This touching, thought provoking, comedy centres on the recently-bereaved wife of a vicar. As she comes to terms with his death and the loss of her home to the new incumbent, her daughter and recently-returned missionary sister each have their own stories to reveal.
Sometimes it’s nice to go to the theatre, sit back and be entertained without applying too much brainpower. And that’s how I felt when the curtain went up. It was an easy watch with all the essentials: humour, sensitivity, intrigue and even a bit of historical sex.
Expertly directed by Jan Wilson, the cast of five unfolded the plot set around Grace, a recently widowed vicar’s wife and her family, including regular appearances of the deceased.
Liz Clarke gave a super-sharp delivery as Grace, whose cynicism about the Church and God was highly amusing! Much of the play’s intrigue was in the safe hands of Nicky Mawer as Ruth, her hippyish, missionary sister, who had shared with the late vicar more than a faith in the Almighty, resulting in a son! Grace’s daughter Sarah, played realistically by Lara Colotto, tried to bring calm, but declared the situation as ‘Songs of Praise on acid’! – just one of the production’s many great lines. As Bardolph the late vicar, visible only to his wife, Tony Price was perfection – dithery, other-worldly, vague and charming. Julia Mills drew empathy as Jo, the prospective new vicar, possibly the play’s ‘straightest’ role.
Forgiveness was at the centre of this play, as each character unburdened themselves which sounds heavy-going. But thanks to Richard Everett’s script, it was an amusing, satisfying piece.
— Edited from Gordon Birch’s review in the Harborough Mail
Grace – Liz Clarke
Jo – Lara Colotto
Sarah – Julia Mills
Ruth – Nicky Mawer
Bardy – Tony Price
Directed by Jan Wilson
Photography by John Harrison
Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, inc. www.concordtheatricals.com