Written by: Catherine Hayes
Directed by: Kathryn Young
Performed: Wednesday 21st October- Saturday 24th October 2009 at 7.30pm in St Anne's Hall.

Julia Coleman

Ruth Green

Ada Halley

Producer
Set Design & Props
Costume Design Lighting Design
Sound Design
Prompt
FOH Manager
Poster Design

Richard Frampton
Sara Curnock Cook
Sara Curnock Cook
Richard Frampton
Mike Ainsworth
Janet McLaughlin
Orna Joseph
Clint Scott, Chloe Hamblen and Kathryn Young

Skirmishes is a one act play set in the bedroom of a senile, incontinent, near comatose old woman who lies hours away from death. Here she is looked after by her two grown up daughters; the eldest, Jean, has stayed at home throughout her mother’s illness, bearing the brunt in all its laborious glory, whilst her sister, Rita, who left home years ago, returns now in the last few days, to offer her sister help.

Rita is glamorous and well dressed and is the seemingly happily married mother of three children; while Jean, who is childless and unhappily married to man away on business seems to have let herself go over the years. What pours out in this final hour are the many differences built up between them as the two argue over their mother's bed, jostling for power and reigniting long held resentments as they dig through the bitter memories of their sibling disputes. Unfortunately their Mother can hear every word and it is her reaction to their bickering that makes the twist in the play.

Skirmishes is a dark family portrait that shines a spotlight on the ingrained bitterness of this particular sibling relationship and whilst doing so highlights the power of the dying to have a hold on those who survive them and the tendency to bring out the worst in those thrust into this situation.

Approx 90 mins long, No interval