Relative Strangers
Written by Trevor Cowper
Directed by Claire Kingshott
24 – 29 November 1986
The central character is George, a successful, overworked architect, with a wilful daughter Fiona, a talented but unfulfilled wife, Joanna, a secretary whose efficiency and loyalty cover a deeper passion, and an urbane business partner who recommends to George a therapeutic affair to take his mind off all his pressures. Along comes Gina; beautiful, clever, and on the face of it aggressively feminist. But this play is no average Knockabout farce, and the complications that ensure raise thought-provoking questions on the easy assumptions we tend to make about modern manners. Where, for instance, does Gina’s feminism come into the heart and soul commitment she demands from George? What triggers Joanna’s drinking- frustration? George’s charm may be strong enough to command a remarkable degree of loyalty; but his teenage daughter understands what lies beneath the charm…
Cast
Sarah Robinson – Stephanie Dungate
Joanna Martell – Eileen Hullett
Philip White – Tony Bate
Fiona Martell – Beverley Smalley
George Martell – Tony Donnelley
Gina Leigh – Kath Bateman
Crew
Set Design and Stage Management – Bill Brookes, Len Huntley
Set Built By – Bill, Len, Eric, Sue, Peter and others
Assistant Stage Manager – Eileen Thatcher
Properties – Polly Owen, Alison Horner
Lighting – Steve Fraser
Sound – Ian Macdonald