Amateur Stage April 2009

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NEWS

AS MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 20082

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AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 20093

asmagazine apr09

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from the editoriAL teAm

Welcome to the April issue of AS.

We were saddened this month to hear of the passing of derek Benfield. derek had been a good friend to AS for many years and his talent and kindness will be sorely missed.

thank you to everyone who has contributed to this month’s issue. Please ensure that the press officer for your group has our contact details to submit information on your show to us.

We hope that you find our costume feature this month of interest. We salute the wardobe staff and costume designers across the country who make our shows look so great.

Kind regardsthe editorial team

thiS moNth

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6 NeWS News from around the country. 13 firSt NiGht iNSUrANCe robert israel discusses the impact of weather. 14 the PLAY ProdUCed An Audience with murder by Colin Wakefield.

18 CoStUmeS We talk to industry practitioners and feature some UK suppliers.

26 PLAYSCriPt reVieWS 28 WeSt eNd We review War horse, Priscilla and dancing At Lughnasa.

30 diArY

38 heLLo mY LUVVieS our new monthly correspondent diarises her current production.

CoVer Photo: Gumbies from Priscilla Queen of the desert by James morgan

CreditS

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NEWS

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Derek Benfield was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, the son of a journalist. He was educated at Bingley Grammar School where, in addition to his academic efforts, he soon acquired a taste for the theatre through appearing in school plays and later as an amateur actor at the Bradford Civic Playhouse. He trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, where he won the Gertrude Lawrence Award for his performance in French Without Tears. Derek’s first professional appearance was with Brian Rix’s company in Ilkley and Bridlington. He spent many years playing a wide variety of parts in various repertory theatres including Preston, Hull, Salisbury, Hornchurch, Worthing, Croydon and Richmond.

Derek appeared in the West End in The Young Elizabeth, Trial and Error and The Cigarette Girl amongst many others. He also worked as a director at theatres in Salisbury, Hull and Richmond. Over thirty years, Derek appeared in countless television productions and was well-known for his appearances as Bill Riley in the long running BBC soap The Brothers. More recently Derek was seen in Peak Practice, The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries, The Brittas Empire, Coronation Street, Casualty, Poirot, The Last Of the Summer Wine and Rumpole Of The Bailey. Perhaps his best known recent appearances were opposite Patricia Routledge in Hatty Wainthropp Investigates for the BBC.

Derek wrote his first stage play in his

early twenties, a family comedy called The Young In Heart, which was first presented by Reginald Salberg at the Preston Hippodrome. Since then Derek wrote some 25 full length plays including successes like Caught On The Hop, Touch and Go, Bedside Manners, Beyond A Joke, Fish Out Of Water, Anyone For Breakfast, Don’t Lose The Place, Post Horn Gallop, and Wild Goose Chase. Many of Derek’s plays have been translated into other languages and are widely presented in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Holland, Scandinavia and Italy. Away from his work, Derek Benfield’s pleasures included watching cricket and tending his garden at his home in Barnes, south-west London.Derek is survived by his wife, two grown up children and two grandchildren.

A PERSONAL NOTE FROM AMANDA SMITH AT SAMUEL FRENCH

Derek Benfield was a very valued author and has been associated with Samuel French for over thirty years. Currently there are 23 of his full - length plays detailed in the catalogue. Many of them were written many years ago but are still popular with groups for their sheer clean cut humour, whether it’s a vicar in a wheelbarrow or a domineering lady organising people into community games. Derek was always kind, courteous and considerate and would think nothing of travelling many miles to attend an amateur production if invited. The amateur theatre has lost a well-loved playwright and a true gentleman.

THE PLAYS OF DEREK BENFIELDAnyone For Breakfast (1991), Bedside Manners (1986), Beyond A Joke (1979), A Bird In The Hand (1973), Caught On The Hop (1977), Champagne For Breakfast (1954), Don’t Lose The Place (1992), Down To Brass Tacks (1962), First Things First, Fish Out Of Water (1962), A Fly In The Ointment (1996), Flying Feathers (1987), Funny Business, In At The Deep End, In For The Kill (1981), Look Who’s Talking (1983), Murder For The Asking (1966), Off The Hook, Out Of Thin Air (1960), Over My Dead Body, Panic Stations (1975), The Party, Post Horn Gallop (1964), Running Riot (1957), Second Time Around, Third Party Risk, Toe In The Water (1989), Touch and Go (1982), Two and Two Together (1997), Up and Running (1994), The Way The Wind Blows (1954), Wild Goose Chase (1954), The Young In Heart (1953).

DEREK BENFIELD1926 - 2009

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NEWS


SPOTLIGHT AWARD - A SUPRISERetired deputy head Douglas Currie thought it was a hoax when he received a call to tell him he had won a top theatre award.

The Edinburgh Playhouse/Evening News Spotlight Award recognises the efforts of one selfless individual who has worked tirelessly in the field of amateur dramatics in the Capital.

And after being presented with the trophy and a cheque for £1000 in recognition of his 60-year contribution to the local ama-teur drama scene he was left in no doubt that it was real.

After the presentation ceremony at Edinburgh Playhouse before Friday’s performance of Joseph And His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the 79-year-old said: “I have been in the audience before but never on the stage of the Edinburgh

Playhouse – it was amazing.

“I was delighted when I got the phone call to tell me that I had won. At first I asked if it was a hoax, it was so unexpected. I am very honoured that someone should have nominated me.”

Mr Currie, who taught at Pentlands, Forrester and Craigroyston high schools between 1955 and 1988. was chosen by a panel of judges including West End impresario Bill Kenwright, Gordon Blackburn of the National Operatic and Dramatic Association, and Fiona Rogan of the Scottish Community Drama As-sociation.

The judges’ decision to recognise Mr Cur-rie was unanimous after they read of his 60 years of dedication to amateur theatre in the city, including helping form May-field-Salisbury Players and being SCDA Librarian, advising clubs on scripts. Since 1997 he has held the post of club secre-tary with Mercators drama group.

The award was introduced last year by James Haworth, general manager of the

Playhouse, who said: “I think that the judges chose very well when they opted to give this year’s award to Douglas.

“Amateur dramatics is the lifeblood of British professional theatre and we at the Playhouse are very proud to be able to recognise such a stalwart as Douglas.”

Mr Kenwright said: “This award is very important because you have to break down the barrier, show people that anyone can be involved in theatre. My dad never went to the theatre because he was frightened, it was like going to church.”

Mr Currie, who went to George Watson’s Boys College, recalled: “I joined the school drama club in 1942, then I helped out at university. I joined The Mercators in 1947 when I was 18 and have been a member ever since.”

He added: “As an administrator I still get a buzz from being able to ensure that people get a chance to perform and see live theatre

KENT YOUTH THEATRE FESTIVALThe first Kent County Youth Theatre Festival took place on Sunday 22 March at The Marlowe Academy, Ramsgate with young people from across the county taking part.

CBBC presenter Sophie McDonnell with Cre8tive Productions were among the professionals sharing their expertise during the festival joined by Strangeface Mask Company, Complicite Theatre Company and ASK Productions.

The young people took part in workshops on masks, musical theatre, film, special effects make up and physical theatre in what will become an annual event, enabling young people to meet and celebrate youth arts in Kent.

The event has been organised by Kent County Council’s Arts Development Unit after consultation with countywide youth theatre leaders and young people. The festival will develop the skills and experiences of the young participants and offer professional development for leaders. This event will help the development of a strong youth theatre network in Kent which will enable individuals and groups to share best practice and resources as well as help shape the future of the festival.

Groups taking part included Sevenoaks Youth Theatre and Edenbridge Youth Theatre, Dover Youth Theatre, Theatre Royal Youth Theatre, Square Pegs Drama Group, Hillview Specialist Performing Arts School, Artwise Youth Centre, Ramsgate, Trinity Youth Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, Walk Tall Youth Theatre, Northfleet and Chilham Theatre Arts

KCC Cabinet Member for Communities Mike Hill said: “It is very exciting that Kent has had its first festival for youth arts in the county. There are many successful groups providing young people with an insight into the industry as well as helping them develop

as confident individuals and I am delighted that they will continue to have these opportunities to make new friends and share their ideas and experiences of the arts.”

Photo: www.benedictjohnson.com

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NEWS


www.asmagazine.co.uk

TWO GREAT ONE ACT COMEDIES

BY DEREK WEBB

Celebulite 45 mins 1M 3F

We live in a celebrity-obsessed society. So when C-list celebs Victoria and Russell realise that, overnight, they have aged 20 years and put on 5 stone in weight respectively they are devastated. Is something sinister happening, or is this reality TV gone mad?

“Thought-provoking and very funny.” Swansea Evening Post

Man's View 45 mins 1M 3F

After a reunion in a wine bar Carol, Ann and Judy are the worse for drink. So, when Carol suggests a sort of truth game, secrets they have kept hidden for years emerge withdisastrous consequences.

Both plays are available, with free evaluation copies, from New Theatre Publications

www.plays4theatre.com

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NEWS

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TaunTon Thespians Triumph aTCounTy Drama FesTivalTaunton Thespians make a habit of presenting high-class entertainment. At the County Drama Festival held on 28, 29 March, they won the County Shield with their production of “Two Gentlemen of Soho” by A. P. Herbert. Adjudicator Barbara Smith, LGSM, LLAM, ADB, praised the high level of achievement throughout the Festival and specifically admired the steady enhancement of standards in the youth entries. Of the winning production, Barbara said that A. P. Herbert’s farce made very high demands on the performing group to maintain pace and tension and the stylised manners body-language of the 1920ies and that all these challenges had been thoroughly mastered. They will represent Somerset at the Quarter Finals of the All England Theatre Festival to be held at the Blakehay Theatre, Weston-Super-Mare on Saturday 18 April.

The Thespians also had two other matters to celebrate. Cast members Jane Edwards was awarded Best Actress for her portrayal of ‘Sneak’, a shady detective and Matt Botten collected the Edward Grey Memorial Trophy for the best performer under the age of 30 for his

‘Withers’, an OTT ‘Hooray Henry’.

St Gregory Youth Theatre are rarely out of the awards list and, for some years, have consistently won the Youth Entry Section of the Festival. This year was no exception: they won The Eyris Jones Memorial Trophy with their production of “Thin Skin” by Mike Kenny, a harrowing tale of school bullying that ends in tragedy. This hard-working group had three entries in all and also bagged the Cely Trevellian Cup for the best production of an original play, “Assassinating Aida” written by playwright Arthur Cummins

who lives at Westonzoyland. Arthur’s play was the winning entry in the 2009 Original Playwriting Competition run by the Somerset Fellowship of Drama for playwrights throughout the South West.

Minehead Youth Theatre were successful in two instances. They won the Lydia Durston Trophy ‘for greatest endeavour’ for their “DNA” by Dennis Kelly and young Josh Witchard scooped the Best Actor certificate for his performance as ‘Phil’ in the same play. St Gregory Players added the Hope Cup for best all-round presentation for their production of “Easy Stages” by N. J. Warburton.

1. Arthur Cummins of Westonzoyland receives the cup as winning playwright of the SFD, Original One Act Playwriting Competition 2009. 2. Liz Brown of Combwitch receiving the Eyris Jones Memorial Trophy for the winning production by a youth group, St Gregory Youth Theatre. 3. Matt Botten of Taunton Thespians receiving the Edward Gray Memorial Trophy for the best performer under the age of 30. 4. Jane Edwards of Taunton Thespians receives the certificate recording the award of Best Actress in the Festival. 5. Mike Gilbert of Wellington collects the County Shield as director of the winning production.

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NEWS



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NEWS

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KYT’s Spring Term Showcase took place last weekend to an audience of proud parents, supportive friends and even the new KYT patron, Kent actor Jazz Dhiman. The group of 20 strong 3-7 year old Stagebugs sprang into action with their performance of “Sound of Music from the Childrens’ perspective”. The girls in their favourite frocks and boys in shorts and braces formed a Captain Von Trapp-style line. One-by-one the Bugs stepped forward to explain they lived with their widowed father who hired governesses to look after them and who they tormented as Elly Simpson very proudly stated, by putting “FROGS in their BEDS!” The Stagebugs remained focused as they performed DoReMi in two singing parts – no mean feat for some as young as 3! They powered out the lyrics to “Favourite Things” and then danced to “The Lonely Goatherd,” some as puppet masters and some as puppets, some were goats and some were

villagers while George was the Prince yodelling on a raised platform at the back. To close, “Edelweiss” had the audience and teachers united in tears of pride for the little ones. Sidonie : “come on Mum’s and Dad’s...JOIN IN!” and the parents did. Stagebugs performances are always work in progress and never without forgotten lines, occasional distracted bugs exploring the stage and waving to family members in the audience but what is clear is their love of what they do and the confidence and sense of achievement it gives them. That is the value of drama. Tfino had the final word as he stretched to reach the microphone above his head “We love you Mum’s and Dad’s”. The older KYTers spent the spring term practicing devised theatre. They were given a theme from which they were to produce something. Group K, aged 8-11 based their piece on a mixture of Roald Dahl tales. Elly Hunter played an accomplished, articulate

KYT SHOWCASE

and appropriately dominating Miss Trunchbull with talent and presence on stage which has developed significantly in the 3 whole years spent at KYT. Group Y performed their modern and humorous adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk, “Wayne and the Magic Stepladder”. George Benson gave structure to the performance by playing narrator and while not involved in the immediate action the group assembled stage right providing sound effects and quick comments in unison. Chavs replaced the giant and the performers captured the “chav” culture in a polished, entertaining and intelligent manner. The piece that Group Y constructed was funny and accomplished, worthy even of being written into script form and produced by other youth groups. Youth culture perceived by youth themselves is interesting and was continued by Group T in their dramatic piece on gang crime incorporating topical issues such as drugs, knives, guns and alcoholism. These are all very real issues for our youth and the groups portrayal was both sensitive and insightful. All dressed in black the group played out stories of a number of different families who eventually became linked by the death of a teenager at the hands of another. A highly-charged and passionate Beth Richford played her part in a breathtaking and moving manner but the entire cast should be proud of the work they devised themselves. The KYT students pay true testament to the talent that exists among us in Kent; but even more so the fact that there are wonderful, insightful, intelligent and confident individuals who project a very different message from the stereotypical view of today’s youth. The effect of KYT and drama on these children is undeniable. Richard Andrews really has created something wonderful. Regina Dowdeswell

SMALL MUSICALS SET FOR WEST END SEASONSJason Robert Brown’s The Last 5 Years and Jonathan Larson’s tick... tick... BOOM! will be staged side by side in Notes from New York at the Duchess Theatre, a unique season of groundbreaking contemporary musical theatre, fully staged for a strictly limited engagement this May. As an initiative to make musical theatre more accessible, tickets are priced from £10 - £30 and a season ticket for both productions is available at £50. The Notes from New York production of Jason Robert Brown’s The Last 5 Years is reconceived for the Duchess following its acclaimed gala staging at the Theatre Royal Haymarket last year. West End stars Julie Atherton (Avenue Q, Mamma Mia!) and Paul Spicer (Taboo, The Witches of Eastwick) reprise their performances as Cathy and Jamie in this celebrated two-hander from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 May. Jonathan Larson’s tick... tick... BOOM!

receives its long overdue West End première at the Duchess, running from Wednesday 13 to Sunday 17 May, also starring Julie Atherton, who is joined by Olivier Award winner Paul Keating (Tommy, Closer to Heaven, The Full Monty and Little Shop of Horrors) and TV actor Leon Lopez (RENT, Brookside, Hollyoaks). The Last 5 Years is an emotionally wrought and moving song cycle, in which creative tensions combine with complexities of the heart. Newly published novelist Jamie and aspiring actress Cathy tell the tale of their raw and impassioned relationship in opposite directions and from differing standpoints. tick, tick...BOOM! is an autobiographical look into Jonathan Larson’s struggle to be heard and accepted as the musical voice of a new generation. Following his tragically short life, Larson earned four posthumous Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for RENT.Duchess Theatre, London. The Last 5 Years Wed 6 - Sun 10 May. tick... tick... BOOM! Wed 13 - Sun 17 May. Wed - Fri 20.00, Sat - Sun 16.00 & 20.00 Box Office: 0844 811 0052 (24 hrs) www.notesfromnewyork.com

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PANTOMIMESBy JOHN CROCKER

The Smaller Cast VersionsALADDIN “PEAK OF PANTO PERFECTION”

Exeter Express & EchoMOTHER GOOSE “FUN FILLED SCRIPT”

Western Morning NewsSLEEPING BEAUTY “ A RIP-ROARING SUCCESS”

Exmouth HeraldCINDERELLA “TRADITIONAL PANTO AT IT’S BEST”

Hampshire GazetteDICK WHITTINGTON “A CRACKER OF A PANTO”

Evening Herald, PlymouthBABES IN THE WOOD “WONDERFUL NEW CHRISTMAS PANTO”

Herald Expressand the latest

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK “GIANT CHRISTMAS TREAT”Tiverton Crediton, Culm Valley Gazette

PLUS the much loved favourites with music and lyrics by ERIC GILDERCINDERELLA, PUSS IN BOOTS, DICK WHITTINGTON, ALADDIN, BABES IN THE WOOD, SINBAD THE SAILOR, MOTHER GOOSE,

ROBINSON CRUSOE, SLEEPING BEAUTY, HUMPTY DUMPTY, QUEEN OF HEARTS, RED RIDING HOOD,

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

And a zany potted panto sketchPOTTY PANTOMIME

Also a Rock MusicalTHE FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER SHOWBy JOHN CROCKER and TIM HAMPTON

Music by KEN BOLAM Lyrics by LES SCOTT

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12-13.indd 2 09/04/2009 14:12:10


FIRST NIGHT INSURANCE

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HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUESwww.asmagazine.co.uk

Over the years there has been a substantial amount of legislation relating to safety whilst in the workplace.

You will, I am sure, be aware that certain types of injury occurring in the workplace have to be notified to the Health and Safety Executive.

It is, of course, absolutely correct that everything is done to minimise accidents at work and there has, of course, been a substantial amount of legislation to reinforce this particular point, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 being the cornerstone of the legislation.

Most Liability Sections of an Insurance Policy will provide an extension to cover the legal fees and expenses incurred in the defence of any criminal proceedings brought against you for breach of the relevant Act, as long as the breach was committed, or alleged to have been committed, during the Insurance period. The proceedings do have to be brought within the United Kingdom and this extension would not apply where proceedings relate to any deliberate or intentional act or omission. It is, of course, in Insurers’ interest to try and defend you because they hope that this will reduce any payment that may be made to the injured party. But what you may not be aware of is that the Insurance Policy would not cover any fines or penalties imposed upon you. These would have to be met from your own funds.

Obviously, if you receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution you must inform your Insurers immediately because they will almost certainly want their own lawyers to act on your behalf. This has, in the past, caused a few problems because some of our clients like to use their own legal representatives. The important factor here is that Insurers use a panel of lawyers who are experienced in this type of work and it may well be that your own lawyers do not have the appropriate experience. If you do want to use your own law firm then you would have to negotiate with your Insurers immediately a decision is made to instruct lawyers.

Working in the City of London, the only real topic of conversation over the last week has been the G20 meeting. This article is being penned a few days after the Conference but there has been a great deal of discussion prior to the event with regard to the Insurance position.

Most Commercial Insurance Policies will cover damage done to a building or its contents caused by riot. The word riot does, in fact, have a legal definition, this being “12 or more people using threatening or unlawful violence for a common purpose, under the Public Order Act 1996”. So, if the damage caused by the incident cannot be classed as a riot then it is almost certain that Insurers will deal with a claim under the Malicious Damage Section of a Commercial Combined Policy. The interesting point

here is that if a riot is declared, by the appropriate Chief Constable of the Police Force concerned, then Insurers do have the option of trying to recover their costs through the Riot Damages Act 1888 from the relevant Police Force. You can therefore see that Insurers hope that a riot is declared, whereas Police Forces up and down the country would hope for the opposite.

Consequential Loss or Business Interruption Insurance will cover specific additional operating costs such as hiring additional premises whilst the main premises are being repaired. It must, however, be borne in mind that there has to be physical damage to the insured property before a Business Interruption Policy would respond.

There is, however, one exception to this rule and that relates to an extension that is available under a Loss of Profits Policy being “Denial of Access”. If you firm or society is restricted from accessing your premises due to a Police cordon then you may be able to make a claim under the Denial of Access extension, in other words you can see that in these particular circumstances damage to the venue is not a requirement. However, Denial of Access is usually subject to either an excess or a franchise and for this very specific type of Insurance the excess or franchise will be shown in time, not money. In other words the interruption to the business will have to be for more than a certain number of hours.

Such an incident may, of course, not only affect commercial premises it can also affect individual types of Insurance such as Household Buildings, Contents or even Private Car Insurance.

I would expect Household Buildings and Contents Policies to respond to such damage under the Malicious Damage Section of a Household Policy. As far as Motor Insurance is concerned, I do not think there is any problem as long as the motor vehicle concerned is covered on a Comprehensive basis. If, however, the car is covered for Third Party, Fire and Theft risks then, in my opinion, only fire damage would be covered.

As far as First Night Policies are concerned, it should be borne in mind that the Material Damage Section of your Policy is covered under an All Risks wording, so both malicious damage and riot would be covered. Terrorism is, however, excluded unless the

appropriate additional premium has been paid.

Robert Israel ASCII

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THE MUSICAL PRODUCED

AS MAGAZINE | MARCH 200914

AUDIENCE WITH MURDER

Elizabeth Delahunty talks about her recent production of Audience With Murder by Colin Wakefield with Redbridge Stage Company.

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THE PLAY PRODUCED

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“It’s got murder in the title. Let’s have a look,” we said, some eighteen months ago during a planning meeting. Redbridge Stage Company, with whom I work, is an old-established group which now stages 3, or occasionally 4, plays each year. We fight rising costs and falling audiences, as do most amateurs these days. Rehearsals take place at a local school and we perform at the Ken-neth More Theatre, Ilford, Essex. This is a purpose-built theatre which opened in 1975. It seats about 360 in a conven-tional raked auditorium and enjoys all the facilities of a “real” theatre. Companies provide actors, crew and board opera-tors while the theatre handles box office, publicity, front of house and technical support, which includes lighting design if required. Our (increasingly aging) audiences enjoy a thriller and we try to provide one, if not every year, then on a regular basis. “Au-dience With Murder” by Roger Leach and Colin Wakefield, looked a good proposi-tion: small cast (2m 2f), present day and one set – always useful.

THE PLOTThe play appealed immediately though I AUDIENCE WITH MURDER

have to admit I was very lost after the first reading. The plot is enormously complex, consisting of a play-reading within a play within a play… if you get my drift. People get murdered but then they aren’t…pre-tend to die and then really do. The script publicity calls it,” A Russian doll of a play,” and it isn’t wrong. Ultimately everything is revealed as a play but you really do need to read the script to get the full ingenuity of the plot. The characters have surprising depth and present interesting challenges to the actors. Characters have to change by voice and personality rather than by costume. The whole concept was very unusual and looked as if it would play well, so it duly went on the calendar for February 09.

CASTINGPreparations began towards the end of last year. I was extremely fortunate that the first actors I approached said yes and we assembled for a read-through just before Christmas. It all looked promis-ing then, over the holiday, came the nightmare phone call, “I’m sorry Liz but I can’t…” and one of the actors had to drop out. But luck was still with me and I was able to re-cast with one phone call and all

was well.

REHEARSALSRehearsals started at the beginning of January on a twice weekly basis, which gave us roughly 7 weeks till the show. A small cast is either a dream (if everybody is there) or a nightmare (one absentee and you might as well cancel) but our luck held.Blocking proved interesting: I gave up on the characters’ names because eve-rybody played between 3 and 5 roles so I simply used my actors’ names and trusted that, between us, we knew who everybody was at a particular moment. This was where directing an experienced cast who had all previously worked to-gether was both a blessing and a delight. We could discuss, play about with ideas and cheerfully disagree with each other. “Let’s give it a go,” became our watch-word.

THE SETThe set proved interesting. Our audi-ences tend to expect a thriller to be played in a conventional box set with as much dressing as possible but this play didn’t conform. It may appear to be

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THE PLAY PRODUCED


set in a living room but eventually the audience realise they are watching a play on a stage so the text’s production note recommends that the set should be “as simple and uncluttered as possible.” To that end I decided on a back wall of flats containing 2 doorways with backing behind and the minimum of furniture and dressing. In fact our set designer didn’t even submit a bill as he said he didn’t have to buy anything and, since one of the appeals of the play was the prospect of an inexpensive set, this was a real bonus. The set, after the hire of the thea-tre, is always our biggest expense. Mind you, that is not to say I didn’t panic when I arrived at the theatre and saw exactly how bare my minimalism was in reality! It did, however, mean that the integral plot action involving off-stage lights could be played to great effect.There were a number of technical problems to be solved: 2 shots require firing close together on stage. The gun belonging to the theatre is notoriously unreliable. The last time we used it, I believe it failed 5 times out of 7, so I was understandably concerned. Nothing dam-ages a production as much as a techni-cal failure especially at a moment of high tension. Consequently, I investigated hir-ing a weapon but, cost apart, there were delivery problems – it couldn’t be sent to

the theatre but had to go to a business address and that isn’t something that is always possible to arrange. New legisla-tion has caused difficulties in a number of areas. Eventually I decided to use the theatre’s gun unloaded and trust to the quick responses of the technical operator. It worked every time, enhanced by the victim’s ability to throw herself headlong to the ground. The audience found it impressive. (So did I!)Then there was the knife. It had to be pocket-sized and used to slash twice across a face, leaving blood. While it was possible to find a knife which would deliver blood, its over-large size ruled it out. Consequently one of the cast made a small wooden knife with a hollow handle to contain a pipette of blood which, when pressure was applied through an open-ing in the handle, delivered a creditable smear of gore to the face. Trial and error proved that the really liquid blood worked best.The play also requires mobile phones – which go off – at the right time. Oddly enough, we found that programming real phones was the easiest thing to do. If I hadn’t seen it done, I would never have believed it.As if this wasn’t enough, “Audience With Murder” provides body problems. Two characters are dead on stage at the end

of Act 1 – and they remain there through-out the rest of the play. Positioning problems are obvious here: one person may die behind a piece of furniture but two looks ridiculous. I solved the difficulty by using throws on an armchair and set-tee (neatly hiding our shabby furniture) and having the first victim expire on the armchair, where he could be wrapped in one throw and having the other die down-stage and be covered by a throw from the settee. There were good audience reac-tions to be gained in Act 2 by one actor sitting on the arm of the chair containing “his” body, while another stepped over “his”.My original idea of using shop manne-quins for the bodies proved unworkable – too hard and un-yielding - so pillows, towels, wig stands and clothes came in to service and were extremely success-ful. On stage, the actors would carefully remove their shoes in the interval and the dummies would be manoeuvred into them and set up.

SOUND EFFECTSWe try to do sound effects live where possible: doors slams are much tighter when done by the actor so we kept to that. This play also requires an actor to speak on an off-stage microphone which was rigged to come through one speaker

14-16.indd 4 09/04/2009 12:04:56


THE PLAY PRODUCED

17


only and was delightfully creepyI also took liberties with aspects of the script. The “Hippodrome” theatre became the Kenneth More theatre, the stage door keeper was given the name of our real doorman while the theatre manager, who speaks from the auditorium on the last page, was played by the real theatre manager. The local audiences seemed to appreciate these touches!It was also necessary to tone down some of the language: the “f” word doesn’t go down well in Ilford but, I think, milder alternatives delivered with venom were equally successful.

CONCLUSIONOur audiences may be regarded as con-noisseurs of the genre and this play did not disappoint them. Without exception, they were attentive and focussed – even, at times, thinking they were ahead of the plot. (Not possible!) They saw something different, enjoyed it and, with a running time of 45 minutes each act, did not face too late an evening.“Audience With Murder” is challenging for actors and director alike. Its plotting is fiendishly clever and its success in performance makes all the effort worth-while. As our local paper commented, “An evening of taut and suspenseful enter-tainment.”

14-16.indd 5 09/04/2009 12:05:25

This month sees the opening of the Australian musical Priscilla Queen Of the Desert in London’s West End. This larger than life musical is based on the film of the same name and its costumes were designed by Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel who worked on the original film.

The design of the costumes, according to Gardiner and Chappel, was rooted in a combination of the budget constraints of the film, a tribute to Australiana, and the “’70s disco trash” with which they grew up.

“When you’ve got a lot of money, you just tend to buy nice-looking materials and make it look beautiful,” explained Chappel. “But, if you don’t have any money, you have to think about cheap materials that are effective. I love those costumes we made out of things like room deodorizers, like floral room deodorizers or chicken/rodent wire or duct tape.”

Something closer to home was the thought behind the thong dress worn by Hugo Weaving in the movie.

“The thong dress was our tribute to

Australiana, ‘cause thongs are like Australia’s national shoe, you know like the clog is to Holland,” Chappel said.

“It was based on our fathers,” said Gardiner as the two related the story of the dress’ creation.

“What happened was, we were at a barbecue at Lizzy’s father’s, Lizzy’s parents’ place and Lizzy’s father fell asleep on the banana lounge outside,” Chappel explained. “Do you call ‘em banana lounges here?”

“The outdoor seating,” said Gardiner, clarifying Chappel’s reference to outdoor furniture.

“All of Lizzy’s cousins had left their thongs on the couch. And he was a bit drunk, and he fell asleep in the hot sun. He woke up and they were all stuck to him. And we were like ‘Oh my God, what a great idea for a costume,’” Chappel said.

“Obscure Australiana” and “’70s memorabilia,” were the inspirations for the rest of the designs. However, the costumes were not developed without

research.

“We’re method designers,” said Gardiner. “So, we spent a lot of time around drag queens and going to drag shows or clubs, and that kind of thing.”

Part of the costumes’ success has come from the freedom the designers were allowed when working on “Priscilla.”

“If you do a $40 million film in Hollywood, every step you take is completely controlled by studios, by market reports, by demographics,” Gardiner said. “We didn’t take any of that into account when we made Priscilla. We made what we wanted to do. So, you know, it made us very free basically.”

Gardiner and Chappel’s creative expression has won them fans all over the world - from gay audiences who they knew would enjoy it, to drag queens and “grannies out in the Midwest.”

Translation for UK. A thong is an Aussie term for a flip flop.

SCREEN TO STAGELizzie Gardiner and Tim Chappel talk about their award winning costume designs for Priscilla - Queen Of The Desert.


18-25.indd 2 09/04/2009 12:07:27


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AS: What exactly does your job entail?Alistair: I am head of the costume department which covers the costume workshops, within which we have a mens workroom, a ladies workroom, hats and jewellery, an armoury and a die shop. We also have running wardrobe who maintain the costumes during performances, the wig department and costume hire.

AS: How many shows a year does the RSC stage? Alistair: This year we are staging 11 shows. We open shows in Stratford, some go to London, some to Newcastle. It’s always quite busy with a lot going on.

AS: When you are preparing a show how much is derived from stock and how much is made from scratch?Alistair: I would say on average show we aim to use about 25% of the costumes from stock. The remainder depending on the show are made. If its a modern show its a mixture of makes and buys. It’s sometimes nice just to use something from stock if we have it to

Alistair McArthur speaks to AS about the workings of the Royal Shakespeare Company costume department.

THE RSC

hand. For instance if we have to break something down or have to age some leather. We are always looking and asking what is the right place that this costume is going to come from?

AS: Do you ever take in work from other companies?Alistair: We sometimes do a bit of work for other companies when our workshops are quiet but the RSC does keep us incredibly busy.

AS: So do you have any favourite pieces in your stock?Alistair: We have some really interesting stuff. We did a production of Much Ado About Nothing a few years ago which was set in 1950’s Cuba which was really good fun and had some great vintage stuff alongside some new creations. We also did a great King Lear for Ian McKellen and a Seagull which was a lovely looking show.

Last year we did Loves Labour Lost in a full-on Elizabethan Period dress. It’s

not in hire yet because its due to be remounted.

AS: How important is costuming?Alistair: What matters is that the show has to look great, but the costumes are only supporting the show, they aren’t the most important thing. If people walk out singing the costumes it’s gone wrong somewhere.

AS: What’s the best way for people to get in touch with you to talk about their needs?Alistair: Anyone who wants to come see us should just call us or email. We have a great team down here who are really enthusiastic about helping companies who want to come in. They’ll be happy to give as much help or guidance as is needed.

We have about 80,000 items in stock so there is certainly something for everyone. Whether it be armour, footwear, you name it we most likely have it. We have a huge fantasy rail of indescribable costumes that just have to be seen.

RSC Costume HireP: 01789 205920 www.rsc.org.uk

18-25.indd 3 09/04/2009 12:08:05

COSTUMES



MARIGOLD COSTUMESFour years ago established film and tv designer Dawn Thomas-Mondo acquired Marigold Costumes (which has been in existence since the 1960’s) and merged stock from her own company to of-fer an enhanced and exciting range of costumes. She has further expanded the company with the acquisition of a huge variety of vintage textiles and haberdashery from the BBC costume mak-ing department, which is now available to purchase. Marigold Costumes Ltd is now the premier costume hire company in Wales and has over 85,000 quality costumes and accessories.“We are always ugrading and adding to our stock” says production manager Sue Wil-liams, “and the BBC aquis-tion has added an exciting new dimension to this. We are amazed at how many people come in and say they didn’t know we did so much

and how great the costumes are. That is why I am always happy to have people come in to discuss their requirements. They get here and see our stock and get really excited. We have a very experienced staff including makers and a wig dresser and we really try to make the whole process as painless as possible. Our location is perfect, we are just minutes from the station and close to the M4 which makes us easy to get to and very convenient for courier services.We offer a fully professional service at reasonable prices whether period drama produc-tions, musicals or pantos. We also offer ‘make-to-hire’ facilities for special require-ments and can adapt costume sets to give a new ‘twist’ to an existing show. Marigold Costumes has it all.”

COSTUMIAAt Costumia, we offer a huge range of theatrical and vintage costumes for all sorts of

events and performances, all from Birmingham Rep Thea-tre’s own costume collection. Costumia is run by profession-al theatrical costumiers, and we provide not only fabulous, beautiful costumes, but also a wealth of knowledge and experience in the history of fashion and costuming for the theatre.We have a large collection of original and authentic vintage clothing, spanning the entire 20th Century. Whether you need costumes for perform-ance, presentation or photog-raphy, we can offer com-petitive rates of hire. We have beautiful designer pieces as well as seminal era defining fashion! We have male and female garments, as well as shoes and accessories.We have thousands of profes-sionally designed and made theatrical costumes, all of which have been used in past productions at Birmingham Rep. We stock almost every period and style you can think of, and can put together a complete, historically accurate

set of costumes for many well known productions.We stock men’s, women’s and children’s wear in a wide range of sizes, as well as a selection of accessories, including shoes, hats, scarves and ties. As all our outfits are carefully made for the stage, they are both spectacular and sturdy, pretty yet practical, and are suited to any length of show.We aim to provide a profes-sional yet affordable serv-ice, offering special rates for schools, colleges, youth theatres and charitable or-ganisations. You can contact us on 0121 551 2710 or www.costumia.co.uk to book an ap-pointment or talk to us about our costumes!

BRYAN PHILIP DAVIESBryan Philip Davies costumes is a long established costume production company based in the pleasant East Sussex market town of Lewes. Opera fans will know Lewes as the stopping off point for nearby Glyndebourne. This is more than a coincidence as Bryan Davies himself worked in the Wardrobe Department at the Opera House for eight years before devoting himself fully to his production company. His experience there informs his highly professional ap-proach to his work and he uses a team of experienced freelancers to achieve top-quality products within tight schedules. Over the years Bryan has supplied costumes to a wide range of profes-sional and amateur compa-nies throughout the UK and abroad. Much of his work is repeat bookings but he enjoys the challenge of creating new costumes as well as supply-ing the old favourites. Recent productions have included Cinderella, The Threepenny Opera, The King and I and Thoroughly Modern Millie. He has also worked with a number of schools and has built up an extensive collec-tion of children’s costumes.

FEATURED SUPPLIERSWith so many companies staging more and more ambitious productions, AS profiles some of our favourite costumiers from around the UK.

The 1930’s Look from Costumia

18-25.indd 4 09/04/2009 12:08:49


COSTUMES

21


Meet Me IN St Louis - BPD Costumes

Another specialist area is oriental costumes although Bryan says that, recently, everyone has wanted to do Cinderella rather than Aladdin ! Bryan can be contacted via his website at www.bpdcos-tumes.co.uk or on 01273 481004

LARGER THAN

LIFE STAGEWEARLarger Than Life Stagewear, managed by Andrea Gam-bell, has a rich selection of theatrical costumes available for hire. The shop is located in Plaistow Lane, at the north end of Bromley, Kent, close to Sundridge Park BR Station and has been in operation for two years.

For the connisseur there are many professionally made costumes which evoke the past from the early 18th century through to the 1920s. There is a large selection of late Victorian and Edwardian clothes for men, women and children and care is taken to ensure that the costumes fit comfortably for the desired

occasion – alterations will be undertaken if time permits. There are many accessories which can be hired singly, or with outfits and in some cases e.g. Edwardian, a dress can be complemented by a parasol, large hat, gloves, bag and lace-up boots. There is also a wide selection of masks available to buy.

As well as supplying costumes locally, Andrea has success-fully put together many cos-tumes for groups and individu-als further afield, based only on measurements supplied, without the luxury of actually seeing the people involved! Delivery can be arranged via a reputable carrier generally by a next day service. Andrea has had wide experi-ence in drama generally, and in the costume field in par-ticular. Her client list includes several schools, independent film companies and her loyal regular customers. She was delighted to supply Edwardian costumes to BBC South East recently for a documentary for “Inside Out”.

18-25.indd 5 09/04/2009 12:09:19

COSTUMES



DRESS CIRCLE COSTUMIERS

Dress Circle Costumiers is a well established Essex based theatrical costume supplier offering superior standard, cost effective costume services for dramatic and musical productions. It has cultivated relationships with national and international customers, both professional and amateur, and has provided costumes included in period television drama productions. The TeamArtistic Design, Costume Production and Customer Contact – The creative edge of Dress Circle Costumiers is shared by the sister partnership of Jan Elliot and Rachel Hutchinson. Jan and Rachel have a wealth of experience both on stage and behind the scenes in professional and amateur theatre. They are our customers’ principle point of telephone contact in the hectic workshop and are happy to discuss your specific needs and provide guidance on your production requirements.Business Administration and Finance – Tom Elliot is found in the darker recesses of the Dress Circle Costumiers office and is responsible for business development, marketing and financial relationships with customers and professional partners.Professional MembershipsDress Circle Costumiers is proud to be a corporate member of NODA and is an active member of the Theatrical Traders Association.Further Information is available on the website – www.dresscirclecostumiers.com and customers are invited to ring the workshop 01376 515500 to discuss future productions or book a viewing appointment.

Dress Circle Costumiers, Brook House, Maldon Road, Witham, Essex, CM8 3HY Tel – 01376 515500Email – [email protected]

ADVER

TISE H

ERE

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COSTUMES

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COSTUME REFERENCE GUIDEST6 CostumesThe Burslem School of Art,Queen Street,Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent,ST6 3EJ 01782 811148 www.st6costumes.com

Dress Circle CostumiersBrook House, Maldon Road, Witham, Essex, CM8 3HY 01376 515500 www.dresscirclecostumiers.com

Script to Screen CostumeUnit J7 Colchester Ind. EstateColchester AvenueCardiff, CF23 9AP029 2045 4222www.scripttoscreen.co.uk

Northern Costume Hire Long Mill, Long Ing Lane, Bar-noldswick, BB18 6BJ 01282 817351 www.northerncostumehire.co.uk

Flame Torbay Costume Hire31/35 Market Street, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 3AW, England 01803 211930www.flametorbay.co.uk

Bryan Philip Davies Costumes68 Court Road, Lewes, , East Sussex. BN7 2SA01273 481004 www.bpdcostumes.co.uk

Marigold Costumes Ltd.Priority Business CentreCurran RoadCardiff, CF10 5ND029 2064 4664www.marigoldcostumes.co.uk

Bristol Costume ServicesFilwood HouseFilwood RoadBristol BS16 3RY0117 965 9555www.bristolcostumeservices.com

1st Night35 Vicarage RoadStony StratfordMILTON KEYNESBuckinghamshire MK11 1BN 01908 262250 www.1stnight.co.uk

Marlowe Costume Hire Roper Close, St.Dunstans Canterbury, KentCT2 7EP 01227 455133 www.marlowecostumes.co.uk

Carousel Costumes The Old Bakery 120 Shrubland Street Royal Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV31 2AR 01926 881356www.carouselcostumes.com

Wig Specialities173 Seymour PlaceLondon W1H 4PW 020 7262 6565www.wigspecialities.com

Angels Fancy Dress Shop 119 Shaftesbury Avenue London WC2H 8AE 0207 836 5678www.fancydress.com

Costumia, Unit 9, Hockley Industrial Estate, Pitsford St, Hockley, Birmingham B18 6PT0121 551 2710 www.costumia.co.uk

Derek Easton Wigs1 Dorothy AvenuePeacehavenEast Sussex BN10 8LP 01273 588262www.derekeastonwigs.co.uk

Larger Than Life Stagewear2 Sundridge Parade, Bromley, Kent, BR1 4DT020 8466 9010www.largerthanlifestagewear.co.uk

The Haslemere Wardrobe18-19 St Christophers RoadHaslemere, GU27 1DQ0845 094 2071www.haslemerewardrobe.co.uk

Khaki Devil++ 44 (0) 1473 712 723www.khakidevil.co.uk

Costume North20 Lord StreetCheethamManchesterM4-4FP0161 211 9977www.costumenorth.com

RSC Costume HireThe Cortyard TheatreSouthern LaneStratford Upon AvonWarwickshireCV37 6BB01789 205920www.rsc.org.uk

18-25.indd 9 09/04/2009 13:02:10

COSTUMES



nodram

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Schools, Colleges&Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Groups

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• 11 day hire period• Wigs and accessories available to buy• ‘Make-to-hire’ facilities• Workshops for teachers or students• Work experience available• Costume reference library• Vintage haberdashery for purchase

vintagemarigold – find us on ebay.

What Marigold Costumes can offer you...

Priority Business Centre, Curran Road, Cardiff CF10 5NDTel: 029 2064 4664 or 029 2066 6611

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We are situatedin the heart ofCardiff, justminutes fromthe Centralrailway stationand 6 miles fromthe M4. Only 40minutes fromBristol.

Marigold Costumes Ltd is the premier costumehire company inWales and has over 85,000quality costumes and accessories.From historical through to contemporary we can provideyou with a single costume or a whole show set. 10%Discount

Coupon valid for 6 months

Present this coupon with your firstbooking to receive your

Issue Date: March 2009

18-25.indd 6 09/04/2009 12:13:08

AS MAGAZINE | MARCH 2009

SUMMER SCHOOL

23


Costume HIRE

AN IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION OF THOUSANDS OF COSTUMES,ACCESSORIES AND ARMOURCOVERING MOST PERIODSAVAILABLE FOR HIRE. EACH ONEBEAUTIFULLY MADE AND FROMPAST RSC PRODUCTIONS.WHETHER YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ONE ORONE HUNDRED, OUR ENTHUSIASTIC ANDEXPERIENCED STAFF WILL BE DELIGHTEDTO HELP YOU FIND YOUR IDEAL COSTUME.

www.rsc.org.uk

CALL US TO DISCUSS YOURREQUIREMENTS OR TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

COSTUME HIREMONDAY - FRIDAY 10AM - 5PM01789 [email protected]

ESSENTIAL REFERENCE GUIDES

PERIOD HAIRSTYLES FOR STUDIO, STAGE AND SCREENKit SpencerPublished by Metheun DramaISBN: 9781408109885£19.99

PERIOD MAKE-UP FOR STUDIO, STAGE AND SCREENKit SpencerPublished by Metheun DramaISBN 9781408110430£19.99

These are two fantastic reference books for anyone with an interest in make-up for the stage or screen.

Kit Walker, an experienced make-up artist and hair stylist with a background in producing make-up for television and film has compiled these two step by step guides.

In PERIOD MAKE-UP we are guided through numerous styles of make up ranging from looks equated with ancient civilisations through period drama to a range of Twentieth Century Styles. Whether you want to look like a Celtic warrior, a character from Imperial Russia or a Bollywood Princess, this guide contains all the style information you will need to effect a transformation.

In PERIOD HAIRSTYLES the same period styles are shown through the styling of hair to complement the make-up for the previous edition. Each style guide explains the equipment and product you need to effect each look and step-by-step guides that are exceptionally easy to follow. Classic shots of Hollywood and stage actors are used to illustrate the finished look

Presented in spiral bound hardback these books are built to be permanent fixtures in the make-up or styling room.

18-25.indd 7 09/04/2009 12:13:41

PLAYSCRIPTS


UNBROKENBy Alexandra Wood Cast : M1, F1Scene: VariousPublished by Nick Hern BooksISBN: 9781848420212Inspired by La Ronde, and portraying the same ‘daisy chain’ of sexual encounters, Unbroken offers a radical re-interpretation of Arthur Schnitzler’s taboo breaking 1897 original. In place of Schnitzler’s soldiers, poets and aristocrats in Vienna, Alexandra Wood gives us the interns, rockstars and office workers of 21st Century London, all inextricably linked by sex. This play premiered at The Gate Theatre London in 2009.

DELERIUMBy Edna WalshCast: M5, F2Published by Nick Hern BooksISBN: 9781854595294The Karamazovs are a train wreck waiting to happen. A hated father and his sons battle it out over women, money and God. This is them, uncompromising and on the edge. They don’t so much live as burn up. Behind them lurks a servant, taking note of it all; and to the side, two beautiful women, clinging onto impossible loves. Delerium is a radical reinterpretation of The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky’s classic and compelling tale of family rivalries. Delerium is the hilarious, brutal and tragic story of the fight between good and evil where the battlefield is the human heart. The play weaves togather text, grotesque puppetry, dance, animation and song.

TOO MUCH IN THE SUNBy Nicholas PierpanCast: M4Scene: The action takes place in a coastal village in EnglandPublished by Samuel FrenchISBN: 9780573142215Fresh out of prison, a young man returns to his English coastal home village. He takes a job offered by the local eccentric, a clockmaker and friend of his father. Storytelling, epilepsy, seafaring, lockpicking and espionage make this unique lyrical play a true delight. This is how it works. A son is ursurped from his throne. The counterfeit king offers him a series of impossible challenges to regain his lost place. But the boy passes them all. The final test involves two envelopes - one has ‘King’ written inside it and the other has ‘Death’. But the boy knows the King has written ‘Death’ in both and he is able to outwit the King and ultimately win. It is suggested that all the actors remain on stage throughout the play and when not actually involved in a scene should move about in ways suggesting the interior movements of a timepiece. The play won the Cameron mackintosh Award at Oxford University’s annual New Writing Festival.

A WALK IN THE PARKBy Mark GreenCast: M2, F2Published by Cressrelles PublishingISBN: 9780853436584A Walk In The Park is a ‘coming of age’ comedy which takes a light-hearted look at four teenagers as they prepare to take their seperate ways into the unknown world of adulthood. Four distinct


WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH!

26-29.indd 2 09/04/2009 12:23:37


PLAYSCRIPTS

27

personalities, with four distinct ways of looking at life, stroll through their local park pondering life and love. One year later, they all meet up again in the park - have they learnt anything since the last time they met?

SMALL MERCIESBy Melville LovattCast: M4, F2Published by New Theatre PublicationsISBN: 9781840944808In Melville Lovatt’s award wining comedy/drama people’s lives hang well and truly in the balance. Shop owner Donald and wife Andrea are desperate people with a failing business. They decide to pay an arsonist to set fire to their shop so they can claim on the insurance and start a new life. Little do they know that two late customers have inadvertently been locked inside! As the two couples, each with their own very different problems, touch each others lives with unexpected results, the comedy pathos, and fragility of existence shines through in this ultimately heart-warming play. The play is perfect for performance in either full scale production of festival mode. The author gives guidance in the script for production in minimalistic and full scale setting.

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWDBy Thomas Hardy. Adaptation by Mark HealyCast: M8, F5Published by Nick Hern BooksISBN: 9781848420274Having inherited his fathers farm, the spirited and feisty young Bathseba Everdene finds herself playing mistress in a man’s world. She is pursued by three would be lovers: the constant shepherd, Gabriel Oak; the obsessive landowner, William Boldwood; and the reckless Sergent Troy. But are any of them a match for the headstrong and independent Bathsheba? First staged by English Touring Theatre this is a large scale adaptation of one of Thomas Hardy’s most popular novels.

GET SMARTAdapted by Christopher Sergel from the series created by Mel Brooks and Buck HenryCast: M10, W17Published by The Dramatic Publishing CompanyISBN: 9780871292605Following the successful film based on the cult classic television series, Get Smart is a rip roaring comedy for large cast companies. Fans of the television series will delight to find all of the shows cliches, gimmicks and even the famous shoe phone are included in this script. The dialogue is vintage Mel Brook, sharp and funny and entertaining.

SIX ACTS OF LOVEBy Ioanna AndersonCast: M2, F3Published by Nick Hern BooksISBN: 9781848420182Katherine’s life has come to a standstill. Her husband Tom has left for a younger woman and her once-glamorous mother Dorothy is slowly losing her mind. As Dorothy’s condition worsens, Katherine’s stepfather and a new nurse rally to support her. Then Tom appears with a sudden announcement that sets them all off on an unexpected journey deep into rural Ireland. By turns deeply moving and gloriously funny, Ioanna Anderson’s bittersweet new play embraces the complexities of life and shows that, just as love may ultimately fade, it can also blossom in the most suprising places.


Ding Donga full length play by Marc Camoletti, translated by Tudor Gates

CAST M2 F4 SCENE Various settings

Bernard has discovered that his wife Jacqueline is having an affair with Robert. Rather than be killed, Robert says Bernard may sleep with his wife, Juliette. Bernard arranges a meal with both couples, but Robert brings Barbara, a call girl, instead of Juliette. Jacqueline is stunned to learn that Robert and his wife are coming to dinner, and the situation becomes even more hilarious when Juliette turns up! Price £8.50 Curtain Up!

a full length comedy by Peter QuilterCAST F5 SCENE

Based on the author’s earlier Respecting Your Piers, Curtain Up tells the story of five women who inherit equal shares in a dilapidated theatre and plan to bring it back to life again. They hold a concert featuring local talent and a world-famous star, who agrees to appear for no fee! Their plans go awry and it’s a race to keep the audience from guessing the truth. Price £8.25.

That Facea full length play by Polly Stenham

CAST M2 F4 SCENE

Mia is at boarding school. She has access to drugs. They are Martha’s. Henry is preparing for art college. He has access to alcohol. From Martha. Martha controls their lives. Martha is their mother. A multi award-winning play from one of Britain’s most exciting new playwrights.

NEW RELEASES!

French’s Theatre Bookshop52 Fitzroy St London W1T 5JR

Tel: 020 7255 4300 Fax: 020 7387 2161

Email: [email protected]

www.samuelfrench-london.co.uk

Samuel French LtdThe play publisher

Due to technical difficulties The 93rd Edition of The Guide to Selecting Plays for Performance

has been delayed. Please note the 92nd Edition and its supplements are available for £8.50.

26-29.indd 3 09/04/2009 12:15:43



WAR HORSENew London Theatre

After a hugely successful and award win-ning season at the National Theatre this monumental piece of theatre comes into the West End all guns blazing.

War Horse is in its simplest form the story of the boy and his horse set against the attrocities of the First World War. It’s an epic tale brilliant bought to life by a large cast of tremendously talented puppeteers and actors.

The majesty of the truly beautifully crafted horses each controlled by three actors just has to be seen. Together these performers create such a range of subtlety and nuance that you can actually stop seeing the workings and see the actual horses themselves as real emotive characters.

Rae Smith’s vast open stage design backed by a enlarged shred of paper torn from a soldiers sketchbook provides an animated background in pencil sketch form that takes the audience from Devon to the trenches and back again. It is

beautiful, fluid and engrossing.

It would be easy for the actors to be overshadowed by the spactacle of this production. It is a tribute to those ac-tors that this is not the case. Standout performances by Bronagh Gallagher (Rose), Colin Mace (Ted), and Patrick O’Kane (Muller) add a human element. The evening does really belong to KIt Harrington though, who as Albert, raises, cares for and searches for his beloved Joey, the Hunter Colt. His performance verges on the spiritual, his bond with his horse bought tears to my eyes and to many of the people who were sitting around me in the audience.

This tremendously filmic production is enhanced even further by Adrian Suttons stirring score. The ballads and orchestral movements drive this show.

Warhorse is a show that should be seen by everyone. Thankfully, the National Theatre seems to have now found a West End home which brilliantly emulates the stage space at the Olivier. No audience member is far from the action in this pro-duction. There’s no doubt this amazing

show is here for a long stay.

PRISCILLA - QUEEN OF THE DESERTPalace Theatre

Elsewhere in the West End, another form of spectacle has landed in the shape of three garish drag queens in a huge pink bus called Priscilla. Based in the 1994 Australian film, the stage show retains the core plot of the film with a few small changes.

The show is an outlandish “road film” on stage as Tick and Adam (two drag queens) and Bernadette (a transexual) head across the desert for a perform-ance season in Alice Springs. Unlike a lot of other juke box musicals, most of the songs used int he show are directly drawn from the film soundtrack. It’s una-shamedly geared around pop. Kylie, Joni Mitchell, Donna Summer are just a few of the artists represented in the score.

Priscilla is no Les Miserables, it aims to make you laugh and to keep an enor-mous smile on your face throughout as

WEST END

26-29.indd 4 09/04/2009 12:16:08


WEST END

29


the cast charge through numbers like Go West, MacCarthur Park (a perfect excuse for dancing cupcakes if ever there was one), I Will Survive and Don’t Leave Me This Way (the kitschest funeral ballad ever).

Whilst Jason Donovan and Oliver Thorn-ton carry off their respective roles it is Tony Sheldon who shines as Bernadette. The acid one liners, feminine demean-our and brilliant comic timing make Bernadette enormously appealing as a character with huge heart. Huge praise must also go to the energetic ensemble in this show. They take Ross Coleman’s choreography and deliver it with such frenetic energy.

You can’t talk about this show without a loud hoorah for the amazing design team who make this show tick. Brian Thomson has made Priscilla, the star of this show. This huge bus moves fluidly on stage with more han a few tricks built into her bulky frame. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner have re-created the iconic looks from the film and added in quite a few more. It’s truly spactacular that you could possibly imagine. Every penny can be seen on stage and then some.

Take a group of friends and just enjoy. It doesn’t get much more outrageous than this.

DANCING AT LUGHNASAOld Vic

The Old Vic has pulled a rabbit out of the hat with this superb production of Brian Friel’s play. After some decidely ques-tionable productions over past months, this play has re-established Kevin Spacey as Artistic Director de jour.

Dancing at Lughnasa is a play which mixes memory and desire, generous humour with piercing sadness. Set in the summer of 1936 in the fictional Irish town of Ballybeg in the home of spinster sisters. Money is tight with Kate a school teacher being the households only bread-winner. Some of the others earn pen-nies with handicrafts whilst the youngest Chris, is the unmarried mother of seven year old Michael. It is Michael’s older self who acts as the play’s narrator looking back in hindsight at a summer that would change everything.

Catholocism and paganism are constant themes throughout this play, no more so than in a scene where the sisters dance like the devil, a tumultuous celebration of life.

Anna Mackmin has directed this revival with tremendous style. Casting highlights include Niamh Cusack and Andrea Corr, the Irish pop singer making her stage

debut.

Staged in the round on a tree dominated set beautifully designed by Les Brother-ston, Dancing At Lughnasa is a real treat. It’d difficult to criticise anything about this magnificent play.

26-29.indd 5 09/04/2009 12:16:35

DIARY


DIARYMAY - JUNE 2009


Wick Theatre Co - Abigail’s PartyPhotos: Lucien Bouchy

42nd Street13 - 16 May 2009Birkenhead Operatic Society TrustEmpire Theatre, Liverpool, Merseyside0151 677 7084

19 - 23 May 2009Oxford Operatic SocietyNew Theatre, Oxford0844 847 1585

A Bolt form the Blue09 - 13 June 2009Highbury PlayersSt. Phillip’s Hall, CoshamPortsmouth, Hampshire023 9238 9359

13 - 16 May 2009Falcon PlayersCope Auditorium, Loughborough UniversityLoughborough, Leics01509 231914

A ChoruS line07 - 09 May 2009Airbrush ProductionsHazlitt Theatre, Maidstone, Kent01622 758611

A month of SundAyS27 April - 02 May 2009The Little Theatre GatesheadGateshead, Tyne & Wear0191 478 1499

A muSiCAl revue10 - 13 June 2009Blaenau Gwent Young Stars - Youth Musical TCBeaufort TheatreBeaufort, Ebbw Vale, Gwent01495 301049

A night on the town26 - 30 May 2009Margate Operatic SocietyWinter Gardens, Margate, Kent01843 299803

A wAlk through the weSt end11 - 12 June 2009County Amateur Operatic & Dramatic SocietyLincoln Drill Hall, Lincoln, Lincs0845 652 5021

AliCe in wonderlAnd23 May - 27 August 2009Kidz R UsSt Ives Theatre, St Ives, Cornwall01736 797007

13 - 14 June 2009The Uptown PlayersHampden Park Community Centre, Brodrich Road, Eastbourne, E Sussex01323 722895

Allo ‘Allo11 - 13 June 2009Little Theatre DonningtonThe Little Theatre, Telford, Shropshire01952 603231

30 May - 06 June 2009HIADSStation Theatre, Hayling Island, Hampshire023 9246 6363

Amy’S view19 - 22 May 2009Quarndon Amateur Dramatic SocietyQuarndon Village Hall, Derbyshire01332 840007

An evening with rogerS And hAmmerStein14 - 16 May 2009Oldfallings Players AOSOldfallings United Reformed ChurchWolverhampton, W Mids01902 737195

Annie12 - 16 May 2009Fakenham & District Light Opera Society (FADLOS)Fakenham Community CentreFakenham, Norfolk01328 862622

12 - 16 May 2009Sussex Musical ProductionsPavilion Theatre, Worthing, W Sussex01903 537383

22 - 30 May 2009Scarborough & District Light Opera SocietyYMCA TheatreScarborough, North Yorkshire01723 506750

11 - 13 June 2009Kaleidoscope PlayersGuildhall Theatre, Derby, Derbyshire01332 281900

22 June - 04 July 2009Newmarket Operatic Musical & Dramatic Society (NOMADS)Kings Theatre, Newmarket, Suffolk01638 663337

Anything goeS04 - 09 May 2009Blackburn Musical Theatre CompanyThwaites Empire TheatreBlackburn, Lancashire01254 685500

19 - 23 May 2009Masqueraders Theatrical SocietyAbbey Theatre, Nuneaton, Warks02476 347931

20 - 23 May 2009Barnstaple Musical Comedy & Dramatic SocQueens Theatre, Barnstaple, Devon01271 324242

26 - 30 May 2009Bollington Light Opera GroupBollington Civic Hall, Bollington, Cheshire01625 431038

Are you Being Served06 - 09 May 2009Grantham Dramatic SocietyThe GuildhallGrantham, Lincs01476 406158

20 - 23 May 2009Totnes Operatic & Dramatic SocietyTotnes Civic Hall, Totnes, Devon07912 142053

BArnum13 - 23 May 2009Louth Playgoers Society LtdRiverhead Theatre, Victoria RoadLouth, Lincs01507 600350

BAth & diStriCt gAng Show 200927 - 30 May 2009Bath and District Scout & Guide Gang ShowKingswood Theatre, LansdownBath, Somerset01225 834293

BlACk Comedy 14 - 16 May 2009Lion and Unicorn PlayersThe Studio, Petersfield SchoolPetersfield, Hants01730 821491

Blitz!05 - 09 May 2009Sainsbury SingersThe Hexagon, Reading, Berkshire0118 9882510

BrASSed off20 - 22 May 2009Cleckheaton & Spenborough AO & DSTown Hall, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire01274 877828

BrightlingS StrikeS AgAin14 - 16 May 2009Clevedon Comedy ClubThe Princes Hall, Clevedon, Somersetwww.clevedoncomedyclub.co.uk

BuSyBody29 June - 04 July 2009Droylsden Little Theatre, Droylsden, Manchester0161 370 7713

CAlAmity JAne11 - 16 May 2009Cirencester Operatic SocietyThe Barn TheatreCirencester, Gloucestershire01285 648230

18 - 23 May 2009Newry Musical & Orchestral SocietyTown Hall, NewryNewry, Co Down07851 754478

CAmelot27 - 30 May 2009Cowbridge Amateur Operatic SocietyLlantwit Major SchoolLlantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan01656 881907

CArouSel04 - 09 May 2009Greasborough Operatic SocietyCivic Theatre, Rotherham, South Yorkshire01709 823621

05 - 09 May 2009Lancaster Amateur Dramatic & Operatic SocGrand Theatre, Lancaster, Lancashire01524 64695

12 - 16 May 2009Bedford Marianettes Am Mus & Comedy SocBedford Civic Hall, Bedford, Bedfordshire07813 566698

12 - 16 May 2009Bromsgrove Operatic SocietyArtrix, Bromsgrove, Worcs01527 871426

12 - 16 May 2009Penarth Operatic & Dramatic SocietyPaget Rooms, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan02920 712260

20 - 23 May 2009Trowbridge Amateur Operatic SocietyThe Civic Hall, Trowbridge, Wilts01225 710535

20 - 23 May 2009Basildon Operatic SocietyTowngate TheatreBasildon, Essex01245 222267

27 - 30 May 2009Eastbourne Operatic & Dramatic SocietyCongress Theatre, Eastbourne, East Sussex01323 412000

28 - 30 May 2009Harrogate Operatic PlayersRoyal Hall, Harrogate, N Yorks0845 1308 840

CASh on delivery07 - 09 May 2009Digswell PlayersDigswell Village Hall, DigswellWelwyn Garden City, Herts01438 715489

CAStleS in SpAin13 - 16 May 2009The Musical History CompanyChequer Mead TheatreEast Grinstead, W Sussex01342 302000

CAught in the net14 - 16 May 2009The ChameleonsKingsland Hall, United Reformed ChurchWembley, Middx0208 123 6443

CAvAlCAde28 - 30 May 2009PAC Theatre CompanyMick Jagger Centre, Dartford, Kent01322 221840

CheSS19 - 23 May 2009Lowestoft PlayersThe Marina Theatre, Lowestoft, Suffolk01502 533200

27 - 30 May 2009Exmouth Musical Theatre CompanyThe Exmouth Pavilion, Exmouth, Devon01395 279030

02 - 06 June 2009Bournville Musical Theatre CompanyCrescent TheatreBirmingham, W Midlands0121 643 5858

10 - 13 June 2009West Kirby Light Opera SocietyFloral Pavilion, New Brighton, Wirral0151 342 2143

09 May 2009KamamicaThe Royal Hall, Harrogate, North Yorkshire0845 130 8840

Children of eden10 - 13 June 2009Chadsmoor Choral SocietyChadsmoor Methodist Church, Cannock RdChadsmoor, Staffs01543 574679

Come fly with me22 - 22 May 2009Bella Musica! SocietyStafford Gatehouse TheatreStafford, Staffs01543 451427

ComiC potentiAl14 - 16 May 2009Princess Theatre ClubPrincess Theatre, Hunstanton, Norfolk01485 532252

Coming home to BurnS28 - 29 May 2009Ury PlayersStonehaven Town HallStonehaven, Aberdeenshire01569 763524

CopACABAnA19 - 23 May 2009Horwich AODSAlbert Halls, Bolton, Greater Manchester01942 811976

25 - 27 June 2009Coventry Musical Theatre SocietyBelgrade Theatre, Coventry, West Midlands02476 553055

34-45.indd 2 09/04/2009 12:17:50


DIARY

31


Wick Theatre Co - Abigail’s PartyPhotos: Lucien Bouchy

Copenhagen24 - 28 June 2009The Harrogate Dramatic SocietyThe Harrogate TheatreHarrogate, North Yorkshire07770 630299

Crazy For you18 - 23 May 2009Walton & Weybridge Amateur Operatic SocThe Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey01483 770130

DaD’s army08, 09, 15, 16 May 2009Chapel PlayersChapel-en-le-Frith PlayhouseChapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire01298 813176

DeaD man’s hanD14 - 16 May 2009Haverhill & District Operatic SocietyHaverhill Arts Centre, Haverhill, Suffolk01440 714140

DeaDly nightCap08 - 16 May 2009Briston PlayersThe Copeman Centre/Briston Village HallBriston, Melton Constable, Norfolk01263 861340

DisCo inFerno13 - 15 May 2009Briton Ferry Little TheatreCommunity HallBriton Ferry, Port Talbot01639 820334

21 - 23 May 2009Belper Stage ProductionsRobert Ludlam TheatreDerby, Derbyshire01332 666404

23 - 27 June 2009Argosy Musical Theatre CompanyCrescent TheatreBirmingham, West Midlands0121 643 5858

Fabulous at FiFty20 - 23 May 2009Crigglestone Theatre CompanyWakefield Arts Centre, Wakefield, W Yorks01924 265829

Fame26 - 30 May 2009Orbit Theatre Ltd - CardiffNew Theatre, Cardiff, Cardiff02920 878889

FiDDler on the rooF07 - 09 May 2009Southminster Operatic & Choral SocietySt Peter’s High SchoolBurnham on Crouch, Essex01621 740787

13 - 16 May 2009Wigan Musical Theatre GroupSt Michael’s Parish HallWigan, Lancashire01942 709050

20 - 23 May 2009Cuffley Operatic SocietyCuffley Hall, Cuffley, Potters Bar, Herts01707 888415

Fish out oF Water18 - 20 June 2009Crofton Amateur Dramatic SocietyTheatre Hall, Crofton Comm. CentreStubbington, Hampshire01329 661143

Five blue haireD laDies sitting on a green park benCh04 - 09 May 2009Newmarket Operatic Musical & Dramatic Society (NOMADS)Kings Theatre, 16 Fitzroy StNewmarket, Suffolk01683 663337

Follies12 - 16 May 2009PHEOS Musical PlayersWatersmeetRickamansworth, Hertfordshire01923 711063

Footprints in the sanD12 - 12 May 2009The Ashtead PlayersLeatherhead Drama Festival at Leatherhead Theatre, Leatherhead, Surrey01372 365141

Frozen18 - 23 May 2009Highbury PlayersHighbury Theatre Centre, Sheffield RoadSutton Coldfield, W Midlands0121 373 2761

gaslight13 - 16 May 2009Phoenix Players StratfordCivic Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warks01789 207100

gentlemen preFer blonDes11 - 16 May 2009The Caprian Theatre CompanyLittle Theatre GatesheadGateshead, Tyne and Wear01207 270596

goDspell10 - 13 June 2009Manor Operatic SocietyCity Hall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire01709 365108

gonDoliers20 - 23 May 2009Southdown SavoyardsHerbert Shiner School, Petworth01798 873038

03 - 06 June 2009Harrogate G & S SocietyHarrogate Theatre, Harrogate, N Yorks01423 502116

04 - 06 June 2009Chester Operatic SocietyClwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, Flintshire0845 330 3565

09 - 13 June 2009Cotswold SavoyardsThe Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, Glos01242 572573

guys anD Dolls19 - 23 May 2009Spalding Amateur Dramatic & Operatic SocThe South Holland CentreSpalding, Lincolnshire01775 764777

20 - 23 May 2009Petersfield Theatre GroupFestival Hall, Petersfield, Hants01730 893328

20 - 23 May 2009Clacton Amateur Operatic SocietyPrices Theatre, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex01255 686633

34-45.indd 3 09/04/2009 12:18:34

DIARY



CHADS. The Life Of Galileo. Photos: Pauline Nield

Hay Fever27 - 30 May 2009Emley Drama GroupEmley Methodist Church HallEmley, Huddersfield, W Yorks01924 848664

Hello Dolly!05 - 09 May 2009Belfast Operatic CompanyGrand Opera House, Belfast 0289 024 1919

06 - 09 May 2009Retford & District Amateur Operatic SocietyMajestic TheatreRetford, Nottinghamshire01777 706866

03 - 06 June 2009Over PlayersOver Community Centre,Over, Cambs01954 230056

23 - 27 June 2009Wimborne Musical Theatre SocietyTivoli Theatre, Wimborne, Dorset01202 885566

HigH Society23 - 27 June 2009Morecambe Amateur Operatic & Dram SocLancaster Grand TheatreLancaster, Lancashire01524 64695

HMS PinaFore13 - 16 May 2009Chapel End Savoy PlayersDeaton Theatre, Forest SchoolWaltham Forest E17 3PY, London020 8527 0215

19 - 23 May 2009Hatton Operatic SocietyMagna Carta Arts Centre,Staines, Middlesex01784 256320

HMS PinaFore & trial by Jury17 - 19 June 2009Hull Savoyards Amateur Operatic SocietyMiddleton Hall, Hull, E Yorks01482 876918

HoMewarD bounD13 May 2009The Oxted PlayersBarn Theatre, Bluehouse Lane, Oxted01959 561811

Honk!19 - 23 May 2009BROS Musical ProductionsAlexander TheatreBognor Regis, West Sussex01243 861010

03 - 06 June 2009Richmond Operatic SocietyThe Georgian Theatre RoyalRichmond, N Yorks01748 825252

Hot MikaDo23 - 30 May 2009St Annes-on-Sea Amateur Op & Dram SocLowther Pavilion, Lytham St Annes, Lancs01253 658666

HotbeD Hotel11 - 13 June 2009New Mills Amateur Operatic & Dramatic SocThe Art Theatre, New Mills, Derbyshire01298 25750

inSPector Drake anD tHe black wiDow14 - 16 May 2009Rowlands Castle Amateur Dramatic SocietyRowlands Castle Parish HallRowlands Castle, Hampshire023 9241 3124

iolantHe11 - 13 June 2009Matlock G & S SocietyMedway Centre, Bakewell, Derbyshire01246 277698

Jack tHe riPPer16 - 20 June 2009Abbots Langley G & S SocietyHenderson HallAbbots Langley, Hertfordshire01923 676120

Jane eyre - tHe MuSical11 - 16 May 2009Ebbw Vale & District Operatic & Dramatic SocBeaufort, Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent01495 350179

Jekyll & HyDe12 - 16 May 2009Larbert Amateur Operatic SocietyDobbie Hall, Larbert 01324 623365

13 - 16 May 2009Lynden PlayersMiddleton Cheney Village HallMiddleton Cheney, Northants07835 773494

03 - 06 June 2009Clacton Amateur Dramatic SocietyWest Cliff Theatre, Clacton on Sea, Essex01225 433344

kiSS Me, kate10 - 16 May 2009Brentwood Operatic SocietyQueen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, Essex01277 223710

12 - 16 May 2009The Mellow DramaticsThe Brewhouse, Burton on Trent, Staffs01283 508100

12 - 16 May 2009Trinity Methodist Music & Dram FellowshipCivicTheatre, Fairfield RoadChelmsford, Essex01245 606505

13 - 16 May 2009Christchurch Music Society - NewportChristchurch Parish HallNewport, Monmouthshire01633 881320

26 - 30 May 2009Dover Operatic & Dramatic SocietySt Edmunds School, Dover, Kent01304 203285

09 - 13 June 2009Woodley Light Operatic SocietyKenton TheatreHenley-on-Thames, Oxon0845 521 3459

27 April - 02 May 2009Letchworth ArcadiansGordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage, Herts08700 131 030www.godon-craig.co.uk

la boHeMe24 - 27 June 2009Southgate OperaWyllyotts Theatre, Darkes LanePotters Bar, Herts01707 645005

laying tHe gHoSt07 - 09 May 2009Locko Amateur Dramatic SocietySpondon Village Hall, Spondon, Derbyshire01332 255800

lenD Me a tenor17 - 20 June 2009Chingford Amateur Dramatic & Operatic SocMornington Hall, Chingford, London0208 529 2123

34-45.indd 4 09/04/2009 12:19:03


DIARY

33


Les MiserabLes (sch ed)20 - 23 May 2009BMOS YoutheatreOld Rep Theatre, Birmingham, W Midlands07850 306318

LiLi - the history of a song19 - 27 June 2009Teflonstage Amateur GroupGrand Pavilion, Porthcawl, Bridgend01656 815995

LittLe shop of horrors19 - 23 May 2009St Andrews PlayersHarrogate Theatre, Harrogate, N Yorks01423 502116

Lock Up yoUr daUghters29 - 30 May 2009Manor Theatre GroupNorth Heath Hall, Horsham, W Sussex01403 267589

Loot17 - 20 June 2009Southsea Shakespeare Actors3rd Flr Arts Centre, Portmouth Central LibraryPortsmouth, Hampshire023 9268 8070

Losing LoUis07 - 09 May 2009Hemel Hempstead Theatre CompanyThe Boxmoor PlayhouseHemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire01442 252747

Mack and MabeL12 - 16 May 2009Frome Amateur Operatic SocietyMemorial Theatre, Frome, Somerset01373 462795

08 - 13 June 2009Barnsley Amateurs Musical Theatre GroupThe Lamproom Theatre, Barnsley, S Yorks01226 200075

MaMe05 - 09 May 2009Green Room ProductionsWyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar, Herts020 8360 1957

Maskerade04 - 06 June 2009Hounslow Light Opera CompanySt Mary’s Church Hall, Church StHampton, Middlesex020 8892 2597

Modified raptUre - the g&s story08 - 09 May 2009Stage a Chord Operatic SocietyTown Hall, Wadebridge, Cornwall01208 814142

Move over Mrs MarkhaM29 April - 02 May 2009Stage Door Theatre CompanyWindmill Entertainment Centre, Littlehampton01903 722224

MUch ado aboUt nothing13 - 16 May 2009The Oxted PlayersThe Barn Theatre, Oxted, Surrey01883 724852

MUsic Man26 - 30 May 2009STC Musical SocietyDolman Theatre, Newport, S Wales01633 676270

My coUsin racheL09 - 20 June 2009Highbury PlayersHighbury Theatre Centre, Sheffield RoadSutton Coldfield, W Midlands0121 373 2761

My fair Lady07 - 09 May 2009Battle Light Op Group, Battle Memorial HallBattle, E Sussex01424 211140

12 - 16 May 2009Radlett Light Opera SocietyThe Radlett Centre, Radlett, Hertfordshire01923 859291

12 - 16 May 2009Wellington Arts AssociationThe Wellesley TheatreMantle Street, Wellington, somerset01823 663597

15 - 16 May 2009Hinckley Concordia Operatic SocietyHinckley Concordia TheatreHinckley, Leciestershire07855 746520

18 - 23 May 2009Worthing Musical Comedy SocietyConnaught Theatre, Worthing, West Sussex01903 206206

02 - 06 June 2009Brighton Theatre GroupTheatre Royal, Brighton, E Sussex0871 297 5454

27 - 30 May 2009Denmead Operatic SocietyHavant Arts Centre, Havant 023 9247 2700

My own show22 - 27 June 2009Arundel PlayersPriory Playhouse, Arundel, West Sussex01243 542221

okLahoMa!20 - 23 May 2009The HastletonsWhite Rock Theatre, Hastings, E Sussex08701 451133

06 - 14 June 2009Rugby Theatre SocietyRugby Theatre, Henry StreetRugby, Warks01788 541234

oLd tiMe MUsic haLL14 - 14 June 2009Stevenage Lytton PlayersGordon Craig TheatreStevenage, Herts0870 777 7619

oLd tyMe MUsicaL haLL14 - 16 May 2009Vane Tempest Theatre GroupVane Tempest Welfare HallSeaham, Durham0191 5819 631

oLiver!04 - 09 May 2009Kinver Light Operatic SocietyEdgecliff High School, Kinver, S Staffs01384 836963

11 - 16 May 2009Hexham Amateur Stage SocietyQueens HallHexham, Northumberland01434 652477

12 - 16 May 2009Wakefield West Riding Operatic SocietyWakefield Theatre RoyalWakefield, West Yorkshire01924 211 311

13 - 16 May 2009The Mummers Theatre GroupClydebank Town Hall, Clydebank0141 560 2155

13 - 16 May 2009Aldridge Musical Comedy SocietyPrince of Wales TheatreCannock, Staffordshire01543 578762

20 - 24 May 2009Touchwood Musical CompanyGlobe Theatre, Plymouth, Devon09996 39888

20 - 23 May 2009Poole and Parkstone ProductionsLighthouse Theatre, Poole, Dorset08444 068666

09 - 13 June 2009Forefront Children’s TheatreTown Hall, Alloa, Clackmannanshire01259 750394

09 - 13 June 2009Farnham Amateur Operatic SocietyFarnham Maltings, Farnham, Surrey01252 722233

09 - 13 June 2009SpringersCivic Theatre, Chelmsford, Essex01245 606505

oUt of focUs07 - 09 May 2009Leighton Buzzard Drama GroupLeighton Buzzard TheatreLeighton Buzzard, Beds01525 370321

03 - 06 June 2009St Bernadette’s PlayersSt Bernadette’s Church HallBispham, Lancs07846 629766

oUtside edge20 - 23 May 2009Marlborough Dramatic ClubBrentwood Theatre, Brentwood, Essex01277 223710

pajaMa gaMe22 - 23 May 2009Langley Youth TheatreNetherton Arts CentreNetherton, Dudley, W Midlands07742 546817

03 - 06 June 2009Maghull Musical Theatre CompanyThe Little Theatre, Southport, Merseyside01704 530521

parade03 - 07 June 2009Spotlight Theatre Company - TreorchyColeg Morganwg LlwynypiaRhondda, RCT01656 732280

pass the bUtLer13 - 16 May 2009Peterborough PlayersJohn Clare Theatre, Peterborough01733 315684

pirates of penzance05 - 09 May 2009All Saints Musical ProductionsThe Lowry Theatre, Salford, Manchester0870 787 5870

12 - 16 May 2009Lyme Regis Operatic SocietyThe Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, Dorset01297 443382

19 - 23 May 2009Crowthorne Musical PlayersWilde Theatre, Bracknell, Berkshire01344 484123

09 - 13 June 2009Shenfield Operatic SocietyBrentwood Theatre, Brentwood, Essex01708 700625

26 - 27 June 2009Livewire Opera CompanyWymondham High School, Folly RoadWymondham, Norfolk01953 851543

19 - 23 May 2009Horwich AODSThe Albert Hall, Bolton, Lancs01204 694643

red, red rose02 - 09 May 2009Dumfries Musical Theatre CompanyTheatre Royal,Dumfries & Galloway01387 267894

rent19 - 27 June 2009Chorley Amateur Dramatic & Operatic SocietyChorley Little Theatre, Chorley, Lancs01257 264362

19 - 27 June 2009Whitworth AM & Dramatic SocietyCurtain Theatre, Rochdale, Lancs01706 342821

30 June - 04 July 2009Halifax Amateur Operatic SocietyHalifax Playhouse, Halifax, W Yorks01422 365998

03 - 06 June 2009CCADSNew Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, Hampshire023 9264 9000

retUrn to the forbidden pLanet10 - 13 June 2009Crossed Keys Musical Theatre CompanyThe Old Rep TheatreBirmingham, West Midlands0121 603 5970

18 - 20 June 2009Dryburn Theatrical WorkshopPark View TheatreChester-le-Street, Durham0191 388 9709

roaLd dahL doUbLe biLL - jaMes and the giant peach/the witches04 - 06 June 2009Stevenage Lytton PlayersNobel SchoolStevenage, Herts0870 777 7619

robin, prince of sher-wood25 - 30 May 2009St Luke’s Arts & Drama SocietySt Luke’s Parish Hall, Derby RdSalford, Lancs0161 281 7423

roLepLay29 April - 02 May 2009Banbury Cross PlayersThe Mill Arts CentreBanbury, Oxon01295 279002

roMeo & jULiet14 - 16 May 2009West London OperaQuestors TheatreEaling, London0208 423 3797

rUn for yoUr wife21 - 24 May 2009Tingdene EntertainersThe Star HallFinedon, Northants01933 680680

separate tabLes17 - 20 June 2009Waterloo & Crosby Theatre CompanyLittle TheatreSouthport, Merseyside0151 924 0231

septeMber tide11 - 16 May 2009St Austell PlayersSt Austell Community Centre & Arts TheatreSt Austell , Cornwall01726 879500

seUssicaL04 - 06 June 2009Wells Operatic Society LtdThe Little Theatre, Wells, Somerset01749 672611

seUssicaL jr28 - 30 May 2009Nottingham Operatic Society Youth GroupSandfield TheatreNottingham, Nottinghamshire07531 252254

she Loves Me13 - 16 May 2009Sheffield Teachers Operatic SocietyMontgomery TheatreSheffield, South Yorkshire0114 269 6568

34-45.indd 5 09/04/2009 12:19:22

DIARY



Molseley Musical Theatre. The Cabaret CafePhotos: Gary Vaux. wwwgjbworld.com

Snake in the GraSS18 - 23 May 2009South Shields Westovian Theatre SocietyPier PavilionSouth Shields, Tyne and Wear0191 456 0980

SonGS of the SeaSonS27 - 27 June 2009Great Witley Operatic SocietyNorbury TheatreDroitwich Spa, Worcs01905 770154

South Pacific09 - 16 May 2009Birkdale Orpheus SocietyThe Little TheatreSouthport, Merseyside01704 530521

18 - 23 May 2009West End Operatic SocietyTheatre RoyalNewcastle Upon Tyne, 08448 112121

SPotliGht on a Dream20 - 22 May 2009Edith Harrison Performing ArtsTown Hall TheatreHartlepool01429 890000

SPrinG concert10 - 10 May 2009Tayside Opera DundeeWest Church HallDundee 01382 350004

30 May 2009Broughty Ferry Amateur Operatic SocietyWhitehall TheatreDundee01382 434940

StePPinG out24 - 27 June 2009The Festival PlayersLoughborough Town HallLoughborough, Leics07855 248832

11 - 16 May 2009Droylsden Little TheatreDroylsden, Manchester0161 370 7713

SuGar12 - 16 May 2009Banstead & Nork Amateur Operatic SocietyAdrian Mann Theatre (NESCOT)Ewell, Epsom, Surrey01737 370344

Summer holiDay12 - 16 May 2009Shrewsbury Amateur Operatic SocietyBelvidere SchoolShrewsbury, Shropshire01743 236855

02 - 06 June 2009Blackpool & Fylde Light Opera CompanyThe Grand TheatreBlackpool, Lancashire01253 884969

Summer muSical revue04 - 06 June 2009Alton Operatic & Dramatic SocietyAssembly RoomsAlton, Hampshire01730 827200

Summer variety Show05 - 13 June 2009Otterbourne Village Hall CommitteeOtterbourne Village HallWinchester, Hampshire023 8036 3205

Sweeney toDD09 - 13 June 2009Pepper Pot Hill Theatre GroupDarwen Library TheatreDarwen, Lancs01254 706006

23 - 27 June 2009Spotlight Musical Theatre GroupThe Public HallBeccles, Suffolk01502 717417

07 - 10 May 2009STP Musicals AcademyKings TheatreSouthsea, Hampshire023 9282 8282

Sweet charity12 - 16 May 2009Solihull Theatre CompanySolihull Arts ComplexSolihull, W Mids0121 704 6962

09 - 13 June 2009Colin Smith Luton Youth Music TheatreLibrary TheatreLuton, Beds01582 547474

16 - 20 June 2009Leatherhead Operatic SocietyThe Theatre, Leatherhead, Surrey07787 870012

17 - 20 June 2009Burgess Hill Musical Theatre SocietyMartlets Hall, Burgess Hill, W Sussex01444 242888

Talking Heads27 April - 02 May 2009Macclesfield Amateur Dramatic SocietyMADS Little Theatre, Macclesfield01625 611974

tchaikovSky’S oPera14 - 16 May 2009Una Voce Opera CompanySouthport Arts CentreSouthport, Merseyside01704 540011

temPeSt in a teacuP (Dance/Drama)17 - 19 June 2009Side By Side Theatre GroupStourbridge Town Hall, W Midlands01384 395350

the 43 club muSical19 - 23 May 2009Camus ProductionsThe Camberley TheatreCamberley, Surrey01276 683710

the aulD Skinflint13 - 15 May 2009Riverside Drama ClubCowane Centre, Stirling07787 160640

the beSt little whore-houSe in texaS23 - 27 June 2009Handsworth & Hallam Theatre CompanyUniversity of SheffieldSheffield, South Yorkshire0114 247 6179

12 - 16 May 2009Derby Opera CompanyThe Guildhall Theatre, Derbyshire01332 882909

the boyfrienD13 - 16 May 2009Centre Theatre PlayersSt Ivo Leisure CentreSt Ives, Cambridgeshire01480 388500

34-45.indd 6 09/04/2009 12:19:58


DIARY

35


20 - 23 May 2009Paignton Operatic & Dramatic SocietyPalace TheatrePaignton, South Devon01803 665800

02 - 06 June 2009Centenary Theatre CompanyThe Brindley TheatreRuncorn, Merseyside0151 907 8360

08 - 13 June 2009Pershore Operatic & Dramatic Society (PODS)Number 8 Community Arts CentrePershore, Worcs01386 555488

The Capers aT CriCkeTers’ Corpse07 - 09 May 2009Arrow PlayersSt. Edmund’s HallNorthwood Hills, Middlesex020 8868 7785

The CirCle of life13 - 13 June 2009Godalming Operatic SocietyThe Electric TheatreGuildford, Surrey01252 703376

The CruCible18 - 20 June 2009Compton Little TheatreCompton Village HallGuildford, Surrey01483 415526 [email protected]

The DiamonD Years14 - 16 May 2009Rayleigh A O & D SThe Mill Arts CentreRayleigh, Essex01268 771751

The full monTY19 - 23 May 2009Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company Lichfield GarrickLichfield, Staffordshire01543 412121

26 - 30 May 2009Norfolk and Norwich Threshold Theatre GroupNorwich PlayhouseNorwich, Norfolk01603 598598

03 - 11 June 2009Grimsby & Cleethorpes AOSParkway TheatreCleethorpes, Lincs01472 290100

08 - 13 June 2009Leicester Amateur Operatic SocietyCurve Theatre (www.curveonline.co.uk)Leicester, Leics0116 2423595

09 - 13 June 2009Congress PlayersOldham ColiseumOldham, Lancs0161 626 1747

09 - 13 June 2009Overton Dramatic SocietySt Mary’s Hall, OvertonBasingstoke, Hants01256 770333

The GooD olD DaYs13 - 16 May 2009The Elizabethans Amateur Operatic SocietyTown HallOssett, W Yorks01924 280344

The GraDuaTe20 - 23 May 2009Cosmopolitan PlayersThe Carriage WorksLeeds, West Yorkshire01132 243801

The GreaTesT liTTle Whorehouse in Texas25 - 30 May 2009Arran Music & Drama ClubBroddick HallBroddick, Isle of Arran01770 302820

The hisTorY boYs09 - 16 May 2009Rugby Theatre SocietyRugby Theatre, Henry StreetRugby, Warks01788 541234

The home fronT revue15 - 16 May 2009Haworth-West Lane Baptist Am Operatic SocWest Lane Baptist Church HaworthKeighley, West Yorkshire01535 643425

The imporTanCe of beinG earnesT13 - 16 May 2009The Harrogate Dramatic SocietyThe Harrogate TheatreHarrogate, North Yorkshire07770 630299

06 - 09 May 2009Phoenix PlayersSt. Peter’s TheatreSouthsea, Hampshire0845 293 9350

The kinG anD i05 - 09 May 2009Silhouettes Operatic SocietyGrimsby AuditoriumGrimsby, NE Lincs0844 847 2426

05 - 09 May 2009Whitby Area Musical Theatre CompanyWhitby Pavilion TheatreWhitby, N Yorks01947 821383

11 - 16 May 2009Thringstone Panto & Drama SocietyThringstone Community CentreThringstone, Leicestershire01530 834575

18 - 23 May 2009Redcar Operatic SocietyMiddlesborough Little TheatreMiddlesborough, 01642 815181

19 - 30 May 2009Andover Operatic SocietyThe Lights, Andover, Hants01264 338719

23 - 27 June 2009Bilston Operatic CompanyGrand Theatre, Wolverhampton, W Midlands01902 429212

The laTe eDWina blaCk09 - 16 May 2009Bolton Little Theatre, Bolton01204 334400www.boltonlittletheatre.co.uk

The likes of us19 - 23 May 2009Knutsford Amateur Operatic SocietyThe Grange Theatre, Hartford, Cheshire01565 634551

15 - 20 June 2009Concordia Youth TheatreConcordia Theatre, Hinckley, Leicestershire01455 637700

23 - 27 June 2009York Light Opera Company Ltd.Joseph Rowntree TheatreYork, North Yorkshire01904 791714

The lion, The WiTCh anD The WarDrobe13 - 16 May 2009Spa Theatre CompanyThe Loft TheatreLeamington Spa, Warwickshire07780 678582

The maDness of GeorGe iii06 - 09 May 2009Anonymous PlayersPavilion TheatreLytham, St Annes01253 658666

The merrY WiDoW09 - 13 June 2009Plymouth G & S FellowshipAthaenaeum TheatrePlymouth, Devon01566 775557

The mikaDo06 - 09 May 2009East Norfolk Operatic SocietyMaddermarket TheatreNorwich, Norfolk01603 620917

11 - 14 May 2009Stratford Upon Avon G & S SocietyCivic Hall, Rother StreetStratford Upon Avon, Warks01789 207100

14 - 16 May 2009Barnoldswick Gilbert and Sullivan Mus SocThe Civic HallBarnoldswick, Lancashire01282 815724

The oDD Couple01 - 09 May 2009Harleston PlayersArchbishop Sancroft High SchoolHarleston, Norfolk01379 588043

The proDuCers09 - 16 May 2009Leeds Amateur Operatic Society (LAOS)West Yorkshire PlayhouseLeeds, West Yorkshire0113 267 4249

09 - 16 May 2009Leeds Amateur Operatic Society (LAOS)West Yorkshire PlayhouseLeeds, W Yorks0113 213 7700

17 - 20 June 2009Ipswich Operatic & Dramatic SocietyThe Regent TheatreIpswich, Suffolk01473 433100

09 - 13 June 2009Portsmouth PlayersKings TheatreSouthsea, Hampshire023 9266 0880

The railWaY ChilDren20 - 23 May 2009Albrighton Musical Theatre CompanyAlbrighton Junior SchoolAlbrighton, Shropshire01902 418564

The roses of eYam13 - 16 May 2009Deben PlayersSeckford TheatreWoodbridge, Suffolk01394 615015

The sCarleT pimpernel12 - 16 May 2009Maidenhead Operatic SocietyNorden Farm Centre for the ArtsMaidenhead, Berkshire01628 671589

The seCreT GarDen15 - 23 May 2009Sharnbrook Mill Theatre TrustThe Mill TheatreSharnbrook, Bedfordshire01234 781587

The sorCerer10 - 14 June 2009Sheringham SavoyardsSheringham Little TheatreSheringham, Norfolk01263 822347

The sorCerer & Trial bY JurY12 - 16 May 2009Ramsgate Operatic SocietyTheatre RoyalMargate, Kent0845 130 1786

The Wiz04 - 06 June 2009Neath Amateur Operatic SocietyBriton Ferry Community CentreNeath, Neath Port Talbot01639 639726

There Goes The briDe13 - 16 May 2009St Herberts Amateur Dramatic SocietySt Herbert’s Parish CentreChadderton, Oldham, Lancs07790 417973

ThorouGhlY moDern millie05 - 09 May 2009East Berkshire Operatic SocietyThe Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park Arts CentreBracknell, Berks01344 484123

06 - 09 May 2009Broxbourne Theatre CompanyBroxbourne Civic TheatreHoddesdon, Herts01992 441946

19 - 23 May 2009Luton St Andrews PlayersDenbigh High SchoolLuton, Bedfordshire01582 725975

23 - 27 June 2009Cheltenham Operatic & Dramatic SocietyEveryman TheatreCheltenham, Glos01242 572573

TiTaniC20 - 23 May 2009Stevenage Lytton PlayersGordon Craig TheatreStevenage, Herts0870 777 7619

Trial bY JurY & hms pinafore05 - 09 May 2009Eastbourne & Dist G & S SocietyDevonshire Park TheatreEastbourne, East Sussex01323 412000

uTopia limiTeD09 - 13 June 2009Tynemouth G & S SocietyTynemouth Priory TheatreTynemouth, Tyne & Wear0191 252 6714

viva, mexiCo!13 - 16 May 2009Betchworth Operatic & Dramatic SocietyBetchworth Village HallBetchworth, Surrey01293 403114

voiCes & brass16 May 2009Bolton Catholic Musical and Choral SocietyParish ChurchBolton, Lancashire01204 856977

WalTzes from vienna29 - 30 May 2009West Moors SingersBarrington TheatreFerndown, Dorset01202 894858

WesT …09 - 13 June 2009HumdrumNew Theatre RoyalPortsmouth, Hampshire023 9264 9000

34-45.indd 7 09/04/2009 12:20:21

DIARY


Deanery Players, Harrogate, 50th Annual ProductionSeven Brides for Seven Brothers


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WHITE HORSE INN12 - 16 May 2009Three Towns Operatic SocietyLowton Civic HallLowton, Warrington, Cheshire01942 897053

WIzARD OF Oz11 - 16 May 2009Pickering Musical SocietyThe Kirk TheatrePickering, N Yorks01751 474833

12 - 16 May 2009Orpheus ClubKings TheatreGlasgow, 01292 670648

20 - 22 May 2009Penyrheol Light Operatic SocietyTaliesin TheatreSwansea University, Swansea01792 872117

WIzARD OF Oz (MGM/RSC)12 - 13 May 2009The Grove & Rawdon Theatre CompanyYeadon Town HallYeadon, Leeds, W Yorks0700 044 6267

WODEN’S DAy 547 - BATTLE FOR NORTHUMBRIA17 - 20 June 2009Tynemouth PageantTynemouth Castle and PrioryTynemouth, 0191 252 3331

34-45.indd 8 13/04/2009 16:55:13


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34-45.indd 9 09/04/2009 12:21:26

Wisteria Cottage Garrick Road Campton Royal

Hello my luvvies!

After many years of writing to Amateur Stage, sorry, AS magazine – why does everybody use initials these days? Pure laziness if you ask me. As I was saying, after more letters to the editor that I care to count, pointing out little discrepancies, all of them unpublished, this darling man has finally invited me to share my extensive experience of amateur dramatics with you. And it is extensive, I have been responsible for every production in our village for almost thirty years, so there’s not much that I don’t know.

Well, there are some things, anything that has a plug attached is a mystery and my stage manager refuses to let me anywhere near his tool box. How was I to know that his hand was on the other side of the flat when I nailed in a picture hook?

So, that’s me. My little group, Campton Royal Amateur Players are about to embark on a delicious production of Blithe Spirit. Auditions were held in my living room last week, over tea and cakes. Shop bought I’m ashamed to say, but my life is so taken up with my art that my mixing bowl has not seen the light of day for a very long time. When I say auditions, it was more of a read through, you don’t have to be Madame Arcarte to know well in advance exactly who you are going to cast, now do you? It all went relatively smoothly, then this twenty something blonde creature arrived on my doorstep.

She’d ‘done acting’ at some central school, presumably in the Midlands, and a man in the Post office had told her about our group. I have to say I was not best pleased, who needs a newcomer who says she feels more like an Elvira than a Ruth? Not that it matters, Marjorie will play Ruth and Kath will take Elvira, Kath won’t see 50 again, but there’s nothing that a good layer of 5 and 9 won’t hide. Anyway, Miss Enthusiastic, who likes to be call Nikki, with two k’s, turned out to be useful and I cast her as the maid.

Rehearsals start next week and should be quite straightforward, particularly since I still have my copy from eighteen years ago, complete with all the moves. Slight problem when I realised that it was designed for the Junior School hall, not the smaller community centre stage where we now perform, but I’m sure the Stage manager can squeeze the French windows in somehow.

There you have it – onwards and upwards.

More soon.

Yours

Doris Richardson-Hall

THE LAST WORD


Wisteria CottageGarrick Road

Campton Royal

Hello again, my darlings,

As promised, here is my progress report on my little production of Blithe Spirit for Compton Royal Amateur Players. Progress is perhaps not the right word, since two days after the read through/audition, two of my cast dropped out. I had barely walked through the front door after a stressful debate with my fishmonger. He was insisting that fish- friendly farmed salmon was better than wild salmon and refused to listen when I pointed out that any salmon that found itself in a net was likely to be wild, certainly not best pleased, so there was obviously no difference. I bought cod.

I digress. As I was saying, I was looking forward to a nice cup of tea, when the phone rang. It was the vicar, Reverend Wilson, who I had invited to play the Doctor. He’s an enthusiastic thespian with wonderful diction, though his range is somewhat limited due to his tendency to deliver lines in the same way he delivers his sermons, out front and somewhat operatically. Still, Dr Bradman is a small part, and his housekeeper was keen to take her first steps on the boards as Mrs Bradman. She’s woefully inexperienced, but I felt she could be relied on not to fall over the furniture, and anyway, the poor thing doesn’t get out much.

However, before I had time to say ‘Darling’, he launched into an apologetic diatribe, most of which I did not catch because of the unusual speed of his sentences and I was busy thinking that I could harness this unexpected talent for my play, when the words, ‘hope you find our replacements’ focussed my attention. It seemed that he had not realised that dear Noel’s masterpiece dealt with the supernatural, would involve him in a séance and that Elvira was a ghost. I know he’s merely forty, but how could any self-respecting amateur be unaware of this fact? Modern education has a lot to answer for.

So, our normally reliable cameo actor had decided that this was a totally unsuitable activity for a man of the cloth and was regretfully withdrawing. To crown it all, he had also forbidden his housekeeper to take part on the grounds that her involvement might taint his reputation. His reputation? What about mine?

May be next time we can discuss the finer points of rehearsals, for now, it’s back to the drawing board.

Yours,


46-47.indd 2 09/04/2009 12:24:53

Wisteria Cottage Garrick Road Campton Royal

Hello my luvvies!

After many years of writing to Amateur Stage, sorry, AS magazine – why does everybody use initials these days? Pure laziness if you ask me. As I was saying, after more letters to the editor that I care to count, pointing out little discrepancies, all of them unpublished, this darling man has finally invited me to share my extensive experience of amateur dramatics with you. And it is extensive, I have been responsible for every production in our village for almost thirty years, so there’s not much that I don’t know.

Well, there are some things, anything that has a plug attached is a mystery and my stage manager refuses to let me anywhere near his tool box. How was I to know that his hand was on the other side of the flat when I nailed in a picture hook?

So, that’s me. My little group, Campton Royal Amateur Players are about to embark on a delicious production of Blithe Spirit. Auditions were held in my living room last week, over tea and cakes. Shop bought I’m ashamed to say, but my life is so taken up with my art that my mixing bowl has not seen the light of day for a very long time. When I say auditions, it was more of a read through, you don’t have to be Madame Arcarte to know well in advance exactly who you are going to cast, now do you? It all went relatively smoothly, then this twenty something blonde creature arrived on my doorstep.

She’d ‘done acting’ at some central school, presumably in the Midlands, and a man in the Post office had told her about our group. I have to say I was not best pleased, who needs a newcomer who says she feels more like an Elvira than a Ruth? Not that it matters, Marjorie will play Ruth and Kath will take Elvira, Kath won’t see 50 again, but there’s nothing that a good layer of 5 and 9 won’t hide. Anyway, Miss Enthusiastic, who likes to be call Nikki, with two k’s, turned out to be useful and I cast her as the maid.

Rehearsals start next week and should be quite straightforward, particularly since I still have my copy from eighteen years ago, complete with all the moves. Slight problem when I realised that it was designed for the Junior School hall, not the smaller community centre stage where we now perform, but I’m sure the Stage manager can squeeze the French windows in somehow.

There you have it – onwards and upwards.

More soon.

Yours


46-47.indd 3 09/04/2009 12:25:23

40.indd 1 09/04/2009 12:26:19

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Amateur Stage April 2009

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