“The Sociable Plover” is a one-act play, and also one with only two characters, so the author, (Tim Whitnell), has little space in which to develop their personalities, and this is its chief weakness. It starts quietly with a birdwatcher in his hide setting up for the day, a mysterious stranger arrives who might be a murderer, and ends with a very macabre twist and dramatic climax. It could have been more engaging to the audience if the two protagonists were more believable, and they could have been made perhaps half-way credible with stronger acting. Jim Maxey as Roy, the birdwatcher, gave a rather limp and uncertain performance, with no hint of his total derangement. Paul Long as the stranger was given little help from the script in finding out who he was, and he did his best, but neither actor looked comfortable.

The technical departments however surpassed themselves. Chris Janes produced an absolutely solid bird-hide – now that really was believable – and so was the sound and lighting, creating wild rain and scudding clouds. Tony Mason, sound and Ken Allford, lighting, made the play’s opening promise rather more than we were eventually given.