Sheila’s Island

Despite the chill of this Autumnal evening, a performance of Sheila’s Island, with an all-female cast and written by theacclaimed Tim Firth, of Calendar Girls fame, was played to a full house. Sarah Aldridge's imaginative direction made a strong impact, effectively handling both a long script and the constraints of a small stage. This small cast of four actors presented relatable characterisations, with very little timespent off stage. There was a lot of ongoing dialogue, peppered with comical moments and stinging put downs, which demanded perfect timing and convincing expression. The cast delivered these conversations with natural ease; every member characterised parts flawlessly, and there were no weak performances.

The action of the play took place on an isolated island off Derwent in the Lake District. The set was straightforward but worked well, convincingly portraying the grassy, rocky wasteland. The shoreline, along with trees and shrubs, helped define their camping spot, while Phil Ward’s use of sound effects and lighting enhanced the impression that theperformers were stranded. A large tree trunk was constructed at the side of the stage.

At the outset, the audience is introduced to a group of women—Sheila, Denise, Julie, and Fay—as they gradually arrive on the shore or stage, drenched and dishevelled after their boat has sunk, presenting as cold and disoriented. They are four colleagues on a corporate team building / bonding weekend. Sheila, the nominated team leader, unwittingly stranded her team, after capsizing the weekend working party rowing boat,leaving them marooned on a tiny island, with one mobile phone that rapidly loses power, and no food. As the play depicts their efforts to survive, we witness mounting tensions and the deterioration of their working relationships. The situation these characters, who are both middle managers and middle aged, find themselves in, exposes their unseen emotional baggage and threatens any hope of team spirit.

Each of the four middle managers is expertly portrayed by this team of performers. Karen Evans played the character of Sheila with conviction. She was constantly seeking to raise morale and take control but frequently sidelined by toxic tongued Denise. Karen, maintaining her role kept her tone calm and positive. Even as tensions rose, she defended Fay’s mental health history and addressed Denise’s spiteful comments assertively. She was frequently sidelined even though she was the leader by Denise. The role of sharp-tongued Denise, full of sarcasm and merciless criticism was played superbly by Sarah Aldridge. Her character’s intolerance and harsh words towards colleagues, demonstrated a lack of compassion, and Sarah portrayed the role convincingly through her interactions and demeanour usingbrusque body language, and facial expressions, effectively conveying the character’s negative traits. Caroline Rabonewas brilliant in the part of the very resourceful yet insecureJulie. Her intentions to support the trip by packing a bottom less rucksack full of, ’in case you might need it gear’, including an 18-inch knife, which she thought useful, incurred the irritation of Denise and her character was visibly hurt by Denise’s remarks. Julie had a mobile and called her husbandAngus, who she claimed never usually went out. Virtually using all her battery power to leave a lengthy message for him, regarding their predicament and what to do about it, she explained he had nipped out to Aldi to do some shopping. Denise teased Julie about this. From this point in the play, Caroline’s character is shown to be insecure, which is reflected in her somewhat withdrawn behaviour. Sarah Garratt’s Faye as the devoted bird watcher and devoutChristian I found enjoyable. Sarah delivered this rolebeautifully; she was the only one who seemed content in her own company. As the play unfolded, it became clear that she had a secret behind her thirteen months away from work. Despite her history of mental fragility and vulnerability, Sarah portrayed the role with vibrant energy and frequent smiles, especially when talking about birds or singing a hymn.

I thoroughly enjoyed this performance. Sarah’s directionensured the play progressed with sufficient pace to keep things moving and focus on the characterisations. A strong cast, a joy to watch.

Thank you for inviting me.

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