Laundry And Bourbon and Lone Star are two self-contained single act plays. Each play is capable of standing alone. But put together - as tonight in succession - they reveal a complete picture of the lives of the main characters - both as they present themselves, and as they are perceived by those closest to them.

Action takes place in the small, sleepy town of Maynard, Texas. The characters are of marriage-and-children age: the women appear in Laundry and Bourbon; the men in Lone Star. The men have just returned emotionally wounded from the Vietnam War (c 1955-1975); their wives have fought their own loneliness back home. But the hopes of youth are hard to recapture in this seemingly dreary town - particularly as secrecy and deception lie just beneath the surface.

Husband and wife Elizabeth (Claire Lyons) and Roy (Terence Burns) are the main characters and complete each other. Elizabeth has inner strength and understanding; Roy is tortured and flawed.

In Laundry and Bourbon, Elizabeth is joined on her porch in the stifling heat by her best friend Hattie (Charlie Walker-McClimens) for some afternoon bourbon-drinking, gossiping and laundry. Secrets from past and present lives begin to emerge when uninvited guest and town gossip Amy Lee (Stephanie Jackson) arrives under the guise of friendship to tell Elizabeth of Roy's latest infidelity. Elizabeth's spousal loyalties are only heightened and Hattie's underlying disdain for Amy Lee quickly becomes more evident with each bourbon. The dialogue is razor-sharp and very comical.

Acting is of the highest standard. Claire Lyons captures Elizabeth's inner struggle and subtly gets across that what Elizabeth says is not always what she means. Charlie Walker-McClimens as Hattie and Stephanie Jackson as Amy Lee add quick-witted comedy with perfect delivery and sharp acting as the protagonists assassinate each other's characters, while maintaining utmost politeness.

In Lone Star, Roy is working his way through a case of beer in the backyard of the local bar with his comically dim-witted brother Ray (Charlie Carter). Ray delights in his hero's tales of past glories and conquests. Uninvited Cletis (Liam Bewley) brings dramatic secrets to the surface. Roy's character is taken beyond his forced bravado to the damaged and loving core. Liam Bewley, Terence Burns, Charlie Carter embody the characters with flawless accents and fine performances.

Sets are effective: an afternoon domestic porch for Laundry and Bourbon; a rowdy backyard bar under a starry night sky for Lone Star. Moods are set with a soundtrack including songs by Don Williams (1939-), Hank Williams (1923-1953) and Elvis Presley (1935-1977); and atmospheric lighting. James McClure's excellent script is dramatic, humorous, brimming with insight, and - most importantly - it tells a great story. There is an incredibly talented cast who, under the direction of Rob Watt, reveal the world of the characters, creating in the two plays 100 minutes of pure escapism.

Cast Credits: Laundry And Bourbon: (alpha order): Stephanie Jackson - Amy Lee. Claire Lyons - Elizabeth. Charlie Walker-McClimens - Hattie.

Cast Credits: Lone Star: (alpha order): Liam Bewley - Cletis. Terence Burns - Roy. Charlie Carter - Ray.

Company Credits: Writer - James McLure. Director - Rob Watt. Art Director - Christian Ashton. Art Director - Alice Lund. Original Design Concept By - Jacqueline Abrahams. Lighting Designer - uncredited. Sound Designer - uncredited. Technical Operator - uncredited. Technical Stage Manager - Erik Perera. Stage Manager – Alice Lund. Producer - uncredited. Company - Madison Theatre Company. Website - www.madisontheatre.co.uk.

END

(c) Leanne O'Loughlin 2010

reviewed Monday 30 August 2010 / Augustine's, Edinburgh UK

Note - review of another company's 2006 production of Laundry And Bourbon

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com