Originally published by L.S. Media. October 23rd 2011. 
Direction: Noreen Kershaw.
Cast: Sue Ryding, Maggie Fox.
LSMedia Rating: ****
The company’s name may be Lip Service but the two actors who make up this wonderful duo do more than pay the barest glimpse into the lives of two of the leading literary lights of the 19th Century, they bring Charlotte and Emily Bronte to life in a way not thought of but in a style that was highly original and warmly greeted by all those in attendance.
The Unity has an incredible way of showcasing talent that others may miss and in Sue Ryding and Maggie Fox, there really aren’t that many better. In their take on the lives of two of the Bronte sisters, Anne being left out of the play due “to Government cuts”, the audience finds out why the Bronte’s sisters’ style being similar, (they copied off each other when they thought no one was looking) and how bad the tuberculosis was that took all three sisters before their time.
Withering Looks shows what can be done with the barest use of props, the loving amateur, Audrey, and the professional actor, Olivia, who we learn received 500 pounds for her blink and you’ll miss it appearance as a Cybermen in Doctor Who, the two actors (in their guise as two gentle and superb enthusiasts) used every bit of imagination to convey to the audience how Emily loved the moors and especially Penis Stone Crags, the misuse of words drawing much deserved laughter for the superb comedic effect, and how in amongst the applause and genuine heartfelt appreciation for the play, there was the real message of loneliness that the Bronte sisters endured.
Withering Looks may bypass some of the audiences in Liverpool and for that it’s a real shame but for those that were present in the Unity on a busy night for culture in Liverpool, it was one of the most enjoyable and entertaining evenings imaginable. If this play is anything to go by then Maggie Fox and Sue Ryding’s reading of Move Over Moriarity next year should be one that everyone places in their diaries, in big black lettering and ringed round several times.