11/06/2026
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ
๐ค๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ช๐ค
By Judy Herbert
โ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐น๐ฎโ๐ ๐๐๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑโ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ
I have just returned from a ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ป๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐โ๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฝ, where a quartet of extremely talented actresses is performing this week in โSheilaโs Islandโ, a superbly observed comedy by Tim Firth, who also brought โCalendar Girlsโ and โKinky Bootsโ to the stage.
The set, designed by Jayne E. Blake, is phenomenal in its clear representation of a small, uninhabited island in the middle of DerwentWater, including a very realistic tree, sturdy enough for one of the cast to actually climb during the performance; special effects bring us the fog and the distant fireworks display that the ladies should be at, if only they had gone the right way!
Louise Challinor, as Sheila, is supposedly in charge of her group of four on this corporate team-building weekend but her leadership has resulted in them crashing their boat and being washed up on the island; the first we see of this brilliant cast is as they crawl from the wreckage onto the stage in various states of exhaustion. The laughter starts immediately as each character reacts differently to the situation.
Chris Lockett, as Denise, delivers her characterโs sarcastic lines with exactly the right emphasis and Rachel Millar convinces us that something very bad has affected Fay in the past.
Ruth Jonesโ portrayal of the over-organised Julie with the seemingly bottomless rucksack, containing everything but the kitchen sink, is well-observed.
There is no weak link in this close-knit cast of four and the pace of their dialogue is excellent. As the play progresses, with many a laugh, we learn more about each character, their foibles and their weaknesses and, yes, dare I say it, the importance of team-work!
Director, Michael Fair, has made an excellent job of his first production for the Rep. and the authentic props also add to the overall impression of a high-class show. Add to this the usual warm welcome by front-of โhouse staff and the licensed bar and you have the recipe for an enjoyable couple of hours.
โSheilaโs Islandโ runs at Stoke Rep this week until Saturday 13 June, including a Saturday matinee. Tickets are ยฃ16, evenings, ยฃ14, matinee, available from [email protected] or by phone on 01782 209784(evenings and weekends) or book online at StokeRep.co.uk
Judy Herbert Staffordshire Sentinel News & Media
๐๏ธ๐ซ ๐๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ ๐ฅพ
๐ฝ๐ค๐ค๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฌ! ๐๐
๐๏ธ stokerep.co.uk/book-tickets/
Whatever could go wrong ๐คฆโโ๏ธ๐ณ๐คฏ๐๐คฃ
A Comedy In Thick Fogโฆ
๐ฅพ๐๐๏ธ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐'๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ก๐
๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐
๐
June 9-13
๐Stoke Rep
๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐'๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ก๐ is an hilarious, ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง-๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐-๐ฃ๐ค๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐ castaway comedy by ๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐.
A gender-flipped version of his classic Neville's Island. The play follows four middle class businesswomen stranded on a tiny island in the Lake District during a disastrous corporate team-building weekend.
โฌ๏ธ๐โฌ๏ธ๐โฌ๏ธ๐โฌ๏ธ๐โฌ๏ธ๐โฌ๏ธ๐โฌ๏ธ
๐๏ธ Find out more and book tickets at stokerep.co.uk/book-tickets/
๐น๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ค๐ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ช๐ค โ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ฃ๐โ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ค๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐. ๐๐๐๏ธ
In this rollocking adventure described as ๐๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐จ meets ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ we encounter chaos, quarrels and hunger fuelled tension โ all which are treated with warmth and humour by ๐พ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐ก๐จ author Tim Firth.
