THERE was no hiding place for the members of Wylam Amateur Dramatic Society last weekend.

A small cast of just six people, a dialogue-heavy script with emotional scenes challenging the many social taboos of pre-war Britain, and limited musical interludes to take a breather.

This was the society’s take on the 2004 film Ladies in Lavender , starring Judi Dench, based on a short story by William J. Locke.

It’s never easy to recreate something from the big screen on stage, yet the four women and two men who took on the challenge were genuine stars of the stage at Wylam Institute.

The performance was an overwhelming success from start to finish, captivating the audience with a healthy mixture of comedy, drama, pathos and musical talent.

It is the story of two aging spinsters Janet and Ursula Widdington, living together in their seaside cottage in Cornwall in 1937, whose lives are changed when they discover an injured man on the beach.

Janet (Robin Piette) and Ursula (Sue Nicholson) nurse him back to health, and eventually discover he is the talented violinist Andrea Marowski, who had been travelling to America when his ship was hit by a storm.

The pair captivated the rapport between the sisters, yet demonstrated social boundaries of the day.

Ursula felt it improper to convey her true feelings for Andrea (Richard Bevan), while Janet was reluctant to speak about her previous romantic involvement with a man.

Richard Bevan demonstrated a wonderful musical ability as Andrea, as well as a versatile acting style, which portrayed his heartfelt affection for the two sisters.

Gail Lawler played Olga Danilov, a foreign tourist who struggles to find acceptance within a sceptical British community.

Complemented by an effective on-stage set and backing team, Ladies in Lavender was a real highlight for Wylam.

Joseph Tulip