Glenbrook Players
Stand & Deliver
by Janet Shaw
Directed by Jennie Holland
September 2008
This extremely funny play takes a 'behind the scenes' look into the world of the maternity ward. Join sex-mad nurse Lindsay Walker, and the four ladies on C Ward.
The patients are : Vivien Withrington whose husband forgot to pay the private health insurance; Lizzie who has been caught out in the change of life; Nicola who gets confused easily and whose baby will have to match the soft furnishings in her house, and Michelle, whose only mistake was drinking alcopops and being 16.
Three of these four have the husbands they deserve, who each tries to help his wife during the last few hours before 'the big push' in the only way they know best - by being a man, and either not being there, or retiring as often as possible to the TV Room. Michelle though, has her mum - a domineering matriarch who is desperate that the baby is adopted to prevent the shame of having to reveal that her daughter is an unmarried mother.
The delivery rooms are full and so Vivien (who insisted on delivering in the birthing pool at the private 'Fairhomes' nursing home) together with Nicola have to deliver in their beds on the ward, during which Sister Mitchell and Nurse Walker show their compassionate side.
Through all this, the two domestics (Dot and Brenda) provide a down-to-earth patter of comfort to the labouring mothers, and barbed wit to the hospital staff.
It may sound like an unlikely setting for a comedy play, but Janet Shaw has a talent for turning the most incongruous situation and poking fun at it, or the people in it. This is truly a side-splitting comedy, which will leave you in stitches ... from laughing. It contains strong language and is not suitable for the easily offended. Pre-viewed on BBC Look North in November 1997, it is a guaranteed success.
Cast of Characters
Lindsay Walker
- a young midwife/nurse. Man-mad with a good bedside
manner.
Sister Mitchell
- a typical ward manager. Competent, but cold
Dr Mathers
- a Doctor at the hospital, and Lindsay's current
sleeping partner.
Dot
- a middle aged domestic.
Brenda
- another middle-aged domestic. Not as bright as Dot.
Vivien Withrington
- a social climber, "keeps up with the Jones's", likes
things her own way.
Clive Withrington
- tries hard to give Vivien what she demands, not
always successfully
Lizzie Meadows
- a mother of five teenage children
Eric Meadows
- a 'traditional' northern father, old-fashioned views,
strong Yorkshire accent
Trish Meadows
- their teenage daughter.
Nicola Ward
- first-time anxious mother-to-be, reads a birth
manual to maintain her confidence
Kevin Ward
- first-time anxious father-to-be, wants to video the
whole affair
Michelle Greenwood
- young, innocent, made a mistake, desperately wants
to keep the baby
Mrs Greenwood
- Michelle's domineering mother, desperately wants
to have the baby adopted
CAST LIST
Lindsay Walker
Melanie Rinaldi
Sister Mitchell
Sharn Arcus
Dr Phil Mathers
Harald Kleinmann
Nicola Ward
Sam Miller
Kevin Ward
Tom Oriti
Lizzie Meadows
Lyndall Green
Eric Meadows
Eldar Aliev
Michelle Greenwood
Emily Boyle
Mrs Greenwood
Kendra Herron
Vivien Withrington
Belinda Paddle
Clive Withrington
Douglas Roy
Dot
Anita Nau-Kleinmann
Brenda
Jill Hogwood
CREW LIST
Stage Manager
Heather Hull
Props
Jeannine Ashbee
Lighting
Chris Garlick & Scott Newton
Sound
Chris Garlick and Zac
Set Design & Construction
Corin Jackson
Production Manager
Margaret Bell
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