'Abandonment' by Elgin L.A.D.S
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Review by James Cameron
The two act play ‘Abandonment’ by Kate Atkinson is a comedy with really dark areas throughout.
The advertising poster carries a warning that it is a play with an adult theme which proved to be the case.
Perhaps it’s the norm nowadays to put on plays that can shock and disturb the audience with swearing, promiscuity, controversial situations, heavy drinking, abortion, murder and a serious lack of moral conduct.
The theatre group L.A.D.S took on the formidable task of rehearsing and memorising this weighty three hour-long marathon.
Ellen Stewart assembled her cast and directed what would have taken a tremendous amount of planning and patience to bring it to fruition.
The reason for the long play is the complicated plot as the action flits at times from the present to the Victorian era indicated by blackouts and quick costume changes.
These transformations were well done as the lighting had to be ‘spot on’ along with quick costumes changes.
The whole play is set in an old run down Victorian mansion with rotting floorboards which have a sour odour emitting from them.
Elizabeth, played strongly by Ann McMullen, wants to live a quiet country life but is beseiged by a friend, a workman, a photographer, her sister and her mother.
No ‘old Victorian house’ play would be complete unless it has a ghost floating around and Hazel Croudace gave the role of Agnes grace and dignity.
She appears when the new occupier arrives and starts to recall her past by listening to the conversations of Elizabeth and company.
Agnes struggles to regain her speech and her memory, and all is revealed in the second act.
Elizabeth’s friend Suzy, who is a lesbian, arrives with the news she wants to have a baby with her wife.
Allison Miller kept this role tight and used good facial expressions to enhance her dialogue.
Allison's secondary role as Gertie the maid comes as the play returns to when the house was still new in Victorian times and the family were wealthy.
Granted an opportunity to bring out another character she changed her demeanour and accent to that of a highland lass.
Estelle Buchanan as Kitty gave a convincing portrayal of a journalist who had slept with everything that wore trousers, sometimes looking a bit ashamed and other times downright blasé about it.
By complete contrast, in the Victorian era she is Letitia, a straight-laced, grieving mother.
Letitia employs a charlatan, the rev Scobie, adeptly played by John Crees-Turner, to contact her dead son, but this, oddly enough, he never manages to do.
Elizabeth’s mother, Ina, arrives and is the constant chatterbox who tries to dominate the conversation by drawing attention always to herself.
Tanya McLaren kept her character straight and convincing. She portrayed a range of emotions fitting for her selfish character.
As with the other actors, Tanya appeared as two characters, becoming the elderly Lavender in the second act.
For actors to switch from one character to another and back again takes skill and experience.
Tanya displayed consumate ease with this.
Marcus Carlisle as Callum the joiner, gave a steady performance going through his own problems and losing out eventually to Kitty’s insatiable sexual onslaught.
Finally to Kitty’s pal Alec Merril played by Stewart Friendship.
This happy chap is the male equivalent of Kitty.
He arrives at the house to take photographs for a cheap magazine but shows his true colours by becoming the Casanova of the piece and seducing Elizabeth before, of course, dumping her.
Strangely the other character he plays from the Victorian period also held the same traits of being a Lothario.
Stewart changes character to become the lord of the manor and nothing in a dress was safe.
Agnes who appears as the ghost in the beginning is, in this era alive and falls foul of the sexual attentions of the master of the house who offers undying love.
Later when she reveals that she is pregnant he murders her aided by his wife Letitia.
At the beginning I mentioned that there was a sour smell emitting from under the floor.
This is poor Agnes’ rotted body buried there all those years ago. Before the play ends she is discovered and laid to rest.
A long play in two acts, the audience had to be alert to follow its story.
The set was good but the amount of furniture on the Holy Trinity stage was bordering on the cluttered side which constricted the playing area somewhat.
Lighting and sound played an important function in the smooth running of the scenes as did all those backstage.
The front of house as always was pleasant and professional.
The novelty prize for the raffle was a packet of toilet rolls. Everybody bought tickets.
The poster and programme graphics especially eye catching.
Well done to L.A.D.S.
