2024 One Act Season

Darlington Theatre Players’ One Act Season is very much a mixed bag, with four very different, but all very watchable shows combining to create a very entertaining evening.

The season is dedicated to Darlington Theatre stalwart and Life Member, and ITA Hall of Fame Gwyne Marshall who passed away last week, Overseer of the box office and constant feature of front of house for over thirty years, her presence will be greatly missed - with more than a few patrons shedding tears when they realised her absence on opening night.

The Red House Monster, by Rachel Bublitz marked a directorial debut for Georgia Stidwell and Brianna Thompson, who were mentored by Luke Miller. Set some time back in rural USA, it features a family whose home faces their local ‘haunted house’, a red house, in which it is rumoured there lives a monster and from whence many local legends have emerged., 

Cora Gold who ventures into the house, is played nicely by Lizzie Baker, who has a lovely sense of character but who was a little rushed during her first minutes on stage. Younger sister Hannah was nicely inhabited by Zoë Carr, with Amanda Maloney as their mother completing a believable family, Kieran Ridgway is likeable as the sheriff with questionable ability with Candice Preston renowned for playing eccentrics, playing to her talents as the mysterious Geryon.

Bittersweet Lullaby, by Will Lacker, music, and lyrics by Dylan Glatthorn, is a very short (14 minute) musical that reveals two composers inhabiting the same New York apartment in different decades. Like the previous play it plays with time and space but is gentle and warm in its tone. Nicely performed by Alan Gill and Teah Steward, it is directed with care by Kieran Ridgway and features simple but well executed choreography by Breanne Lucas.

After interval we see Ed Monk’s Cut, a play within a play within a play within a play. A satirical look at acting and self-realisation, it was directed, in a promising debut by Harrison Ricci, mentored by Sophie David. Angela Hunt and Sean Wcislo kick off the show with style until interrupted by Jordan D’Arcy whom we presume to be the director, but turns out to be another actor, and from there it gets more complex and confusing. Nice work from all the performers, including Ellie Jones, Patryk Koñ, Adam Giltrow, Ciara Malone, and Zac Maloney, although at the risk of buying into theme, I would have liked a more obviously realistic performance from Ryan Partridge, as the ‘real director’/

Special mention to Ethan Lucas and Sully Lawrence, gloriously, deliberately, and fabulously miscast as electricians Jack and Nick. Expert comedians, their performances are a delight.

The evening concludes with one-act classic Dinner for One, by Freddie Frinton, featuring the wonderful Veronica Fourie, and the clever Ray Egan, who also directs. A show that has been performed by Ray multiple times before, it is a little bit like slipping on an old pair of slippers, and is comfortable despite some holes. Very funny, and adored by the audience, it suffered somewhat from having the director onstage, in that staging was not ideal for the audience. Many in the audience could not see Veronica’s face, and the table was not well positioned. It would also have been nice to see some colour in the multitude of alcoholic beverages served.

An enjoyable evening out, and a lovely tribute to the late Gwyne Marshall. Be sure to raise a glass in her honour when you go.

Kimberley Shaw