Keeping Up Appearances & After the Flags and Bands

Poulner Players chose to commemorate the Centenary of WW1 Armistice with two one act plays set during WW1, directed by Peter Ansell. The players also changed venue for this production to the Meeting House in Ringwood, this building is a lovely Grade II listed building with individual booths with pews. The lighting & sound were placed on the balcony and this worked well, with the stage area at the front, making a nice setting. The sound effects were very good.

Keeping Up Appearances is Elizabeth Bell’s adaptation of JM Barrie’s The Old Lady Shows Her Medals. This is a powerful play, mainly about a woman who wants to be part of the war by having ‘someone on the front fighting’ like the other women she works with, so having read a name in the newspaper of a young man with the same surname as hers, proceeds to send him letters and gifts. Emma Blake is very good in the part of Dora, she has great expressions, very clear diction, is totally believable and you really feel for her. She never expects to meet the young man, but he is brought to her home by her employer Mrs Peele, nicely played by Mary Hyde. Ethan Wilkinson is just right as 'Kenneth' her so called son. He needs a mum and she needs a son, they get on so well together spending his leave going to the pictures and eating out. He returns to war but unfortunately is killed, this was very moving Dora is seen unpacking a box with his coat inside and just stand there holding it. Other roles are played by Harriet Cairness as Jess, Julie Sturmey as Hattie, and Emily-Jane Morris as Lizzy. A well acted play.  

After the Flags and Bands follows the stories of four women between 1914 and 1918. Having meet as the soliders were leaving, they continue their friendships over the years of the war with monologues and letters. The changing of the year on the side of the stage was clever. The four ladies each have their moments to shine, and worked well together. You follow the story along as their friendships grow, Teresa Miller played Annie who loses her husband, Emily-Jane Morris’ has great enthusiasm as Lizzy who finds a sweetheart while he's on leave, Marian Benson as Edith goes to help on the front as a nurse, and Adele Buxton as Olive is lovely as the caring daughter who puts her own happiness on hold to help her parents after her brothers are killed.

Both plays worked well and were a fitting tribute by Poulner. Well done everyone.

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