04 Feb 2025
Deborah Heath heads to Royal Ascot for the Company of Ten’s first production of 2025...
Amanda Whittington’s heartwarming comedy about four fish-factory workers is given a tremendously fun realisation by Company of Ten. These four women, short on money and mentally beaten down by a mundane job are given a rare treat to attend ladies’ day at Royal Ascot. This is the story of how that experience helps them grow both individually and as friends.
I already knew Ladies’ Day to be a fine play. I admire writer Amanda Whittington’s way of celebrating the highs and lows in the lives of “ordinary people.” There is something of the very best of British sitcoms in her writing – recognisable, well-drawn characters and humour that arises not from clunky set-ups, but the believable situations created by these people interacting in their featured environment.
I also admire how she tackles some serious themes using this framework rather than a sledgehammer approach. I left considering issues such the redistribution of wealth and how much self -identification defined by relationships with other people.
Whittington’s dialogue is authentic, witty and sometimes deceptively thought provoking; “It’s not darkness that scares you, it’s the light.”
The cast of five shone with brilliance throughout. It was lovely to see some new faces, and I was not surprised to learn that most had trained professionally.
Isabelle Guigley, as the youngest character Linda, captured her kindness and innocence beautifully, especially in her scene with Patrick when her wide-eyed wonder and girlish giggle were a joy to behold.
Kasia Estelle played the outgoing Shelley with a well-balanced confident mask that belied a desperate interior. She demonstrated a great comic talent which I would be interested to see being employed in future Company of Ten shows.
Pearl, on the face of it the most “together” character, is in fact hiding a long-kept secret. In many ways Pearl is the hardest role in the play because there are less chinks in her armour or moments of comic relief. I commend Victoria Lenza for handling this pivotal character so well and commanding her vulnerable moments with ease.
Jan, the self -sacrificing mother, was portrayed by Hayley Morson with a heartwarming authenticity. Here is a mother whose a life revolves totally around her
daughter’s happiness and thus her impending departure to university and Jan’s fear of empty-nest syndrome was poignant. Her character’s personal journey during the play is the most marked and I’m sure that everyone in the audience wished her the romantic journey she yearned for.
Finally, I must turn attention to the sole male member of the cast, Piers Sterling, who played a total of six supporting roles throughout the play with impressive energy. He mastered each with a very defined character and physicality. I enjoyed all of his portrayals but my favourites included the ticket scout and Patrick the jockey.
I was surprised to see that this production was directed by a man and I mean this as a big compliment to David Bailey!
The script and superbly drawn characters celebrate so much about female strength, vulnerability and camaraderie and David was definitely tune with this. He demonstrated a compassion and intuition in his directing that was a joy to behold and successfully brought of the very best of his already talented cast.
Being a studio production, the set and tech were kept to a minimum but this was absolutely as it should be for this play – bravo to the whole team. Transitions were
expertly managed due to the well designed multi-functional bar/railing/production line.
In this production, Company of Ten have once again proved themselves able to choose a great script and select a very skilled cast and director. It was a feel-good
evening; thank you!
