Chains of Dew at the Orange Tree

Clashes with work trips abroad caused me to miss the last few shows at the Orange Tree in Richmond but normal service was finally resumed this week when I went to see Chains of Dew by Susan Glaspell.

The main theme is about the clash between east coast vivacity and mid-west cosiness in 1920s America and the play brings out both the comedy and the trauma of this conflict.

At the end you find that you have spent most of the evening laughing but you feel as though the story was rather sad and that nobody won but some people lost.

As usual, the play made good use of being staged in the round to engage with the audience. When friends came around to visit we were sitting in the room with them.

Also as usual, the acting was good and, in some cases, excellent. The Guardian review gives credit where credit is due to cast and director and I would like to add my own praise for Katie McGuinness (country wife), on the far right of the picture, who produced a heart-wrenching performance just as she did in Nan last year.