Duets

Four one-act plays

Four sets of characters, four crucial moments: a gloriously funny examination of the chaotic world of love, relationships and why the grass is never greener. Duets is an hilarious tribute to the strength and madness of the human heart. And there’s even some music!

BLIND DATE features the first meeting of a couple who have placed ads in a dating magazine
Directed by Bill Killick, featuring Jan Goodwin and Phil Shaw
SECRETARIAL SKILLS introduces a man and his personal assistant who begin to question their feelings for each other
Directed by Dawn Nicholson, featuring Greg Spencer and Mandy Davies
THE HOLIDAY is about a couple who are taking a holiday together despite the fact that since they booked it they have decided to divorce!
Directed by Sue Coley, featuring Rosemary Bodger and Andrew Brennan
THE BRIDE-TO-BE is a farce set just before a woman’s third wedding
Directed by Sarah Stanley, featuring Charlotte Killick and Ian Davies
This production was the first to use the Studio’s cabaret setting.

Following their successful large-scale production of Lords & Ladies, Lichfield Players moved back into the more intimate setting of the Lichfield Garrick Studio for their next show, Duets by the award-winning playwright Peter Quilter. Duets is in fact four short plays, each featuring just two characters; they were originally written so that all four could be performed by the same two actors, but the Players have chosen to cast a different pair of performers in each play, with four separate directors. Each play examines the relationship between two people, and the style of the plays varies from gentle comedy to outright farce.

This production marked a number of “ firsts ” for the Players. Two of the directors, Bill Killick and Dawn Nicholson, directed for the society for the first time, with two very experienced directors, Sue Coley and Sarah Stanley, tackling the other two plays; for the first time two actors shared a role – Greg Spencer, who appeared in the second of the four plays, was unavailable for three of the performances, so Ian Davies, cast in the fourth play, covered for Greg on his nights off; and the Players tried out the Studio’s Cabaret setting for the first time – at certain times of year the Garrick transforms its Studio into an intimate cabaret venue, with audience members seated at tables and drinks available during the performance. Duets lent itself particularly well to this style, and to add to the cabaret ambience there were musical interludes (duets, of course!) in between the plays.

Duets ran in the Lichfield Garrick Studio from Tuesday 20th – Saturday 24th March and Tuesday 27th- Saturday 31st March 2012

The Lichfield Players never cease to amaze with their ability to discover quality dramas I haven’t seen before and stage them with their own distinctive style. And this past record is no flash in the pan. Just a glance at their eclectic upcoming programme confirms my view.

With their current offering they’ve surpassed even themselves. This is an evening of stylish entertainments that ticks just about every box. I was already looking forward to seeing the four plays that make up Duets, but when I discovered they were by the author of End of The Rainbow, a brilliant show about Judy Garland’s 1960s visit to London which received standing ovations on tour in 2011 I was even more by intrigued.

I’m not going to reveal the plots of these four little gems, that would spoil the surprises, but just must say the set and lighting are impressively professional while the seasoned cast bring a certain chic to these poignant comedies.

In Blind Date Jan Goodwin and Phil Shaw are touchingly realistic as two getting-on-a-bit singletons looking for love, while in Secretarial Skills Mandy Davies and Greg Spencer (new to me) seem to have stepped straight out of a glamorous and slightly heartless metropolitan world where love may come in unexpected forms.

Rosemary Bodger has never been better than in The Holiday (playing drunk convincingly is the hardest thing there is). I first spotted her co-performer Andrew Brennan in David Titley’s play about St Chad and found him unusually convincing. Here he delivers, seemingly effortlessly, once again. One to watch out for.

Finally Charlotte Killick is delightfully droll in Bride To Be while Ian Davies turns in a movingly realistic performance as her older brother.

So what’s not to like? You get four nicely crafted plays for your money, some charming live musical interludes to lull you in between and because seating’s in cabaret style (tables for four) you get to take a drink in.

All in all a charming and sophisticated evening out.