Tempest Tossed

This is a new play written by a member of Bedworth Theatre Company. Set at the time of the sinking of the Titanic it looks at how the immigrants in a small part of New York were haunted by the news. It looks at the relationships between this group of people thrown together from different backgrounds, all with a story to tell.

Everything about this production was new from the way it was rehearsed to the staging. The Arts centre allows for total flexibility in productions, this opportunity was grabbed with both hands. The acting area was flanked on two sides by audience, the area defined by crates of goods hinting at the shop walls. A bench at one end allowed for scenes in places other than the shop.  The attention to detail in the set dressing came to good effect as you felt transported to a bygone age.

The small cast had their work cut out, many scenes had the majority of the cast involved, most cast members had a monologue and with deep issues to cover the script was wordy. Not forgetting the wide range of accents featured, Irish, Italian, Jewish and New York American, in fact only one person got away with their own accent. The accents were spot on throughout which is no small achievement.  Cassie Furey as Bess, showed the characters torment as the past was brought back to mind, her choice of moving on or staying in the past playing on her mind throughout the play. All the cast brought depth and feeling to their characters the performances were strong and believable.

This production is a credit to the effort and innovation of the members of this group, a lesson to us all to push the boundaries and think outside the box with our productions.

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