2017 – Confusions

“Confusions” by Alan Ayckbourn was performed by TADS from Wednesday 15th – Saturday 18th November 2017

Confusions is a set of four interlinked one act plays: Mother Figure, Drinking Companion, Between Mouthfuls and Gosforth’s Fete. Each play deals riotously, but with sharply pointed undertones, with human eccentricities and the human dilemma of loneliness; a mother unable to escape from baby talk, a disastrous fete, an unsuccessful seduction attempt, and a fate fraught dinner encounter.

Cast & Synopsis

Mother Figure
Lucy is a mother of 3, a housebound wife who rarely sees her husband and barely bothers to look after herself. When Lucy’s neighbours call round, Lucy proceeds to treat her visitors as children.

Lucy ……………………………… Hazel Wright
Rosemary ……………………  Miranda Case
Terry …………………………….. Mark Prout

Drinking Companion
Harry fancies himself as a ladies’ man, and while he is trying to chat up two young perfume reps, we get an insight into his sad life and marriage.

Harry …………………………. Mark Prout
Paula …………………………. Sarah Jones
Bernice ……………………..  Holly Farrar

Between Mouthfuls
In the hotel’s restaurant a waiter is serving dinner to a middle aged businessman and his wife – Mr and Mrs Pearce – and a young couple, Polly and Martin. As the meal progresses, we find out that all is not as it at first seems.

Waiter …………………………..  James Ager
Donald Pearce …………..   John Lillyman
Emma Pearce …………….   Miranda Case
Polly ………………………………  Lin McNeill
Martin …………………………… Martin Picken

Gosforth’s Fete
A tea tent is being prepared for an afternoon fete into which Councillor Mrs Trayhurn enters and meets Milly, who is organising the tea. The whole fete is being organised by Gosforth who is very pre-occupied with everything, not least the broken sound system. Within minutes the whole fete disintegrates into complete mayhem…

Mrs Trayhurn ..   Prudence Goss
Milly ………………… Sarah Jones
Gosforth …………  Grahame Nightingale
Vicar ………………..  James McWilliam
Stewart …………..   James Ager

Directed by Hazel Wright