The Kitchen Sink

Holt Players’
Production of

“The Kitchen Sink” by Tom Wells.

Director – Richard Wright ,
Stage Manager – Fiona Drysdale,
Lighting & Sound – Keith Draper,

As seen by Bob Allen, NODA SW District 14 Representative

on Friday, 28th, November, 2025
at Holt Village Hall, Holt, Wiltshire.

PLEASE NOTE:

Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what he sees at the performance in
question. The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance, and it is inevitable that his assessment will be effected by that knowledge.

The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in
particular the performance viewed. It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only
be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed. Any criticisms
expressed may not have been valid at other performances, and are only made to encourage higher standards in Amateur Theatre.

It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and
encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer will prove helpful in improving future productions.

 

The Holt Players have a good reputation so I was looking forward to my first visit to
see them. I was also keen to see this Tom Wells play. It is set within a family in
Withernsea, North Yorkshire. Fortunately the cast all spoke with a mild Yorkshire
accent, which worked well, as I believe the true accent would have been difficult for
me to follow. There are five characters in the family and we get to follow their dreams
and aspirations along side the reality of their lives. There is just a hint of an Alan
Bennett feel in this script. Wells also uses the incidents in normal life to highlight
personal dilemmas.
Martin, the head of the family has his own milk round but his milk float is on its last
legs. He realises that the round has not been so busy since a Tesco supermarket
recently opened. His wife, Kathy, is the mainstay of the family trying hard to keep
everything normal although she is fixated with trying to cope with a kitchen sink that
is not operating correctly. She is busy saving coins to pay for an update to the sink.
Their son Billy is very keen to go to a London Art School and has done a portrait of
Dolly Parton as an entrance piece. Daughter Sophie wants to become a teacher of

jujitsu but was involved in an incident in her class which might mean she cannot
teach. She also has a vague relationship with Pete who is a plumber. And that is
where we join their story. Martin is occupied with his failing milk round and unable to
understand the problems that are inflicting his family members. He is slow to change
his life and slow to understand the world around him. Kathy is reaching breaking
point. Billy goes to London but then quits art school. Sophie decides to help her
father on the milk round and Peter may go to Australia….

The cast played against a period kitchen / diner set which seemed to help stifle the
air within the family. The small acting area was well designed and every piece used
to effect. The fact of a small acting area adding to the feeling of tension in the family.
There was a dining area with seating at the rear of the stage. To stage right there
was a food prep area with a sink on stage left. The scenes were as well lit as the
venue would allow and the changes were very well handled in the scene blackouts.
Period music was used very well during the scenes and blackouts to add to the
period feel of the scenery. The whole of the set was coloured in dull sad colours
which helped stress the compactness of the set and the dullness of the period. All
the costumes seemed to be well matched and in period.

The artistry of the script was not in the action seen on stage but in the words that
were said and how they were spoken. It was not easy to understand the head of the
family or why he acted as he did. Maxson, who played Martin, gave a good intense
impression of a man not in control and trying very hard to ignore the changes around
him. Billy, played by Harry, was well cast and looked like and acted like a student.
We were eventually allowed to see that he had a heart. Well acted. Noelie playing
Sophie gave a very good showing of all the turmoil her character was going
thorough. She was the most complex character of the family and we all ending up
wanting her to be happy. Dan, playing Pete, won us all over as the doting boyfriend.
In a role with a gentle touch. (And he finally was allowed to repair the sink!)
But like so many plays about families it was Kristin as the Mother that shone though
despite all the worry and almost breakdown. Here was a good actress savouring a
juicy role. Our hearts felt for her. Richard the Director coached some good
performances from the cast, supported them with an excellent crew to give us a
welcome touch of a class act this evening.
Congratulations Holt Players. Thank you all for presenting such a quality show and I look forward to my next visit.

Kind regards, Bob Allen. NODA SW district 14 Representative

N.B. These comments solely reflect the view of the representative and can only relate to the
performance seen.

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