It is nice to see that someone has taken the trouble to think about the set arrangement and not hope that it will sort itself out on the night. This set was neat and functional and a credit to whoever did it. Maybe it was the director Laura Harvey, who almost got through this short play without a hitch, a play that was better suited to the radio than the stage.

A trendy high street hairdressers is where Pam (Amanda Abbington) is taken with the other members of her family for the ritual of the hair prior to the wedding ceremony. It is the day of Princess Diana’s funeral, with the salon owner portraying how many people are thinking as they try to cope with the shock. The play parallels the life of Diana with the main character where the wedding has been arranged. The intended’s mother Vera (Gillian Wright) is intent on marrying her son off, but all is not well. Pam's mother Sandra (Sally George) arrives from her hippy wanderings with the intention of stopping the proceedings. Johnny (Bryan Kenny), the gay hairdresser, is also intent on aborting the imminent ceremony. The catalyst to all this is Mandy (Tracy Sweetinburgh), heavy with child, who makes them all think, as the conclusion descends on the play. Playwright Gill Adams got though lots of issues relevant to women as the plot made its way to the conclusion, but it is questionable whether each has enough to say to warrant an evening at the theatre. This is a try it and make your mind up play.

This is the concluding play in the “First Foot” series staged at the Stephen Josheph to give an environment for playwrights to air their new work, but all three plays have been short in length and lacking in a real message. Let us hope that facilities are again given to new playwrights who take the opportunity to stage a full length play with thought given to the sets. Remember that an evening at the theatre is an overall experience for everyone involved if anyone is to benifit from it, it takes in the intervals, presentation as well as acting and production — a view shared by the audiences. © BA

“Something Blue” is in at the McCarthy in Scarborough from the 5th of March until the 16th of March, 2002.