A story of female friendship in debut play at Westacre

Westacre Theatre Company presents its next live production, Airswimming, opening on Friday, November 12 .

The plot reveals two women surviving the silence of imprisonment, Dora and Persiphone, who disappear into their powerful imaginations and act out their fantasies like Airswimming.

Initially polar opposites, neither of the confused girls understand why they have been sent to an asylum for the criminally insane.

Forgotten by their families, as were a whole generation of ill-fated women in Britain and Ireland who had borne illegitimate children, these two gentle people spend an incredible five decades locked away from a disapproving society.

A story of friendship, it is about a growing intense dependence on each other and eventually becoming each other’s rock.

Guilty of an offence that today would never lead to detention, they were finally released in the 1970s.

Sensitively bringing to life these two increasingly institutionalised characters are West Norfolk actors Rachael Cummins and Laura-Kate Nice.

Falling in love with acting at Westacre when she was just aged 11, Rachael’s most recent appearances at her favourite venue have been as Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest and as Mary in Dulcie and Walter for fEAST Theatre.

It is 15 years since Laura-Kate first performed there when she starred as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and later as Cassie in A Chorus Line.

Currently touring with Thomas the Tank Engine, they are especially thrilled to be appearing together again in a special play on the stage that is particularly special to both of them.

Well-known to many Westacre regulars, Rachael and Laura-Kate are guaranteed to deliver particularly polished performances to tell this crucially important story.

Now a highly successful playwright with work performed by the National Theatre and in the West End, Charlotte Jones wrote Airswimming as her debut drama in 1997.

Clear and unsentimental, poignant and intelligent, there are moving and heart-breaking moments as well as instances of genuine joy and love.

Opening on Friday, November 12, it runs for six performances until November 27.

To book tickets visit here www.westacretheatre.com or by calling 01760 755800.