely off stage.  The show was packed with innuendo and hilarity which they all managed to hold on to.   Taking a lead in organising the three cleaners was Olive Grant, played to great effect by Helen Grace.  With her ever present Girl Guiding anecdotes Olive hides a sad existence as a lonely married woman of a certain age whose husband has only ‘indulged’ her on two occasions in their long marriage.  Grace found the perfect level of humour and anguish to make the character seem utterly believable (so much so I was desperate for her to be re-united with her scout-leader-on-the-side to end her days in happiness). 

Julie Jones played sharp tongued Elsie who has a little more experience than the other cleaners and being single was definitely game enough to try the sex chat line side-gig.  Jones was excellent as Elsie and I really enjoyed watching her response to realising her grandson was using the chat line.  Debby Pickering was light-fingered Gladys Pitt and gave her role a touch of the Mrs Overall with her physicality.  Another very enjoyable performance with laughs aplenty.  Dan Pape as Dave Smith was thoroughly horrid and totally lived up to his ‘pretty dim’ programme description.  His exasperation with his aging team was in no doubt and his angst at his failure to climb the greasy management pole couldn’t be disguised – a really entertaining portrayal of a character that was actually rather horrible.

The lighting and sound was to a very high standard with costumes and props very appropriate to the piece.  The set had been designed by Tom Newham and filled the large Theatre Royal stage.  It was well-constructed and an excellently presented office set with everything in just the right place.  There were many great touches, such as a period Girl Guiding clipboard which was ideal for Guide Leader Olive – fabulous attention to detail.

The play was indeed a searing indictment of ageism in the 21st century, but it was the hysterical and heart-warming comedy which had the packed audience in the Theatre Royal laughing-out-loud and clearly having a brilliant evening. 

Congratulations to the Production Team and Crew along with all the Cast for bringing the show to the stage and possibly making the man next to me break a rib with laughing so hard.

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