Some Of My Best Friends Are Women

An entertaining comedy by Fife playwright Carole Tricker. 

Set during a meeting of the five remaining members of a book group, secrets and gossip are laid bare – helped along by a plentiful supply of vodka-laced tonic water!

Normally I leave my technical words to the end, however this performance must be complimented on the way they managed to shoe-horn a full living room set, complete with the necessary entrances, exits and stairs leading up, into a stage only 10ft deep! Particularly clever use was made of the existing deep-arched windows in the back wall of the stage, including them in the set. Dressing and props too, were in keeping with the period.

Now, the cast…….!  An initial general observation, the entire cast of five ladies and two men each developed his/her quite individual characters and maintained them throughout this well-devised and equally well written play.

Lynn (Ruth McKay) is hosting the book group meeting and has her own reasons for keeping the group going – aided and abetted by the liberal addition of vodka to the tonic water – contrary to the rules of the group. She is joined by Dorothy (Gwen Teppett) a stalwart of the group, who gradually develops a more and more inebriated state, thanks to her overindulging in said tonic water.  While in this state, Dorothy drops a clanger revealing to all that Lynn’s husband is having an affair and has left her!   Meanwhile, Jill (Madelene Harper) who thinks she is pregnant (but isn’t!), provides much hilarity whilst protecting her invisible bump and at the same time spilling the beans on attractive Helen (Chloe Anderson) who, she claims, is having an affair with the senior partner in the Company for which they both work. Words are exchanged and Dorothy storms off into the night, leaving Amanda (Susan Robertson) to continue doing what she does best – winding other people up!  Eventually Dorothy, still a bit of a wreck, is rescued by Steve (Craig Nicoll) a young, handsome, book-reading fireman – his appearance setting pulses racing in Jill and Helen. By the end of the play book group matters appear to resolve themselves with everyone knowing something about the others - they even manage to recruit a new member to the group in Chris (Keith Spottiswoode) who actually only arrived to give Dorothy a lift home!

It is indeed a pleasure to be invited to report on a drama and especially one performed to the standard of this.  It goes without saying that with a small group of actors such as in tonight’s play, there is nowhere for anyone to hide. However with TADAMS there is no need for such hiding. The lines were, at all times, confidently and clearly delivered, and, thanks in large part to Rhona McCallum’s thoughtful direction, the blocking of the play achieved just what was needed, culminating in a thoroughly enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

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