Cecily by Gillian Plowman

CECILY By Gillian Plowman * * Here’s a short review of a short (50 minues) play which, in spite of its brevity packs a big, emotional wallop. A young girl, physically and mentally disabled due to a motorcycle accident and given to violent outbursts, is tended by her mother and her aunt. The friction in the room is heavy and heart breaking and is voiced with brutal honesty by the two adult women. The story back-flashes to scenes showing the healthy, frivolous teenager of old and the performances are all excellent. What puts a major damper on this work, is that the three fine actresses bear absolutely no familial resemblance to one another. Furthermore, Esther Mira (Cecily) and dL Sams (Ellen), speak the King’s English with a distinct Brit... full review

Christina is an incredibly gifted director. This intimate and heartbreaking story is captivating and fully realized by a fiercely talented group of actors. The difficult themes in this story are hard to swallow, but vital to confront. ... full review

The theatre is small and intimate and Cecily fits perfectly in such a space. Amazing acting, beautiful direction, and an absolutely heart-wrenching story. I was quickly drawn into the world of Sheila, Ellen and Cecily and it blew me away. A truly wonderful, one-of-a-kind performance.... full review

What an exhilarating experience this Festival is for those of us who love theatre! Gillian Plowman’s “Cecily” makes us enter into the conflicted feelings pertaining to the needs in caring for a brain damaged young person. In back-flashes we get to know what the once vibrant teenager Cecily, played by an impressive Esther Mira, was before the motor accident that made her an invalid. The excellent Dionne Neish gives a heartfelt interpretation of what it might be like to care for a person you love, yet feel a resentment toward. As the sister, the aunt, the professional woman, dL Sams conveys the right attitude of the one who succeeded (escaped) to more or less independence, yet feels guilty. A heart rendering play I would like to see expanded... full review

Some very strong performances, particularly by the two sisters. Really engaging and heartbreaking story. And I bumped this review up to AMAZING because they offered some very tasty scones with a gluten free option! I'm all for audience bribery :) In seriousness, though, I found this show to be quite thought provoking.... full review

This was such a thought-provoking play and I absolutely loved it. My roommate and I came together and we were blown away by the incredible performances by all three actresses. This is a story that draws you in and leaves you wanting more. I felt as though I was watching a real family--the relationships were that strong and convincing. I really loved the flashback scenes because I got a chance to see what Cecily (played beautifully by Esther Mira) once was and what she could have been had things turned out differently. I highly recommend this play!... full review

Great Acting!!!... full review

Strong performances. Loved the tension that was portrayed by these threes beautiful actresses. A must see family drama. what was even better it wasn't long winded a 50 minute play left me able to see other plays at the festival. Im still thinking about the performances and the story.... full review

An emotionally powerful piece about family and duty! All three ladies were well cast and brought such compelling performances. Worth seeing for the skilled acting and charged subject matter.... full review

A three hander, all female play full of twists and turns that kept me gripped throughout the 40 mins performance. It was delightful to watch these actresses protray strong relationships on stage. The acting was beautiful excuted. This is a thought provoking play, as you see the tension build between the two sisters as they try to come to terms with their own futures and the secrets of the past. Dionne Neish was absolutely fantastic! A must see. ... full review