Mornings At Seven

Mornings at Seven is a play written by Paul Osborn. Its plot primarily focuses on four aging sisters living in a small Midwestern town in 1928 and it deals with ramifications within the family when two of them begin to question their lives and decide to make some changes before it’s too late.

The play is packed with wit and comic aplomb but at the centre of this rather perfect little play is a dark terror: our fear of aging. Ida (Caire Barber) cannot bear to think about letting go her son, who is approximately 40-years-of-age and still lives at home. Ida's husband Carl (Stuart Arch) is experiencing a mid-life awakening that is causing him significant anxiety. Arry, (Susan Clapcott) has lived for years with her with her sister Cora (Diane Maughan) and her warm, mild tempered husband Thor (Mark Stenton), and is terrified she'll be left alone. Cora’s aim is to spend her remaining years with Thor, without Arry. Esther (Julie Vint) is portrayed as calm, peaceful and untroubled but she is virtually held prisoner by her pathologically stubborn mate, David (Keith Shotton), whose professorial and indifferent air hides a need to share his wife with no one, not even her sisters.

So, what unites these characters? A desire for independence lies not far from the play's comedic surface and it's shared by Cora, Carl, Homer, and Esther. Equally, a strong love of the status quo unites Ida, David, Thor, and Arry.

The characters we have missed is Homer’s fiancée Myrtle, (Amy Cowan) the long-suffering fiancée of Homer. Myrtle is affectionate and seemingly willing to wait for Homer to marry her. It is apparent that she hopes her long awaited visit to his family will finally lead to something more than his weekend visits. She is pleasant, polite, and awkwardly beautiful.  Her arrival and introduction to the family does create a stir in this quiet and unassuming neighbourhood.

In this review it is impossible to select outstanding performances as all individuals were cast in roles that were congruent with their acting skills. There were familiar faces from the stage of the Portable Theatre Co and this brings familiarity with their fellow performers. However, in this play each one of them adopted their new role and embraced their character that left the audience in no doubt that this was something different. Over the course of the play, they begin to see each other, and themselves, in a new light and we in the audience were transported on this journey too.

We experienced the delightful humour from the harmless eccentricities of its characters, the anxiety of Homer being in a heightened state of physiological and emotional distress characterised by persistent worry, tension and cognition focused on perceived threats. A brilliant performance Andrew. This contrasted with the indifference of David in his flat, emotionless state that was defined by an absence of concern, motivation or a desire to engage with his wife. Congratulations Keith.

The play won me over when Thor is explaining to his wife Cora about his visit to the doctor, who found him in perfect health – a diagnosis that disgusts him. “He’s just a lousy doctor, that’s all.  Didn’t even say he had to give up smoking.” Cora sympathetically says “Everybody knows you ought to give up smoking.” Implicit is that Thor wants the doctor to tell him to give up smoking even though he has no intention of doing so. This was a demonstration of a family stuck in their ways and is demonstrated by the wider family as the play progresses.  Mark and Diane, you both gave a sterling performance. The pacing in delivering your narrative was brilliant.

Ida and Carl share their home their son Homer.   Homer is bringing Myrtle home and this excites Ida but frightens Carl, who hangs his head and hugs one of the trees in the yard, grasping for a lifeline. He doesn’t like meeting new people and is afraid of making a bad impression. His family refer to this as one of his spells and rather than stay at home he seeks flight by disappearing. The family consider calling the police but this would expose Carl’s emotional vulnerability and Ida whilst a worrier is constantly distracted by her overprotective concern for Homer. Stuart and Claire, your professional capabilities are unquestionable and your commitment to your characters shone through. Well done.

For Cora, her living situation with Thor is no longer tolerable. Her long-term living arrangements are dominated by a lack of privacy for Thor and her but she also can no longer control the resentment that has built up toward her sister Arry. The climax is a dramatic unravelling of family secrets, especially regarding the true nature of the relationship between her husband and Arry. This triangulation of relationships was excellently represented on stage as the tension rose between the characters. The tension also built within the audience and nervous giggles could be heard. I loved the way you all used the stage but your body language too emphasised your character. Very well done, your delivery on stage was captivating.  

I was blown away by Homer and Myrtle. Myrtle’s visit to Homer’s family sets off a chain reaction; with no explosion but for people so resistant to change, the impact is a series of domestic crises that disclose some astonishingly profound modern realizations. You were both made to perform together. Your vocal delivery, emotional expressions and stage presence was incredibly powerful. You inspired your audience and we all wanted you to have your new home together. You gave so much to the character you were playing and it was a stunning performance. Oh, and the mention of a baby, how shocking!

The stage set was the adjoining back yards of the Gibbs sisters’ homes and was tastefully decorated with a garden fence and flowers. Exits and entrances of the cast on and off stage were smooth and you made full use of the stage and the additional entrance via the stage stairs. The pacing of the delivery with appropriate pausing for emphasis and audience laughter was excellent. Your costumes were fitting and beautifully pressed - it makes such a difference. The mid-western American accent was there but was not overpowering or overacted.

Your Director (Jan Turner) and Assistant Director (Lynne Lambert) are very accomplished in the production of stage plays and it is evident that they work in harmony together but also work as the bridge to the cast to achieve such imaginative interpretation of a play anchored in creative conviction. What a gift they have. This gift is overlayed with the highest of standards in amateur dramatics. Your work and commitment to amateur theatre is indisputable. This production was of the highest standard, thank you.

I do not underestimate the backstage support that is necessary to produce a portable play. You have a fantastic team and every effort is appreciated as it brings theatre to local communities. Thank you for such a warm welcome and for inviting us to see your play. We had a wonderful evening of entertainment.

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