Keeping Up Appearances

Keeping up appearances is one of those programmes that was so deeply embedded in our cultural consciousness that the mere mention of an invitation to a Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet) candlelight supper sent people fleeing. Staging a theatre production of Roy Clarkes classic television sit com was an ambitious undertaking yet, under the direction of Michelle Coulson, members of Chester le Street Theatre Group certainly made the most of the new script written especially for the stage. The action is centred around a church hall where social climber Hyacinth is showing her new painting Willows by Moonlight at the local art exhibition. At the same time and in the same venue her long-suffering neighbour Emmet is directing a play for the local amateur dramatic company, and is determined to go to extreme lengths to keep Hyacinth out of the play. When Hyacinth hears that the part of Lady Melvern is yet to be cast, nothing will stop her from taking this role.