November 8, 2006
This play, winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 2000, is an ideal choice for a group such as the Oxford Theatre Guild. It features four good roles for women of varying ages, which might not seem too unusual - but trust me, it is!
Centred around the emotional fallout created by the death of a mother and the subsequent reunion of her three contrasting daughters, it tackles with humour and pathos the topics of love, loss and, above all, memory.
If I have one criticism of the writing is that the memory theme is hammered home rather. This is impossible for any company to tackle without the consent of the author - but it is less subtle than I had expected from the piece. On the whole, the writing is both touching and humourous with some very funny moments.
The standout performances came from Helen Taylor (Mary) and Kate Sandow (Teresa). They carry much of the emotional weight of the play and give highly commendable performances. This is not to say that the rest of the cast are weak - very far from it. It is a tight ensemble and they clearly repay the commitment and devotion put in by director Steve Wright.
Technically the production team put very few feet wrong. One slightly clunky set change can be forgiven when balanced by the effective lighting, appropriate props and well chosen costumes.
Overall this is a polished performance of a play that is well worth viewing. It is a shame that the O’Reilly theatre isn’t better known - it certainly should be.
Centred around the emotional fallout created by the death of a mother and the subsequent reunion of her three contrasting daughters, it tackles with humour and pathos the topics of love, loss and, above all, memory.
If I have one criticism of the writing is that the memory theme is hammered home rather. This is impossible for any company to tackle without the consent of the author - but it is less subtle than I had expected from the piece. On the whole, the writing is both touching and humourous with some very funny moments.
The standout performances came from Helen Taylor (Mary) and Kate Sandow (Teresa). They carry much of the emotional weight of the play and give highly commendable performances. This is not to say that the rest of the cast are weak - very far from it. It is a tight ensemble and they clearly repay the commitment and devotion put in by director Steve Wright.
Technically the production team put very few feet wrong. One slightly clunky set change can be forgiven when balanced by the effective lighting, appropriate props and well chosen costumes.
Overall this is a polished performance of a play that is well worth viewing. It is a shame that the O’Reilly theatre isn’t better known - it certainly should be.