Ritual for Dolls (1984)
Directed by John Woodrooffe
Performances: 17th & Sun 18th November 1984, Prompt Corner
Contents
Introduction
The first half of a double bill with "Transit of Venus".
Cast
- Jo-Jo (Monkey Doll) - Sally Lill
- Arabella - Juliet Male
- Bravo - Quentin Cobby
- Golly - Jonathan Lewis
Crew
- Stage Manager - Iris Lenny
- Lighting Design & Operator - Richard Wood
- Sound Operator - Ray Ellison
- Wardrobe & Costumes - Elaine Valleau
- Set Construction - Nigel Howcutt, Ken Lucas, John Woodrooffe
Reviews
"Ritual for Dolls" packs a tremendous punch. Four Dolls come out of their box at midnight to enact a tale of passion and retribution in colonial Africa under Queen Victoria. The tragedy was compellingly directed by John Woodroofe.
Sally Lill was the monkey doll Jo-Jo and her drum was the very heartbeat of the story. Julliet Male was superb as Arabella, emerging from her box with icy mien and racist gibes, before playing out the passionate tale of Alice.
The doll Bravo was played by Quentin Cobby, stiff and stilted and telling her brother Percival's tale in a mounting crescendo of mounting terror. Jonathan Lewis was Golly, a doll parody of the primitive African, with drawling accent and hypnotic delivery. This was a riveting half-hour.
Donald Madgwick, the Croydon Advertiser - reprinted in SCENE with permission.
Gallery
Reminiscences and Anecdotes
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See Also
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References
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