Boeing Boeing by Marc Camoletti – 26th May 2022 – Theatr Clwyd

Set in Paris in 1962, Marc Camoletti’s play Boeing Boeing is a magnificently funny tale about how Bernard, (John Dorney), a successful architect, juggles his complicated love-life, whilst not really caring that he is dragging both his maid and old friend into the chaos against their will.

Bernard has three fiancées, Gloria, Gabriella and Gretchen. All three work as flight-attendants for different airlines, and with the help of his long-suffering housekeeper Bertha, he has so far managed to keep each woman unaware of the other’s existence due his carefully scheduled routine. 

Bachelor Bernard thinks settling down with one person would be too much of a challenge, therefore why not have the best that life can throw at you? Two partners would be a bit boring, four partners too much juggling required, but three? Three is perfect…or so it seems. As careful as Bernard’s calculations are, he can’t stop technology and the launch of a new super-speed jet is about to throw all his high-precision plans into disarray; that and the odd storm and a bit of bad luck. This is one day in Bernard’s life he is never going to forget.

Celebrated Virgins: A Story of the Ladies of Llangollen by Katie Elin-Salt – 24th May 2022 – Theatr Clwyd

Thanks to the TV series Gentleman Jack, many people now know the life story of Anne Lister, (3 April 1791 – 22 September 1840) but hers was not the singular tale of an 18th century lesbian. By the time of her death in 1829, Eleanor Butler had been living with Sarah Ponsonby in Plas Newydd, Llangollen, for half a century. Cast out by society and forced to leave their homes in Kilkenny, Ireland, Eleanor and Sarah assumed residence in the Welsh town of Llangollen where they became minor celebrities.

What is known about the Ladies of Llangollen is that they were two Irish women who met in 1768 who absconded from their hometown with their maid, Mary Caryll. They ended up in Plas Newydd, Llangollen, where they lived together for 50 years entertaining various visitors of Georgian society, including the Duke of Wellington, Wordsworth, Shelley, and Byron. Whilst their story may not be known outside of the area, those from around Llangollen tell the story with pride. These were two ladies who were cast out by their own society, were welcomed and accepted by the people in Llangollen to live a private, peaceful life. The two ladies became minor celebrities, seeing their lives written about by those that visited but who could never understand the nature of their relationship. This play allows them to tell their story on their terms.

Celebrated Virgins maps out the relationship between Lady Eleanor and Sarah from their first unarticulated feelings for each other, to their tender relationship towards the end of their days spent quietly among the beautiful rose gardens they created. This new play has been developed based on the true story of Lady Eleanor Butler and her former student Miss Sarah Ponsonby, and whilst it is based on real events, it is written from the perspective of a 2022 audience, therefore it is a reimagining of their lives rather than a documentary.