Reviews

Americans seem keen these days on adapting successful films (or film adaptations) into musicals with varying degrees of success. And this one has had a book, three film adaptations and now a musical – an interesting pedigree.

It is the unlikely – but fun – story of a mother and rebellious teenage daughter who magically swap bodies and have precisely one day to put things right – and work each other out – before Mum’s wedding day.

This very British play by Alan Ayckbourn is about as funny as you can get. Bordering on a farce, the play takes place simultaneously in the living rooms of the Foster and Phillips families somewhere in middle England.

The main protagonist is Frank Foster, a pompous windbag, who is the manager of an unnamed company. His posh wife Fiona is so totally bored by know-all Frank that she embarks on an affair with one of Frank’s employees, the rough and ready Bob Phillips.

Tugun Theatre is one of the coast’s original community theatre companies - dating back more than 50 years. It punches way above its weight and produces 4 very different productions every year, with very few financial resources.

Three old but very different friends, now in their seventies, arrive to clean up the beach house of a fourth deceased friend who’d been the thread keeping them together.

Sue Smith’s artful stage adaptation of Charlotte Wood’s popular novel about their secrets, regrets and potential, as these women peel back their friendship and look squarely at life and death, is anchored in three remarkable performances.