I always like an intimate studio-style setting for a play. A play where the audience is on the same level as the actors, and you feel as though you have accidentally wandered into some-one’s front room. This play doubled that experience as we eavesdropped on the lives of two generations, the home of the granddaughter and her husband (with their more modern sofa and furnishings) alongside that of her grandparents, with older furniture squeezed into their new retirement flat, a unit in a retirement development.

As grandfather, Theo, becomes increasingly frail and forgetful (so convincingly played by Jimmy Wearne that I expect his family were getting worried about his health!), his wife Alice (another impressive performance, by Su Steadman) puts on a brave face.

Grand-daughter Elaine brings her new Australian husband, Robin, to meet them and he, without blood-ties and shared history, is perhaps more in tune with the realities of the deteriorating situation, and certainly is not as sentimental. With less stage experience than their fellow actors, newcomers Amy Boughton and Tony Flack, took a little longer to look comfortable in their characters but as their confidence grew, they settled well into their roles.

Old age and a character sliding into dementia sounds an unlikely situation to produce many laughs but there were bitter-sweet comedy moments in this play. The audience had to laugh as, yet again, Theo mentioned the flat’s air-conditioning (“There’s One in every Unit”).

This was a thought-provoking play, well acted and well staged. It is also not often that you also hear well-deserved audience comments about the excellent incidental music used.

FADOS seems to have decided to leave large scale musicals to other amateur stage companies and this play shows that could prove to be an excellent move. Their summer production is “Gulls” by Robert Hewett, August 13-15. (01394 278893)

Rachel Sloane
April 2009

FADOS website