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Entertaining Angels

Author: Stuart Ardern

Information

Date
24th August 2012
Society
Poulner Players
Venue
The Ringwood Meeting House
Type of Production
Play
Director
Wendy Cronan

I’m generally rather wary of plays in which characters talk to dead people, however Janet West’s portrayal of the cantankerous Grace was very convincing.  That we are witnessing her awkward way of mourning her late husband is established in the mind of the audience in the first few minutes of the play, then, suddenly, we share her surprise as the deceased crosses the stage and disappears into his greenhouse. Thereafter their conversations illuminate past and present. Ultimately, it is a play about coming to terms with events; obviously for Grace, although she has more to cope with than she expects, but also for Ruth (Angela Hunt), Grace’s missionary sister, Jo (Steffi Edwards), Grace’s daughter, and Sarah (Julie Lax), the recently-ordained vicar, taking over the parish from the late Bardolph (Peter Ansell).

The production in The Ringwood Meeting House was a first for Poulner Players.  The building is used as a history centre, but is a preserved Presbyterian “Meeting House” (essentially a non-conformist chapel), complete with box pews and gallery seating - thus I viewed the show from the gallery, perched on the organ stool.  The stage was built in situ for the production, with the house and greenhouse at either side upstage, and a thrust into the aisle to represent the riverside portion of the vicarage garden, complete with a trough of running water.  A neat, effective design (by Peter Ansell) in a very constrained space.  An interesting, thoughtful, well-acted play in a venue well-suited to the purpose.

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