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Audacity
opened at the Lyceum Theatre, Crewe on Tuesday 12th June 07 and
was the second of 4 plays to be staged in their Summer Repertory Season.
Vicki headed a cast of truly inspired performers in this somewhat black
comedy by Simon Mawdsley who was in the audience for the final
performance. The story centres around Philip, a moderately average
salesman, going through a messy divorce. Deciding to inject some much
needed excitement and cash into his life, he devises a scheme to rob a
London department store of a day’s Christmas takings. However, realizing
he can’t succeed alone, he enlists the help of 2 rather naïve business
colleagues. The first, John, has lived an exemplary life until, in one
fleeting moment of madness, he commits professional suicide by fiddling
his expense account resulting in his dismissal from work and financial
ruin for his wife and family. The second, Dave, is also a struggling
salesman with a high maintenance wife so with a little gentle persuasion
from Philip, both are enticed into his get rich quick plan. However, when
Dave and John’s wives Gemma and Gillian become entangled in the plot,
things don’t go quite as planned. With their husband’s behaving
uncharacteristically, the pair determine to investigate their fidelity
resulting in unexpected consequences.
This was
the first of two of the season’s plays in which Vicki was to star and saw
her cast in the role of Gillian, the outwardly loyal and reserved wife of
John with a quiet air of professionalism. However, under the prim and
proper exterior of this demure librarian lies a woman with a surprising
alto ego who readily confesses to 2 affairs during her 15 year marriage
without any compunction whatsoever. What’s more she is equally happy to
accept any ill-gotten gains that the robbery may provide, although does at
least stand by her husband when the chips are down.
This is
just the sort of role Vicki relishes and plays with consummate ease. It
also gave her the chance to be reunited with actor Matt Hewitt as Philip
who played her villainess brother Rooster in the musical Annie some years
ago.
The five
strong cast all produced solid contrasting performances in their slick and
highly polished portrayals and included Ian Angus Wilkie as John, David
Clelland as Dave and Jane Flanagan as Gemma.
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