The Thrill of Love

Amanda Whittington is having quite an impact on the amateur theatre world at the moment and if Martin Francis’ production of “The Thrill of Love” for Enville Street Dramatic Society is anything to go by, you can see why she is proving to be so popular.

For many people the name Ruth Ellis conjures up the phrase of ‘the last woman to be hanged in Britain’ but this very powerful and moving drama adds much more to what lay behind that often used saying. 

Andrea Gray, as ‘Ruth Ellis’ is engaging right from the start – showing the struggles of a single parent in an inhospitable and poor environment, having to make ends meet however she can, her life predicated on pleasing the depraved and low life of the time. Andrea captured the essence of the character excellently, immediately grabbing at the audiences’ emotions  and sympathies.

As the world-weary Detective Inspector ‘Jack Gale’, Simon Cooper not only dug deeper into the circumstances of what was, on the surface, an open and shut case by getting behind Ruth’s motives and almost fulfilling the role of narrator, outlining the real life behind the murderer.

The partnership between Andrea’s ‘Ruth’ and her protégé and confessor, ‘Doris Judd’, played with a delightful naivety by Sally Kent was captivatingly played out, adding some ironic humour to the grave situation that was developing. Sandra Harrold as ‘Sylvia Shaw’, the club hostess and Jess Skidmore as ‘Vickie Martin’, the would-be model confidently added to the atmosphere with witty dialogue and excellent characterisation.

Great costumes, atmospheric lighting and music from George Deeley and Martin Francis and a simple but effective set designed by Kev Pritchard all added to the realistic 1950’s atmosphere and were efficiently coordinated by Stage Manager, Steve Taylor.  Martin Francis and his Assistant Directors – Simon Cooper, Wendy Hemming and Chris Porter and everyone at Enville Street Dramatic Society have a production that they should be justly proud of, thank you for inviting me and for making me feel so welcome.

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