Q&A with Entertaining Angels Director Margery Jackson

The first show of our 2024/25 season kicks off next week! We sat down with Entertaining Angels director Margery Jackson to hear all about the rehearsal process and what’s in store for the first show this year. 

Without giving too much away, what is the play about?

The action is centred around a family who are grieving for their much-loved husband and father, Bardolph, who also happens to be the late vicar, and whose ghost appears on set, talking to his wife, Grace (played by Rachel Pearson). Grace is joined by her long-estranged sister, Ruth, as well as her daughter, Jo, and the newly-incoming vicar, Sarah. Each of these characters has a story to share, there’s lots of humour in it, but also lots of interesting discussion.

The original production was described in The Times as being like a comedy that Alan Ayckbourn started that was finished by JM Barrie, who loved pathos, sentimentality and love. It has lots of comedy, but also some serious storylines to be shared and come to terms with as well.

Tell us more about Bardolph, so he appears as a ghost?

He appears on the set, but he’s not there in real life. He only appears to Grace, so we’re not really sure what he is. But he speaks to her of his memories about the ins and outs of their relationship, so you just quite quickly accept that he’s in and out, but not really there.

What did you think of the play when you first read it?

I thought it was a great play, which our brilliant actresses at WT would do a really good job with, then when I delved into it a bit more, I was a little bit more puzzled, because the relationships are more difficult than appear at first glance. When you break it down, it’s not what you’d think of as a traditional comedy, because it fluctuates between comedy and complexity of relationships, which I think our cast has worked hard to find the truth in. But it’s very well written and has a good pace, which I think audiences will enjoy.

What was it about this play that appealed to you as a director?

I like getting to grips with who characters are and finding out what makes them tick. Some plays have more characters than you can do little more than just touch upon, but with this play, it felt like a real journey. Our cast has been happy to help find what makes these people tick, and get their real character across. 

Especially so for Grace, the vicar’s widow, who carries an awful lot of angst and resentment that she’s bottled up for years, which comes out in a humorous but critical way at first. But as the play goes on, she realises more and more what’s happened, I like being able to work on that level of detail. 

Our playwright, Richard Everett, said he wanted to uncover all about what forgiveness means, so there’s real hidden depths underneath the humour.

Where does the title, Entertaining Angels come from?

It comes from a bible passage: ‘Should we entertain strangers because we might be entertaining angels?’ (Hebrew 13;2) The writer of Hebrews urges believers to show hospitality by offering an extraordinary incentive. ” Do not forget to entertain strangers,for by doing so some have unwittingly entertained angels”  The encouragement is part of a more extensive teaching on showing brotherly love.

Tell us about rehearsals, what have they been like?

Our cast has been really dedicated, all very keen and interested, willing to get to grips with their characters, so it has been absolutely fantastic. They’ve all put so much effort in to really interrogating the characters, which you can do with a small play like this, spending the time to explore.

What is your favourite moment in the rehearsal process?

That’s a difficult question! I think when they come to a point of learning the script and getting to grips with characters, you know when they’ve broken through and got into that world. It’s not by any huge change in anything they’re doing, it has just developed, so it becomes easier and more real. It always gives me pleasure to see that moment happen. They’ve been a delight to work with. 

What can audiences expect in terms of set?

Our crews always do such a fantastic job of building these lovely detailed sets, and this is no exception. The play is set in a vicarage garden, where you see the house on one side with a patio and a stream further down the garden at the other. There’s a greenhouse, there’s a lawn, there’s flowers, it really is a very pretty set, despite a few sleepless nights working out how things would work! 

How do you hope audiences feel when they watch this play?

I hope they get absorbed in it, and feel there is something to hear in what the characters are talking about and describing, feeling a bit of emotion in what’s happening, as well as enjoying the comedy.

Finally, a little bird told us there is something in this play that is a first for Wokingham Theatre, can you give us any clues?

I’ve been sworn to secrecy so as not to spill the beans, so ask me afterwards, as we want it to be a surprise! 

Entertaining Angels opens on Thursday 5 September and runs until Saturday 14 September. There are still tickets available, which you can purchase here. 

The Cast is as follows:

Grace: Rachel Pearson
Ruth: Rosalind Robins
Bardolph: Barrie Armstrong
Jo: Eleanor Bukht
Sarah: Sally Rowlandson