Handbagged

Handbagged – In the period between 1970 and 1990 two very powerful women met on a regular basis. This extremely clever but funny play imagines how the conversations went between Margaret Thatcher, the then Prime Minister and H.M. the Queen.  One is reminded of satire in its purest form - funny but not hurtful.  The title derives from the use of the word ‘handbagged’ as a verb to describe the effects of Thatcher’s personal handbag when used as a symbol of her position of power.

The very simple set enabled the actors plenty of room to change their positions with ease.  Two flats bearing the profiles of each of the principals - the Queen and Margaret Thatcher - plus two very elegant chairs.  The frequent tea trolley had a change of china and teapot each time – a definite eye for detail here.  The lighting was very subtle with lighting being used to convey the mood.  First class wardrobe dressing in every respect.  The wigs were worn correctly and certainly were very realistic.  The details in the pearls, handbags etc really were top notch.

The director Margaret Bown is to be congratulated upon this production.  Her attention to detail was evident in every aspect of the play even down to the music for the scne changes which reflected the period and atmosphere.  It is very difficult to get actors to maintain a persona complete with accents, mannerisms and tone.  The four principal ladies must have worked extremely hard to create their roles. Yvonne Hegarty and Jan Mackney as Q and Liz respectively maintained great poise even when they were being a little wicked.  Both the young queen and the older version were very convincing.  Indeed Mrs Thatcher rang out so  believably regardless of being old or young.  ‘T’ played by Carol Arman-Addey and Vanessa Bartlett as Mags kept their act going well and the interaction between them was very good.  These ladies were very strong actors with great command of the language, their lines and their movements.  How they remembered all their positions in the various scenes one will never know.

In support of the four ladies were 3 very talented gentlemen who played wide variety of roles often just changing a hat from one scene to another or indeed within a scene.  Peter Harris began as the Palace page bringing on the tea trolley and travelled through many roles, too many to mention changing clothes, accent and style of delivery with consummate ease.  Nick Noakes and Martin Arman-Addey were equally talented – they performed their parts so convincingly even Nancy Reagan!

This was indeed a challenging play to undertake on many levels. The four principal ladies were required to be on stage through the whole two hours plus.  They needed to stay in character, maintain their deportment, keep up the mannerism both in action and speech and so much more.

In a nutshell Handbagged was a production that delighted the audience who were kept in rapt attention throughout.

Congratulations to everyone involved for giving us such an entertaining evening - would that there could be more such comedy in our lives today.

 

Kay Rowan

South East Councillor

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