THE traditionally pantomime and comedy company Sturminster Newton Amateur Dramatic Society (aka SNADS) has been growing a reputation for new, challenging and experimental works in recent years, largely thanks to the Taboo company and Toby Greenfield.

This July the company takes a further step, producing two striking and uncompromising works by dancer, comedian and pioneer of “stand-up theatre’ Claire Dowie. Directed by Nicole Forbes-Marshall, who recently wowed Shaftesbury audiences as the murderous Elsa in The Unfriend, the double bill is both provocative and deeply human. The production blends live performance with integrated technology, bringing both stories to life in immediate and unexpected ways, heightening the sense of intimacy and complicity at the heart of each piece.

All Over Lovely centres on two middle-aged women – former lovers, still bound by a complex, toxic but enduring connection. Set against the feminist politics of its time, the play examines identity, desire and the social pressures that shape relationships and silence taboos. As the women reconnect, reflecting on their shared past and the lives they have built, questions of regret, longing and possibility emerge. These two complex, contradictory women navigate power and unresolved attraction through familiar jokes, shared history, and carefully avoided truths.

In Easy Access (For The Boys), Michael is a rent boy whose life has been shaped by early sexual abuse. Through a personal video diary, he documents his daily life – his work, his relationships and his past, with disarming openness. The audience is placed in the position of witness, receiving his testimony in real time as both recorded footage and live action. As a series of figures emerge, the gap between what is shown and what is understood becomes increasingly unsettling.

The cast of All Over Lovely is Sarah Collins and Nicole Forbes-Marshall, and for Easy Access (For The Boys) is Martyn Lilley, George Lipop, Hazel Perret, Matt Rawson and Freddie Wopat. The directors are Nicole Forbes-Marshall and Toby Greenfield.

All Over Lovely and Easy Access (For The Boys) will be on stage at The Exchange on Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th July, starting at 7pm.