Ottery Community Theatre Summer Show 2026

Ottery Community Theatre have a rich history of promoting home grown talented writers and this evening of One Act Plays written by 4 of their members was no exception. The evening was diverse and very entertaining, we had educational, sad and funny plays which were all brilliantly written and well performed. 

Streets Ahead – written by Chelle Walsh

This play was performed by the junior members and directed by the writer, alongside one of the junior members. It was a cleverly constructed piece centred around a game of Monopoly, with the main stage representing the board. The characters entered and exited as the properties whenever the players’ tokens, such as the boot or the top hat, landed on them. Not only were we entertained by short monologues from the personified properties, but we were also educated about the origins of their names. The piece offered a delightful range of characters, from funny and musical to wonderfully scary.

Overall, the play was well performed, with strong characterisation throughout. A couple of characters lost a little diction at times, but the cast’s enthusiasm was clear and infectious. Mr Monopoly did an excellent job of keeping the action moving, and the writer skilfully gave each monologue a cyclical pattern that guided the audience back to the central game. This was a very clever and highly successful play.

In summary, Streets Ahead was an imaginative, engaging, and well-executed piece that showcased the confidence and creativity of the junior cast. Its inventive Monopoly-board structure, varied characters and informative monologues made it both entertaining and original, resulting in a memorable and enjoyable contribution to the evening.

Cup of Tea? – written by Kay Crook and Gracie

Cup of Tea? was co-written by Kay Crook and Gracie, another of the society’s talented junior members, and explored the devastating effect dementia can have on a family. This was a sad and thought-provoking piece which sensitively highlighted the way dementia can creep quietly into everyday life, gradually stealing away the person we know and love while leaving those around them struggling to adapt, understand and cope.

With a cast of four, the play balanced moments of gentle comedy with genuine pathos, allowing the audience to see both the warmth of family life and the painful confusion brought about by illness. The two central characters connected particularly well with the audience through their emotional monologues, which were delivered with care, honesty and control. These moments gave the piece much of its emotional strength and were very well supported by the rest of the cast.

The writing showed real understanding and empathy, and the performances were precise, heartfelt and full of warmth. My only wish was that the piece had been slightly longer, as the characters and subject matter were strong enough to sustain further development. A little more time with them would have allowed the audience to explore their thoughts, fears and relationships in greater depth. Even so, this was a moving and well-crafted play which handled a difficult subject with sensitivity and emotional impact.

Planning – written by Laurie Palmer

Planning brought the evening to a lively and entertaining close with a comedy set around an old mansion house that was up for sale. We were first introduced to the rather well-to-do Mrs Drummond, who was being shown around the property by the very capable and assured Deirdre. Their contrasting characters immediately established the tone of the piece, with Mrs Drummond’s expectations and Deirdre’s professional composure providing an enjoyable foundation for the comedy that followed. Once a deal appeared to have been struck, the arrival of two handymen shifted the action, bringing with them misunderstandings, confusion and a growing sense of comic chaos.

This was a well-written play with a clear comic structure, and the cast portrayed their roles with conviction, purpose and good attention to character. The performances were nicely judged, allowing the humour to build without losing the sense of reality needed for farce to work effectively. The actors handled the shifts in tone well, particularly as the action became increasingly chaotic, and there was a good sense of ensemble as each character added to the developing confusion. On occasion the pace felt a little slow, and a slightly sharper tempo in some exchanges and entrances would have helped the comedy land with even greater impact. However, the play remained engaging throughout and was rewarded with a very satisfying twist at the end, which gave the piece a clever and memorable finish.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable and well-balanced evening of theatre, celebrating the creativity, writing talent and performance skills within Ottery Community Theatre. Each of the three one-act plays offered something different: the imaginative energy and educational charm of Streets Ahead, the emotional sensitivity and warmth of Cup of Tea?, and the well-structured comedy and satisfying twist of Planning. The variety of tone across the programme kept the audience fully engaged, while the commitment of the casts, directors and technical team ensured that each piece was presented with care and confidence. It was particularly encouraging to see junior members contributing so strongly both on stage and in the writing and directing process, demonstrating the society’s continued commitment to nurturing new talent. This was a successful, entertaining and thoughtful evening which reflected very well on everyone involved.

 

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