Pretzels for Dinner – a bitter-sweet comedy by Janet Shaw
“I take it you are acquainted with pretzels”. No? Hilary certainly isn’t. And she’s not standing for any more of Kara’s supercilious attitude, or Sam’s insolent idleness, and their complete disregard for their long-suffering mother, Ann, who’s been oblivious to just how much they’ve taken her for granted over the years. And she’s convinced she’s heard Ann’s husband, Bill, just call her a witch. But he’s been dead for a month and there’s just his empty chair in the living room. He was talking to her though; she definitely heard him. She did, didn’t she? Anyway, there are two dinners to cook for Kara and Sam, the cat to feed, and Bill’s ashes to sprinkle somewhere appropriate, now that her neighbour and friend Ann’s finally set off to find Tutinkamasutra with Tom. Hopefully, Bill’s sister Irene stays away for good this time as she’s only out for what she can get and that’s no good for Hilary’s korma (she means karma). Or maybe she could take up family mediation as her next course?
‘Pretzels for Dinner’, written by Janet Shaw, is a bitter-sweet comedy set in the present day which explores what happens when a woman loses her identity and becomes lost in domesticity? Ann Johnson knows exactly what happens, because it happened to her. One day she was a young woman with hopes, dreams and expectations. In the blink of an eye, she’s middle-aged with two grown-up children and her dreams lost somewhere between Asda and Iceland. Fate takes a hand and suddenly she’s on her own, lost in the unfamiliar world of high-tech gadgets and unpaid bills. Somehow, she has to act before she disappears into a quagmire of self-loathing and insecurity. With the help (or hindrance) from her somewhat interfering next-door neighbour Hilary, Ann starts to re-build her life. Can she find a way to start learning to love herself again and to re-kindle the life she once envisaged? Her husband Bill, although gone, is not going to let her achieve her goals without trying to interfere for one last time. A poignant, and sometimes hilarious, look at life, love, marriage and unfulfilled ambitions, this play will have you laughing, wincing, and lamenting in equal measure.
At the time of going to press, rehearsals are in the final stages for Syston QT Theatre Group’s next production, which is by arrangement with Stagescripts Ltd. We’re delighted to bring three new faces to the stage since our last show – Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Absent Friends’ – Jack Coulton, Kieron O’Brien and Toby Garner, as well as welcome back a firm audience favourite, Donna Gunn. So, we’ve got a great cast and crew line-up ready to serve up our next performance:
Cast
Bill – Jules Richards
Ann – Gillian Bowler
Sam – Toby Garner
Kara – Kat Seddon
Hilary – Jack Coulton
Irene – Donna Gunn
Tom – Kieron O’Brien
Some are shown in the photograph Above with Director Jude wearing the scarf.
Crew
Director – Jude Latham
Stage/set design and construction – Mark Smith
Stage Managers – Jo Woolaston and Jo Gallagher
Technical – Russell Webster
Continuity – Margaret Young
Front of House – Lesley Smith
We’re thrilled to be putting on another of Janet Shaw’s plays. We had a great run of ‘One Day I’ll Fly Away’ in 2017, even Janet Shaw herself came along to see the show and loved our interpretation of her work! She was keen for us to do ‘Pretzels’, thinking it would suit our theatre group and audience down to the ground, so we hope you come along to find out for yourself!
‘Pretzels for Dinner’ is running:
* 23rd to 26th May
* 7.30pm to 10.00pm
* The Old Chapel, Chapel Street, Syston, LE7 1GN (off High Street)
* Tickets £9 (concessions £8) available from our Box Office – 0798 996 0014
* Prizes to be won in our nightly raffle!
* Pre-show and interval drinks available
* Free car park next door and other free parking nearby
For more information about the show and Syston QTs visit our website www.qttheatregp.co.uk, follow us on Facebook Syston QT Theatre Group, or email us at qtsyston@gmail.com Don’t forget to join our mailing list so you can get advance notice of our productions and stay up-to-date with all things QT!
We do hope you can join us for ‘Pretzels for Dinner’, there’s even some cucumber for the Vulcans.
Kat Seddon, Syston QT Theatre Group