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The society always produces shows of a very high standard, so I was really looking forward to an evening of first class entertainment and I was not disappointed. 

This play revolves around two sisters and their opposing ideas on how to dispose of their crumbling stately home, which they can no longer afford to maintain.  Dorothy refuses to entertain the idea of handing it over to the National Trust and wants to investigate other options.  June on the other hand takes a more matter-of-fact approach and has no doubts about the National Trust option being the way forward.

The set is that of a rather shabby room with a couple of armchairs and what appeared to be boxes and other items no longer used.

A very good performance from Lisa Turpcu as the titled Dorothy, an ex-model now living as a recluse in the family pile.  She looks at  ways of disposing of the property including an idea put to her by a rather shady character called Bevan (well played by Ralph Camp) who talks of investors who want to move it to Dorset or Wiltshire.  In the meantime she decides it might be fun to hire it out to a production company who make porn films. The arrival of Mr Theodore (an old flame of Dorothy’s played by Granville Rush) and his film crew brings a new lease of life to Dorothy and she starts to reminisce about her modelling days and dresses up in some of her, now vintage, courture outfits.  

The making of the film itself was an absolutely hilarious interlude involving lots of lights, action, which it goes without saying was left to the imagination, and plenty of sound. Well done to Mark Edwards and Lorna Catt as porn stars Colin and Britt, aided in their performance by a hot water bottle!  

Amanda Green gave a strong performance as June, a confident, ambitious archdeacon who finds someone she can relate to in Ralph Lumsden from the National Trust as they discuss the property’s future.  A good characterisation by Paul Winspear of a man who came across as completely genuine but with an unfortunate speech impediment which made it almost impossible for the audience to keep a straight face while he was talking.   I have no idea if this was written into the script but it was a stroke of genius.   

A lovely piece of character acting by Anne Senior as Dorothy’s rather dotty companion Iris who reveals she is in fact her half-sister, the result of an affair between a village girl and Dorothy and Jane’s father. This snippet of information doesn’t go unnoticed by Mr Lumsden.  It is after all part of the house’s history, as are the numerous chamber pots kept in the billiards room, complete, we are told, with contents as left by various gentlemen of note to save them leaving the room mid game. These are brought back to their former glory by the National Trust volunteers and paraded across stage on their way back to the salon amid shrieks of laughter from the audience.

A good performance also from Roger Mortimer as Bishop, a position June has set her heart on.

The transformation of the set in preparation for the opening of the house was very cleverly done. I had spotted a small area of wallpaper peeping out from under the wall covering, so assumed that at some point we were going to see the property restored to its former glory.  The interval came and went and nothing had happened but then during Act II came the big reveal and we watched in amazement as the plain wall coverings were pulled away to expose exquisite wallpaper, pictures, original moulded features and furniture of the period as well as a crystal chandelier and wall lights. While this was going on a conversation was taking place downstage as Dorothy started to realise that she probably had a part to play in the house’s new role.

I thoroughly enjoyed this production, my only thought being that Dorothy could have been made to look older, possibly with the aid of theatrical make-up, and more eccentric. She had by her own admission been a recluse for 40 years following her modelling career.

That apart this was a very good production.  Thank you for inviting me.

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