ACT Reviews 2022-2023 Season

DAISY PULLS IT OFF by Denise Deegan

Director: Pauline Nevell St Joseph’s Players

Denise Deegan’s “Daisy Pulls It Off ” is a spoof on Angela Brazil’s jolly – hockey sticks novels of schoolgirl boarding school adventures and is set in the 1920s. This play had success in the West End in the ‘80s and since then there have been other parodies like Patrick Barlow’s “The 39 Steps”. In comparison “Daisy” is a little too wordy giving a challenge to deliver and hold the audience.

The convincing set was the oak panelled assembly hall of Grangewood School with framed portraits of members of the former school’s owners. The many scenes were zoned by lighting, with stage furniture giving location. All the setting, and striking of the scenes, were undertaken by the school girls. Costumes of school uniform gymslips added to the spiffing fun of the piece. Lighting was a little basic at times meaning that some dramatic moments were lost. However it did aid the overall atmosphere. Direction and staging fluidly took the audience through the exploits of goody-two-shoes, Daisy Meredith. The younger members of the cast making up the ensemble have to be praised, and a special mention for Annabelle Whitter, as Winnie Irving. Annabelle’s characterisation and delivery was jolly – utter! The story evolves round two sets of friends and a search for hidden treasure. There are inter-dorm fights, a mountain rescue, and a hockey match: a very silly plot of twenty’s British girlhood but completely charming. Slightly mature principal school girls energised and delivered an entertaining evening’s romp. On the train journey to Grangewood School for the new term we meet most of the characters. There are two male cast members; Mr Scoblowski, the Russian music master, and Mr Thompson, the gardener. Colin Magenty, as Thompson, who was Daisy’s long-lost father, took the