World Premiere of The Doacter’s Surgery at The Abbey Theatre, Arbroath
Written by Malcolm Finlayson on 11/04/2023
Theatre goers are in for a real treat this spring with a brand new production forming part of the Abbey Theatre’s programme. The Doacter’s Surgery has been written by ‘Beryl Ponsonby’, the pen name of theatre regular Laura Barnes, who also stars in the play along with her friend and partner in crime Hilary Roberts. The pair play Agnes and Janette, two cleaners in a local doctor’s surgery who do more gossiping than cleaning and have many tall tales to tell.
“Many of the characters mentioned in the play are based on real life people I know, and stories other people have told me,” said Laura. “I keep a note of anything funny I see or hear, much of which has made it into the play, so watch out what you say around me or you may end up featuring in the sequel! The audiences at The Abbey Theatre love a Scots comedy so I really wanted to write something that would appeal to them, and introduce them to new characters that I’m sure many people will relate to.”
Hilary added, “It’s not every day you get to be in a World Premiere! Laura is a very talented writer and putting this production together has been a real labour of love for both of us. I can’t wait to share Agnes and Janette with audiences at the Abbey Theatre. It’s a very funny and entertaining play, even if our alter egos can be a bit outrageous at times!”
The Abbey Theatre is a 79 seater theatre in the centre of Arbroath. It’s entirely run by volunteers and produces 6 plays a year, including a pantomime. The past few years have been an incredibly difficult time for local theatre, especially at the Abbey Theatre as it had to close for a few months last year due to issues with the building. However, the Club is now recovering, with new members, the reinstatement of the youth group every second Saturday morning, and a packed programme for the rest of the year. The club does rely on getting good audiences to survive, so what better way to support local theatre than by coming out for a night of laughs and entertainment?
The Doacter’s Surgery is on at the Abbey Theatre in Arbroath from Monday 17th to Saturday 22nd April, at 7.30pm. Tickets, priced £10, are available from Ticket Source – What’s On In The Abbey Theatre Club, Arbroath | TicketSource, or from AJ Beedie Jewellers on Arbroath High Street.
