Lynette is back in Pantoland for the first time since her stroke in 2008. She is playing
Fairy Superior in Cinderella at The Theatre Royal Margate.
Here's a link to the blog, which tells the story of Lynette's recovery from the stroke she had while performing in Cinderella at The Thameside Theatre, Grays in 2008.
Lynette has now been immortalised in the song "Descent of the Stiperstones" from the album
"90 Bisodol (Crimond)" by Half Man Half Biscuit.
I was
Yes I was
Descending the Stiperstones
When I
Recalled the order from home
To pick up a
To pick up a
To pick up a
To pick up a
To pick up a jar of Swarfega
And so returning to the car at Snailbeach, I set off in the direction of Montgomery, where I was more than certain my need would be met by Bunner the chandler who sold everything. Entering the store, I nodded to an assistant and hurried to the back area of the shop where I could browse in comfort amongst the organised chaos, and marvel at the fact that should it be my desire, I could return home with a Ben Sayer four-iron, a brush doormat bearing the slogan "Cofiwch Dryweryn", and an oil painting by Mercy Rimell entitled "The Raging Ostler" ...in addition to the Swarfega, which I finally located on a shelf, next to a box of Hussars, who, in spite of their dusty neglect, appeared primed and ready for Old Boney.Also in this room was a selection of doll's houses, and standing next to a particularly detailed property called the Franklin was the actress Lynette McMorrough, who used to play Glenda in Crossroads. As I'd been a bit of a fan of the programme, I couldn't help but engage her in conversation, initially regarding the magnificent craftsmanship on show, before rather awkwardly turning the chat onto Kevin's affair, test tube babies, and the tragic death of her Dad, who was knocked down by a car whilst stumbling home drunk from a triumphant bowls tournament. The crazy world of Arthur Brownlow. Anyway, my fawning gibberish and jar of Swarfega didn't seem to faze her in any way, and she told me of her loneliness and yearning for those heady days at ATV, and in essence what she was trying to do was re-create her Glenda life through a plastic doll, and such was the stock at Bunners, she had managed over the years to acquire figures resembling not only that of herself, but the rest of the family, and by purchasing the Franklin, there would be enough space for everyone and they wouldn't all be cooped up in the same room watching the one television set. "All you need now is the car that knocked down Pop", I joked, but to my astonishment she told me she had it on order, along with his bag of woods. Somewhat disturbed, I tried to bring the meeting to a conclusion, but she was warming to the situation, and revealed to me her ultimate intention was to replace her own doll's plastic with tofu, as the malleability of such a substance presented the opportunity to belly herself up, as it were, when she became pregnant.In my haste to leave the store, I crashed into a Davenport, a drip-free teapot and a mannequin dressed up as Warden Hodges.I was
Yes I was
Descending the Stiperstones
Descending the Stiperstones
Descending the Stiperstones
A phallic watering can, a packet of Triffid seeds, an ice rink for a model village, crucifixion nails, a pair of polo-necked jeans, a jar of language pills, a jigsaw of Nazi war criminals, post-apocalyptic Allen keys, a missing curse of a witch from Oswestry, a signed photograph of former players' agent Eric Hall. Monster, monster. I fled towards the church looking for sanctuary, found only Spencer The Halfwit, sniggering the 46th Psalm.
Unmarried Richard (Brooks Livermore) and Anthea (Cal Jaggers) are the perfect couple. He never puts a foot wrong in his professional life and she is renowned for her generosity and organisational skills. Those qualities, however, have far-reaching effects on their immediate friends and neighbours.
Brian (Paul Chesterton) took Anthea and her family into his flat after her first marriage failed and, despite a series of unsuitable girlfriends over the years, never shook off his unrequited love for her.
Business partner Sven (Nick Wilton) becomes increasingly depressed at Richard's success, his wife Olive (hilariously portrayed by Lynette McMorrough) bemoans her increasing girth compared to Anthea's ever-youthful figure, while in the next door vicarage Hugh (Harry Gostelow) and Louise (Catherine Skinner), become despondent over the behaviour of their difficult son.
Things finally come to a head on daughter Debbie's (Anna Doolan) 18th birthday. This is one of Alan Ayckbourn's lighter comedies and director Sally Hughes ensured all the bitter-sweet humour was clearly portrayed by her well-chosen cast.
This has not been edited - Lynette really was the only one to get a proper mention, not just a character description!
The Stage
Published Monday 7 March 2011 at 10:35 by Sheila Tracy
“When you’ve got friends and neighbours, the world is a wonderful place”, according to the fifties hit song, a theory debunked some 20 years later by Alan Ayckbourn in Joking Apart.The question being - is making friends with neighbours who may be a great deal wealthier than you, a wise move?
It’s open house at Richard’s and Anthea’s estate and nobody is complaining. Brooks Livermore and Cal Jaggers play the happy couple with an endless supply of bonhomie who are ready to hobnob with the vicar. Harry Gostelow gives a memorable performance as the welcoming parish priest, saddled with a whining wife, played almost too realistically by Catherine Skinner and I found myself wishing all three wives would drop their voices an octave. However, Lynette McMorrough is completely in character as the mollycoddling wife of Sven, a delightful performance from Nick Wilton as Finland’s former junior tennis champion, who warns the others of the dangers of becoming too friendly with the likes of Richard and Anthea.
Which brings us to Michael Holt’s set, a garden complete with tennis court, admittedly only one end, but a remarkable achievement on a stage of this size. And yes, we do get to see the podgy Sven serving and returning the ball.
Paul Chesterton plays Brian, the friend and business partner of the owners of the estate, and a special mention of Anna Doolan who plays his three very different girlfriends and the daughter of the house with considerable expertise.
Following her (triumphant) return to the stage in Two Into One at Sonning last October Lynette is back at The Mill in Aykbourn's "Joking Apart" (playing 3rd March - 16 April).
In Two Into One Lynette took the small role of Maria the chambermaid (not that small the way she played it obviously - "never knowingly undersold") which was perfect for a first theatrical outing two years after her stroke; In Joking Apart she is playing a proper "grown-up" part with lots of lines and stuff.
Watch this space. http://www.millatsonning.com/Joking_Apart.html
On Thursday she is being let off rehearsals early to go to a screening of the pilot of a new BBC sit-com, written by and starring James Corden, which Lynette filmed in December; hopefully it will go to series later this year.
Great News! 
