Playhouse Creatures

I don’t know where to start... First of all, perhaps by thanking Colwall Players for inviting me to experience this extraordinary production. This was not just a play, it was a history lesson, in technicolour! The village hall was transformed into this incredible set of three separate areas: the Cock and Pie Pub, the tiring room, which we would now call a dressing room and the central stage, which seemed to go back forever. The formation of the staging with the rounded front appeared huge. The shell lights which had been made on a 3D printer edged the stage gave an authenticity to the period, the proscenium arch and the portable flats that glided into place was ingenious and Iain Young for his design and he and the team must be congratulated for this incredible set. Even the pub sign was a genuine oil painting, and it is beautiful and hopefully will be hanging on someone’s wall post production. The costumes were simple but so effective and the quick changes seamless as a result. The costume team led by Irene Bentley should be applauded too.

Director’s Angela Meredith and Debbie Herbert should take a bow for this play, it certainly wasn’t easy and their choice of cast couldn’t have been better. The synergy of the five actresses was palpable, the ease of their interaction made it a fast and fluid performance. The scenes where the cast spoke simultaneously was impeccable.

To the performance itself: a play or rather vignettes of plays within a play. The history of how female actors were first allowed to perform under the reign of Charles 11 whilst showing the reality of the deplorable conditions and abuse that they actually faced. The disproportionality of the women’s facilities, including the props that they needed to perform.  

Finally, the cast in order on the programme:

Louise Carter was Nell Gwynne and played her with ease, Nell’s determination, hunger for improving herself and vulnerability shone through. Louise must be having a ball playing Nell, she is such a feisty character but with a heart, evidenced in the touching moments with each of her fellow actors. The ribald language and actions were comical and came across as natural. Her acting debut was well done, depicting her resolve to get on, conversely her kindness to Mrs Farley was so moving.

Alison Harris as Mrs Betterton was outstanding in her portrayal of a lady who really did know her craft, teaching the others how to act and the use of the clock for emphasising one’s emotions was hysterical.  Alison was perfect in this role, her deportment and delivery was superb, and her slipping into what we would call dementia today was incredibly emotional. Her dialogue with her husband was a standout moment.

Doll Common was portrayed by Dianne Lloyd. What a role to play and how brilliantly Dianne played it. I loved her characterisation, her easy interjections with the odd word or line. Her devotion to Mrs Betterton was both touching and funny in turn. Her line ‘I’ve helped her so long I forgot I couldn’t read’ was just one that made me chuckle. She was so relatable and somehow, I found her very humbling.

Susan Ricketts played the feisty Mrs Marshall who, having being duped into ‘marrying’ the Earl of Oxford lived to regret it. The histrionics she displayed were instinctively enacted under horrible circumstances. Whilst this was funny it was also repulsive, so very well done. Susan had this role off to a tee, she was volatile and controlled in equal measure.

Mrs Farley was played by Gill Young, portraying her as someone with a will to survive in any way that she could. Starting live in piety, circumstances changed her direction into performing and lewdness. Becoming the mistress of the King gave her a confidence she hadn’t known before until it was taken away from her when Nell replaced her in the Kings bed. Gill emotionally gave everything to this role and her abortion scene followed by her fall in prostitution was pitiful and emotive.   

This is an incredibly wordy play not just in the character’s they were playing but also in the vignettes they delivered within it. It was faultless and my admiration for each of the cast is infinite. Well done ladies, you nailed it.

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