Period drama has an authentic feel
Review: Before the Party
Before the Party, Ross Ackland’s adaption of a short story written in 1922 by W Somerset Maugham, stands the test of time and is the fifth production in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s repertoire this summer.
The story is set in 1949, wheremembers of a well-to-do middle-class household in suburban Surrey are attempting to re-establish themselves as leading lights in the social world.
But all is not as it seems: Widowed daughter, Laura (Kirsty McDuff ) returns from West Africa and refuses to follow convention in dressing in ‘widow’s weeds’and reveals her husband’s death may not have been as reported.
This is a fact drawn out by her unmarried sister Kathleen (Niamh Bracken) whose relationship with Laura is screwed up, confused and bitchy.
Mother, Blanche (Deirdre Davis) is the matriarch of the household but can never make a decision while
Deirdre Davis, Mark Elstob and Niamh Bracken in Before the Party PICTURE: DOUGLAS MCBRIDE father, Aubrey (Mark audience will have Elstob) an established remembered or lawyer is determined to recognised the style of smooth over all matters so furniture in the room as as not to effect his typical of the post war selection as the next Tory period. The costumes, candidate. Susan, also designed by Amanda delightfully played by Stoodley are the typically Fiona Wood, is the well-to-do suburban youngest daughter and fashions of the post-war most levelheaded period. member of the family. Before the Party is a Laura’s new man, David delightful black comedy Marshall (Isaac with all the quirkiness of Stanmore),has a the middle classes. It runs mysterious past whilst the in repertoire from now calmest member of the until the October 11. household is Nanny For more details and (Irene-Mrtyle Forrester). performance dates see
The play is set in Laura’s PitlochryFestivalTheatre. bed/sitting room and com website or call 01796 many of the Pitlochry 484626.