skills from Judy), Marcus is much more practical. However, all is not as it seems. Bruce gives us a winning portrayal of Marcus as an amiable chum and later, a more sinister, and rather chilling, depth to his character as sexual inappropriateness comes to the fore. This is a sharp, witty and thought-provoking play. What really lies behind the façade of perfection? Why do we look back at past decades and even eras, with romanticism? The 1950s had their problems as Judy’s feisty feminist mother, Sylvia, was keen to point out. A commanding performance from Sheila Hine, whose beautifully delivered address to Judy and Fran in Act 2 tells them exactly how the Fifties really were: the domain of white heterosexuals, cold and drab, with food rationing. She deserved a round of applause! According to his programme notes, this is the director Robert Derry’s, first production for the society and he weaved some magic bringing all the elements of this play together with rich characterisation and insight. Assisted by Gareth Trimble, we were transported to the era in style, with Judy’s glorious outfits almost stealing the show. The music throughout was also a treat and kept us entertained during the scene/costume changes when the tabs were closed. Although I was a little bemused as to why just two changes bucked the trend and tabs were left open. Finally, with the iconic Sh-Boom song “Life would be a Dream” celebrating Judy and Johnny’s life back on an even keel, we applauded a deserving talented cast and technical teams. It was great fun looking through rose-tinted glasses for a short while and enjoying some fifties nostalgia which set off a gentle debate about the evolving roles of men and women on the way home! Thank you for your kind hospitality and a truly entertaining evening.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODU3MzQ=