Archives - July 1993

DAISY PULLS IT OFF
by Denise Deegan

Produced by Mary Frost

THE PLAY

Period comedy, set in a girl's school in 1927. Daisy Meredith, the first ever scholarship girl admitted to Grangewood School, is to join the upper Fourth, but not everyone is happy about the idea of letting common girls into such an exclusive place. Sybil and Monica, Daisy's dorm-mates, in particular, are determined that she should be expelled in disgrace. Their nasty little schemes get Daisy branded as a cheat, a liar and a sneak - but plucky Daisy is resolute that she will not let them ruin her. Aided by best friend Trixie and with head girls Clare and Alice at least giving her a fair chance, Daisy sets about finding the lost treasure of Digby Beaumont, school founder and grandfather of Clare.

Along the way, she helps win the annual hockey match against Vearncombe, rescues Sybil and Monica in a daring night-time clifftop adventure and discovers that she is, in fact, a member of the Beaumont family. When Sybil finally confesses her misdeeds in front of the school and Daisy is completely exonerated, everything ends happily after all.

FROM THE GROUP

I loved the idea of grown women taking on the roles of schoolgirls in the manner of thirties style school stories. At first I couldn't see how we could stage this play, but after much thought I managed to devise ways that all the various scenes and places could be achieved.
We were fortunate in having a large number of women available for casting at this time. The role of Daisy herself was important to get right as she not only is on stage most of the time she also has to be able to sing. Philippa Liassides proved to be a wonderful choice as she not only looked right for the part, she also had a sweet clear voice and she could act. We managed also to draft in one or two people from friends and family to play the smaller roles of assorted schoolgirls. Costumes were hired from a place in Shoreham (now sadly defunct) that had everything we required, including tennis racquets, hockey sticks etc.
It was great fun seeing ladies of a more mature age losing themselves in the 'jolly hockey sticks' atmosphere and giving a hearty rendering of the old school song. A wonderful set was constructed with a raised balcony area to accommodate the school staff. The set was skillfully painted by Mike Liassides to look like an old stone hall of a public school complete with stained glass windows. This undoubtedly added to the overall success of this play.
The cast really enjoyed themselves in this play and created some wonderful set pieces. Who amongst them will ever forget the re-creation of the daring cliff rescue?
Mary - Producer

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