By outdoor-nature-child.com At the Claybody Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, audiences are treated to a whimsical and engaging exploration of a famous flying saucer sighting on a housing estate in Deborah McAndrew’s latest play, “The Dipping House.” Set in 1967, the story begins on the evening of September 2nd, when Bentilee, one of Europe’s largest council estates, transformed from a quiet community into a site of extraordinary intrigue.
Can you tell us about that night in 1967 when the bright lights appeared? Eyewitness accounts described the phenomenon as resembling a “saucer” that “changed in different colours.” Some locals even admitted to feeling frightened as it descended.
Deborah McAndrew intricately weaves this extraordinary sighting into the narrative, framing the production with its significance. The show unfolds in a former pottery dipping house, which serves as the new venue for the Claybody Theatre, co-founded by McAndrew and her husband, Conrad Nelson. As the audience enters, the atmosphere is charged; one can almost feel the earth vibrating, hinting at the eerie events to come.
How did the creative team draw audiences into the world of Bentilee? The production team, led by director Conrad Nelson, along with designer Dawn Allsopp, lighting designer Jo Dawson, and sound designer Scott Ralph, relied on low-tech resources to create notably satisfying sci-fi effects. Yet, the lights descending from above serve a deeper purpose – they illuminate the everyday lives of Bentilee’s residents, including miners, clerks, dinner ladies, and salespeople. At the core of McAndrew’s narrative are the characters’ struggles to forge connections, countering the notion presented by one character that humans exist in isolation like distant planets.
What were your impressions of the cast’s performances? The cast delivers impressively nuanced portrayals, with Polly Lister standing out as the matriarch, Beverley. Kymberley Cochrane shines as Jean, the misfit math genius, while Ava Ralph embodies the spirit of her combative cousin. Jack Wilkinson, Phil Corbitt, and Eddy Westbury also add depth to their roles as UFO enthusiasts and mysterious visitors. The production boasts a remarkable ensemble of 24 actors, bringing to life a community involved in bingo-playing, fitness classes, and UFO-watching.
Overall, “The Dipping House” is a touching period drama that masterfully balances humor and heart, inviting audiences to reflect on the connections that unite us in this whimsical narrative.