The Bench Production
This play was staged at The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre (formerly Havant Arts Centre), East Street Havant - Bench Theatre's home since 1977.
Cast
| David Penrose | |
| Ingrid Corrigan | |
| Peter Woodward | |
| Sally Hartley |
Reviews
The NewsJames George
What Ivy Wanted, penned by The Bench's own Jacquie Penrose, was a Bench Theatre Fringe production at The Spring on a one-night-only basis. It is planned, however, to bring it back at some point and I would suggest you grab a ticket if you can.
Let us first celebrate the fact that the area can produce creativity of this kind. The Bench have always striven to go beyond the product of the usual local theatre company and this show is proof positive of their success. Three friends, one recently bereaved, are having a short break at a Center Parcs-style resort. The arrival of a former work-colleague of two of the friends throws a spanner in the ostensibly-happy proceedings and old wounds are reopened and fresh revelations bring pain. That somewhat sombre description belies an entertaining and often-funny evening with Bench stalwarts David Penrose, Ingrid Corrigan, Sally Hartley and Peter Woodward on good form. Penrose's dialogue and, indeed, the tone of the whole piece, is often Ayckbourn-esque; one laughs at the suffering of the protagonists, while cringing at the situation they find themselves in. The direction is sparse (and I mean that positively) with action giving graceful way to the words and the situation. Good stuff.
Production Photograph
