THEATRE GROUP VISIT TO CHATSWORTH - October 2015

 

Nearly thirty members and guests enjoyed an outstanding event at Chatsworth House in October.  We started with an absolutely scrumptious tea in the Stables Restaurant, then onto the House theatre. Here the outstanding Chatsworth Players excelled themselves with a breathtaking production of The Heiress, which was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature three times and is still regarded as the equal of William Shakespeare for his psychological insights into his characters’ behaviour. As Olivier observed, the audience does not so much see James’ characters, we see into their character - by ’God’s eye’. The Heiress is regarded as one of his finest works. Everyone in the theatre also regards it as one of his most challenging plays in which directors and actors are constantly required to find and deliver every hesitation, posture, glance and nuance on which the play so heavily depends. Henry James would have been delighted with this production. And so were we.  The characterisation, pace and rhythms were faultless. The quality of acting ability brought onto the stage for our enjoyment was quite mesmerising. All these characteristics combined to present to us a seamless spellbinding production. Of course responsibility for the relentless attention necessary to ensure a company achieves this standard  of production rests squarely on the shoulders of the Director. We are extremely fortunate to be blessed with Sylvia Jackson. She has extensive West End experience, and it shows. And despite the pressure she must work under, her engaging personality and mischievous sense of humour are always readily apparent when she is in the theatre.  This magical theatre outing begun last year has now become a popular fixture in the Society diary.