In By the Half

 

 

Yesterday a small group of members entertained the Wednesday Social Club at Islesburgh to a play reading - In By the Half by Jimmie Chinn.  This one act sometimes comedy/sometimes drama was much enjoyed by the small audience and I would add by those of us who took part in the reading.

We have had a number of rehearsals under Morag's direction - looking at characterisations, speed of delivery, highs and lows etc.  With no movement we had the opportunity to really explore this play.

The play centres around Madam (Lorraine Jamieson) an elderly, retired, classics actress who leads everyone quite a dance!

Doris (Val Hall) her one-time companion and dresser is now the housekeeper verging on carer and the play opens with quite a breakfast "spat" between the two.

During the course of the morning Madam is visited by her doctor (Helen Park).  Needless to say Madam thinks she has a terminal illness, but the doctor pronounces her fit as a fiddle!

 

 

 At lunchtime Madam gives the poor hapless Sylvia (Stephenie Pagulayan) elocution lessons - poor Sylvia has spots, cannot say her R's and has a cold. 

During this lesson Madam's estranged daughter Ursula (Jennie Atkinson) is spied in the garden and when she eventually comes into the house, there is a testing time as Mother and Daughter face up to each other - angrily at times, but at others with touching emotion.

 

 

 

Doreen (Gray) yet again provided the Stage Managerial role, setting the scene for the audience and ringing the door bell! She, like the rest of us, found it very difficult to keep a straight face at times!

 

This was a lovely opportunity to do something completely different and we thank Stephenie and her group for inviting us.