Meet the pioneering Playhouse Creatures
Playbox Theatre presents The Restoration Season at The Dream Factory, Warwick, from 20 March 2025. Performing Playhouse Creatures by April De Angelis and The Country Wife by William Wycherley.
Playhouse Creatures: Review by Ann Evans
This young all female cast really embraced their performance of April De Angelis’ Playhouse Creatures, not only bringing their characters to life in their own inimitable individual styles, they clearly have all enjoyed the opportunity of researching the 17th century actresses they played, and Restoration Theatre in general.
Playbox Theatre’s Restoration Season is the culmination of a long planned project – and they invite audiences to go along to see both productions. A spokesperson for Playbox said: “We hope you can see both plays in our Theatre of Memory at The Dream Factory. Rehearsing the project has been both illuminating and challenging to our actors. We are delighted with their response.”
The Restoration period in theatre took place in the 1600s when King Charles II issued a royal warrant, revolutionizing the English theatre – allowing women, for the first time, to ‘tread the boards’ and perform on the stage. It was a time when theatre saw the arrival of some pioneering actresses.
In Playhouse Creatures we meet Mary Saunderson Betterton – played wonderfully by Mery Sutherland. Mrs Betterton was an actress, singer and dancer and one of the first women to perform on the English stage. She earned the nickname ‘the greatest actress of her time’. Mery Sutherland portrayed this dedicated and passionate woman as perhaps theatre’s first Diva – in the nicest possible way! We saw some powerful acting from Mery Sutherland who clicked in and out of characters in full flight, quite magically.
Actor Mery Sutherland says: Playing Mary Betterton is so interesting. In many ways to the public eye she is larger than life, portraying so many iconic classical female roles. However, she is also, in her own way, a maternal figure to the other girls and demonstrates her undying passion for the arts through her unwavering dedication to The King’s Company… Having the opportunity to explore Mary Betterton has been wonderful.”
We also met Nell Gwynn, an orange seller of the time, who longed to be on stage. Nell was played delightfully by the talented Abbey Elston, who brought out the cheekiness of Gwynn that stole the hearts of those wild and rowdy audiences – that included Samuel Pepys and King Charles II. She so intrigued the King that she became his lover – it’s believed, from 1668 until his death in 1685 – some 17 years.
Actor Abbey Elston says: “Playing the character of Nell Gwynn has been such a fun and playful experience, but also incredibly eye-opening… Nell’s bubbly and charismatic exterior hides a more calculated and determined side, which has been so interesting to explore. It’s been a rewarding challenge to bring her to life and I’ve really enjoyed every moment of it.”
Other famous actresses from those times who we meet are Mrs Elizabeth Farley played compassionately by Lyla McLeod, portraying the story of Elizabeth from a preacher’s daughter to an actress. An excellent performance by her. Also we meet Mrs Rebecca Marshall, played by Phoebe Roberts. In real life Rebecca was bursting with passion for her craft, and Phoebe Roberts brings this same passion to her role. Phoebe says: “She is a raging fire of strength: I am immensely inspired by her!”
And perhaps the one character on stage who brought this whole production together was Doll Common, played absolutely brilliantly by Ottiie Lampitt. Ottilie portrays an elderly, hard-working woman taking care of the young women of the theatre. Ottilie’s portrayal of Doll is fabulous from the facial expressions to the way she walks and moves – and of course the deliverance of her lines.
Credit also must go to the director, technicians, crew and those responsible for the costumes. A great team effort that definitely deserved the standing ovation by the audience at the end of the performance.
The Country Wife – opens 21 March 2025
All production information can be found here https://www.playboxtheatre.com/whats-on/
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