The ladies return after their triumphant rendition of Charles Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ in 2022 to conquer yet another dramatic endeavour, well not so much ‘conquer’ more ‘massacre’.
Their latest venture, ‘We found love and an exquisite set of porcelain figurines aboard the SS Farndale Avenue’, by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jr, is set in the 1930s and sees them set sail on the luxury ocean liner across the Atlantic. What could possibly go wrong? Well, apart from a triangle of would-be-lovers, a myriad of mishaps, dodgy sets not to mention the acting, stuffed sea birds, and a drunken sailor for good measure. Oh, and the ship sinks, and they all get stranded on a desert island.
The ladies are back to prove that the age of elegance, glamour and enchantment is not dead...well, if it wasn’t before, it soon will be!
So, remember the title, if you can, and put the dates in your diary; performances are on 27th, 28th and 29th June in Boxford Village Hall, with curtain up at 7.30pm.
Once again The ladies of Boxford Drama Group triumphed by performing another hilarious play by The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild. A play within a play, as it were - where if it could go wrong, it did.
Elaine Carpenter as Mrs Reece opened the show with an explanation of what was about to happen. After that it was in the lap of the gods.
This time they set sail across the Atlantic on a luxury ocean liner, The SS Farndale Avenue. I use the term ‘luxury’ loosely. The set came apart on more than one occasion, when over-zealous waving caused the rail to topple over almost into the ‘sea’. Hannah Carpenter as Daisy the maid, insisted on appearing on the wrong side of the rail and when realising her mistake, ‘swam’ off.
These brave ladies took on several parts, some of them male, made more obvious by moustaches (not always remembered in the costume changes)
There was a love triangle with Alison Barlow as Constance Lombard, a very gorgeous and glamorous actress. Her two love interests were Beauregard St Clair played by Elaine Carpenter and Noel Nightingale played by Angela Tolputt. Both were trying to out-do the other one with gifts of porcelain and snide remarks.
Two random Scots ‘people’ appeared in tartan dressing gowns, Hannah Carpenter as Phil McCavity pushing Angela Tolputt as Ben Doon, onstage in a wheelchair. They proceeded to complain in unintelligible Scottish accents. Then, finding her/himself abandoned (and in true ‘Little Britain’ style), Ben Doon stood up, folded the wheelchair and pushed it off.
Lenka Netopolikova played so many parts which involved the swapping of hats in quick succession - three men and two women - it took some skill, but as the Captain, appeared to go down with the ship just in time for supper. Of course the ship was bound to sink.
This hapless bunch then found themselves on a desert island complete with plastic palm trees and a wealth of porcelain treasures. They were thankfully rescued and obviously lived to tell the tale.
The plot was complicated, the acting so bad it was superb and it was a laugh from start to finish. I have to give a special shout-out to Hannah Carpenter as Daisy the maid who was especially funny in that role.
Well done everyone involved, it was a brilliant night out complete with a two course supper supplied by Dawn Mace and her team.
Thanks must also go to all the unsung heroes who work so hard to put the show on. From lighting and sound, set painting and construction, costumes, stage management, prompt, front of house, bar staff and of course Richard Haining from the Post Office for selling our tickets.
Special praise also to Jane Lindekam for her expert directing.
Thanks too to our loyal supporters who came to watch us.
All photos courtesy of Jeremy Morgan