Cecily by Gillian Plowman

This show packs a punch! In dives straight into the drama and keeps you riveted for the entire 40 mins. A very powerful One Act Play by Gillian Plowman about familial relationships and sacrifice. The lead actress Dionne Neish, who plays Sheila (aka Ellen), steals the show and conveys the inner torment and exhaustion of someone who is the victim of a life never lived. Sitting in the back row I could feel this characters plight and couldn't help but shed a tear. A great ensemble piece. Definitely one to see in this years Fringe! It's refreshing to see a British play and one done so incredibly well.... full review

I saw few shows at LA fringe over 2years and Cecily is my favorite. Even though it's a short story as it's part of fringe, story line has all the elements and how they put it together was enchanting. Great actors, great ensemble. Especially Esther Mira's performance was fantastic in portraying Cecily!!... full review

What an amazing play! Wonderfully written and executed with a phenomenal cast. You will not be disappointed and will not be able to take your eyes off these amazing Actresses. A must see!... full review

An extremely intimate play in an appropriately intimate space! The three women in this production are so committed to their roles that your heart aches for each and every one of them. The play is a perfect blend of heartache and dark comic circumstance which gives the audience the sense that we are truly watching a real live family on the stage. Dysfunctional, disturbing, but all the more real for it's lighter moments which peek through the dismal circumstance of the play. Every woman involved from the direction to the actors took risks on that stage instead of taking the easy way out and turning it into a melodramatic fluffpiece. That kind of courage is all any theatre patron can ask for. ... full review

The two leads in this piece were a dream team. The tension they created was real and the relationships were well crafted. Very well done ladies!! Cheers!... full review

Here's a message to all fingers, please start your show on time. Late starts messes up the schedule for a person who wants to squeeze as many shows in one day as possible. With that said fringe is an opportunity to explore theater that wouldn't get the chance to exist. What I'm trying to say is please don't travel across the pond with regular theater that Americans can see anyways. I will say I admire the British accents, dialogue, and emotional connectedness from Dionne Neish as Sheila, DHL Sand as Ellen and Esther Mira as the title character Cecily. If realist theatre is your thing this is a go see. For those looking for fringey things, don't waste your time.... full review

I really enjoyed this show. I highly recommend it, all the actress were on point. Please go and support "Cecily"... full review

Great performances by all actors! Well written, interesting mix of family tension/perspective on issues for caretakers of the disabled, great structure. The flashbacks were the best part of the play, making me really feel the family's pain and loss for the stolen potential of their once bright, talented child (played with charisma and sincerity by Esther Mira). A difficult flow and structure to achieve, as the actors dipped in and out of flashbacks, reminding you of how memories can just overtake you unexpectedly. They pulled it off and really hit my heartstrings. A suspenseful and heartfelt show delivered with sweetness and talent. ... full review

I thoroughly enjoyed this show. Strong performances from all and a beautifully written British play. It is a very dark play but very gripping and entertaining. The whole performance only lasts 50 minutes so great if you've lots of shows to catch. The acting was superb but exceptional from Dionne Neish. Her character Shelia takes you on an emotional journey guiding you through a very broken and strained family trying to cope and repair. Dionne's performance was natural, real, in the moment, spoken from the heart and strong. dL Sams and Esther Mira's performances were also very good, strong and entertaining. Apart from Dionne's who is British, dL and Esther's British accents were slightly off though which in turn I felt took them out of th... full review

This is a truly powerful play that you don't want to miss. I honestly didn't know what to expect since I knew nothing about it, but I was immediately drawn into the world of Cecily the moment the first lines were uttered. Phenomenally acted, all three actresses (Dionne Neish as Sheila, dL Sams as Ellen and Esther Mira as Cecily) give it their all, thus creating multi-layered, real and compelling characters. They also have incredible chemistry with one another. One moment I'm watching this broken family struggling to pick up the pieces and make due after a tragedy, and the next moment I'm thrown into a flashback of happier times. It is utterly heartbreaking and beautiful to watch. I also love how it has a timeless feel to it, and that it is s... full review