SOUTH WALES EVENING POST T H U R S D AY, APRIL 26, 2012 visit our website www.thisissouthwales.co.uk20 S WA - E01-S2

BackcharityactivityA SWANSEA-based charity isgearing up for the Queen’sJubilee celebration byurging people to get behindtheir fundraising efforts.

Cancer support charityCISS is planning totransform their charityshops in the city and Neathwith a Jubilee theme.

They will also play host tolots of fundraising activitiesin its shops to boost itsfunds.

Vicki Jones, communityfundraiser for CISS, said:“We are encouraging localpeople to join in thecelebration and help raisefunds for CISS. If you areorganising an event maybeyou could support a localcharity at the same time?”

People can hold a varietyof fundraisers to helpsupport the charity.●Contact Vicki on 01792655025 or 07531 821425 oremail vicki.jones@cancerinformation.org.uk

Political appointmentSKETTY councillor MikeDay will hold a politicalsurgery on Saturday atSketty Library from 11amuntil noon.

No appointment isnecessary.

Theatregoersleft red-facedover ringtones

BY CHRIS CARRAT H E AT R E - G O E R Swere left fuming andothers embarrassedafter a performanceat Swansea GrandTheatre was inter-rupted a number oftimes by mobilephones.

The opening show of hitcomedy Bette and Joan atSwansea’s Grand Theatre,was disrupted as audiencemobile phones rang andbleeped loudly throughout.

This was despite a subtlepre-show announcement,which warned: “This play isset in 1962 — before mobilephones were invented”.

Greta Scacchi, playingBette Davis in thetwo-woman play, was visiblyannoyed when persistentringing interrupted herspeech and deliberatelypaused mid-way through ascene until the phonestopped.

The audience was leftawkwardly shuffling in theirseats while the distractingjingle continued for morethan thirty seconds.

Rebecca Thomas, 29, fromSketty, was in the audienceon the opening night.

EmbarrassedShe said: “I felt sorry for the

actress who had to pause,and embarrassed when theoffender didn’t turn off theirphone. It was justcringe-worthy to sit there.

“It’s common sense toswitch your mobile off duringa performance and if it’s notobvious, the theatreannounce it at the start of theshow.

“It’s not difficult to checkyour mobile is off before yougo in.

“Otherwise it spoils it foreveryone around you.”

The offender left the

theatre of his own accordbefore staff had time tointervene.

Theatre marketingmanager Paul Hopkins said:“It’s one of those unfortunatethings. But it does happenfrom time to time.

“We actively encouragepeople to turn their phonesoff or to silent to showconsideration.

“People who don’t switchoff their phones, don’t showrespect to other members ofthe public.

“When it does happen, amember of staff will ask themto switch off the phone orleave the theatre.”

He said that after the showboth actors admitted theywere bemused as to why ithappened, but weregenerally very pleased at thewarmth of the Swanseaaudience.

Bette and Joan runs at theGrand Theatre untilSaturday.● postnews@swwmedia.co.uk

REVIEW

Screen divas in memorable playPLAY Anita Dobson as Joan Crawford and Greta Scacchi as Bette Davis.

Bette and Joan; SwanseaGrand Theatre

BETTE and Joan tells the intriguing storyof two of the silver screen’s greateststars, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford,who in 1962 had been declaredwashed-up and spat out by theHollywood machine. That is, however,until both leading ladies took the riskyopportunity to act opposite each other inthe classic thriller, What Ever Happenedto Baby Jane?

The story begins in their adjacenton-set dressing rooms as they preparefor a day’s shooting. Anton Burge’s wittyscript explores the lives of the two stars

as they recount tales of sex andrelationships, the cruelties of the filmi n d u s t r y.

Anita Dobson gave a very memorableperformance as the charismatic,manipulative Joan, waiting for the perfectmoment to drop a cutting one-liner. GretaScacchi was equally brilliant as thestraight-talking Bette, flawlessly workingher way through the mammoth script andconjuring up laughs whenever shepleased. These are two very experiencedpros doing what they do best.

Chris Carra

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