Reviews

There are two distinct parts to the play: Act One is set in a rather unpleasant nursing home run by The Director. Ruth (in a wonderful performance by Jane Evers) and her friend Dorothy (a fantastic performance by theatre company director Jill Freud) are determined not to spend their remaining years in what they think of as 'Colditz.'

They are sick of being treated as if they have become deaf simpletons who must be shouted out, especially by Dorothy’s son and daughter in law. They need her money and get The Director to help them in their devious plan to sell her house and pocket the money.

Another visit from a theatre student who is convinced that their generation must like Olde Tyme Musical singalongs is one visit too many. So they realise they have to escape.

However, The Director is suspicious and plants a spy into the area where they like to sit. Ruth decides to dig a tunnel from the grounds to the fence. But the tunnel is discovered as is an attempt to hide in the laundry. In the end they flee in nurses' uniforms.

Act Two follows their adventures as they try and flee to Spain with the police on the lookout for them. They are aided in their escape by a couple of removal men and a Hell's Angel. They finally manage to board a plane pretending to be air hostesses and safely arrive in Spain. 

Jill Freud and Jane Evers

To the chagrin of Dorothy's son & daughter in law, Dorothy has transferred all her money to Spain and even managed to sell her house in Walberswick.

There were superb performances by all the cast. Carl McCrystal, Paul Leonard, Penelope Rawlins and Carley Massy-Birch where excellent and brought individuality to each of the roles they played. Stephen Hancock and Joe Sowerbutts excellently performed their smaller roles.

Maurice Rubens set design was superb. Ingeniously, it became a removal lorry and a Hell's Angels motorised tricycle complete with a 'moving' road. And full marks to Jim Laws for his lighting which cunningly portrayed a chasing police car at one point.

Another highlight of the production is the choice of music. 'The Great Escape' theme and 'old' music in Act One is replaced by music that echoes the theme of being on the run in Act Two.

Andy Powrie easily managed to show that the stereotypical view of older people as being slow in mind and body is all too often a fallacy. Both Ruth and Dorothy had brains sharper than many half their age.

Despite their ages, both lead actresses showed they can still move with great speed and litheness. Jill Freud in particular showed that her body would have no problems doing some of the more advanced yoga movements. 

And no, they were not breaking the law when the Nurse goes into the garden for a cigarette. If it is essential to the plot you can get a licence to smoke on stage. 

The show continues at Southwold until 5 September 2007 and I thoroughly recommend this evening of sheer escapism.

Visit the Suffolk Summer Theatres website for full details or ring 01502 724441.