The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild DS production of Macbeth

How good to be back with this talented group, the Rye Players, who performed one of the funniest scripts so wonderfully well.  I was welcomed with kind hospitality – a perfect front row advantage and had the pleasure of meeting Pat the Director and other members, with a feeling I was in for something good. Characters multitask and cross dress. How they knew who they were was a mystery to me. Hysterical from opening to finale adjudication, when Mr Peach who had been sitting quietly at a small table on the corner of the stage appeared in full drag – slinky gown, long gloves, red patent platform high heels and flowered turban just wonderful, delivered his words of encouragement to the cast now sitting front side of stage, as he was about to rush off to a Drag Ball.

With Pat Driver and her theatrical background, she worked with this cast to perfect comedy with terrific pace and spectacle, a version of Shakespeare’s Scottish play I’d certainly not experienced before – certainly not when studying for the GCE English Literature examination many moons ago! A particularly challenging piece – complicated comedy and the cast responded with quality and strength. Action takes place in a community hall in 1983 in Farndale where the ladies’ production is to be judged in the first round of the Townswomen’s Guild Drama Festival Area Finals. They have been rehearsing hard for nine months!! The Adjudicator for the day was George Peach and throughout his name became a mixed fruit salad! Terrific mishaps occur throughout – even the opening piano introduction selection from ‘The Sound of Music’ was played superbly out of tune by Gwynneth, namely Louise Fletcher with her facial activity a picture.

Judy Wall and Mike Stott created the braced arched set which was the wrong way round and the performers commenced projecting backwards until two of them noticed the audience. The set was full of detail down to backstage notices dotted around. Finishing touches from Carole Gasson and Sue Davies, with well sourced furniture and props  A very quick change around but where is Lady Macbeth? She’s gone missing.

Proceedings are introduced by bespectacled, confused Mrs Reece, with handbag has the solution - backstage Henry knows all the lines, he can play the part, so he does and 8 kings to boot. David Bentley is a natural, looked fab in green velvet, red tresses and those lips, finished so well with trendy socks and clogs! Some serious passages well delivered and great comedy timing and footwork. Mrs. Reece convincingly performed by Sarah Nelson also doubled as period costumed Lady Macduff and the white coated Doctor. Janet Stott with aplomb, became Thelma who played the solid part of Macbeth, kilted carrying a sheathed sword, perfect jerkin with angled black beret certainly looked the business. A good temperamental moment when she stomps offstage but is persuaded back, has eloquent speeches to deliver – she also played Ross. Minnie who’s  lost her voice, Banquo plus Son of Macduff played with much comedy was Carole Gasson.  What fun she must have had – her great hairdo and makeup and as the ghost with her two helpers under the bloodstained sheeting gently gliding the shopping trolley under, was pure genius. Venetia Sanders, how did you manage 6 parts, and Helen Gray only 5 with Sandi  Bain only 4! What a great coven of witches  – loved the wheelchair addition, the foot cast and arm sling and an imaginative cauldron scene. Heads appeared and rolled, babies bloodied, vicious swashbuckling. Andrew Mayor appeared as the tapping plumber with Dilys Mayor as Seyton together with audience planted Raffle Winner complete with boater Sally Pattinson who eventually got her pot of jam prize 

The technical side – Del Smith, Robert Wall and Paul Carey certainly had a challenge on their hands  for getting it right is hard but getting it wrong to get it right takes some sorting and to the backstage members SM Judy Wall and crew jolly well done. Dilys was also in charge of Wardrobe which was just perfect – how Scottish, even down to the tartan shopping bags. Glad to say I heard nothing from Kate Lamb, what a job on the book for this one!

An ambitious production with a first-class script and fine contribution from all concerned.  As a bonus it was an honour to be introduced to the writer’s wife, who had travelled from Epsom.

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