Lion Queen

It's aways exciting to see new local work in the theatre and RaTS you hit on a good one here. Writer and Director Pauline Holmes certainly gave you something to get your teeth into. Pauline, thank you for bringing this tragic, true story to light. Did anyone in the audience know about it taking place in Chatham? I certainly didn’t. Pauline this play is worthy of a professional space.The story telling was gut wrenching at times as only this tragic story could be - this young girl’s gruesome death was horriflying. 

The story is told to us on a simple black stage with just a Lion cage and a chair - that's all it needed, perfect. Lighting and sounds were so good by the the sound and lighting team.

Now to this exceptional cast. All nine had massive monologues to learn and I never heard a prompt for any exceptional talent in all. These being all accomplished in their craft. Alan Godman as George Wombell, Richie Basset as William Wombell, Linda Brown as Nellie Sanger, and great comedy from Joanna Godman leading us up to the interval.

Second half actors matched the first half, these being the hero of the piece, Stephen King, played by Andrew Manktelow, Steve Berry with a great Irish accent as Richard Cooper Todd, Amanda Miller as Elizabeth Blight and a young Ellen Blight played by Katherine Halsall and of course the Tiger played by Writer and Director Pauline Holmes.

Pauline thanks for telling us an unknown story from Chatham I didn’t know of and I’m sure your audiences wouldn't have either. This excellent piece of theatre is worthy a professional  debut.

Thank you RaTS for bringing it to us.

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