Mrs Holt by Trevar Alan Chilver. Directed by James Scott for Canberra Dramatics at The Street Theatre Studio, August 7-9, 12, 14-16 7.30pm. Matinee August 16 2pm. Bookings: 6247 1223.
Mrs Holt is a play of good intentions, about good intentions. Theatrically quite gentle, almost old-fashioned in style, Chilver allows us to find humour in the ending of a life, and hope in the beginning of a new love. It’s really quite nice not to have to contend with over-the-top theatre. This play makes no great demands on the intellect, but still makes its point that preconceived assumptions about others, based on their social roles, are more than likely to be wrong.
Canberra Dramatics is an independent little theatre with a small amount of community support to pay upfront costs, paid back after each show from box office and the pockets of the Chilver family. It is pleasing, in these circumstances, to see effective casting for ages ranging from the twenties to 81. Looking physically right, and costumed well, the setting in an early 1990s nursing home was believable as it needed to be to make the issues of the day stand out. Mrs Holt (Gay Evans) automatically thinks the male nurse Jack (Pete Ricardo) is a doctor and that her grandaughter, Rachel (Sarah Daphne), is barking up the wrong tree seeking promotion in her law firm rather than concentrating on marriage and becoming a mother.
Historically speaking the script takes liberties. The nursing homes that I knew in this period did not have such fully qualified staff in permanent positions to provide the continuity of relationship and treatment that nurse Julie (Sarah Ritchie) and sister Vera (Cerri Davis) rightly insist upon. Mrs Holt’s quick mind and analytical conversation was also an extreme rarity in my experience. But Evans makes her character into a central figure, taking control of her last days, who leaves those providing care for her with positive lessons about what this means. They learn to respect her independence and respect each other.
Scene changes were a little clunky, especially with so many in an 80 minute play, and pacing a little slow when I saw the show last Friday, but the audience soon became engaged, responding to the humour, recognising the issues and applauding the Canberra Dramatics team warmly at curtain call.
©Frank McKone, Canberra
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