February 1996

Death and the Maiden

A Play by Georgina Reid
Directed by Beryl Gadd

Period drama, set in a cottage in the 1900s. Mavis as spent her life looking after her malicious and now elderly mother, Mrs Bell, while her sister Sylvia married, went abroad and had a daughter, Rose. Rose is now going to school in England and she and her mother visit Gorse Cottage. Mrs Bell takes an immediate dislike to Rose and makes every effort to crush her spirit, as she has crushed Mavis's. Then Arthur Fox, Mavis's admirer in younger days, returns to the area and learns that Mrs Bell had been responsible for destroying his and Mavis' relationship years ago so she could keep Mavis by her side. That night, the figure of Death appears in Mrs Bell's room and frightens her into having a heart attack she barely survives. Local doctor Parry turns amateur investigator and blames Rose for a prank that could have had serious consequences. In fact, it was Sylvia, who hoped the old lady would die and set Mavis free. Finally, though, everyone leaves and Mavis is alone with her mother and a letter from her secret love, who is to move to Edinburgh and wants her to come with him. Mavis knows Mrs Bell will never stand for that and, taking the maid's cat - her mother is terrified of cats - lets it into the bedroom, closes the door and waits for the old lady's heart to give out...

Cast

Mrs Bell	Rita Kelly
Mavis Bell	Chris Monks
Ellen	Nicola Dawson
Sylvia Morley	Michele Gwillam
Rose Morley	Alison Gleave
Dr Parry	Philip Brogdale
Arthur Fox	Paul Burrows