Hasland Theatre Company’s Ladies In Lavender – 16 March 2026, Chesterfield Playhouse
Review by Nicola Bourne.
Ladies in Lavender originally found life as a stage play in 2012, through Shaun McKenna’s adaptation of the 2004 screenplay, which starred Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. A gentle, evocative film, it told a melancholy tale of unrequited love, where aging spinster sisters, Ursula and Janet, nurse a Polish violinist, Andrea, back to health, after he washed up on the beach near their Cornwall home. When Ursula falls for the much younger Andrea, it navigates her complex feelings of jealousy and loneliness and the sad realisation, in the end, that she must let Andrea go, for the sake of his own life and musical career.
The story is a simple, understated one, but one which tugs at the heartstrings nonetheless and last night’s stage version, performed by Hasland Theatre Company, was equally successful in provoking those same emotions for me. It captured the nostalgic, bygone era of the 1930s and showcased the simplicity of life, where daily routines were mundane and where Andrea’s appearance broke that monotony, stirring up feelings of lost years in the more naïve sister, Ursula. It was beautifully intense and tender; an accomplishment made possible by such a talented cast and crew.
Of course, it never hurts a production to have such evocative music; it always heightens the audience’s emotions and elevates the entire experience. The beautiful pieces for violin are haunting and poignant and expertly fill the spaces between scenes or play on the radio. Ed Telfer’s violin playing, as Andrea, was clearly well rehearsed and his hand movements and intensity matched the tempo and style, as he synchronised with the recorded music. Andrew Heyna also gave a quirky, light-hearted performance, as Dr Mead, on his fiddle, which matched his character’s eccentricity; a quality Andrew always portrays well.
Having seen Ed perform previously in Hamlet, I was aware of his stage presence and acting ability. His strong, confident voice always stands out and was well suited to this Polish character. His broken English and accent were convincing, and his physicality made him a perfect choice, in my opinion, to play an injured or drunken Andrea. Likewise, Andrew played the right amount of “silly” for his doctor’s character, with his facial expressions and vocal talents giving a strong comedic performance.
The two sisters, Ursula and Janet, were well played by Rachel Smith and Louise Sutton respectively. I was certainly on board with Ursula’s emotional journey, even though she could be a little petulant at times. Rachel was at her best, though, when frantically gesticulating to try to communicate with Andrea, which encouraged a few laughs from the audience. Louise oozed confidence and appeared very comfortable on stage. Her portrayal of Janet was a pleasure to watch, and she delivered a few funny lines of her own! She may not have been in love with Andrea, but she was certainly just as keen to impress him!
Lucy Pledge and Sarah Breen complete the small cast; both are talented members of the company, who always play their parts well. Playing the common sense, down to earth Dorcas and the Russian tourist Olga Danilof, their respective roles were in good hands once again. Lucy shines in these cheeky roles and Sarah has proven extremely versatile in hers, maintaining a Russian accent this time.
For such a simple, slow-paced story to have an emotional impact on its audience, it’s a testament to the quality of the storytelling, which this company does so well. The director, Bev Dean, has moved the story slightly away from its film origins, but has done so in a way that works for the smaller stage and perhaps even offers a little more humour. The set design, which shows the beach, living room, bedroom and garden all onstage together, kept the set changes to a minimum, while the sound and lighting added to the play’s ambience, with lightning, thunder, rain and crashing waves effects. A lovely, sentimental story, well-acted and serving as a reminder of simpler times, this show offers a contrast to the chaotic world we live in, if only for a few hours!
