April 2008 – Ladies in Retirement
Cast of 'Ladies in Retirement'
Ladies in Retirement was performed in Morganstown Village Hall on Tues Nov 29th, Wed 30th April and on Fri 2nd May 2008. The play takes place in an isolated cottage on the Thames Estuary in the mid-Victorian period. A retired actress has a housekeeper but is none too pleased when the housekeeper brings her two slightly scatty sisters to live in the cottage. Will the actress throw them out or will something more sinister happen?
Gill Evans, straight from her success with the Music Group’s Hello Dolly played the actress, while Tessa Davies, the Music Group’s musical director, essayed her first straight performance in Radyr as a nun. It was also good to welcome back three regular ladies to the group – Pauline Watson as the housekeeper and Zoe Pearce and Helen Windsor as her sisters. The cast was made up by husband and wife acting team Jim and Bethan Cowan.
The production was in the care of director Brenda Williams and costume designer Sheila Phillips says that she had a ball designing all the beautiful Victorian costumes. Someone else having a ball was set designer Dave Burgess who designed and made several major props like the bread oven and a piano small enough to fit on the stage at Morganstown Village Hall. Finally, the difficulties of conveying the isolation of the Thames marshes in all seasons and at all times of day fell to lighting designer, Geoff Davies and sound designer, Tony Watson.
CAST
Lucy Gilham Bethan Cowan,
Leonora Fiske Gill Evans,
Ellen Creed Pauline Watson,
Albert Feather Jim Cowan,
Louisa Creed Helen Windsor,
Emily Creed Zoë Pearce,
Sister Theresa Tessa Davies,
Director Brenda Williams,
Associate Director Sheila Phillips
Ladies in retirement 2008
