Set in a church hall in Acton, London, this is the funny but moving story of a group of agoraphobic women who, as part of a self help group, decide to break through their troubled and insular lives for one day at least by bravely staging a bazaar and rummage sale. Sue Townsend, author of the very popular Adrian Mole books, has crafted a very entertaining, witty and poignant play of ordinary people striving to overcome all obstacles in an effort to rejoin society.
Gwenda, an ex-agoraphobic, leads a self-help group of three women, Katrina, Bell Bell and Margaret who have been unable to leave their homes for a variety of reasons. She forces them to help at a local bazaar, enlisting the support of Fliss, a trainee social-worker. While sorting through the rummage their individual fears erupt but calm is restored by the ever-sensible Fliss. As they leave the hall it is apparent their agoraphobia is not cured but they have made the effort.
At times the characters in the play are hilariously funny at others sad and pathetic. The play is also about ‘caring’ and the way Carers deal with those they are supposed to be caring for, and so this raises the question of who needs whom.