BATS REVIEW FOR CHESHIRE CATS PRODUCTION

Cheshire Cats

St Joseph’s Players, Leigh

When thinking of fundraising ideas to raise money for Cancer awareness many ideas come to mind but by writing a play about a group of women running a race for life, author Gail Young has come up with a gem.

St Joseph’s Players took on this task with aplomb as they provided comedy, pathos and a really good night’s entertainment. Pauline Nevell has directed a real cracker here and with such a talented cast this production has hit all the right notes.

Vicky and Maggie, given a touch of realism by Donna Wood and Nicola Reynolds set the scene as they want to take things at an easy pace but with the introduction of organiser Hilary, played with abounding energy by Clare Nash the girls are put to the test and train flat out in order to reach their personal best.

Testosterone is on hand by the introduction of Vicky’s toyboy Andrew. Daniel McCarrick was game in providing us with a great performance dressed in full lycra regalia complete with wig. Jenny Costello proves to be one to watch as she portrayed Siobhan with a subtle innocence which made the character real.

At some point in the play each character gave a monologue or a song, telling their story and this touch made the significance of the play more apparent. This was done very well. 

Providing cameo performances were Louise Bailey-Farrell as the keep fit aerobics instructor and Vikky Dixon, Chris Lovelady, Maggie Hall and the hilarious Pauline Dowsett as marshals for the run. 

Pulling off a good comedy isn’t easy, but with such a great comedy actress as Barbara Mayers you know you are on to a winner. Mayers performance as Yvonne was nothing short of hilarious. One minute we had tones of Hyacinth, but that was soon replaced by a touch of Hylda Baker. Mayers had the audience on the edge of their seats in anticipation as they waited for the next one liner or anecdote. The song she performed was comedy gold. A truly brilliant performance.

All in all, this production left the audience wanting more which is a good sign that you have done a good job, and in this case St Josephs, in the capable hands of Pauline Nevell can add this production to their list of successes.     

Paul Cohen
BATS           

  Our next production HAPPY JACK is almost upon us, commencing on Tuesday 11^th October to Saturday 15^th October 7-30pm start £8 adults 16yrs and under £4 (Please Pay on the door on the night.)

Synopsis of HAPPY JACK

A sense of Yorkshire pride comes through John Godber’s words in his much loved Comedy Drama HAPPY JACK which he wrote two years before the cataclysmic miner’s strike of 1984

Northern couple, Liz and Jack, played by Pauline Nevell & Keith Hindley open this remarkable play by addressing the audience about the biographical details of the characters they play, and then slipping into those characters. Small, lovingly detailed extracts from the couple's lives are shown from their early courtship days, through to their retirement, but not in chronological order, so we constantly weave a path through their long life together.

Liz is the fastidious northern wife, who scrubs the steps on Wednesdays and woe-betide if the washing and cleaning duties aren’t done properly on the right day of the week. Her cheerful drudgery is punctuated with an occasional bout of giddiness; the squeal of her laughter is so infectious, it’s impossible not to smile along. She ends so many of her sentences with a long-suffering look and the words ‘You have to laugh, Jack’, as if it will persuade him to do so. Happy Jack, she calls him because he is such a miserable character. The Financial Times described the play as 'Neat, touching and joyously celebratory’.   A night not to be missed.

We are proud to announce that our BATS award winners this year are, Pauline Nevell, Clare Nash, Paul Jameson, Terry Mc Cabe and Jim Reynolds. Congratulations xxx