Melanie is having a dinner party; the table is all laid,
her red lipstick is perfect
and so she waits for her guests to arrive.
But the background of her soiree looks inauspicious;
most of the furniture is wrapped in cling film
and the wallpaper is peeling from the walls.
We wonder who could be coming to such a party and why?
The first guest to arrive is Posh Spice,
a cardboard face glued to a kettle,
next comes Michael Barrymore,
a faded newspaper image attached to a hat stand;
Madonna and Guy are fashionably late.
Melanie chats to Posh about men,
Michael is let in on special secrets
and all the guests drink sparkly wine (cider)
from an assortment of mugs and bottles.
This is clearly a party with a difference
and as Melanie talks to her new-found imaginary friends
aspects of her life are revealed.
She is living with the Aids virus,
abandoned by her family and friends and waiting for Tim,
the man she loves, to come back and rescue her.
But Tim has problems of his own
and as the play progresses it becomes clear
that he may never return.
Charlotte Milchard plays Melanie with enormous verve and sympathy,
making her a very likeable person.
Milchard’s acting skills
together with a great script by Ben Glanfield,
who also stars, means this production
actually succeeds in shedding a new light
on what is a familiar subject for discussion.
The play is only an hour long but this brevity
does not detract from the overall effect of the piece;
it offers an interlude and a new perspective.
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| Clare Davies, Camden New Journal |
"A first piece of writing that has poignancy."
"There are grand moments where Milchard presides at her table
like a down market Miss Haversham,
let down by men and secluded from the real world,
living a ridiculous fantasy life."
"Solidly directed by Lee Weston."
"This play is a worthy first effort."
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| Paul Vale, The Stage |
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