Bothered and Bewildered
by Gail Young
14/10/14 - 18/10/14
Venue: The Forum Studio Theatre
'Bothered and Bewildered' premiered in a sell out run in October 2014 at the Forum Studio Theatre in Chester as a fund raising production to enhance care for patients with Dementia at both the Countess of Chester and Ellesmere Port Hospitals. The production raised over £6000 in total
This is a play about life, love and loss - and Barbara Cartland! Irene and her two middle aged daughters Beth and Louise struggle to come to terms with her Alzheimer's, and Irene's past passion for romantic fiction blurs with reality as she discusses with her unseen companion Barbara Cartland (Irene's favourite and now deceased world famous romantic novelist) how best to write her memory book. Past memories and a long hidden secret come to the fore, and we see a side to Irene that her family did not know existed. The play is a poignant and comic look at what some experts have described as 'the long goodbye'. To see an informal interview with Gail during rehearsals in 2014 see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf7bFUa97_c
Cast
Irene - Julia Bona
Beth - Eileen Reisins
Louise - Alison Pritchard
Barbara Cartland - Tiz Corcoran
NHS Consultant - Catherine Bryant
Community Bobby - Neil Mason
Dual role:
Jim / James - Ally Goodman
Young Irene / Shelley - Leah Bell
Production team
Writer & Director - Gail Young
Assistant Directors - Alison Pritchard & Joanne Rymer
Producer - Brian Fray
Lighting - Mark Shenton
Sound - Abbie Taylor
Props - Annette Clemence
Set Artwork - Pippa Redmayne
Costumes - Sally Dillon
Photography - Terry Marland
Choreography - Nick Leeson / Swingstompers
Publicity - Dave and Pat Pearce (Tip Top) and Angie Lopez (Countess of Chester Fundraising Office)