Maureen Sullivan is a regular contributor to Island Echo’s coverage of the Arts on the Isle of Wight. Maureen has been actively involved in the Island’s amateur dramatics scene for several years, appearing in many different roles and guises with several theatre companies. In her free time, Maureen also writes and reviews at iwtheatre.org.
Catch Maureen’s column each month for the latest theatre and art happenings... Director Chris Hicks was fascinated by the script which gives us a real insight into what it was like to be a land girl in World War II, told through anecdotes drawn from 150 real experiences; the skill with which this production is directed and performed brought that fascination to us. For older members of the audience memories were stirred; for those of us lucky enough not to have lived through that most turbulent of times, we came away understanding more about the vital role the land girls played – and how they struggled to adapt to their new life, learned to endure and sometimes even enjoy their work, and emerged stronger women. The 4 actors formed a tightly-knit team, their performances melding into each other seamlessly: no mean feat, especially considering that two of the four had taken up their roles quite recently due to the indisposition of original cast members. The play was truly an ensemble piece, with each actor taking multiple roles alongside their main named part, reacting to the anecdotes told by the others and joining together for group speeches and songs. It is therefore right to give equal kudos to each of these fine actors: Carol Death as Poppy came across as initially the most innocent and naïve; Helen Reading as Vera was the more worldly and cynical one; Ginny Orrey balanced roles as the northern lass Margie with and the ill-fated Annie, and Susan Simpson’s no-nonsense Peggy was a delight. Between them, the ladies also gave us cameos of farmers, inspectors, villagers and even a grandfather. A script based totally on anecdotes is challenging – if it had consisted of just listening to one story after another it could in other hands have become boring, but not with this cast and director! From the beginning the tales were given context through film and still footage: Winston Churchill’s speeches, photographs of well known war images and real land girls at work and, most evocatively, a backdrop of pouring rain (with sound effects) were all projected on the back curtain of the set which itself was designed both to evoke a farmyard, with fences and gate, and, with a few stage blocks resembling wooden crates, provide perfect places for the actors to perch, sit or lie as appropriate. Indeed, great thought has obviously gone into choreographing the movements around the stage – well done John Abraham.
Lighting also added to the atmosphere, and 1940’s songs and tunes, whether played in the background or sung acapella by the cast, not only interspersed with the text well but added to the wartime atmosphere. Indeed, the mimed chase to the backdrop of ‘Run Rabbit’ was a hilarious highlight, contributing to the light and shade of the piece. For the real success of this play, allowing for all the above, was the talent of the acting and directing, which kept up the pace and really drew out the moments of hilarity counterpointed with the horror and pain of war, told using the authentic voices of the women who had been there: city girls suddenly told to get up at dawn and milk cows, muck out pigs and plant potatoes; mud and backache; village dances and flirting; unwanted male ‘attention’ and feeling no one would believe you; homesickness and hearing about the death of a friend – and through it all, the camaraderie between the girls going through the same experiences. Like the land girl themselves, the audience laughed, and cried, and sympathised, and laughed again – everyone involved in this unusual and amazingly evocative show is to be congratulated. ‘Lilies on the Land’ runs until Saturday 30th March – there are still some tickets left at apollo-theatre.org.uk 
Sounds great ! Well done to all..
It was a good show. We enjoyed it.