Archives - July 1996
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Archives - July 1996 |
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Produced by Mary Frost
THE PLAY
Modern-day drama. Two families, one working-class and common, the other middle-class and snobbish, end up next to each other on a beach during the summer holidays. While the Mercer and Adamson parents allow their preconceptions and prejudices to steer them towards outright unpleasantness, their bored teenage children get on rather better. Malcolm Mercer and Sarah Adamson cause a minor storm when they go off skinny-dipping together, while Katie Mercer decides she wants to live with Arnold, the poetic deadbeat deckchair attendant.
Both sets of parents blame each other for the bad influences their children are having and the resultant acrimony threatens to alienate all of the younger generation. The play ends, though, with the realisation that so much of the conflict is down to innate bigotry and ignorance and that a little understanding of other people goes a long way. With familial relations repaired, it is time to get back to the real world - until next holiday.
FROM THE GROUP
A
summer play, without any doubt. It is set upon a beach at a seaside resort
somewhere on the south coast. Not much scenery was required except for a
promenade raised section at the back of the set with steps leading down to a
beach area. The beach illusion was simple to create, using a few scattered rocks
and some seaweed and driftwood. The rest of the beach atmosphere was created
with the paraphernalia brought on by the family spending the day on the beach.
This family had everything but the kitchen sink: sunbed, chairs, picnic table,
games, towels, food, flasks and lots more. Mum, Dad and two bored teenage
children settle down for a day in the sun spreading their equipment around them.
They are shortly joined by another family. The families are a complete contrast:
one thinking the other common and the first thinking the second snobs.
No earth shattering events take place; it is just a shrewd observation of
people. A play of more complexity than it would first seem, it needed good
timing as two or three conversations were taking place simultaneously which is
always difficult to pull off well. Bob Wakelin shone as the rather common,
perplexed father.
Mary - Producer
Press Photo: L-R Standing: Ken Frost (Maurice
Adamson) and Cheree Hill (Helen Adamson)
Seated: Bob Wakelin (Jack Mercer), Steve Wakelin (Malcolm Mercer), Philippa
Liassides (Sarah Adamson), Judith Greenfield (Beryl Mercer) and Lyndsey Kite
(Katie Mercer)
PREVIEWS & REVIEWS
Preview from the Worthing Herald, July 1996
Review from the Worthing Herald, 26th July 1996
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