• helene hanff
• frank doel
• cecily farr
• megan well
• mr martin
• billie humphries
• maxine stuart
• joan todd
• voice of the pilot

• Director
• Stage Management
• s
• Lighting Design
• sound design
• Lighting & Sound
• s
• Continuity
• s
• Set design
• wardrobe
• programme/Poster design

• sue shephard
• john hamilton
• sharon olieff
• miranda hedges
• jack mortimer
• ann harvey
• tricia pape
• miranda hedges
• david backhouse

• mary young
• gill watson, cicely ridley, Brenda hanham
• paddy turner
• alan lade
• alan lade, margaret kennedy
• stella dench, dorothy hemsley
• dorothy hemsley
• shireen
• alan lade

Review by Shirley Linsell

Seaford Little Theatre has, over the years, given us wonderful entertainment. There is the staple diet of thrillers and comedies which the audience love, and now and again a different play is thrown into the mix. 84 Charing Cross Rd is a fine example of this. It is based on the book by Helene Hanff and tells the story of an impoverished American author living in New York and her love affair with fine books and good literature. She obtains the books from a bookshop in London. There then starts a friendship between her and the manager of the shop, Frank Doel. Gradually a warmth develops between the couple and it goes on to include the rest of the staff in the shop and Frank’s family. Helene sends them food parcels, as the play starts in the late forties and early fifties when rationing was still on. Helene and Frank never meet. She cannot afford the fare and only at the end does she finally make it to England. The ending is a little sad.

The set which is excellent is on a split level and I congratulate the designers and the backstage workers for all their hard work. Helene is played by Sue Shepherd and it’s an exacting role; she is hardly ever off the stage. The part requires an American accent which she manages very well and she shows in her performance the exuberance and enthusiasm of the character. A difficult role well played. Frank is played by that charming actor, John Hamilton, and he brings to life the gentle, shy, kindly man faced with this rather strange American Lady. I loved his scene where he has had too many Sherries. The rest of the cast only have cameo parts, and yet they were all good. Ann Harvey came across very well, Miranda Hedges plays two characters and she does them both beautifully, Sharon Olieff portrays the niceness of her character, Patricia Pape is good as the American visitor, and lastly there is Jack Mortimer who doesn’t say a word but makes his presence felt. One small carp the office party was not like any parties I went to. It was a little dull. The sound effects and the choice of music are excellent. The Bafta this time though goes to Mary Young who is the director and she has made an excellent job of it. She has worked very hard to get this difficult play before us. Her skill at getting the best out of her actors and her vision reflect in this production.