Cold comfort in Playhouse chiller

The past comes back to haunt social services boss Jack Burns when a young woman arrives at his home.

But is this past real, imaginary, manufactured, or something else entirely? And is the girl's motive theft, blackmail or revenge?

These questions are keeping audiences on the edges of their seats during this week's production from Keighley Playhouse.

The play is as topical as today's headlines while exposing the legacy of real-life events almost two decades ago.

We see a previously-strong marriage rapidly fall apart after the girl tells her story to Jack's psychologist wife.

She claims that as a child she was abused in the children's home where Jack worked.

I won't reveal the rest of the plot, but suffice to say the tension builds through off-stage events and on-stage twists to a surprising but satisfying climax.

Nicola Rawling is very strong in the central role, particularly good as a traumamatised victim but equally up to the callous and histrionic turns of her character.

Geoff and Joan Whitley's performances will not surprise regular Playhouse-goers, as these two experienced actors offer credible and empathic portrayals of the husband and wife. Chris Cain, despite a slim build and silent performance, maintains a chilling presence throughout his time on stage.

Mike Boothroyd, more often found in the director's chair for comedies, proves equally skilled with disturbingly serious drama.

Expect a riveting two hours tonight and tomorrow from 7.30pm, as icy as the coldest Keighley weather.

* Phone 01535 618014 or 08451 267859 to check ticket availability.

David Knights

The Bridge to Utopia, Victoria Hall, Keighley

There was a moment in the latest HYT production that took me back to the youth theatre's productions of the 1980s.

An old lady spoke of joining her dead husband in heaven and a shiver rippled from my neck, down my spine and into my tummy.

The HYT of the 80s regularly won awards and its performers and writers were excellent illusionists, switching a play's mood in an instant.

The moment, and the emotion, in The Bridge to Utopia showed that after 26 years Keighley's youth theatre still has the talent to surprise.

The current roll call is one of the strongest for several years, even though there is a larger-than-usual proportion of newcomers.

The youngsters worked well with directors Jon and Charlotte Crossley to create a show which by turns was funnybone-tickling, heart-breaking and thought-provoking.

The 21 children and teenagers acted and sang superbly, with able support from the choir of the HYT junior section H-Club. Their theme was Utopia, the dream of a perfect place or situation, and HYT explored the idea in three linked playlets and 14 songs.

From a classroom and an old people's home to the USA, from the First World War to a party on the eve of 1984, and on to the technological promise of our future, HYT ensured we had an entertaining time.

But amid this entertainment, and without being too preachy, the group showed us that dreams are not what they're cracked up to be.

HYT themselves, on the other hand, certainly are.

David Knights

Don't Dress for Dinner, Bingley Arts Centre

Bingley Little Theatre has triumphed again with this French farce.

Despite the difficulties of putting a performance together over the festive period, the cast was word-perfect on the first night, their comic timing spot-on and the production pacey. Marc Camoletti's play is farce at its best, with mix-ups galore and characters pretending to be other than reality, and the laughs came thick and fast.

But no matter how skilled the writing, a play is only as good as its production and this was as good as some professional plays I've seen.

Kevin Moore is to be congratulated on his direction -- the co-ordination in some scenes being brilliant.

My only quibble would be the need to retain the few French references. London would have substituted perfectly well for Paris -- but that's nit-picking.

It was difficult to differentiate between the six-strong cast, but I particularly enjoyed Laura Campbell's performance as Suzette and Phil Holbrough's Robert.

As usual the set was well done by designer Terry McAllister and by Graeme Holbrough and his building team.

Sylvia Thompson