The Stage

Good Things

Published Thursday 18 June 2009 at 12:20 by Peter Cargill

Pitlochry Theatre’s Scottish theme continues with acclaimed writer Liz Lochhead’s poignant but also hilarious Good Things.

Director Ken Alexander brings out the best in his cast (especially during the Christmas Eve scene change) and Carol Ann Crawford is an inspired piece of casting as Susan.

We laugh with her, we cry with her, but, most of all, we sympathise as Susan struggles to find some meaning in her life. She has been dumped by her husband, his new girlfriend is pregnant, her daughter brings adolescence to new heights, she is being stalked and yet, she always has hope. Crawford brings out all the emotional qualities in an accomplished performance.

Dougal Lee sensitively plays the widower David, who is very concerned about the loss of a sentimentally valuable tie he inadvertently donated to the shop.

Alan Steele revels in his part as the uber-camp Frazer, who will never admit he is gay to protect his mother’s feelings.

Isabelle Joss is quite superb. She plays not only the super-efficient and snooty shop manager but also, along with Alan Steele, all the other roles, from down and outs to shoppers and past and present lovers.

Sometimes they were even in three places at once - out of sight in the backshop and the changing room and in full view in the shop. Quick-change artistry is a must in this play. Only four actors took their well-deserved applause. It didn’t seem possible.

Karen Tennant’s charity shop set reeked with authenticity - you could almost smell it, especially when a pair of soiled combinations were revealed - a bit too graphic for some.

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