The folk of Lostock Green always enjoy a cultural evening out to the neighbouring village of Plumley, so when news went round the village that the local Lostock Green thespians Harry, Sophia and Sarah had booked the church hall for rehearsals and with other local actors were performing again, it was an opportunity that could not be missed. A delegation of us Lostock Green Ladies duly reserved front row seats and put on our glad rags and went.
We were not disappointed – a very enjoyable evening out that rang true with similar memories of holidays from hell spent with fellow nosey, bickering, competitive guests who garnished the truth a bit to impress and score points when away from home – but beware its an addictive pastime and you’ll get caught out in the end.
Avoiding the choice tables in the centre of the hall with nibbles as we had been admonished ‘Don’t Pinch the Nuts’ (they were props) we settled down at our table enjoying the Mediterranean surroundings and Latin rhythms only to be interrupted by a burst of Spanglish in a broad Geordie accent as the packed audience was thrown into the bickering match between Bill (Harry Kennedy) and Marj (Margaret Leslie), long term holiday makers of a certain age.
Margaret gave an excellent performance as a very believable crabby, sour, nosey parker, wheel chair bound middle aged lady insisting that Bill act normal. Of course Harry’s skill is not to act normal as shown in his polished Spanish Tannoy announcements with the appropriate (or inappropriate) English phrase slipped in.
A change in tempo came into the play as fellow Twilight Adventurer, smooth talking, generous and slightly smug Alfred (played by Roger Barlow with a soupcon of suspicion) entered on the scene, flirting with Marj and besotted with shy and retiring Grace (Rebecca Taylor), who’s husband Hugh has been closeted away suffering from a long term stomach upset. Rebecca’s interpretation of Grace as insecure, easily annoyed and unsettled and always rising to Marj’s bait engendered sympathy from the audience.
As these Twilight Adventurer hotel guests each acted out and built their fantasy lives a wonderfully harassed Karen (Sarah Sherwood) the hotel rep dashed in and out organising activities and policing the unattended bar as crisis and chaos hit the hotel staff, until she is charmed by the arrival of a younger male guest and his mismatched stressed female companion who are on a spur of the moment get away from it all holiday.
John and Melanie, both powerfully played by Jon White and Jenna Finnigan, are the catalysts that start unravelling the pretence of the Twilighters and even their own relationship, all aided by Bill’s ever increasing consumption of alcohol from the unattended bar.
As the holiday ends the truth comes out, the white lies disintegrate, Hugh is shown to be a figment of Grace’s imagination and love blossoms as Alfred leads Grace off to a cliff top sunset or does he? Alfred remains a man of mystery. Where does he actually live? Is he a widower? What happened to his previous wife on the cliff top? Is Grace OK?
The Other Theatre Company’s rendition of Lets Pretend, directed by Sophia Kennedy, was all in all a brisk and boisterous tale of trust and distrust that caught up the audience and made them feel like fellow guests with the Twilight Adventurers. Well done to all the Cast and Crew.
Review by Ros Todhunter of Lostock Green Ladies and Gossip on the Green
For more information about this production, please see our Past Productions page for Let's Pretend.