Spring Production 2010 - Some of my Best Friends are Women by Carole Tricker

The women are members of an unsucessfull book group meeting at the home of Lynn. They include Dorothy, an obsessivly tidy older lady and a busybody: Amanda, a free spirit; Helen, a man eater and a young, extrememly niave Jill. The majority have failed to realise a fundamental rule of a book club - that they are supposed to read the books!

Lynn, whose husband is having as affair, is vainly trying yo keep the group together. Amanda doesnt seem to care one way or another. Dorothy just walks around tidying up anything and everything as she goes - she even has a duster tucked in her belt. Jill has told everyone she is pregnant and spends her time lurching between sickness and palpiations and Helen is utterly self obsessed. Things deteriorate when the women drink neat vodka with their wine believing it to be tonic water. We then discove that Dorothy has been less than discreet after discovering the affair of Lynn's husband, leading Lynn to lose control and tear up one of Dorothy's beloved books.The usually auster and teetotal Dorothy distraught by lynn's actions leaves a little worse for wear.

The second half of the play introduces us to two men - Steve and Chris. Steve is a fireman and friend of Amanda. When Dorothy telephones to say she is lost - Steve is dispatched to find her. He arrives at the house, having been battered by an umbrella weiling Dorothy - who subsequently decideds to do a little weeding in Lynn's Garden. Whilst Lynn and Amanda look for Dorothy, the shy Steve is delighted with Jills company and is intimitaed by Helen. He leaves after borrowing a book, which he promises to return to Jill. Helen & Jill share some home truths, discover that they may have been too quick to judge one and other and Helen promises to help Jill - who may not be pregnant after all! Meanwhile Chris, a longstanding friend of Dorothy arrives to collect her - pre arranged by Dorothy with a hope that he would join the failing book group. He is mistaken for Lynn's philandering husband by Jill & Helen and is subjected to a torent of abuse - leaving the gentle Chris somewhat dazed & confused.

In comes Dorothy, drunk, dishevelled and muddy from the garden. Lynn is truly sorry for her cruelness towards Dorothy, afterall she was only trying to help. They settle their differences, invite Chris to join book group and arrange the next meeting - who knows they may even read the next book!!!!!

The Cast

Lynn - Jane Sims

Dorothy - Liz Bond

Amanda - Irene Wearing

Jill - Verity Jackson

Helen - Neena Quinlan

Steve - Matthew Coupland

Chris - Colin York

Directed by Margaret Rine  & Nicola Dickie.