Entertaining Angels – Richard Everett
‘I’ve poured two hundred thousand cups of tea, made four thousand six hundred medium-sized quiches and personally baked two tons of light crust pastry. And for what?’
As a clergy wife Grace has spent a lifetime on best behaviour. Now, following the death of her husband Bardolph, she is enjoying the new-found freedom of being able to do and say exactly as she pleases. But the return of her eccentric missionary sister, Ruth, together with some disturbing revelations forces Grace to confront the truth of her marriage. Set in a classic English vicarage garden complete with a grass-banked stream and willow, the play is filled with sharp-edged comedy and probing wit. The stage play “Entertaining Angels” began life by opening the main season at The Chichester Festival Theatre and playing to a record-breaking 26,000 people in just over 3 weeks. The original production starred Penelope Keith, Benjamin Whitrow, Polly Adams, Caroline Harker and Abigail Thaw. This tale is one of grief, regret, lack of communication within a family, and buried secrets surfacing too late – but the laughter constantly bubbles to the surface, testimony to Everett’s witty, perceptive and very funny script.
Stoke Repertory Theatre players bring this delightful play to the rep stage the week of 7th February; and continues until the 11th February. Sue Thompson is the vicar’s widow Grace, contemplating her life of devotion to duty while the new vicar examines their new home. With the loss of her beloved husband life will change forever. After so many years of being the dutiful and busy vicar’s wife she is now bereft of husband, home and job. What was the point of it all? Can God be trusted to do anything right “or is the whole thing a divine exercise in trial and error?” Unwilling to let go of her past she constantly converses with her deceased husband – which obviously causes her family some concern – and as she paces angrily, she feels she is now wandering aimlessly. Husband- Bardolph – played by Howard Goodall reminds her that Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. “Only because there were men in charge” she snaps back, “and they wouldn’t stop to ask the way!”
Repertory players Rosemary Gresty and Angela Dale will play Graces’ sister ‘Ruth’ and daughter ‘Jo’ and the players welcome a new member to the cast Louise Colohan as ‘Sarah’. The play is to be directed by Steven K. Beattie.
7th - 11th February 2017 at 7:30 PM. Matinee Saturday 11th February at 2:30 PM. Tickets £11 *Saturday Matinee £9. Concessions (Student/Child) £7 any performance.
Book online at www.stokerep.org.uk or from Music Mania, Hanley 01782 206000 01782 2060...(click to reveal full phone number) or Rep Box Office 01782 209784 01782 2097...(click to reveal full phone)
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