“ inspiring to see a young cast working to such professional standards.”
Lucy Baines is an ordinary young teenage girl, living in an ordinary house with a fairly ordinary family - Father Walt, Mother Joy and older brother Gary, known usually as ‘Grisly Gary’.
Lucy’s bright and sunny nature seems at odds with the rest of her family who are so caught up with their own problems and pre-occupations that they have no time for her. Father’s disillusioned, Mother’s depressed and Gary’s dysfunctional. To ease her loneliness Lucy has invented an imaginary person called Zara, a perfect companion and friend, loyal, supportive and fun.
One night, after a particularly bad row with her father, Lucy falls down stairs and hits her head. When she comes round, Zara is beside her, no longer in her imagination, but a real living, breathing young girl. At last Lucy has what she has always wished for: an invisible friend!
But there is a Chinese curse that says: “You get what you wish for” and after a very short space of time, Lucy discovers her invisible friend is not the answer to her prayers and is embroiling Lucy in a world which becomes increasingly sinister and threatening. Suddenly “ordinary” old Mum, Dad and Gary don’t seem nearly so bad, but can they rescue her?
A witty and thought-provoking play by Next Stage’s patron Sir Alan Ayckbourn, Invisible Friends has many characteristic Ayckbourn trademarks: twists of time, the warping of reality, hysterically funny situation comedy and well-drawn characters. It is a brilliantly entertaining piece that will appeal to young and old alike.
Performed by two outstanding casts from Next Stage Youth, don’t miss this great show in Next Stage Youth’s 20th birthday year.
With grateful thanks to this show's Angels.
Cast:
Rehearsal Photographs:
