Theatre company marks anniversary in style

London Classic Theatre makes a welcome return to the West Country next week to perform Sir Alan Ayckbourn's Just Between Ourselves in the celebrated company's 25th anniversary year. JEFFREY DAVIES spoke to company founder and artistic director Michael Cabot to find out more

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FIVE birthdays. Two unhappy marriages. One possessive mother. It's 1976. Dennis tinkers in his garage, cheerfully indifferent to wife Vera's impending breakdown.

Marjorie hovers in the background making tea and finding fault. Neil has planned a birthday surprise for his wife, but Pam doesn't share his enthusiasm, preoccupied by frustrations of her own.

In perhaps his most emotionally charged play, Ayckbourn master-fully evokes a world of hidden tensions and suppressed hostility. He skilfully navigates the tightrope between comedy and tragedy, guiding us towards a hilarious, yet chilling finale.

Directed by London Classic Theatre's founder and artistic director Michael Cabot right during rehearsals, Just Between Ourselves stars Joseph Clowser as Neil, Helen Phillips (Pam), Tom Richardson (Dennis), Holly Smith (Vera) and Connie Walker (Marjorie).

Firstly, many congratulations to London Classic Theatre on its 25th anniversary and to its founder and artistic director Michael Cabot. Quite a milestone I remarked.

"It is actually. I was reading an article this morning in The Stage Jeffrey about longevity in theatre and I thought that's us at the moment. I don't think it was ever intended to be this long really," a most friendly Michael from Worcestershire said with a smile, before telling me more about LTC's beginnings in 2000.