Written by Zoe Crombie

Though they don’t always receive the same attention as the glamourous leading ladies and gentlemen, you can’t understate the importance of character actors, those familiar faces that add flavour, diversity, and, well, character to a film. You get them in all varieties – in fact, a cousin of mine runs an Instagram dedicated to cataloguing his favourites – and when assembled together they can make for an unforgettable ensemble.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to see iconic character actors at the top of their game, Thelma is a near perfect showcase, telling the story of an oft-forgotten sect of society while populating the screen with people from all walks of life. The film follows the wonderful June Squibb in her first ever leading role as the film’s namesake: 93-year-old Thelma, an OAP looking to get her money back from a phone scammer. Though the story sometimes leads to darker places, the levity and charm brought by Squibb and the rest of director Josh Margolin’s cast is irrepressible.

With supporting turns from other character actors like Malcolm McDowell, Parker Posey, and the late Richard Roundtree, Thelma is a dramedy that shines a light on some of the brilliantly eclectic talents that cinema has to offer.

Thelma runs from 26th July - 1st August

Tickets and Show Times: https://dukeslancaster.org/wha...