Waiting in the Wings

~~Great cast, Good Direction, Grand set and Costumes. In essence a Great show.
This could be the whole review of this performance but of course there's a lot more to it than these few words. Carlton Players gathered together a strong group of Ladies to play the actresses playing out their lives in a home for ageing theatricals. Such places do exist and Mr Coward may well have captured the kind of scenario which really happens.
Fame is often a fleeting thing and once it has passed what's left is only rememberance and of course personality.

Brian Dickson directed with finesse and kept control of his cast when it so easily could have developed into a free for all which would have undermined the effectiveness of Cowards Script. Marc Smith was his Assistant Director; a young man who is making a name for himself in local theatre and I'm sure benefited greatly from this experience.

What a motley crew were our ladies; humorously sarcastic Cora (Ann Mason) Bonita sensible and straightforward(Pam Thelwall), Maudie Melrose uncertainly charming (Dorothy Jeffries), Irrepressibly Irish Deidre O'Malley(Geraldine Maloney Judge) delighted her audience and Estelle Craven always at fault and forever tearful (Mary Clifton); add Dora (Elizabeth
Youster) to complete a brilliant group.  Then the two main protagonists May Davenport(Christine Smith) and Lotta Bainbridge(Eliane Davie) whose age old feud provided the main dramatic element of the plot; beautifully played by both. The implication that no one was aware of the reason for this enmity was a little naïve. It surely had to be about a man and a cause celebre like this would surely have been known to all in the theatre world where there are few secrets. However it did provide an opportunity for the pair to bring their differences into the open and eventual friendship. Vague, slightly dangerous with a penchant for lighting matches Jill Breckon gave a delightful portrayal as Sarita Myrtle, a lovely performance.  Linda O'brien who played Sylvia Archibald did a fine job as the Manager of the home and without being told we would have known she was ex army and was very well supported by Fiona Williams as Doreen the maid. Loved the characterisation and her exits and entrances with a sort of run was so true to the part.
Rosalie Priday as reporter as Zelda Fenwick did very well in completing this strong cast of Ladies.
What of the men?  Slightly camp failed actor  but always anxious for the good of his ladies was  Kyle Brookes who played Perry Lascoe. His habit of listening them closely was absolutely right and one could well understand their affection for him. Steve Williams as Osgood Meeker a weekly visitor to a lady whom we did not see was convincing as the ever faithful friend.  Mark Latham (Alan Bennett) as Lotta's estranged son come to make things right provided us with a final dramatic moment and finally Marc Smith was the Doctor in a brief cameo performance. Not sure about the Hat Marc.
Carlton have a strong team back stage and the set sound, lighting and props were all good. I thought the costumes were completely right for the characters; well done to you all.

Strangely enough the play did not enjoy critical acclaim however critic John Simon wrote: "A seemingly inconsequential piece... the play is a wise and compassionate address of the problems of aging and death that confront
us all and Noel Coward   himself said of the piece “I wrote Waiting in the
Wings with loving care and absolute belief in  its characters.  I consider that the play as a whole contains, beneath the froth of some of its lighter moments, the basic truth that old age needn't be nearly so dreary and sad as it is supposed to be, provided you greet it with humour and live it with courage”

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.