Written by Catherine Evans, this intriguing one-act play is another work that I am interested in. Underplaying the vindictiveness of so-called friends since school, the play explores the friendship between four friends in the Rhondda Valley during the 1950s. Every Saturday night, Claire, Lisa, Maureen, and Laura meet at the local dance hall, formerly known as the ice rink, with their husbands. Claire is unusually trustworthy of people and never sees any wrong. Lisa, on the other hand, has always been jealous of Clare's beauty and her eventual marriage to Marcus. A casual remark by Lisa is the catalyst for events that follow as truths and untruths cannot be differentiated. I have included an extract from the play below.

Claire:    It’s warm in here. The rink is so empty for this time on a Saturday night. Have they turned the fans on?

Lisa:    You do look a little flushed. The fans have been on since I arrived. Danny and the rest of the boys are taking their time coming back from the bar. I have a good mind to fetch him.

Claire:   They are worse than women once they start talking. Well, it is the only day of the weekend when they see each other and can catch up on events.

Lisa:   Horses and cards is all I ever hear about. He tried to teach me how to work a bet out once. I didn’t have a clue. Danny bought me a Double Century earlier. I did not much care for it. I will have a Mackeson afterwards. Then I shall have a dance with Marcus, your matinee idol husband.

Claire:  You do what you want.  I am happy with my shandy.  Maureen and Laura are taking their time as well. They must have been gone for about fifteen minutes by now. I hope Laura is not playing the bandit.

Lisa:    They are probably gassing. You look exhausted, Claire. There are bags under your eyes.

Claire:   I didn’t sleep much last night. I’m too tired to go outside and get some fresh air. I hope Marcus remembers my scampi. You used to work for Gwillym Evans, didn’t you?

Lisa:    A good few years ago. I got fed up travelling to Cardiff. That’s why I came back home. I could have stayed with my sister in her house on Western Avenue. I couldn’t stand the place. It’s not the same as being here. We all know each other. When I told my friends down there I was coming back to the valleys, they thought I was bonkers. You don’t come from there, do you?

Claire:    Why would they say something like that?

Lisa:     They look down on us up here. Think we were born in bloody caves. Wales seems to end as soon you pass Pontypridd. Don’t look so worried.

Claire:    I have heard words said to that effect before.

Lisa:    You should never take people at face value. That way you will never be hurt. The money is not good in the button factory, but Danny and I will manage. That’s all we can do. All our furniture, when we were given it, was second hand. Danny, in his serious mood, would say he would never have hire purchase goods because he didn’t want to get into debt. My mother kept the same carpet for fifteen years. While she is house-proud, I could not care less if I did the housework or not. The dust on the sideboard makes pretty patterns after a week or so. Your face is a picture, Clare.

Claire:     I knew you were pulling my leg.

Lisa:     Thanks for that vote of confidence. Let’s get back to what we were originally talking about. Gwillym Evans is a good firm to work for, but the money is pitiful.

Claire:   I was told they expect high standards with the sewing on my first day. The supervisor tore the stitching I did on one dress apart at the seams because she felt it was poor. I told her it was because my eyes were playing up again. I felt so small.

Lisa:    Were your eyes playing up?

Claire:     I don’t know. I was probably not concentrating as I usually do.

Lisa:     That will teach you to be more careful in future.

Claire:    Do you think I did it on purpose?  She made me look small in front of the other girls.

Lisa:    Claire, you always give the impression that you can never do any wrong.

Claire:    I do not. It’s not in my nature to be awkward with people.

Lisa:    That’s your biggest mistake.

Claire:    You seem to be finding fault with everything I do of late. Maureen can be just as infuriating as you on occasions. I can only take so much.

Lisa:     You should start being wiser.

Claire:    What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Lisa:    This is a cruel world and you are so innocent. Take your pink spectacles off and see the world for what it is.

Claire:    I came here, tonight, because I wanted cheering up. We used to be able to talk with each other once and now it’s gone. What is keeping Marcus and the others?

Lisa:    Why are you putting in all this overtime?

Claire:    Because Marcus and me are leaving  my parents’ house and moving into rooms. We were looking at a house this week.

Lisa:    Where might that have been?

Claire:    Charles Street.

Lisa:   Oh, the dirty little house that Mrs. Mallory lives in.

Claire:    There is nothing wrong with her. She was pleasant enough when we spoke with her. I think she is lonely and wants company. The upstairs rooms will be perfect for us. Marcus can easily catch the bus from there to Treforest.

Claire:     The property should be condemned. Danny and I were interested in those rooms before we rented our house.