Entertaining Angels

As a vicar’s wife, Grace has spent a lifetime on her best behaviour. Following the death of her husband Bardolph, she can enjoy the new-found freedom of being able to do and say exactly what she wants. But the return of her eccentric missionary sister, Ruth, together with some disturbing revelations, forces Grace to confront the truth of her marriage. Set in a lush vicarage garden complete with grass, plants and a stream, the play is filled with caustic and thought provoking sharp-edged comedy and tear jerking pathos.

The Portishead Players production of the  prestigious Richard Everett play ‘Entertaining Angels’, was really set in a lush vicarage garden complete with grass, plants, a stream and an elegant wooden greenhouse. As the curtains opened I swear I smelled the scent of a bouquet of summer flowers! Maybe it was just the perfume from the lady in front of me but it worked! This was a beautiful set and earned a well deserved round of applause. The dialogue began when I heard an irritating engine noise from somewhere, suddenly to my surprise the character Ruth appeared cutting the (artificial) grass with a motorised lawn mower; it was such fun as she pushed it back and forth across the stage.

The lighting and sound were perfect for the period and outdoor scene, the lights dimming occasionally to match the mood, and the front of stage apron depicting the woodland stream and pool, with accompanying water trickling sound, was lovely. The cast were all perfectly dressed for the characters they played and care had been taken to ensure accurate properties and stage dressing.

Act 1 consisted of getting to know the characters and setting the scene and was quite wordy, but still often witty with the audience laughing out loud. It took a while to understand that the ‘Bardolph’ we could see was actually Grace’s imagination/her husband’s ghost. Cues and pickups could have been a little sharper and there were minor prompts.

Before Act two it was announced that an urgent situation had arisen for one of the cast and therefore Janet Griffiths the ‘prompt’ would be taking  over the role of Ruth, reading from the script.

Portishead players pulled out all the stops to ensure a smooth running Act 2 and they are all to be congratulated. Every actor upped their performance and the dramatic and emotional story continued seamlessly. It was a triumph in the face of adversity and I must congratulate each and every one of the cast. They must all have been anxious about continuing the performance but it didn’t show for one moment and the play reached its dramatic conclusions and the cast took their well earned rapturous applause.

Congratulations to Wendy Walmsley for her performance as Grace, so much to learn and so well presented. We were just getting to know the character of Ruth played by Alison Louwers when the interval came. In Act 2 Janet Griffiths read the role of Ruth in the faultless manner of a consummate actress and fitted into the role with ease. Jenny Lake (Jo) and Celia Roberts (Sarah) performed with empathy and skill in their emotional roles and Colin Astley…was Bardolph…the slightly vague and unworldly ghostly vicar.

Congratulations Sandra Branfield, this cast could have fallen apart but were so professional and well rehearsed, you should be proud of both them and yourself for directing this emotional comedy so well. Best wishes to Portishead Players for presenting this super play under difficult circumstances. Very well done to everyone concerned.

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