A DRAMATIC comedy from Commonweal School is part of the line up for the 70th Harold Jolliffe One Act Play Festival taking place from March 30 -April 1 in the Memorial Hall at Royal Wootton Bassett.

But anyone who would like a sneak preview of the play can see it at the Commonweal C6 auditorium on Tuesday, March 28.

Written by April De Angelis under the directorship of the school’s headteacher Keith Defter the play is performed by Yr 12 A Level Drama students Charlotte Delfino, Emma Booth, Emma Skane-Lawrence, Eve Batten and Rachel Winney who is in Yr 11.

“The play was chosen because it was their GCSE practical piece – they had to do a section but enjoyed it so much they wanted to do the whole thing. Having presented it at the In Tents and Purposes evening last autumn it was clear to me that we had a cracking play and five outstanding performers," said headteacher Keith Defter who also teaches drama.

Eve Batten plays Mrs Farley, Emma Booth - Nell Gwyn, Emma Skane-Lawrence - Doll, Charlotte Delfino is Mrs Marshall and Rachel Winney is Mrs Betterton

“Miss Birkbeck, our teacher in Year 11, recommended the play to us as it features a strong all female cast, which she thought would suit us. She also knew how close friends we all were and wanted to use that connection on stage with these characters," said Eve.

At the beginning, it took a while for us to warm to the play because it was so different from anything we had ever done. We had never really done any piece of theatre so far back in history, and the characters were all very bold and individual and we wanted to portray them correctly. However, we began to love it and the characters became a part of us."

The play is set around 1670, in the earlier part of the Restoration period, just before acting starts to become a more respectable means of employment for a woman. These actresses become the pioneers, fighting for their careers and a genuine status as artists equal with the male actors who have already achieved that distinction. The story follows Nell Gwynne from the moment when she first hears that the new theatre wants actresses to the end of her career and her choice to accept the beneficence of the King, as his mistress. The simple plotline is enriched by the stories of three other actresses who, in contrast to Nell, all fail to gain the respect of men, even though there is a wonderful moment when they are allowed to be equal shareholders in the company. The play is not suitable for under 15s.

Commonweal is scheduled on the afternoon of Saturday April 1 at the One Act Play Festival.

The preview at Commonweal starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £5 on the door.