The Actress

NODA Award Winners Breakaway Theatre Company returns to The Maltings Theatre with The Actress by Peter Quilter

The Actress revolves around Lydia Martin, the leading lady currently starring in Chekov’s The Cherry Orchard.  This is the night of her very last theatre performance; she is retiring from the stage and moving to Switzerland with her elderly, rich, fiancé. 

Most of the play takes place in Lydia’s dressing room, where she is preparing before the show.  She is ably assisted in these preparations by her long-suffering dresser, Kathryn.

There is rarely a quiet moment in the dressing room as visitors pop in and out all the time when Lydia is not on stage. There’s Lydia’s daughter Nicole, Charles her elderly fiancé, Paul her ex-husband, Harriet her Agent and Margaret the Company Manager.  These interactions are funny, a little sad and even downright brutal, while at the same time being very enjoyable for both the actors and the audience!

There are two small scenes from The Cherry Orchard which the audience see from the back of the stage. Lydia plays Lubov, while other actors, who otherwise do not feature in the play, take on the roles of Gaev and Lopakhin.  The subject of these small scenes do reflect somewhat on Lydia’s life.

The Actress is a comedy about how fame and fortune can create a monster, but is Lydia that bad?

The play highlights the theatre as a world full of ups and downs and shows how everyone connected to a production is affected.  Those who have been involved in ‘Theatre’ will recognise the characteristics of the Actors and for the innocent it gives a humorous peek at what goes on backstage!