Oscar Wilde's play "Lady Windermere's Fan", was performed with enthusiasm by Teddington Theatre Club at the Hampton Hill Playhouse last week. Joint directors Mair Graham and John Gilbert chose to use thrust staging, which gave scope for strong dramatic exchanges to be played out in close proximity to the audience. A pungently witty play, it provides opportunities to those playing supporting roles to shine. Pamela Warren delighted the audience as the Duchess of Berwick, as did Terence M. Cardinal as Cecil Graham and Steven Kierwarren as the brash Australian, Mr Hopper.

Sets comprised of sparse furniture and bare floors did little to enhance Acts 1 and 2 and failed to convey the atmosphere of a luxurious Victorian London home . There was a great improvement in atmosphere and pace in Act 3, which was lacking in the previous Acts. There were splendid performances from Simon Bartlett and Lord Windermere and Maria Waters as Mrs. Erlynne, and a sturdy-performance from Roger Smith as Lord Augustus Lord provided worthy support. Soft-voiced Jenna Powell as the 21 year old Lady Windermere initially failed to convey sufficient youthful impetuosity. However, her acting was of the highest calibre later on in the moving scene in which she is forced to accept the help of a woman she despises, one of the dramatic high points of the play. Paul Grimwood was lacklustre as the dandy, Lord Darlington. He had some of the play's most quoted lines but failed to dominate the stage whilst delivering them.