Dramatic Arundel Festival plays prove popular

One of the highlights was the superb play at the Arundel Jailhouse, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, which won tremendous acclaim from everyone who saw Collin Baxter and Anah Ruddin perfectly in step in this highly-amusing yet extremely poignant drama.

The play is a feast of sharp, witty dialogue, beautifully delivered by Collin and Anah and moving seamlessly back and forth between comedy and tragedy as personal secrets and fears surface.

Collin puts in a superb performance as the wisecracking but vulnerable dancing instructor. His elderly pupil, played by Anah, is exquisitely elegant as the widow determined not to be bowed down by her advancing years.

The intimate setting of the Jailhouse is ideal for this kind of drama and the audience were kept on their toes throughout by the quickfire exchanges and swings of mood.

The play is thought-provoking but with plenty of laugh-out-loud lines, delivered by two very talented performers who share tremendous rapport and chemistry. It was a complete sell-out, as was the one-man production Didn’t You Used to be Derek Jacobi?, written and performed by Nigel Fairs.

There were no empty seats at the Priory Playhouse when Arundel Players presented Privates on Parade every evening throughout the festival.

For the full report, see this week’s Littlehampton Gazette (Thursday, August 28).