Having been refused entry to heaven it seems as if famous crime writer Jack Cameron and his wife Susie will be spending eternity in their old country cottage. Then along come Felicity and Simon, a young couple still trying to make their mark on the world and looking for a place to live. With little money and no prospects, according to Marcia - Simon’s harridan of a mother-in-law, their tenancy may be short-lived. Mark, the estate agent, is trying to let a property he believes may be haunted and agrees to a one-year rental. Felicity (‘Flic’) is pregnant, which endears her to Susie, but Jack is not so keen when he discovers that Simon is an aspiring author with little talent. Enter Susie’s no-nonsense guardian angel who produces a solution. But will it work and even if it does, how do Jack and Susie get out of purgatory and into heaven?
Come and join Boxford Drama Group as they negotiate this hilarious cross-talking comedy. Performances on Thurs Apr 11th, 7pm (tickets £14 inc ploughmans) and Fri 12th/Sat 13th Apr, 7:30pm (tickets £18 inc 2-course meal interval).
Another splendid performance by Boxford Drama Group.
This was a play which involved three people from the hereafter Jack and Susie Cameron, (skilfully played by Frances Korabik and James Tolputt ) who had drowned and he had been refused admission to Heaven on account of him being an atheist ( fair enough). They were doomed to spend all eternity in their cottage on earth unless he could be persuaded to believe.
The cottage was up for rental by a nervous Estate Agent, convincingly played by Joe Barrett, who feared the place was haunted ( things moved all the time to his utmost discomfort). He did his best to persuade the potential new tenants , Simon and Felicity Willis, charmingly played by Emily Barlow and Peter Korabik that it wasn’t. They took the cottage and then the fun started
Simon was trying to write a book, Felicity was having a baby, her mother, Marcia Bradshaw , played by Angela Tolputt did not approve of her daughter’s choice of husband and most certainly made her feelings quite clear when she visited. She made a marvellous harridan. Money was tight and he had writer’s block.
Jack Cameron had been a famous author on earth. Susie decided to call up her guardian angel (if such a person existed). Enter one slightly eccentric, well, very eccentric Guardian Angel complete with odd clothes, a floppy hat, a shopping bag and a mobile phone, played brilliantly by Jane Elliott, who had an air of a no-nonsense Mary Poppins about her. She bestowed some powers on the spirit couple to enable them to help Simon write his book.
The plot was complicated for the actors, not the audience though, who could watch the story unfold and see and hear everyone. The ‘living’ actors could not see or hear the spirits. How they didn’t bump into each other or react to them is a credit to their acting skills.
Some of the situations were hilarious and it was a very funny script. Felicity gave birth to a baby girl three nights running , fortunately offstage. Simon found the inspiration to write his book. A bit of jiggery pokery on Jack’s part had Marcia throwing herself at the hapless estate agent who was already traumatised by objects floating about in the air.
In the end Jack gets down on his knees and prays for the baby to cry. He is then regarded as a believer and with the help of their Guardian Angel they go off to enter the pearly gates. ( I’m sure Jack was very relieved as he was on stage for the entire play save seven seconds and word perfect!)
The spirits of the members of the audience were certainly lifted by this excellent and very entertaining play.
I have also to mention all the unsung heroes who help to make these productions possible, Jane Lindekam and Janice Keith backstage crew, and producer, Elaine Carpenter , prompt, Alan Clark , lighting, Jeremy Morgan and Alison Barlow, bar, John Kirby, publicity, Dawn Mace and her team , catering and Sandra Waspe and friends FOH. A big shout out though to David Phillips for his expert directing. Well done everyone!