Saw the show!

Apologies that I haven’t posted in a while, but I have just changed job and am now living away from home during the week. This has been quite a culture change for my family and I and I am only now just about starting to find my feet.

But my real reason for posting today is to get over excited about Denim! I was privileged to attend the Pewsey Vale Amateur Dramatic Society’s production of Denim on 12 May 07.

It was a stunning production. I couldn’t have asked for more. Pewsey are blessed in having a very talented collection of actors and two extremely dedicated directors.

And the way they hosted my wife and I! Okay, I had to put up with Jane telling me how evil a man I am for writing all that stuff – but the cast clearly had a fantastic time putting the play on.

They did tell me that during rehearsal this play was quite painful, but the second they got the set, it all made sense. I guess that’s one of the main reasons that I’m still trying to secure a professional production.

But best of all, here’s the review that ran in the local paper:

Review by Nigel Kerton (14.05.07)

Playwright Jay Saunders summed up on the second ever
performance of his comedy drama Denim at Pewsey in one word most members of the
audience would have agreed with: Stunning.

The title of Saunders' play Denim, a play on words, and is about genes and not jeans. The central character Giles is a young man who was adopted, knows nothing about his natural parents and fears that every girl he meets could be a sister! Saunders, a Royal Navy officer, was adopted himself and said some of his own thoughts as he grew up were incorporated into the play. The story masterly lifted and then dropped the audience that was gripped by the PVADS production, which ran between May 10-12.

It is a tragic-comedy where humour blurred with pathos as friends tried to help Giles, superbly played by Darren Little, come to terms with his phobia. Directors Nettie Powell and Martin Clifton were on edge on Saturday night, the last of the three-night run at the Bouverie Hall, knowing that Saunders was in the audience. But the cast was up to the challenge and kept the audience in awe for just over two hours.

Saunders said afterwards that his play had been presented only once before and he thought the PVADS production had been "absolutely stunning." He added: "They certainly have a talented cast and the directors have done a wonderful job."

Posters for the play had warned of "adult context and some nudity". There were swear words and sexy banter and strip-o-gram Simon (Brad Harris) did get down to a posing pouch. But it was all in context and thanks to clever directing handled a sensitive subject , albeit littered with comedy, in a faultless presentation.

Dave Owen was superb as the drunk Doug; PVADS old-timer John Lavis played Giles father with just the right balance of concern and support. Alex Cuff and Steve Clements put in memorable performances as Giles' friends who tried to help him overcome his fears. Kate Powell was convincing in the strong role of the girl who fell in love with Giles and thought she was his sister but was wasn't! Newcomer to PVADS Emma Harris was fabulous as a drink-sodden man-eater and her husband Brad was brave enough to strip down to a jock strap. There were sterling performances, too, from Nick Mitchell-Briggs, Jane Cuff, Annabel Edwards, Emma Preuss and Kay Davies.

The set, lighting and sound were up to the usual PVADS high standards. For me the saddest part of this play was when it ended because I enjoyed every second.

That sums it up for me!