Susie Baxter successfully carries off her solo performance play written in association with director Michael Birch. She plays an array of female characters, interweaving the parts to give a continuous story. Providing the narration is Muriel, the cleaner to all ‘her ladies’.

Each of the women has some guilt in her background either obvious from the outset or revealed as the story unfolds. With so many characters being played in close succession, the narrative could become confusing but different accents and mannerisms quickly define each character. Her portrayal of accents drawn from all over Britain is most authentic.

Muriel’s role in the story at first seems anonymous. Cleaners are can be perceived as almost invisible personalities as they carry out their work. Her influence on the ladies deepens as the play moves to the final climax when she takes centre stage.

It is an amusing tale of female jealousies and intrigue.

***

Susie Baxter's Guilty Women

Company: -   Birch & Baxter Productions

Venue: -  Assembly  V 3

Dates: -  6 to 31 August 2009 (not 18, 25)

Times: -  12.45 to 13.55

Fringe Programme Page: -  p231   (F17)