REVIEW - One act play festival leaves audiences as the judges
Sleaford Little Theatre’s One Act Play Festival was definitely an evening of drama split in three distinct ways to delight and disturb.
The evening had an added hint of jeopardy as the audience was invited to vote for which of the three plays offered up was their favourite, which in turn would influence the choice of entry to be put forward for NODA’s one act play competition at Hunstanton this year. Good luck to whichever eventually goes forward.
The initial offering directed by Nigel Guilliatt was a bizarre, funny and wacky offering by optician/playwright Barry Wood.
The Grandfather Paradox follows a seemingly chance encounter at a fancy dress birthday party between a time-travelling spy, an ex-nun and a Alfred Einstein fan. Yes – that bizarre! Definitely one for the sci-fi fans with a heavy dose of irony, the action between Andrew Carlton, Amanda Grant and Charlie Brewer reaches a crescendo with multiple exorcisms and the devil in a shopping bag. Raising copious laughs and crazy behaviour the cast delivered admirably even if the concept felt a bit of a stretch.
Things took a turn to fairytale land in Once, After, written by Kei Bailey and directed by Kim Rayner, as three famous bounty hunters in a world where magic is now forbidden (Callum Forman, Ollie Roy and Laura Davies) brag about their past captures of legendary story characters sold to zoos and collectors for financial gain and reputation.
Turning typical panto on its head, the assured delivery by these three classy actors had an edge, as ironic wise-cracks and banter flew back and forth, ably matched by the unimpressed bar wench Grace (Natalie Cowell) whose searing put-downs could peel paint.
Helen Pack as Honeyshard added menace as she delivered the plot twist when the hunters became the prey.
Locked At Midnight, written and directed by Maria Bates, saw long-standing cast member and SLT president Mary Rudkin as a cosy tarot reader and medium whose mysterious relationship with dashing Jasper (Tony Gordon) gradually becomes clear as the drama unfolds. Desperate new client Piper sends shockwaves through this domestic bliss as she delivers one bombshell after another – Russ Hopkin successfully built up her mounting sense of anxiety and guilt.
The favourite play will be revealed at the end of the run – I’ve already cast my vote...