21st - 26th November 2011 "MAKE WAY FOR LUCIA" by John van Druten Tickets available, £7 each from: Budleigh Salterton TIC Monday - Saturday 10am-1pm Cast: Major Benjamin Flint - David Wilkes Grosvenor - Mary Logan Mrs Mapp - Dianne Nicholls George Pillson - David Holt Lucia Lucas - Jenny Roberts Mr Wyse - Mike Terry Mrs Wyse - Christine Tyler Rev. Kenneth Bartlett - Richard Gomm Mrs Barlett - Wendy Gomm Godiva Plaistow - Rosemary Williams Signor Cortese - Richard Gomm Director - Fay Hamilton Company Assistant Director - Elaine Wilson Stage Manager - Richard Gomm Set Design - Roy Miles Set Construction and Painting - Roy Miles, David Holt & Elaine Wilson Props - Pam Terry & Sue Elliott Prompt - Jenny Bowden Lighting - Jeremy Townley Sound - Richard Matthews Wardrobe - Wendy Gomm & Rosemary Holt Dressers - Penny Hill & Nicci Hudson Posters - David Holt Programme - Dianne Nicholls Publicity - Roger Simmonds & Mary Logan Photography - Jeremy Townley Box Office - Judith Stewart-Young Front of House & Refreshments - Club Members Cast photos during rehearsal
'Director's staging was well judged'
SOCIAL rivalry was taken to extremes in a Salterton Drama Club comedy, which culminated in the two leading ladies both becoming engaged in an attempt to out do the other. Frequent costume changes, a lengthy script and a busy succession of stage entrances and exits were among challenges in John Van Druten's Make Way for Lucia staged at the Budleigh Salterton Playhouse. Although a few prompts were needed, the club executed the testing script well. Clever casting saw David Wilkes once again take on the role of a former military man - this time Major Benjamin Flint, and Dianne Nicholls was a natural as the town's incumbent 'Queen Bee' Miss Elizabeth Mapp. David Holt and Jenny Roberts made a great pairing as Mr George Pilson and Lucia, there was an ease in their stage interaction which made their unconventional relationship easy to accept. As Mr and Mrs Wyse, Mike Terry and Christine Tyler were wonderfully indiscreet in their worship of the town's new arrivals as were the Reverend Bartlett and his wife Evie (well played by Richard and Wendy Gomm). Rosemary Williams was delightful as the gossiping Godiva with lovely mischievious facial expressions and mannerisms. Mary Logan was suitably somber as long suffering housemaid Grosvenor. The hilarious high points were undoubtably courtesy of David Wilkes in his fancy dress party outburst and brilliant drunken challenge to his rival George. The drunken scene and the evening with Signor Cortese were among evidence of director Fay Hamilton's stage experience - positioning and movement, which could have become chaotic, were well judged here and throughout. Playhouse audiences expect attention to detail in set design and construction - we were not disappointed; well done to Roy Miles and his team whose backdrop set the scene for the cast to entertain and amuse. Exmouth Journal - 1 December 2011 Emma Cooling
