Flamingoland

Flamingoland is written by Deborah McAndrew and tells the story of Mari who wants to get everything in order following some devastating news. The Forge Theatre is used and I think the smaller space lends itself to the intimacy of the play. The set is sparse with settee, a table and chairs plus coffee table with candle. Marks on the wall where once pictures would have been hung. Various packing boxes with sticky notes adorn the set. There are four scenes and each one gets stripped of props and furniture until we are left with three packing boxes. Creating a strong narrative to add to the story with the near empty space in the last scene. Set construction Jeff Lunt, Andrew Gradwell, Jolyon Coombs, Steve Butler, Liz Pickles and Jade. Stage Manager Charlotte Carlin, Assistant James Casterton. Lighting Ashley Foster and Sound Gareth Preston. The battenberg cake and the small funeral tea and various props were all in keeping, down to the jug vase no one wanted. Props by Viv Broomfield, Dorothy Green and Kath Cheetham.  Costumes were all appropriate – wig & wardrobe by Janet Hardman.

Carol Butler is the director and has a strong handle on what she wants to achieve. Five actors playing out a touchy and hard subject of death and cancer is not for the faint hearted. Pace was good and a real sense of connection to character and each other was evident throughout. The action being static due to the subject matter set in a living room was handled well and the positioning was good. The secrets let out one by one of a family that had been rotting in the past played out before our eyes with a whole gamut of emotions. 

Robert Clarkson was the ukelele player - or was he? Dave the pest exterminator was played by Adam Green. Suitably uneasy when having to talk about anything that wasn’t family or the killing of some so-called pests, the squirrels. With more detail than we actually wanted to hear about how he got rid of them starting with the dad squirrel, he then built up the picture of this whole family we became invested in and we had to endure shots while he got rid of them one by one. His explanation of nightmares that plague him did little to ease the situation. His unlikely friendship with Mari and his eventual confidence to ask Kathleen out were played with a touch of naivety that was spot on.

Emily Hill played Sadie whose life is suddenly shaken and also has her own secrets to keep. Knowing who her mother is and who her mother isn’t Emily played out the emotion with sensitivity and you get the impression although bruised she will be okay and move on. She is the only one to check in to see if Kathleen is okay. Lovely moment when Mari is trying to explain to her why she did it and subtle reactions from Emily. Catherine Henderson plays Bridie who’s only concern is getting her new kitchen sorted and her walnut furniture. These were obviously shields from not talking about what was actually going on and she over talks anything but deal with the skeletons in the cupboard. She cannot understand her sister and you get the feeling this has always been so. Some funny and often sad moments when she is made to do her eulogy while her sister is there and still alive.

Mari played by Lindsay Farnworth played her quiet and erratic which I think worked. She wanted control and was going to have it if it was the last thing she did. The family facilitates her behaviour and idiosyncrasies. You get the feeling she is a woman who must have control as she has no control over her diagnosis and that’s eating her up literally. Her relationships with family are all marred by her guilt, this comes out when she confronts her sister Bridie. It wasn’t over played and we as an audience have a love and dislike of Mari and it’s hard to watch. Lindsay embodied this woman to the brim and taking us on her journey. The collateral damage Mari causes Kathleen played by Catherine Cropper is actually enacted in silence – it’s not what she says it’s what she doesn’t say, the body language. We see at the beginning of the play a confident woman who literally gets the stuffing knocked out of her with her mother’s reveals. We are told of the chaos Kathleen causes at the funeral and then enters bedraggled and done in. Catherine looked like the shell of the person she was. It’s heart-breaking to see. Well played Catherine. The end scene when you hope Kathleen may get together with Dave is a testament to your investment as an audience member in what is going on. Job done. Cast and Crew must be very pleased with this sensitive performance.

Thank you for the invite and hospitality from my guest Ursula and I.

 

Liz Hume-Dawson, D5 Rep.

 

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