Performed 23^rd – 28^th January 2017 by Cleadon Village Drama Club

Day of Reckoning by Pam Valentine

Extracts from Bob Lawson’s personal view

The stage was simply too small for eight players and the furniture.

Actors did their very best to bring out the very different characteristics of each part, with varying degrees of success. Mary Stephenson as Ethel the gossip and nosy parker, brought out her character with skill and effectiveness.

Apart from the newcomer Jessica, all the rest of the cast were very experienced and it showed because one great characteristic needed in actors is CONFIDENCE. This showed very clearly and added to the enjoyment of the play.

After the interval a very different and much more enjoyable play emerged. The great difference was the emerging of a series of distinctive small scenes, usually with just two or three characters. In some of these small scenes we learn much more of each stage person and a series of very interesting story lines emerged, and it has to be said all were very well acted and directed. My favourite mini-scene was the one between the Vicar, Geoffrey, so well played by David Beston and the careworn Gloria (Sonia McDonnell). It was thoroughly worthwhile on a bitter winter’s night to come out and see.

It’s lovely to observe an actress of the ability of Kathleen Dodds to easily fit in as the adulterous wife Sally, and also Pat Thompson’s portrayal as the doddering knitter. Denise Wilson is a natural actress who is able to fill so many different CVD roles with authenticity and empathy. Gillian Crossley took her part with authority especially in the mini scene with Angela, played by Jessica Henderson. Jessica who was making her first appearance on the Cleadon Stage made a decent beginning but has some basic things to learn to be really effective. One basic is that a speaker on stage must be able to be heard by everyone at the back of the audience, another is not to drop your voice when sitting down or when speaking to someone close to you on stage. Well done Jessica, see you again soon on the Cleadon Stage.

It’s a hard task to direct a large cast on the small CVDC stage so a big thank you is due to Frank Ditchburn for all the work and worry he has put in in order to make the production a success.

Overall I enjoyed the play especially the second half.