Pretzels for Dinner
Your editor had the pleasure of booking to see the above play being performed by our local theatre group QT on Thursday 25th May.
We featured Jude Latham’s summary of the play in the May issue, which I will reprise here:
‘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.
Well, this didn’t disappoint – my reaction was Wow! I haven’t been to a QT performance for a while and after my visit, thought that it has been too long!
The seven cast members shown in the picture above was taken after the performance on Friday 26th May with the writer of the play, Janet Shaw, she is the lady dressed in black behind the chair. The cast L-R: Keiron O’Brien, Jack Coulton, Tobias Garner, Jules Richard (seated), Gillian Bowler, Kat Seddon and Donna Gunn.
The cast were amazing and made the audience laugh from the beginning. The use of music by the Carpenters during the set changes was also a great way to keep the audience engaged with the play, and enhanced what we had just seen.
This bitter-sweet comedy by Janet Shaw follows a wife and friend, with stay at home mum, Ann played by Gillian Bowler, horse racing mad Dad, Bill played by Jules Richard who takes his wife for granted and two teenagers; daughter Kara played by Kay Seddon and son played by Tobias Garner being typical teenagers taking their mother for granted, until Dad suddenly passes away due to the excitement while watching TV when his bet on the horses actually win!
The whole production is set in the Johnson’s sitting room and follows the family after the death of Bill, who appears as a ghost throughout the rest of the play.
Ann begins to talk to her now deceased husband whom only she can see and hear! Ann’s friend and nosy neighbour, Hilary played by Jack Coulton, turns up to help Ann to restore her to the person she once was, Hilary has apparently done a course for every eventuality but pronounces them wrong, a very difficult thing to do intentionally. As they all wonder if Ann is going mad, Hilary encourages her to follow her dream and she meets Tom a friend of her son and a fellow student on the trip to Egypt, which will fulfil Ann’s dream.
As in any comedy, timing is essential and these seven actors got it spot on! Considering that Jack, Tobias and Keiron are all new to acting and this being their first performance they were all amazing, so many lines to remember!
It is a difficult thing to play a ghost and Jules as Bill excelled and the rapport with Gillian as Ann was brilliant. As was the whole cast as it isn’t easy trying not to see someone on stage with you, but these made it look easy. It ends with Hilary being left to look after the cat and the two teenagers as Ann goes on her travels to find Tutinkamasutra as Hilary calls it with Tom.
Well done to all involved, from the director, Jude Latham, the cast, stage crew, set designers and builders, to box office and publicity.
The Saric Theatre on Chapel Street is a small and intimate theatre with close proximity the audience so nowhere for the actors to hide.
The pictures, taken by Jo Gallagher,show just give a glimpse of the play and I hope it gives you a flavour of the very talented people we have here in Syston.
This won’t be my last visit to see the group, as I really enjoyed it and commend them all for putting on such a great show!
