14/05/2026
Thanks to Lynn Carroll who reviewed the show for Southend Theatre Scene. Performances from Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th May nightly at 7.45pm at The Dixon Studio. Tickets on sale on the Trafalgar Theatres website or from the Box Office 0343 310 0030.
Review
Last night saw the opening of Lindisfarne Production’s London Suite in the Dixon Studio within the Palace Theatre in Westcliff-on-Sea. I was looking forward to this as it was the third amateur production I have had the pleasure of attending in the last year and like the previous two, it did not disappoint.
The lights went up on a rather ‘not what I expected’ first act which we soon realised was to be a two-hander throughout. I did initially wonder if this would continue for the next couple of hours as silly me did not realise it was four different stories set in the suite of a London hotel. A funny, sometimes wistful, foursome you might say. I make it a rule never to read the programme beforehand, nor do I make any particular effort to find out more than I might already know, which in this instance was absolutely nothing. The picture on the cover was of Big Ben seen through a window and I had wrongly assumed this would be some sort of political satire, strange how the brain makes its own connections.
Another of my self-imposed rules is not to give too much away to the reader so as not to spoil their pleasure should they decide to see the play or show I am writing about.
But suffice to say each of the four acts brought forth a totally different story which played out in a very professional manner. I have had much delight in watching these amateur productions as it is often difficult to distinguish their abilities from those who act for a living. The props and settings may lack those of the ‘big’ professional productions but it is easy to forget the small details when engrossed in the superb acting of the cast.
The first act involved a gun and although there were many witty asides it could not be called comedic. The second was a rather bitter sweet story between a mother and daughter, both American, freshly arrived in London for a shopping trip largely for shoes.
After the second act and a fifteen minute interval, the third act introduced us to Grace and Sidney ex-spouses meeting again after several years. This story revealed how life had treated them both since their divorce and had a rather sad twist at its end.
The final fourth act gave us the most laughs of the evening with what can only be described as farce. This one had the most actors on stage at one time and I will say only that one person had a bad back. Kevin Costner even got a mention.
For me, what started a tiny bit slowly soon came into its own with sterling performances from every cast member. Obviously those in lead roles often get the most plaudits but all were deserving of praise. However, I must single out Rob Moore, who appeared in three of the four acts and became a believablydifferent person in each one: A gunman, a gay divorcee and a bellboy. How on earth these actors remember their lines is a wonder, especially when playing multiple parts. Tracey Ferriello as Grace in the second act also deserves a mention as she delivered a very funny recounting of her evening out to her daughter, demonstrated with perfect timing and facial expressions.
This for me, and my guest agreed, was another thumbs up for amateur productions and I would encourage anyone who has not yet had the pleasure to go along and enjoy. Congratulations to all involved.
Lynn Carroll
