Directed by Guy Peskin, the plot follows two sisters, the regal Lady Stacpoole played elegantly by Imogen Roberts, who used to be a model and now struts around her decaying homestead in an ancient fur coat tied seemingly together with rope, and June, played by a waspish Claire Andrews, an archdeacon with a taste for a good glass of wine (or any glass of wine).
Thrown intriguingly into the mix is Lady Stracpoole’s ‘companion’ Iris, played by Wendy Ash, who gets many of the best punchlines and delivers them with delightful comic timing.
Together these three women rumble round the bowels of their decrepit country pile, trapped together in a way that emulates the set-up of many a popular sitcom. Their challenge is to decide what to do with the place now the repairs have become overwhelming, and the conflict in their views is the catalyst for the drama.
June is convinced they should pass it onto the National Trust who will preserve the house and its contents for future generations to enjoy. The trouble is that means opening their doors to streams of inquisitive people. Lady Stacpoole is less certain about what the future should entail. She could perhaps sell the house lock, stock and barrel to mysterious group of philanthropists called The Concern who intend to move the property in its entirety to the warmer climes of Dorset. Or Wiltshire. And a coincidental reunion with an old friend opens up a less salubrious filming opportunity of the adult variety.
Around this central female trio flit a panoply of minor male characters, including a bishop struggling with new bifocals played by Haydn Davis, and the film set grip played with camp glee by Nick Baker. Each is given a trait or mannerism that helps him stand out. I was particularly impressed by the first, Tim Williams as Bevan the auctioneer, whose assured and clipped RP accent occasionally slipped, exposing the hidden soul of a market barrow boy. His inquisitive exploration of the house mirrored the curiosity of the audience and was an effective introduction into the Stacpoole's wacky world.
The cameo highlight however is undoubtably Diana Seabrooke as Brit, whose flat Baltic tones and perpetually unimpressed facial expressions created many comic moments.
Although the action takes place in the present day, the country pile location is replete with antiquity and the set was a wonderful junk shop of battered treasures and random relics. The lighting and projection helped create a vivid sense of the mood and atmosphere. The night I attended was sold out; great to see local audiences out to support a local dramatic group tackling a lesser known work by a much-loved writer.
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