> THE LOVES OF CASS McGUIRE

Apollo Theatre, Newport
24 March 2017

The loves of Cass McGuire - A bittersweet story about life, family and getting old.


This play is set in 1960’s Ireland, where the respectable, middle-class McGuire family are ready to welcome home 70 year old Cass who has lived in New York for the previous 50 years. But if they’re expecting a staid spinster aunt, they’re in for a shock! So much so that they send her to a retirement home – or workhouse as she calls it – where she meets others in the same situation. Rejected by their families, disappointed in their lives, they retreat into a fantasy world. Cass’s scorn gradually wears down to an acceptance that you have to find ways to deal with what life throws at you. This is a true tragic-comedy... funny and heartbreaking in equal measure!

 

Fiona Gwinnett as Cass McGuire

Another well produced show from the team at Apollo. A bit wobbly in places, this play kept us entertained... a great way to spend a Friday eve in Newport! Fiona Gwinnett played her heart out as Cass, she certainly helped to carry the weaker members of the cast. An interesting set and well observed wardrobe also helped to bring the story to life in a rich and engaging way.

7 out of 10.