Main Street Theatre Company’s latest production at Great Glen, ‘That’s Life’, is not only a new play which has only been performed once before, it also required most of the cast to act twice or more their real age.  This could have been a recipe for disaster for amateurs - but it wasn’t!

This comedy is about six far-from-Golden Oldies, trapped in seedy Tranquillity Towers (a great set!) because they can’t afford a BUPA retirement home.  The audience were kept laughing as the residents bemoaned their fate, with lines like: “In the Airport of Life, we’re all in the duty free”.

Bev Fitzpatrick was excellent as the feisty 80-year-old who still has all her marbles and objects strenuously to being old.  Alex Briggs Dolman as her more refined, but dimmer, friend was a perfect foil and their scenes over Scrabble were a delight.  The squabbling sisters aged 85 and 75 were Ingrid Cooke and Jennie Vines and the two old soldiers reminiscing about the Second World War were Neil Marshall and Richard Palmer.  Neil brought real pathos into the comedy as he searched for his dead wife.

The irritants in the old people’s lives were the younger characters - care worker Sue Wyburn; Janet Lord, hilarious as the OTT keep-fit teacher; the greedy daughter, Sam Hayes; and Gary Vasey as the kind, but very camp, care worker.  It all ended happily, (and please, can I have some of matron’s Ovaltine?)

The cast had obviously worked very hard, as well as having nearly as much fun as the audience did, so all credit to Barry Barnes, director/producer, and to all at MSTC!

Written by Vivien Window - Article printed in Harborough Mail on June 1st, 2006