Mixed Doubles Á Loves Young Dream

Mixed Doubles and Love's Young Dream

YAWN! YAWN! Two teenage Goths (Kim Mawby and Sally Struthers) were not chuffed at the thought of a tennis club quiz night but as the wine flowed it turned into a riot of fun with confessions of adultery and unrequited love. Even better, they knew loads of the answers! Poor quizmaster George (played by Bob Houghton) did his best to run a well organized evening despite interruptions from mega-brain Martin (Mike Goddard). It all started to go hilariously downhill when Marjorie (Lynn Brown) caught George’s wife Heather(Christine McCann) playing away with Mike (Ted Brown). As she hit the bottle, passionate feelings erupted and all hell broke loose. An exotic interruption by a flamenco dancer (Pat Carter) looking for her class brought cheers from full houses on three nights at the Goodworth Clatford Village Club. Shapely Tracy (Janet Smith) made a terrific impact. The vision of her stripping off and diving into a supermarket freezer cabinet as a cure for hot flushes brought gasps of sympathy from women of a certain age. Likewise many men could identify with Peter Bray as he relayed Donald’s problem with his urgent trips to the loo. Convincing performances from the other quiz team members – Peter Smith, Marilyn Hillier, Alwyn Tucker – and ex-schoolmistress Pat (Jean Williams) who bravely stepped in to stop the fight. Mixed Doubles, by Lynn Brittney, was just the first of two plays by the Clatford Amateur Dramatic Society to keep their autumn audiences amused.

After a ploughman’s supper interval they were kept entertained by Ros Moruzzi’s Love’s Young Dream – a tale of two mothers, Avril Atkins and Bridget Jones (Ann Buckley and Anne Blake) planning a wedding which never happens. Or does it? Bridget constantly tried to get one up on Avril and was horrified to hear her ex-husband Stan (Dennis Newnham) had also been invited to the drinks party. Worst of all, he brought his new floozie Sophie (Marlene Saunders) with him. Light the blue touch paper! When his parents storm off in a huff prospective bridegroom Peter (Graham Oxtoby), who’s been skulking in the corner, breaks the news that the wedding is off. In scene two unmarried mum Jill Atkins (Sharon Colpman) is still suffering as the now proud grandparents vie for position around the cot, recalling ghastly childbearing experiences. Not surprisingly, the menfolk (played by David Benwell and David Grey) take solace in a few beers. All offers of help with the little one melt away. The young couple decide to make a go of it, even though Peter may not be the father, and maybe get married. Cue phone call to exasperated parents.

The two fast moving and entertaining productions were directed by Velma Oxtoby – who also brilliantly covered the role of Heather when Christine McCann fell sick – and Cliff Tucker. Great backstage and technical support from Chris Upchurch and Alan Willens.