WOKINGHAM Theatre’s bitter sweet production plays as much upon the heartstrings as it does on the strings of a violin.
Set in Cornwall in the mid-1930s, Ladies In Lavender tells of two ageing spinster sisters whose quiet lives are turned upside down when they discover a young man washed ashore on the beach.
Spending time with their new patient as they nurse him back to health, Ursula and Janet discover that he is a Polish violinist capable of making music to melt the hardest of hearts.
Love blossoms and memories surface in the place of quietly simmering resentments that have coloured the sisters lives over the years.
Director Thomas Joy says:”It’s a much more complex story than at first it appears.
“It’s not just a tale of two older ladies in their cottage by the sea who take in a handsome young man.
“There’s much more to it than meets the eye.
“It explores relationships, it talks about mental health and it examines social attitudes.
“And it’s beautifully bitter sweet, because with success comes heartbreak.
Ladies In Lavender is not without its challenges.
It requires the actors to be able to move seamlessly between different locations that include the beach, the guest bedroom, the garden and the parlour of the sisters’ cottage.
“We’ve had to be very inventive with the staging,” says Thomas.
“There are a number of connected levels, steps and stairs, which are working well now that we are rehearsing on stage.
“But during rehearsals without the set, it has been difficult to establish how long it would take to move between scenes, for example, or to climb stairs.”
A complex set is not the play’s only hurdle.
Much more difficult to achieve is its casting.
“Finding a handsome young actor who is trilingual and also a concert violinist is quite a challenge,” continues Thomas.
“However, we have a great cast who have worked hard to create a world that is so of its time.
“Rehearsals have been a collaborative process as we have explored the characters and asked the questions that would help us overcome the challenges.
“And the music is wonderful.
“We’re using it cinematically.
“I want people to come away having fallen in love not only with the story, but with the musical soundscape that accompanies it.
“It’s a beautifully human story, and the perfect tonic for a dark January evening,”
Ladies In Lavender can be seen from Thursday, January 19 through to Saturday, January 28, with the exception of Sunday.
Performances start at 7.45pm, with tickets available at £15.
For tickets and information visit: wokinghamtheatre.org.uk or call the box office on: 0118 978 5363
