Anyone who has seen a production staged by Bembridge Little Theatre Club before will be expecting a high quality, entertaining show – and The Actress does not disappoint, with its blend of comedy, pathos and real insight into the central character and through her, the human condition.

Lydia Martin, the actress of the title, is giving her final performance before retiring, and the play follows the events of the evening in her dressing room, with glimpses of the stage performance of The Cherry Orchard, Chekov’s own last salute to the stage and a play which, like The Actress itself, has elements of comedy, tragedy and indeed farce.

Hanna Emily Nixon as Lydia dominates the stage; her experience and stagecraft shine through her portrayal of Lydia’s complex mix of emotions as she faces her final curtain and sees her life about to change forever. A profession which demands that she spend most of her life ‘being’ someone other than herself, leaves her wondering who she actually is? And without the stage, who she will be? The theme of identity runs through the play, which will resonate with anyone whose life has undergone a change which leaves them questioning their place in the world, be it retirement or any other challenging life event.

Against such a central character, the others could risk seeming one dimensional – yet through a combination of the playwright’s skill and the talent and experience of the actors and director, each character shines in their own way and engages our attention – if not always our sympathy.

Charles, Lydia’s elderly fiancé with whom she plans to live abroad, is the character most in danger of appearing only as an adjunct to Lydia herself, especially as his main characteristic seems to be his age and lack of mobility. Alongside the running gag of how long it takes him to get from auditorium to dressing room however, Barry Aspinall as Charles engages us as we witness his genuine love for Lydia and his barely concealed angst at the appearance of her ex, Paul.

Rob Bingham as Paul is another actor who has the experience to ensure we see his character not just in terms of Lydia. The chemistry – and sparring – between the two is perfectly played for laughs and although he appears at first glance to be, as Lydia accuses him, arrogant, I found myself warming to him and by the final scene…well, I won’t spoil the ending for you.

Paul and Lydia’s daughter Nicole is played with energy and verve by Genevieve Dorning. Everything about her, from her hair and clothes to her smoking habit, suggests the rebel, yet despite the initial tension between her and her mother, Nicole’s love for both parents is made evident.

Another central character fleshed out by the experience of the actor is Lydia’s dresser Katherine, played by Jane Robert. Again, the comedy is juxtaposed with some genuinely poignant moments with her employer – even if she does in the end decide that Margaret is right to suggest they should all benefit from Lydia’s retirement in some way – watch out for the pilfering, that’s all I’ll say!

Margaret is the Theatre Manager, tasked with being the go-between for the (unseen) director and the actress, delivering notes she knows will be ignored, witnessing…well, I won’t go there… and constantly stressed by the whole thing. Olivia Pike brings her extensive comedy skills to the role, particularly timing and facial expressions, which are hilarious.

Martie Cain takes on the role of Lydia’s agent Harriet, who arrives with a bottle of (cheap) brandy…and things go downhill from there. Like Olivia, Martie has great experience as a comedy actress, and the spontaneous round of applause at her exit in Act 2 is testament to her skills.

The interspersing of scenes from The Cherry Orchard are very effectively staged, with the scene change slick, silent and quick. Praise for this goes to Andrew Wilson Jenner and John Hammond who aside from set design and stagehand duties also appear in cameo roles as Lopakin and Gaev – with their backs to the audience. Yes, it works really well.

Director Dianne Aspinall has managed to pull together a hugely talented team of actors and bring out the best in them, so that every nuance of this poignant and very funny play is brought out clearly and effectively. I thoroughly enjoyed the first night, as did the audience judging from the applause and the comments as they’re left Bembridge Village Hall.

Tonight (Friday) is sold out but I recommend that you book tickets for Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon – they are available online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/Bembridge-Little-Theatre-Club or call the Box Office on 07841 950261. As always, BLTC deliver a resounding success and wonderful entertainment.