REVIEW

DAISY PULLS IT OFF

Dorchester Arts Centre

I SAY, what a topping time everyone had with the girls from Grangewood School as they embarked on a spiffing adventure searching for secret treasure and revealing the true identity of the mysterious gardener.

This premiere production by Wildcard, a local group who got together during last year’s community play, is a riotous schoolgirl jape in which Daisy, a scholarship newcomer to a posh boarding school, becomes the target of dastardly plots aiming to get her expelled.

A large cast of 14 year old girls – well they used to be 14 – is helped along by a top-hole headmistress, played by Carole Redhouse and jolly head girl Clare – Liz Duke, while the snobbish Sybil - Emma Hill, and creepy Monica – Stella Hollis, stir up trouble for Daisy and her loyal friend Trixie – Katie Gallego.

Sue Wylie directs and stars as Daisy in this superb comedy which boasts a cast who never put a foot wrong, simply delicious.

With just two men, Mark Hebditch as the only male teacher and Kevin Morris, stepping in at the last minute into the role of the gardener, this is definitely a case of girls on top as it pokes gentle fun at the Enid Blyton genre of childhood stories.

Then simply add the task of creating scenes on a train, at a hockey match and even on a cliff top, and you have an imaginative and skilful production that is hopefully just the first of many more Wildcard shows to come.

MARION COX