The Actress

The Actress a play performed by Southport Dramatic Club, on Friday 31st March, 2023 at Southport Little Theatre, Hoghton Street, Southport.

‘The Actress’ is a poignant yet funny play penned by the ever so talented Peter Quilter. The storyline centres around a time served and successful actress Lydia Martin and the relationships that influenced her life in so many ways in theatre and away from it!  Lydia has decided to ‘stop whilst on top’ (before her looks fade) and decides to ‘sweep in’ and give a farewell performance of ‘The Cherry Orchard’, where she is to play the lead, ‘Lubov’. Her final performance attracts many admirers including her dresser, her agent, her daughter, her ex-husband, her new fiancé and the Director’s runner who all ‘crash in’ bringing with them a flurry of goodbyes, tears, insults, laughs, recriminations, kisses and regrets all before she takes to the stage for the final time, for her final bow, before returning to her dressing room to make the decision about her future!

Production Team… in charge of proceedings we had the experienced Poppy Flanagan (Director) and her assistant Emma Wells-Hall.  It was obvious from the start that Poppy and Emma had gathered together a competent cast who were well-rehearsed, who were more than aware of what was required to make this show a success and as soon as those curtains parted and the lights came up, were ready and prepared to give it their all!  There were  some amazing characters created and what was palpable from the start, was the comradery and closeness of the cast … well done you two… great job!

The Cast… as always, this is where I start to stick the old neck out and start suggesting favourites,‘Show Stealers/Show Stoppers’… but this production did cause me a major problem… there were two major contenders for MY ‘show stealer’… Sandra Unsworth who took on the lead role of ‘Lydia Martin’ and Mike Yates who took on the role ‘Paul’… Lydia’s ex-husband… and this really was a close call, but, in the end, I plumped for Mike Yates’s portrayal of the philandering, lecherous, yet still devoted ex-husband Paul!  Paul still
holds feelings for Lydia and wants a new beginning and produces many reasons as to why they should….one of which we’ll discuss a little later in the piece!  Mike, produced an unbelievable characterisation, great stage presence, great diction, totally believable… the chemistry between he and Lydia was tangible! Congrats Mike an impressive performance sir! Sandra Unsworth’s portrayal of the ‘diva’ that is ‘Lydia Martin’ was equally impressive!  This was Lydia’s final show, before she elopes with an unsuitable, old decrepit banker from Switzerland!  Is this just about money or is there a far deeper reason to ‘shut out’ everything after that final night?  Sandra worked her socks off… never off stage, great stage presence, great characterisation… the interaction and chemistry with the entire castwas amazing, BUT… I don’t think I can move on without bringing to the fore that ‘ROMP’ front and centre with Paul!  I had three ladies sat in front of me…. the ‘oohs and aah’s’ which turned to chuckles, nods and winks as the ‘romp’ progressed… rehearsals must have been hell… and how Lydia went on stage after all that was truly amazing!  Well done you two… amazing performances… be ever so proud!    Honestly, there were no real weak links in this cast, so the following list of characters is written in no particular order or preference… Celia Timmington took on the role of ‘Katherine’, Lydia’s devoted dresser!  Celia is the epitome of what you would expect from a ‘dresser to a star’… always ready and waiting in the dressing room, high standards, pamper and react to every whim!  Celia produced another great character, confident throughout, another that oozed stage presence and who worked really well with all the other members of the cast!  Be proud Celia… great job!   Fi Billington took on the role of the overworked and overlooked ‘back stage runner’… ‘Margaret’, whose job was to relay information, advice and instruction from stage management to cast!  But this being the final performance from a ‘diva’… was advice and notes really what Lydia wanted or expected …  I think not!   So, things simmered, then boiled over!  Fi provided us with another great character, totally believable, great stage presence… well done Fi, be very proud!   Ann Domoney took on the role of ‘Nicole’ the devoted daughter of Lydia and Paul!  Given her parents background and traits… Nicole is an amazingly grounded, sensible young lady who cares about both her parents in spite of their breakup and who brings sanity to Lydia’s dressing room through all the mayhem!  Ann gave us yet another great character, great stage presence, witty, humorous and who again worked ever so well with every cast member. I loved the scene between mum and daughter with Nicole sat on floor… intimate, personal, believable … well done Ann be proud!  Diane Mackley was the perfect fit for ‘Harriet’… Lydia’s devoted and long-time agent who arrives at the final performance armed with a bottle of brandy and oh so much adulation until she gets upset and bemoans her own life… loved the line (which went something like) … “you were a marvel, spectacular and all I did was hang about back stage like an old sofa”! Congrats Diane, another wonderful character created, great stage presence… be ever so proud!   The final member of the cast, who was just about capable of making it up those steep stairs to Lydia’s dressing room to wish her well before her final performance was Leslie Cheesman who took on the role of ‘Charles’, the new love in Lydia’s life, the elderly, amusingly decrepit Swiss Banker!  Leslie huffed and puffed his way through the entire play whilst displaying his undoubted love for Lydia.  Leslie brought gentle humour to the role… wonderful stage presence, another that worked ever so well with all cast members… be very proud Leslie, great job sir!

Set/Staging/Tech … Chris Ratcliffe (Stage Manager), Radley Haynes (Set Design) and Bob Jasmine (Scenic Artist) and the SDC Constriction Team, should again be congratulated for providing another great set and some imaginative staging which once again afforded the cast the space and stage to do their thing…. Lighting was in the safe hands of Alan Gosling… Sound under the guidance of David Proffitt… well done everyone!

Wardrobe/Props …  having now had the privilege to see a number of SDC productions, I can only think that the desire to provide, not only the perfect costume for each actor and the appropriate ‘prop’ for every occasion, takes a great deal of time and effort… so I really do feel the need to highlight and congratulate the SDC Wardrobe Team and their ‘Props Team’ (tonight Cath Fisher, Phil Povey and Paul-James Green) on their efforts for not only ‘The Actress’, but for all the shows that I’ve been invited to see… well done folks… you’re doing a wonderful job, be ever so proud!

As previously stated, there were no ‘weak links’ in this production and if the applause throughout and the comments, that I heard as I left the theatre (all positive) were anything to go by… then I’m sure the audience were in total agreement with me… great play/great characters… well done each and all… be very proud!

PS: I don’t usually comment on programmes or their contents, but if I may… can I just congratulate ‘Fletcherhill Photography’ on an amazing set of photo’s included in the programme… especially the ‘action ones’!  The photo of the ‘ROMP’ is amazing and the expression on Fi’s face (aka Margaret) … summed it all up in one snap!  Also, the one with Lydia (Sandra) on the ‘chaise’ with Nicole (Ann) sat on the floor is superb!  They say ‘A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS’ … those two pictures surely did!

Thank you once again for inviting my wife and I to your production which we really did enjoy. Hope to see you all again very soon!

Stay safe and keep well…
‘STRONGER TOGETHER’

Jim Briscoe
NODA North West
District 6 Rep

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