Show: Sheila’s Island
Society: Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Venue: Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. Millbrook, Guildford, Surrey GU1 3UX
Credits: By Tim Firth. Presented by the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Type: Sardines
Performance Date: 15/02/2022
Sheila’s Island
Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre has produced Tim Firth’s latest adaptation, a gender swap of his ‘comedy in thick fog’. Neville’s Island was first broadcast in 1998 and is a play in which I myself have played the title role a few years ago – and remains a highlight of my time on the boards. It features a cast of four men who play a quartet of company execs from Salford, Manchester, who attend a management bonding/motivation weekend in the Lake District but when their boat capsises, they are stranded on Rampsholme Island in Derwent Water.
Sheila’s Island is Tim Firth’s brand-new female adaptation of the same play. It is set to tour the UK after its initial run in Guildford. I was thrilled to bump into the author of all of the incarnations of Calendar Girls, Ou House and The Flint Street Nativity at tonight’s press night who gave me a little insight into his new play. He told me that the text managed to leap across the gender gap almost line for line after Firth’s initial hestation (or contemplation). Hence, Judy Flynn, Abigail Thaw, Rina Fatania and Sara Crowe make up the all-female executive foursome on the Yvonne Arnaud stage as Sheils’a Island breathes its first.
Liz Cooke’s bleak set design does away with the traditional green folliage which was employed in various productions of Neville’s Island – including the one I appeared in – but as soon as the ladies appear one by one sopping wet and proceed to change into dry clothes onstage everything came flooding back to me. Judy Flynn makes for a great Sheila – a name that appears to trip off the tongue in competition to Amanda Whittington’s Ladies’ Down Under ?
The plot of both Neville and Sheila’s Island see’s a disfunctional quartet thrown together to await rescue from the tiny and desolate island. Sheila (Flynn) is the studious nerd, Denise (Thaw) the bully, Julie (Fatania) the happily married and organised one and finally Fay (Crowe) is the confused one who apears to lose her mind. Together, Firth has reignited his play to a new army of potential performers – including a host of amateur fans, eventually… and Firth does have a huge soft spot for we amateurs.
Sheila’s Island plays at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre until Saturday, 19th February 2022 before its mini-tour to:
- 10th – 19th February 2022: Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford, Millbrook, Guildford, GU1 3UX https://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/whats-on/sheilas-island
- 22nd – 26th February: Exeter Northcott Theatre. Stocker Rd, Exeter EX4 4QB https://www.exeternorthcott.co.uk/your-visit/
- 1st – 5th March: King’s Theatre Edinburgh. 2 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LQ https://www.capitaltheatres.com/whats-on/sheilas-island
- 15th – 19th March: MAST Mayflower Studios Southampton. 142 – 144 Above Bar Street, Southampton, SO14 7DU https://www.mayflowerstudios.org.uk/what-s-on/sheilas-island-2022/
- 22nd – 26th March: Derby Theatre. 15 Theatre Walk, Derby, DE1 2NF https://www.derbytheatre.co.uk/sheilas-island-by-yvonne-arnaud-theatre
- 29th March – 2nd April: The Lowry Manchester. Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ https://thelowry.com/whats-on/sheilas-island/
- 5th – 9th April: Liverpool Playhouse. Williamson Square, Liverpool L1 1EL https://www.everymanplayhouse.com/whats-on/sheilas-island
- 12th – 16th April: Crewe Lyceum. Heath Street, Crewe CW1 2DA https://crewelyceum.co.uk/Online/tickets-sheilas-island-crewe-2022
- 19th – 23rd April: Brighton Theatre Royal. New Road, Brighton BN1 1SD https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/sheilas-island/theatre-royal-brighton/
- 26th – 30th April: Richmond Theatre. 1 Little Grn, Richmond TW9 1QH https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/sheilas-island/richmond-theatre/
- 3rd – 7th May: Salisbury Playhouse. Malthouse Lans, Salisbury SP2 7RA https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/whats-on/main-house/sheilas-island/
- 10th – 14th May: Theatre Royal Bath. Saw Close, Bath BA1 1ET https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/event/sheilas-island/