Exceptional New Play For Older Women Actors.
Susan Seddon, George Ambrose and Mel Sessions in Edith & Jessie.
Written to help remedy the paucity of good roles for older women "Edith & Jessie" is a four-hander with three major parts for mature female actors and a 22 year old handsome young man!
It was inspired by a conversation the author had with the late great actress Margaret Tyzack, who revealed to him her exasperation on being offered too many parts as "confused and incontinent old bags" in her latter years.
Well the three female characters in "Edith & Jessie" are very far from that stereotype and are all dynamic, funny, and highly articulate women, though with admittedly spectacularly troubled back stories.
The recent Norwich production starred the Maddermarket theatre's "grand dames" Susan Seddon, Mel Sessions and Angela Goymer, and this impressive trio, joined by newcomer young George Ambrose, were expertly directed by revered theatrical veteran, Rob Morris.
The play sold out well in advance and received an outstanding response from the capacity audience in the theatre's newly refurbished Emmerson Studio, and attempts are now underway to try to secure a London production in 2016.
The fine cast brilliantly communicated the comedy, emotional turmoil and heartbreak of this tale that spanned the years from 1930 to 1970 and told of the lives of two feuding female academics.
The outstanding Susan Seddon as Jessica Storm, a poet with a very troubled private life, and the equally impressive Mel Sessions as Edith Bright, a lecturer from a provincial university who has kept secret her emotional life for over 40 years, brought both comedy and considerable emotional depth to their difficult and massively demanding title roles. Their performances contributed to what was a true theatrical tour de force in which each actor triumphantly realised every nuance in the complex and very demanding script.
Angela Goymer as Margaret, Jessica's long-suffering maid was also truly memorable in a part requiring perfect comic timing, while young George Ambrose in the dual roles of Alan Carpenter and John Milton, displayed star quality in the making. His heartbreaking final monologue will not be easily forgotten.
The quality of all performances was clearly recognised by the enthusiastic audience. Richard Kennan (Director of GigHouse) present on the first night proclaimed the production "A great triumph!" as did Stash Kirkbride the Maddermarket Theatre's Artistic Director and their words were echoed by many others during the play's short run.
Adrian Drew's play "The Darkling Heart" about author Thomas Hardy, will receive its sell-out showcase in London on November 27th and "Time Out Of Mind" about Marlowe and Shakespeare, that showcased to considerable acclaim earlier this year, will be revived at The Maddermarket in April 2016 to celebrate Shakespeare's 400th anniversary.
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