Terence Rattigan's Separate Tables comes to Carshalton

The play is set in a Bournemouth hotel, in which the residents are obliged to take meals at individual tables, symbolising the isolation of the individuals.

At table no. 1 a former politician is confronted by his model ex-wife, who provoked him to a violent act which sent him to prison and ruined his career. 

However, the pair still loving each other and with some help from the hotel manager, Miss Cooper, they find a way to repair their broken lives.

On table no.2 a fake army major without the background turns out to be a homosexual - punishable by law in 1950’s Britain. 

In previous productions of Separate Tables the fake army major was arrested for sexually assaulting women in the local cinema. However, some original script found in Rattigan’s flat his redefined the original stage play.

The Chase Theatre Company have chose this new found version as being the one Rattigan would have preferred had it not been illegal at the time.

Producer Clare Gallop says: "It is quite a sensitive subject in some ways. Although it is one play it is sort of like two plays in one.

"We get a lot of fun out of it even though it is a sensitive subject. There are fun bits and some characters are quite funny.

"We have got a great bunch of people - they are very committed and very much in to what we are doing. We’ve got one new lady that’s never acted before and others that have acted for years.

"The director, Denis Steer, is in his 90s and is amazing - he’s performed infront of the Queen and all sorts.
"The costumes, from the 1950’s, are fantastic - they are lovely outfits."

Separate Tables, Charles Cryer Studio Theatre, 39 High Street, Carshalton; March 12-16, Eves 7.30pm, Sat Mat 2.30pm, Tue-Thur & Sat mat £10/£9 concs, Fri-Sat eve £12/£11; 020 8770 6990 or visit suttontheatres.co.uk