Bothered & Bewildered
By Gail Young
September 2019
Bothered & Bewildered is a comic drama that follows Irene and her two daughters Louise and Beth as they begin a long journey in which the girls lose their mum in spirit but not in body. As her family struggle to come to terms with her Alzheimer’s, Irene’s past passion for romantic fiction blurs with reality. She discusses with her unseen and witty companion Barbara Cartland (Irene’s favourite and now deceased world famous romantic novelist) how best to write her ‘memory book’, disclosing to Barbara long kept family secrets that she would never reveal to anyone else.
Zarina Hawkins
Marie-Jeanne Royer
Sarah Cooke
Kayleigh Flaxman
Chloé Gallien
Neil Hornsey
David Atkins
Annaleah Fruin
Neil Hornsey
David Atkins
Annaleah Fruin
Sophie Packer
James Langdon
Emily Rivers
Cast of Characters (in order of appearance)
Barbara Cartland
Consultant
Beth
Louise
Irene
Dr Johnson
Young Jim
Young Irene
Policeman
James
Shelley
Director
Stage Manager
Prompt
Bothered & Bewildered Reviews
“...You will laugh, and tears will form in your eyes, but I guarantee that you will not be disappointed by the brilliance of the acting. Not an easy play to depict, but the Players took on the challenge and outweighed all expectations. Well done, University of Kent Players!”
Jenny Overy/Canterbury
"Well done to all involved in the play, I was drawn into it from the start..." Paul Mcnamara
"I really enjoyed seeing this last night, it was very thought provoking." Lou Barlow
"...well done on a phenomenal performance! I think pretty much anyone will recognise something in your performance of Irene that resonates with their own experience of the condition. It was so powerful and so moving." Marian Duggan
"Such a great show guys, worthy of a professional troop, hard to imagine you all have day jobs and still turn out a performance like this!" Robert Hawkins
"I recently watched Bothered and Bewildered and I found it a very moving and emotional experience. The subject matter of the play is extremely topical and it was sensitively and professionally dealt with by the actors. I was totally convinced by all the characters in the play and very impressed by the skill and expertise of the actors" Sarah Marsh