The Nun's Trail

The story concerns two prisoners who by sheer chance discover an underground tunnel in their cell. This had been dug out by a previous inmate who had escaped some six months earlier and had not been recaptured by the police. The tunnel leads into the Convent of the Sacred Heart which is only a hundred yards or so from the prison on the other side of the road. Rumour had it that the “Mob” had had him terminated!

Vivian (Fingers) Farnsbarnes and Harry Fielding played by Jonathan Wardle and Michael Siddle gave very good performances and showed excellent timing and comedy particularly when they changed into Nun’s robes and pretended to be the two sisters from Ireland who were visiting to make an inspection of the Convent. Their falsetto voices kept the audience amused throughout the evening.

Sister Michael and Sister Charity (Lynn Green and Lynn Tupling) were a complete contrast, one being so devout , the other so worldly, their working together complemented each other. It later transpires that Sister Michael is forging bank notes in her spare time whilst sister Charity is only in the Convent until her 25th birthday when she will come into a considerable inheritance. Their acting was good showing a great deal of talent.

Jenny Lister as the Mother Superior was cold hearted and authoritarian demanding that the sisters do as she said and not as she does until it is revealed that she is the real life sister of the first escaped prisoner who is now disguised as a nun. Her brother turns out to be the notorious diamond thief who has in his possession the black diamond of Nepal. Posing as Sister Cosanostri although the real name is Raymondo Bonocini he seems to be getting too many favours from the Mother Superior.

Kath Hill in this role gave a good cameo performance

Complications arise when we discover that Angus the cook (George Woodfine) is actually from Special branch and is on the trail of Bonocini as is Lillian Smudges the cleaner ( Debbie Woodhall )who is from CI5. These two put everything into their respective roles with good stage presence.

Last, but by no means least was Brandon Swift playing the part of Mcvitie the Prison warder (Shades of Mackay in Porridge)

The set was good especially the escape tunnel which ran the full length of the stage and provided another comedy element when the prisoners were toing and froing in it.

Lighting and sound effects were also of a high standard.

This was a good script well interpreted by the Directors Katie Lloyd-Nielson and Lynn Tupling and as this was their first attempt at directing it proved a success.

However on the downside it was a pity that the final ten minutes of the play lost direction and shape as a result of losing the pace and to a certain extent the plot. This said it was on the who;e an enjoyable production.

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