Ladies' Day

This play focusses on the friendships of four females who work at the Hessle Fish factory in Hull and in the opening scene they are attired in their work overalls and packing fish. Pearl (Allison Allen), Jan (Tami Brown), Linda (Amanda Taylor) and Shelley (Evie Brown) are a team. Pearl is leaving the factory shortly to spend more time with her husband (she insists she is not retiring).After much discussion over a leaving “do” Pearl expresses a wish to spend a day at the races. This is convenient since the year is 2005 and the Royal Ascot race meeting has been transferred to York. Permission to be absent from work is given by their supervisor Joe (Stephen Marsland) who will arrange cover by agency staff.

Linda has an all-consuming passion for the singer Tony Christie and frequently breaks out into one of his songs with the others joining in.  As it was time for a set and costume change, John Sheppard, a member of the company, came on stage and sang “Is this the way to Amarillo?” This was very well received by the audience who joined in enthusiastically

The fish filliters had changed out of their work uniforms and were now dressed in their best, wearing fancy frocks and hats; they really looked ready for the racing. Their first task was to acquire entry tickets which was not going to be easy since this event has been sold out for months and the prices being demanded by the touts were ridiculous. It looked as if they were going to have to settle for a pub lunch. At this point Linda returns from the toilets having found a handbag in which was a purse containing four tickets. Shelley claimed this was meant to be and led the group in. Once inside they came across Jim (Tony Hine) a race commentator, who showed them the tic-tac signals used by bookmakers to exchange information. It was a group decision to bet on an accumulator and then to have a look around.

Shelley went searching for a rich guy to provide the way out of her massive debt problem. Linda went off to find someone nice to talk to, perhaps Tony Christie. Jan was making a determined effort to become inebriated. Pearl felt safe in confessing to Jan that she’d had a lover for years who was a bookmaker but he failed to turn up for their last rendezvous; she was hoping today she might see him.

All good things come to an end and the next morning when they were back at the fish factory discussing their day at the races it was Joe who informed them just how lucky they’d been.

 Funny and poignant this play is a super example of what friends are for. Congratulations to all who were involved in delivering this wonderful entertainment!

 

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