Monday 14th Sep was the night of the first public outing of my new play, Nadya, about Stalin’s wife… and what a night it was.

A packed house of friends, family and industry folk responded with effusive enthusiasm for both the play and the magnificent reading by the distinguished cast.

It was a tribute to everyone involved how quickly a ‘company’ sensibility developed and for me the whole day just ‘felt right’.

The actual performance was slick and professional but funny, powerful and moving in equal measure.

The response of the audience to both the play and the performance was universally positive, not to say effusive.

My only frustration is that now we know it really works it will be so disappointing if we can’t take it further.

Thanks again to everyone involved; it was a magical day for me and one I will treasure forever.

SOME PHOTOS OF THE CAST IN ACTION

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Exec Producer:                        Colin Blumenau
Producer:                                  Lizzie Franks/Nerine Skinner
Director:                                    Sarah Meadows

Nadya                                        Michelle Terry
Stalin                                         Stephen Tompkinson
Baba                                          Phyllis Logan
Uncle Abel Yenukidze             Shaun Prendergast
Sergo Ordzhonikidze              Dominic Mafham
Vecha Molotov                         Rupert Holiday Evans
Marshal Kliment Vorishilov     David Robb
Nikolai Bukharin                      Jamie Foreman
Nikita Khrushchev                   Alistair Donegan
Sasha Andreyev                       Adam Thompson
Polina Molotov                         Chloe Massey
Zinaida Ordzhonikidze            Kathryn O’Reilly
Ekaterina Voroshilov               Lizzie Roper
Kristina Vadimovna                 Alice Fernandez
Elena Fyodorovich                   Nicola Coughan

Stage Directions                      Julie Teal