asmagazine THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR COMMUNITY THEATRE WWW.ASMAGAZINE.CO.UK SEPTEMBER 2009 £2.95
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BIRTHDAY ISSUE
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asmagazine sept09 from the Editor Welcome to our 63rd Birthday issue! Colleagues here thought I was mad when I suggested we should celebrate our 63rd birthday. Perhaps I am, but I thought we had good reason to celebrate. Over the past months we have been endeavouring to communicate with as many groups as we possibly could, not always an easy task, given the sheer numbers out there and the lack of any form of contact list. If we missed you in the process, our apologies - please, please, please get in touch with us and add your details to our email list. My especial thanks to the many groups who are submitting pictures of their productions for publication. We are endeavouring to publish as many as we can in each issue. It’s been enormous fun to look at the pictures and see what is going on. In this issue we take a look at two corporate societies, the British Airways Cabin Crew Entertainment Society and The John Lewis Partnership Dramatic Society. It’s great to see two corporate heavy hitters supporting their staff in artistic endeavours.
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Lastly, we are trying to establish a balance that satisfies the drama lovers, the musical fans, the festival lovers, the youth sector and the audiences. It’s no easy feat, let me assure you. Enjoy this birthday issue and send us your contributions and feedback. We are nothing without you! Doug
THIS MONTH 7
NEWS
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HIGH FLYING PANTO
We look at the British Airways Cabin Crew Entertainment Society
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SILVER SCREEN TO STAGE
News from around the country.
Is the recent glut of adaptations good or bad for business?
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RETAIL drama
The John Lewis Partnership Dramatic Society celebrate 80 years.
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AUDITIONS
Some hot tips for surviving auditions.
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SCENIC SALVATION
UK Productions have started hiring. We talk to Martin Dodd.
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PROJECTING YOUR AMBITIONS
Andy Vere discusses new technology in production.
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WWW
We look at some of the great websites.
52 credits
Published monthly by Next Phase Media Limited Suite 404 Albany House, 324/326 Regent Street, London W1B 3HH P: 0207 622 6670 www.asmagazine.co.uk Publisher - Paul Webster: paul@nextphasemedia.co.uk Editor - Douglas Mayo: editor@asmagazine.co.uk Advertising - Zoya Berkeley: advertising@asmagazine.co.uk Subscriptions/Diary Listings: diary@asmagazine.co.uk
All rights reserved throughout the world. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written consent of AS Magazine. The views and opinions expressed by the contributors to this magazine may not necessarily represent the views of AS Magazine. (c) 2009 Next Phase Media Ltd
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SUBSCRIBE SAVE 33% ON THE COVER PRICE Rates (UK) I Year (12 Issues) £24.00 2 Year (24 Issues) £48.00 Overseas rates on application. How To Subscribe ONLINE Subscribe at www.asmagazine.co.uk BY PHONE Call us on 020 3004 8133 BY POST Send a cheque payable to NEXT PHASE MEDIA to Suite 404 Albany House 324-326 Regent Street London W1B 3HH
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OUR FIRST ISSUE
Thank you for your support over the last 63 years.
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NEW
Available from all good music shops or visit www.editionpeters.com EP 7970 £12.95 ISBN 978-1-84367-030-8
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is full of practical advice for anyone who auditions for musical theatre shows, whether professional or amateur. Starting with the earliest stages, it covers every aspect of the audition process. A CD of vocal warm-ups is included to help you get the best out of your voice.
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Mary Hammond is one of the most significant figures in the musical-theatre world. She is a vocal consultant to Cameron Mackintosh Ltd, The Really Useful Group, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and many leading West-End producers. Mary founded the post-graduate Musical Theatre course at the Royal Academy of Music.
AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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NEWS
FESTIVAL FEVER The Southern Counties Drama Festival, now established as one of leading drama festivals for One-Act Competitive Drama, will again return to the Barn Theatre in Oxted for its 59th season from 22nd February - 27th February 2010. This prestigious festival now boasts a full week with some outstanding youth and adult drama performed by some of the leading drama groups in the South East. Past winners of the festival have gone on to win the English Final of the All-England Theatre Festival of One- Act Plays and been invited to perform at the NDFA All Winners Festival. With Gatwick Airport Community Trust again offering financial support, the festival committee hope to be able to offer financial assistance to competing teams as they did this year. The 2010 festival will be adjudicated by GoDA adjudicator Arthur Rochester who, each evening, will provide a critical appraisal of the plays presented, culminating with the awards ceremony on the last night. The advice and encouragement given from the stage is invaluable to the groups participating and to the enthusiastic audiences. Participating groups can enhance their craft of acting by watching other groups perform, and by being involved in a friendly and fun festival. The Festival Committee will be delighted to receive entries for the 2010 festival for which the closing date for entries will be October 26th 2009. Application forms and any other information can be obtained by ringing the festival office on
01959 561811 or from the Barn Theatre website at http://www. barntheatreoxted.co.uk/scdf.html where a lot of other useful information can also be found.
BOLTON CELEBRATES AT AWARDS CEREMONY The best of Bolton amateur dramatics was celebrated in style at the town’s own ‘Tonys’ ceremony. the annual Bolton Amateur Theatre Societies’ awards took place on Sept 4 at The Last Drop Hotel. The awards are held to celebrate the achievements of various theatre groups that make up BATS. The evening, a black tie affair, was a huge success with Mr Cohen presenting awards judged by a team of reviewers from The Bolton News. Winners included: Best Drama - Marco Players - The Madness Of George III; Best Comedy - Bolton Little Theatre - Fawlty Towers; Best Musical - Farnworth Performing Arts Co - Oliver and Best Pantomime - Tyldesley Little Theatre - Snow White
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NEWS
DRAMA FESTIVALS CONFERENCE POSTPONED Due to a series of circumstances beyond the control of the organisers, it has become necessary to postpone the Drama Festivals Conference due to be held in Kettering on October 24. The conference will now be held in September 2010 at the Kettering Conference Centre and Lighthouse Theatre. Further details will be announced as soon as possible in order to facilitate planning for the event. Consultations are taking place with all relevant bodies involved regarding the Drama Festivals Conference, which is organised by The Guild of Drama Adjudicators on behalf of the entire festival movement. If you or your organisation have any comments or suggestions regarding the event, please contact Paul Fowler on 01536 – 511308 or by email: paul@paul-fowler.co.uk
EDINBURGH COMPANIES TRIUMPH Two amateur theatre companies are celebrating after winning Evening News Drama Awards for the second year running. Edinburgh Theatre Arts received the award for Best Play on this year’s Fringe with their production of A Tale Of Two Cities, but the biggest cheer of the night came when Forth Children’s Theatre was named the winner of the Best Musical award for its production of Ragtime. Chairman of Edinburgh Theatre Arts, John McLinden said: “ It is fantastic to win the award because it is great recognition for six months of really hard work putting the show together. It was quite a difficult show with 34 scenes, which we had to cram into St Ninians Church Hall. We also had to build a working guillotine for people to have their heads chopped off!”. Around 100 actors, directors and producers from all 12 nominated amateur companies witnessed the presentation of this year’s awards. One of the adjudicators, Mr James Haworth commented: “Many of the shows that the Edinburgh amateur companies have put on have actually been better than the professional productions I have seen this year”.
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CHILD LICENSES REFUSED ON CONTENT It has been claimed that some young performers are losing out on opportunities to appear in UK television drama because local authorities are refusing to grant them licenses if they disapprove of the shows editorial content.
such as Britain’s Got Talent, by McVay stressed that the rights of councils to based decisions for permits based on scripts and content was not within their remit.
This warning came from John McVay, the chief executive of PACT, which represents independent producers in the UK. McVay said there was concern that councillors at some local authorities, which license children to appear in television shows, including dramas, were refusing to grant some actors the right to appear in both amateur theatre productions and television programmes because of their objections to the content. He said that local authorities were not allowed to do this by law and questioned whether it was right that license decisions should provide authorities with a chance to exert editorial control. Concerns were raised earlier in the year about the welfare of children on shows
ARIEL COMPANY THEATRE ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Auditon notices have just been posted by Ariel Company Theatre for their 2010 production of Jesus Christ Superstar at The Hawth Theatre in Crawley. The company are looking to cast a quirky, diverse, interesting, eclectic mix of team players, who are passionate about the show. Vocal stamina is the key to this production with the production team looking for leads who can withstand the vocal pressures of rehearsals and a performance run without buckling under the weight of Lloyd Webber and Rice’s phenomenal score. It’s hard to believe that this acclaimed show is now nearly 40 years old. Superstar follows the last days in the life of Jesus as told through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. Superstar follows in the wake of Ariel’s previous productions of Rent, Return To the Forbidden Planet, Tommy, We Will Rock You and Les Miserables. Audition information is available online at www.arielct.co.uk or www.arielproductions. co.uk or for an application form call 01444 250 407.
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GABRIEL BYRNE BECOMES A PATRON OF DUBLIN’S PLAYHOUSE Following the re-opening of its Artillery Street site earlier this year, The Playhouse has continued to attract attention both nationally and internationally. Already the recipient of a major architectural award and with its first patron - the internationally acclaimed Londonderry-born actress Bronagh Gallagher in place, The Playhouse has started to cast its net further and wider. And what a catch it’s been reaching as far as Hollywood to bring in an unusual suspect in the form of Irish acting legend Gabriel Byrne. Byrne is one of Ireland’s finest acting exports and a man who has always had a deep love and appreciation for theatre, having worked in Dublin’s Focus and Abbey Theatres as well as with the Royal Court and Royal National Theatres in London. In a recent quote the star said: “Every village, every city, needs a theatre. It’s not just a building, it’s about being exposed to new ideas. Theatre changes the way we view society and connects us to global ideas. Theatre is seriously important for who we are.” As a patron of the Playhouse, Gabriel is helping to support once of the most vibrant arts centres in the whole of Ireland. Since it first opened its doors in 1992, The Playhouse has served every aspect of the community from professional and amateur theatre companies, community groups, young people to adult education and many, many more.
COST CRISIS HITS NORTH WEST GROUPS Amateur theatre groups in Preston claim they are being priced out of staging shows at a city theatre by rocketing fees. Groups are claiming that the cost of staging performances at the Guild Hall and Charter Theatre has gone up 70% in the past three years. The Preston Musical Comedy Society, which this year produced My Fair Lady at the venue, said the cost of some performances have soared by up to £5,000. It warned that it will not be performing at the Charter Theatre next year unless a better agreement is reached. Preston Opera also said that rising costs meant it cut yearly performances at the venue from two to one around three years ago. Barbara Walsh from Preston Opera said “It was very expensive and we could not afford to use it twice a year.” Preston Muiscal Comedy Society committee member Geoff O’Hara said: “Certainly for 2010 we won’t be there because we can’t afford it”. Preston Lib Dem Councillor Alan Hackett has raised the matter with the council and remarked: “The point I was making is amateur theatre is something Preston has to keep because it is very valuable. The situation must never get to the point where they cannot use what I might call the best venue.” Chris Haylett, general manager of the Guild Hall and Charter Theatre, said: “Discussions are ongoing. The venue was subsidising Preston Musical Comedy Society for many years but the costs at the Charter Theatre are real costs. The Preston Musical Comedy Society has a very good deal but they need to do more on their side. They need to do more marketing.”
PANTOMIMES By JOHN CROCKER The Smaller Cast Versions ALADDIN “PEAK OF PANTO PERFECTION” Exeter Express & Echo MOTHER GOOSE “FUN FILLED SCRIPT” Western Morning News SLEEPING BEAUTY “ A RIP-ROARING SUCCESS” Exmouth Herald CINDERELLA “TRADITIONAL PANTO AT IT’S BEST” Hampshire Gazette DICK WHITTINGTON “A CRACKER OF A PANTO” Evening Herald, Plymouth BABES IN THE WOOD “WONDERFUL NEW CHRISTMAS PANTO” Herald Express and 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 GILDER CINDERELLA, 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 sketch POTTY PANTOMIME Also a Rock Musical THE FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER SHOW By JOHN CROCKER and TIM HAMPTON Music by KEN BOLAM Lyrics by LES SCOTT All obtainable from SAMUEL FRENCH LIMITED 52 Fitzroy St, London W1P 6JR Ph: 020 7387 9373
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NEWS
NEW ACTING SCHOOL OPENS IN LEEDS In October 2009, a new acting school will open in Leeds, offering would-be actors in the North of England a chance to take their first steps towards a career in the profession. Geared towards school leavers and those looking for a mid or later life career change, the school has available a coveted 20 places in its inaugural year starting in October 09 and is offering free auditions by arrangement throughout the summer. Acting School North is the only independent school in Yorkshire to offer full-time professional acting training for adults. Three bursaries are being made available to support students with the talent but not enough funds to train. A concept envisioned by acting teacher, actor and drama theoretician Rogelio Nevares, and created by actor and director of the new School Sorcha Donaldson, Acting School North will operate one-year full-time courses using a technique developed by Rogelio Nevares. The technique has been adapted from the Stanislavsky methodology he learned in Moscow at the world-leading All Russian State University of Cinematography to suit modern British stage actors as well as those with a passion for screen acting. In addition to acting, students will also learn financial management, how to market themselves, and other business disciplines that make the best talent stand out from the crowd. Contact teaching hours during each 10-week term are distributed over 3 consecutive days, allowing students to fulfil other working or family commitments whilst they study.
The school’s Professional Practice programme will help students prepare for the world of work. During the 1-year course, students’ performances will be filmed, providing them with material for a varied portfolio to present to agents and casting directors. Professional actors, agents and casting directors will be on hand to offer advice and support through a series of full-day workshops each term. Fringe theatre productions will be developed and managed by students for public consumption and to professional standards, mentored by Acting School North, enabling them to fully experience the fundraising, managerial and creative demands required to produce work for real audiences. Unlike many drama schools, Acting School North will not charge for auditions, levelling the playing field for students from any background to take a first step towards a career in acting, and the team is keen to hear from students of any age or level of experience to arrange an audition. Sorcha Donaldson, Director of Acting School North said: ‘We’re calling on any adults in the UK, looking for an interesting challenge and career in acting, to audition. Competition for acting schools is fierce, because despite the recent TV talent shows, it is really only trained actors who stand a chance at working in the industry. We’re here to equip our students with the best skills possible for succeeding in their career path, whether they are fresh from school or college, or whether they are changing direction later in life, and we believe there is potential for them to find their niche and apply their learnings across an industry that spans everything from live theatre to video games.’
Professor Michael Gaunt, actor and director said: ‘I am pleased to applaud the concept driving Acting School North, that is, a desire to ensure that acting students will receive a training that prepares them technically and creatively, both in the theatre and before the camera, for their professional future. It is so important that acting schools do not fall into the trap of allowing students to perform each new character as instant copies of themselves and this is exactly what Acting School North sets out to avoid. How much more exciting it is for the actors and their audiences when roles are prepared imaginatively and unique characterisations are allowed to develop arising from the study of text, action, character and relationship. Graduating actors will be able to gain not only bread and butter employment in their working lives, but they will have the ability to engage with the classical repertoire and be part of keeping it alive for future generations of actors and their audiences.’ Tel: 0113 232 0699 Email: info@actingschoolnorth.co.uk Web: www.actingschoolnorth.co.uk
FEES MAY FORCE BURNLEY RELOCATION A Burnley amateur theatre group may be forced to drop the town’s name out of its title after 80 years. Members of Burnley Garrick Club claim they have been financially cornered by the Mechanics theatre after charges to use the performance space rose 22% in two years. Bosses at the Garrick have predicted that recent falls in profits, coupled with the charges by the Mechanics, could bankrupt the group by 2012. The company is now looking to relocate to the Nelson ACE Centre for a better deal. Lynne Atkinson, chairman of the Garrick Club, said the group was now
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considering dropping Burnley from its name.
reputation, the Garrick has a loyal following which we will welcome with open arms.”
She said: “ At the annual general meeting, members were told that the cost of performing at the Burnley Mechanics had increased so much that it threatens the future of the club. The members encouraged the idea of moving and some were critical of Burnley Council’s attitude to quality amateur theatre.
One of the club’s priorities this year is to recruit more staff to help with running the company. A club secretary has been sought in recent weeks to help with the fundraising and administration side of running the group.
A spokesman for the ACE Centre in Nelson said: “We are thrilled that the Burnley Garrick want to come here and we look forward to an excellent partnership. The plays they do are unusual and will bring a great balance to what we have here. Due to the group’s
Mick Cartledge, director of community services at Burnley Council said: “We are disappointed to think they would consider moving. Over the past two years their fees have increased, but in line with other societies and performers and not to a rate which we feel is excessive.”
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NEWS
THE STAGE LAUNCHES RANGE OF E-BOOKS The Stage has recently released a range of educational E-Books aimed at young people interested in pursuing a career in theatre. There are five books in the Backstage Guide series. These are aimed at youngsters from 15 to 21 whose skills could be applied to a career offstage rather than on. These include kids who may be unaware of the opportunities for them and may have no interest at present in theatre. We seek to make them realise that training in theatre may be an end in itself or lead to work in film, TV, sport or music. The books are designed to be very concise, honed down to the essential things they need to know. The intro gives an overview so readers can decide which area interests them most. In addition to advice on course applications, preparation (including work in amateur theatre) and funding we provide interviews with recent students and those at the top of their game, tips, a course list and individual glossaries for all subject areas. Plus essential questions answered by our careers coach ‘Dear John’ Byrne, whose column appears weekly in The Stage. The guides include:INTRODUCTION Good at working with your hands, leaving school soon and like the idea of an exciting job where your skills are in demand? From the Olympics ceremony to Glastonbury, Hollywood to the West End, there’s no event that doesn’t rely on an army of highly skilled backstage people. Britain’s reputation in this field is second to none. With opportunities increasing around the world, the UK needs to train thousands more. If you have a knack for building things, design, electrics, computers, or a flair for costume, hair and make-up, then you’re the sort of person the industry wants. Produced by experts writing for the world-renowned publication for the performing arts and entertainment, The Stage Guide to Working Backstage series consists of five essential books. Our introduction provides you with an overview of what’s on offer, how to find funding and what area of work suits you best. The other four volumes focus on key areas - stage management, craft and construction, lighting and sound, plus
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costume and make-up. CRAFT AND CONSTRUCTION From a lavish stage set that would tax the skills of the best builders and carpenters, to a realistic, life-sized animal puppet or an authentic-looking model of a severed head, craft and construction experts create the effects that help make a show convincing to the audience. Most have no interest in acting but their talents mean they are constantly in demand in theatre, film, television and events. Even in these gloomy economic times, demand for your talents is set to grow over the next decade. For those in secondary school or just finished, the career opportunities are abundant but you need the right advice. This guidebook, is edited by the paper’s training editor Susan Elkin. In it, you’ll find an outline of the jobs available, a glossary of words and phrases you need to know, interviews with teachers, students and the experts themselves, FAQs and advice on passing that all-important college audition. COSTUME AND MAKE-UP Ever wondered how a film actor can age from 30 to 130, how to make a modern day actress look like a convincing Jane Austen heroine or what it takes to turn a male performer into a convincing Edna Turnblad for a performance of Hairspray on stage? The answer lies with top quality costume and make-up artists – an area of entertainment in which Britain is a world leader. Your chances of getting on a top backstage training course can be ten times higher than for a leading acting course. This guidebook, is edited by specialist writer Paul Vale. In it, you’ll find an outline of the jobs available, a glossary of words and phrases you need to know, interviews with teachers, students and the experts themselves, FAQs and advice.
which Britain is a world leader and there couldn’t be a better time to get involved. To be a part of this industry, you don’t need to have any acting talent but a lot of technical ability and creativity. Employment prospects afterwards are much greater too, with the potential to work in theatre, television, film, music and events. This guidebook, published by The Stage, the world-renowned UK arts and entertainment publication, is edited by lighting and sound expert Geoffrey Joyce. In it, you’ll find an outline of the jobs available, a glossary of words and phrases you need to know, interviews with teachers, students and the experts themselves, FAQs and advice on passing that all-important college audition.
STAGE MANAGEMENT What do world famous impresario Cameron Mackintosh and Mamma Mia! director Judy Craymer have in common? They both began their working lives as stage managers. No wonder when the job requires people skills, technical ability and great organisational ability. You may never tread the boards, but backstage, when the performance starts, you are the key person who keeps the show on the road. This guidebook, is edited by Barbara Eifler, executive director of the Stage Management Association and coeditor of the paper’s weekly Backstage section. In it, you’ll find an outline of the jobs available, a glossary of words and phrases you need to know, interviews with teachers, students and the experts themselves, FAQs and advice. Guides can be purchased online at www.thestage.co.uk/ebooks.
LIGHTING AND SOUND How many blockbuster theatre, music, film and other events wouldn’t work without the aid of top-class lighting and sound? It’s an area of entertainment in
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FEATURE
Ralph Richardson Memorial Studios, Kingfisher Place, Clarendon Road, Wood Green, London N22 6XF
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AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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FEATURE
www.asmagazine.co.uk
HIGH FLYING PANTO The British Airways Cabin Crew Entertainment Society are preparing to stage their yearly pantomime production - Ali Baba. AS Magazine was invited to pay them a visit to see and hear the recording session for their next production. We soon realised this was no ordinary undertaking. The British Airlways Cabin Crew Entertainment Society is no ordinary society. This talented group have been entertaining audiences for over 30 years, all the while fulfilling their obligations to British Airways. Work obligations which sees them flying all over the world, not the easiest of tasks when you are rehearsing a panto. The group is made all the more interesting thanks to some of the people they have managed to entice into taking part. Each year a group of long standing London Symphony Orchestra musicians, augmented by talented students helps the society with the recording the music for their yearly pantomime. This year is no different when an extraordinary orchestra gathering to record the music for Ali Baba.
through its annual pantomime. Some of the cast members from the first show are still performing today.
THE PANTOMIME The pantomime takes place at the Beck Theatre in Hayes in early December kicking off the Christmas season selling around 5,000 tickets during the run. The show is supported by individuals who are specialists in their field, from music to stage management and direction. Costumes are made and sourced through the BACCES wardrobe mistress, also a member of BA cabin crew. Over the years, some of the costumes are acquired from places around the world such as Bangkok, which the crew have sourced during their work trips.
THE CHARITIES ABOUT THE GROUP The British Airways Cabin Crew Entertainment Society (BACCES) was formed in 1971 after two BEA stewards wrote a comedy review and staged it at York House in Twickenham. The two-night show was such a success that they were forced to extend the show for a further three nights. Since then, BACCES has gone from strength-to-strength and has developed a highly successful group of amateur actors which to date has raised over half a million pounds for charity
Last year, BACCES raised ÂŁ14,000 for various charities inluding the RNLI and the Kidney Patient Association, which supports patients and families suffering from kidney-related illnesses. Each year the society lays on two additional free performances for which they donate all the tickets to deserving people including under-privileged children and elderly residents who might not otherwise have the opportunity to see the show.
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FEATURE PREPARING THE SHOW Given that the society members are all working members of BA staff, serving various long-haul and short-haul destinations, rehearsing can provide various unique challenges. Principal amongst these is that for most of the rehearsal period large numbers of the cast are unable to attend rehearsals. As you can imagine, blocking large musical numbers can be a challenge when half the cast is halfway round the world. By the time the show arrives, it is usual that the whole cast has only met on a select few occassions, making it an all-the-more impressive undertaking. Victoria Hodgkin, a newcomer to the group who has landed the role of Ali Baba, is enthusiastic “It’s quite a big commitment but we have a bid system on Eurofleet, so I try to do my best to bid around this. Now I’m part of it, I’m trying not to miss a thing”. Director Steven Warner has the job of making the whole show come together with cast in absentia. “You use your imagination a great deal to imagine where the missing people are going to be. Sometimes I stand in using different voices!” Perhaps the biggest challenge lies with choreograhers who are staging dance numbers, having to rehearse them over and over again.
THE MUSIC BACCES have the unique privilege of being accompanied by member of the London Symphony Orchestra at each performance. Each year, LSO musicians and some students gather together to record the backing tracks for the panto. Sneaking into Angel Studios in North London, we got the impression that this was a real family affair, with catering laid on and a number of cabin crew on hand to hear the orchestra play the score that will eventually be used during their performances.
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www.asmagazine.co.uk Getting to this point though each year is no easy feat. Each year Eunice Brushfield-Hodges (working under her professional music writing name of Bobbie Field), sits down to arrange the mountain of music needed for the annual recording session. Bobie came to know the BACCES society when she worked in the music department of the BBC. “Each year they would come to us and ask for orchestrations to various songs, on the occasions when we didn’t have what they wanted I’d arrange something for them. When I left the BBC, I continued to help and eventually when their MD retired, he recommended I take on the job. It’s one of the highlights of my year”. So how does one get the LSO involved in recording a panto score? The story goes that many years ago the orchestra were returning to the UK on a long haul flight and a couple of members of the society spent the flight wooing them and cajolling them to become involved. That flight formed the basis of a relationship that has lasted now for 25 years. I have to admit it was quite a buzz to hear such a talented group of musicians playing through the theme from Happy Days! “They are so lovely to do this for us. We are so grateful. It really makes the show special”, says Dee Bull, one of the company’s long serving members. So next time you find yourself flying BA and see one of your cabin crew soft shoeing it down the aisle, take the time to ask if they are a member of BACCES, They are a delightful bunch who deserve some kudos for the work they do. Ali Baba wil be performed at The Beck Theatre Hayes from 1st to 6th December. Bookings can be made on 020 8513 0507 or at www.bacces.info.
AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
10/09/2009 10:57:31
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FEATURE
www.asmagazine.co.uk A Few Good Men
SCREEN TO STAGE
The number of screen to stage adaptations is booming in recent times. AS took the opportunity to look at the recent trend and examine how it might work to the advantage of amateur groups. There has been a trend of late amongst many theatre folk to routinely bash the number of new shows adapted from the silver screen. It is, they exclaim, the death of new shows and the dumbing down of theatre for the mass public. Well I’m not sure I quite agree with that blanket statement but there is no doubt that the number of new productions based on films is skyrocketing. At the moment the West End plays host to Priscilla, Hairspray, The Lion King, Calendar Girls, Billy Elliot, Sister Act, Dirty Dancing, and is about to premiere productions of Breakfast At Tiffany’s and The Shankshaw Redemption. Even Broadway, which is struggling under the weight of recession, is reliant on shows such as Mary Poppins, Shrek, Billy Elliot, Spiderman and White Christmas to keep crowds pleased. It’s a scheduling phenomenon that is fast catching on with amateur theatre groups. The reasons for this are manifold but generally come down to a few significant factors: Casting - All societies are reliant on their memberships to stage shows. There is usually a serious underestimation of the amount of time and commitment required to make shows happen and trying to get younger participants involved can sometimes mean the difference between success and failure for a group. The ability to get a potential cast excited about a show must be a matter for consideration. Audiences - Amateur groups are fast realising what professional
producers have been thinking for a few years now. In the past, audiences have been encouraged to come along to shows that were unfamiliar to them. Asking audiences to part with money on a leap of faith can sometimes be difficult in tough economic times. Giving audiences the chance to see a show which they already connect with through a successful movie will usually prove an easier sell. It’s no mug’s game, though. The stage adaptation of films has attracted some serious writers and composers all keen to bring well known stories to the stage. Even the likes of Bono from U2 and the Eurythmics Dave Stewart have entered the fray. Whilst some playwrights are unflinching in their criticism of this trend, Nica Burns, owner of the Nimax Theatre group in the West End, has argued that as long as the story was strong, it shouldn’t matter where it came from. “What they are bringing to the table is that they are really original stories”, she said. “You can’t do a play adaptation without having a good writer, you don’t just take the film and put it on stage”. Sir Peter Hall, founder of the RSC agreed, “I think new playwriting is coming through”, he said. “There are vast numbers of films out there that are part of our cultural heritage. They go back 50 years and if they are part of our heritage it’s perfectly right that they should be examined. I think we have to be more open to influence.” Many critics attack the trend in the musical theatre world but adaptations have been staged for many years now.
AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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www.asmagazine.co.uk
FEATURE
Breakfast At Tiffany’s All About My Mother
Productions including The Ealing Comedies, The Lady Vanishes, The 39 Steps, and some Hitchcock classics have become staples of some companies’ repertory. Dramatic adaptation is not abating either as recent years have seen adaptations of films including Rain Man, Girl With A Pearl Earring, A Few Good Men, All About My Mother, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest,Swimming With Sharks, The Graduate, Brief Encounter and On The Waterfront. Its also worth looking at The Producers and Hairspray. Both were non musical films which were musicalised for the stage and then re-made as musical films. On the musical front many shows are quickly transferring to the amateur domain. Show such as Beauty and the Beast, The Wedding Singer, Fame and Singin’ In The Rain are fast proving popular choices. Perhaps the biggest surprise for amateur groups came in the form of Disney’s High School Musical, the TV to stage adaptation which has dominated the UK stages since its release. The success of this one show alone has helped many groups rebalance their budgets and saved many from closure. Groups have rushed to climb on board the High School bandwagon knowing full well that version of the subsequent films will soon be hitting the stage. Indeed, you get the impression that the films producers saw opportunities too with many of the musical numbers in the third film being staged in a theatrical setting.
Shrek
shows like Xanadu, The Little Mermaid, Young Frankenstein, and High Fidelity failing to achieve long run status. The phenomenon of adaptations shows no sign of abating. Planning is already underway for productions including The First Wives Club, The Hudsucker Proxy, Moonstruck, Catch Me If You Can, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, A Fish Called Wanda, Pretty Woman, Tootsie, Get Shorty, Rocky, Mask, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Soapdish, and Field of Dreams amongst others. The staging of any adaptation should be viewed in exactly the same way as any other production. Don’t be fooled into thoughts of quick success and financial return. Look at your group and ask if you have the where with all to stage one of these shows. If it looks good, then proceed. In the meantime, there will be a plethora of options becoming available as the professional market for these production must ultimately reach saturation.
Going with an adaptation is not always a surefire solution though. Just as many adaptations have tanked as have succeeded. Recent failures include Desperately Seeking Susan, and 9 to 5 (which has only just closed on Broadway), with other
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AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
10/09/2009 11:09:55
BOOKS
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CASTLE HALL, HERTFORD 22nd to 27th March 2010 Adjudicator Paul Fowler, GODA Full details and entry forms from Penny Coyston, 8 Martins Drive,Hertford, SG13 7TA. (01992 537440 or p.coyston@dsl.pipex.com) Closing date for entries – 2nd November 2009
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www.rsc.org.uk AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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PROFILE
RETAIL DRAMA On the eve of their 80th Anniversary Gerry Wilkinson takes a look at the John Lewis Partnership Dramatic Society - one of the flourishing corporate societies entertaining audiences. It’s a well-known face on the high street with an ever-increasing number of department stores and supermarkets around the country, but what isn’t generally known about the John Lewis Partnership is that it has its very own amateur dramatic society. The John Lewis Partnership Dramatic Society was formed in 1929 at the instigation of the company’s founder, John Spedan Lewis. Years ahead of his time, he realised the importance of workers being happy, and one way of achieving this was by providing opportunities for staff (or more precisely, ‘Partners’ of the company) to participate
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in activities and hobbies which would not be readily available to them in the outside world. In the autumn of that year the Society’s first production, Douglas Murray’s The Man from Toronto, was performed in the customer restaurant of one of the John Lewis branches, Peter Jones in Sloane Square. Until the outbreak of the second world war, plays were performed on an annual basis in this location and included such well-known favourites as Noel Coward’s Hay Fever, George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion and She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith.
Unsurprisingly, the war years saw the activities of the Dramatic Society being put on ice and it wasn’t until J.B. Priestly’s Laburnum Grove was performed in 1946 that Partners were able to tread the boards on a regular basis once more, at Peter Jones. The 50s saw plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and Peter Ustinov’s The Love of Four Colonels being performed to packed audiences. During the war the company’s flagship branch, John Lewis in Oxford Street, had suffered serious bomb damage and was closed for a number of years to be rebuilt. To the delight of those with thespian
AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
10/09/2009 13:59:51
PROFILE
www.asmagazine.co.uk The 60s and 70s saw the Society go from strength to strength, performing plays such as R.B. Sheridan’s The Critic, Pinter’s A Night Out, The Crucible by Arthur Miller and Antigone by Sophocles, and 1976 saw the first Shakespearean production, The Taming of the Shrew. Around this time there were also a number of joint collaborations with the Music Society. The Society’s Golden Jubilee in 1979 saw a production of Dickon by Jack Pullman. Unfortunately all good things must (apparently) come to an end and the competitive retailing environment which developed during the 1980s led to a decision to close down the auditorium and convert it into selling space. The final Dramatic Society production performed there was Pack of Lies by Hugh Whitemore in early 1990. For the following nine years the Partnership Dramatic Society led a somewhat nomadic existence, performing plays in a variety of London theatres, including the Britten Theatre at the Royal College of Music and the Rudolf Steiner Theatre. In 1999 the society decided to put on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and a momentous decision was taken. Not only would it be performed at a London location, but also outdoors in the grounds of the Partnership’s very own country club, Odney, in Cookham near Maidenhead. The success of that venture led to regular outdoor performances at Odney, with the 2009 Constance Cox adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice being the seventh such production.
The last decade has seen the activities of the Dramatic Society continue to grow and move out to a wider audience. After being based and performing exclusively in London for the vast majority of its existence, the rapidly growing Partnership, including the Waitrose Head Office in Bracknell, Berkshire, demanded that productions should be made available outside the metropolis. While the group have put on an annual production at RADA in Malet Street, London WC1 for the last four years, they have also secured a hopefully regular slot at the Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead. This year they performed Philip Goulding’s The Titfield Thunderbolt at RADA in the spring and will be performing Laura Wade’s Colder than Here at Norden Farm in the autumn. In November this year the group celebrate 80 years of the John Lewis Partnership Dramatic Society and will be holding a get-together for all past and present members, performing scenes from various plays they have produced over the years (hopefully at least one from each decade) and no doubt reminiscing about all the wonderful moments that have been shared during the various amounts of time they have been privileged to have been associated with the Society. Needless to say they will be raising many a glass to our Founder, John Spedan Lewis, without whose foresight and magnanimity none of this would have been possible. Photos: Main Photo - Pride & Prejudice 2009 by Jeff Hopkins. Below - The Titfield Thunderbolt 2009 by James Mackenzie.
tendencies in the company, the massive rebuilding programme included an auditorium, which for many years became home to the Dramatic Society, the Music Society and various other groups within the company who showcased their talents to Partnership audiences. The first play to be performed in this new purpose-built location was The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder in 1961. The ready availability of the auditorium and the keenness to return to normal life in the somewhat bleak post-war years gave the Dramatic Society a suitable impetus, and they started producing two and occasionally three productions a year. This was no mean feat - virtually all productions then (and now) involved fulltime working Partners both on the stage and behind the scenes.
AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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ASMAGAZINE MAGAZINE| MAY | SEPTEMBER AS 2009 2009
10/09/2009 13/05/2009 13:32:54 01:18:11
9 01:18:11
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FIRST NIGHT INSURANCE
DOESN’T TIME FLY! Robert Israel ASCII from Gordon & Co discusses the latest insurance issues affecting amateur theatre. So, 63 years have elapsed since the Opening Night of “Amateur Stage” Magazine. And I thought that 10 years was a long time! So, having started to write articles for “Amateur Stage” in 1999 I am, as I always thought, a mere youngster.
increase and investment income return diminish so there is significant strain on their margins. The upshot is that we are still seeing rate increases, but they are now at a much lower and probably acceptable level.
Firstly, many congratulations to all involved with “Amateur Stage” and here’s to the next 63 years, which should take me nicely into my early 30s!
I suppose the question to ask in this birthday edition is what does the future hold in insurance terms? Well I would suspect that there will be more mergers of insurers in order for economies of scale to operate and drive down costs even more. I would suspect that insurers will continue reducing the number of staff the they employ, relying more on computers which, in itself, is not a bad thing except that insurers will lose the expertise their older staff have gained over many years. This becomes a problem when a client has a risk that is not “the norm”.
Your editor tells me that this month’s magazine is a bumper issue and that there will be lots of new readers, so it might be advisable for me to explain a little about my company. I am the Managing Director of a firm of Insurance Brokers in the City of London that specialise in providing insurance solutions for theatrical and associated trades. We have acted for a number of well-known professional theatre companies for a significant period of time and it is primarily for that reason that in the late 1990s we developed a specific theatre insurance package for amateur societies, which we called “First Night”. Over the years, the cover has been refined, but basically the package we offer is aimed specifically at the amateur theatre insurance market. We do, of course, aim to provide not only a good service when setting up the insurance, but also to provide specialist advice in the event of a claim. Because the package provides a significant number of different insurances under one policy wording, we have to be able to respond to a multitude of different questions ranging from the ever so thorny subject of Cancellation Insurance down to the type of cover that is available for open air performances at, say, the Minnack.
Enough about insurance companies, what about Brokers? Well, I would hope that there will continue to be a place for us in the future. I think there will, but I would suspect that the number of independent brokers will probably reduce, with the large financial institutions probably growing even larger.
Finally, following my last article in “Amateur Stage”, if you have any specific queries regarding theatre safety issues, my advice would be for you to contact your professional organisation as a first port of call. There is an awful lot of help and information out there which is readily accessible.
Throughout the years it has been my intention to write about different classes of insurance and how they relate to the amateur theatre market, but I have also spent a lot of time in trying to keep you updated with topics of the moment, the most recent of which is the current hot potato of the moment, namely Swine Flu and how that may impact on Cancellation Insurance Policies, both already in force and those about to be issued. When deciding what cover to take, probably the most important aspect for an amateur society to consider is cost. This is, of course, as important to amateur societies as it is to professional theatre companies, but for slightly different reasons. Amateur societies need to keep their costs down in order to continue to trade, professional theatre companies need to keep their costs down in order to maximise profit. I have spoken in the past about insurance cycles and this is probably a good time to provide an update. There is absolutely no doubt that over the first six months of 2009 insurers were trying to increase rates across the board, even for profitable business. It seems that over the last few weeks this charge to increase rates has met such significant resistance that we are now seeing insurers scaling back their rate demand increases. Faced with these increases during the early part of this year, it seemed to me that, whilst I could understand why insurers were asking for rate rises, during this unprecedented period of financial instability, clients were not unwilling to pay the increases, it was more that they were unable to pay the increased and I feel that probably insurers have now realised this point. From the insurers point of view, they have seen their losses
AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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SURPRISE ME DARLING A BRAND NEW FULL-LENGTH COMEDY BY BOB HEATHER John and Chrissie have been married for nearly two years. With a pending anniversary, buying presents has never been John’s good point, so he tries the easy way out by giving Chrissie the money to buy her own present, but she insists that she would prefer a surprise. After a rushed and fraught filled dinner party where everything goes wrong, John decides to change his ways and surprise Chrissie more often, but he finds the element of surprise is not easy to master. This full length comedy play has wit and laughter running through from start to finish with not one, not two, but three surprises in the final scene to keep the audience guessing. Cast 5M + 4F Published by New Theatre Publications. www.plays4theatre.com Phone: 01925 485605 For listings of this script and all of Bob Heather’s award winning traditional family pantomimes, visit www.dublar.co.uk Pantomimes by Bob Heather include Aladdin – Dick Whittington – Jack and the Beanstalk The Pied Piper – Babes in the Wood – Mother Goose Cinderella – The King’s New Clothes
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AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
10/09/2009 12:31:49
www.asmagazine.co.uk
FEATURE
AUDITIONS AS looks at the daunting task of auditioning and talks to Mary Hammond, founder of the Musical Theatre course at the Royal Academy of Music and Richard Evans CDG who has worked in casting and taught audition technique. Auditions are a major part of every performer’s life. Like a never ending series of job interviews, they are a process that instils fear into even the most confident of performers. The prospect of standing exposed before a casting panel seems to be a modern day version of hell on earth for some. Talk to the people on the panel, though, and most agree that there are some basics when it comes to auditions that most performers choose to ignore or seem not to know. So let’s take a quick look at some audition basics: PREPARATION As with any job interview, preparation is everything. Taking the time to thoroughly prepare for an audition is something that so many performers fail to do. “Of course, it depends on what you are auditioning for”, says Mary Hammond. “Most people will prepare but don’t take the time to learn it so they won’t forget it. When you get nervous, so many other things come into your consciousness, so it needs to be like second nature to you. Sometimes it’s better to do something you’ve done in public a few times before.” Mary added “If you are preparing a song I would suggest practicing doing it too fast or too slow. Sometimes it’s about having an internal clock. If you have an Ipod and can have something in your ear then you can often walk down the road and get a pulse in your mind. Very often auditionees don’t give the people playing for them enough clue as to what they want. They don’t know the speed it should be or have their music clearly marked. Go into an audition knowing exactly what you want. Be practical. You can put yourself on another level purely by your approach”. NERVES It’s something that affects so many performers, but Richard Evans is quick to point out that nerves are something that strike down a lot of the population in various situations. “With this in mind, find your own way to control your nerves and positively channel that nervous energy to help you do better in auditions” he says. “Think back on past experiences and work out how you could improve what you did – and what was the worst incident that actually did happen? Looking back, were those nerves justified and would you have performed any better without them?. You can rest assured that you will rarely, if ever, come across a panel that will give you the treatment that Simon Cowell gives to
those auditioning for the X Factor.” WARDROBE Most casting panels agree that less is more when it comes to what to wear when auditioning. Try to dress to express your character. Some sense of costume can be a good thing but it really isn’t necessary to go over the top. A simple jacket or different style of dress can make all the difference in how you present to a casting panel. PRESENTATION AND PUNCTUALITY As with any job interview, presentation and punctuality are everything. Make sure you turn up on time for your audition. Be prepared to wait, even with the best of planning auditions will invariably run late. Have your CV and headshot ready, be polite but don’t ramble on when asked questions. Practice keeping your answers concise and to the point. DON’T BE AFRAID OF MAKING A MISTAKE Mary Hammond is quick to point out that most people in a casting capacity need to be discrete. “If people come to you, they have to be able to make mistakes, they are at their most exposed. I won’t tell stories about auditions for that reason.” Most casting people agree, so don’t worry about making a mistake. Of course, the whole preparation of auditions, and the processes involved for musical theatre, drama, television, commercials and the many other types of work vary, but most agree that preparation is everything. Mary and Richard’s books offer a wealth of information for anyone who has ever auditioned or is planning to audition. Good audition technique is something you learn through practice and experience. It was once said that you should go for as many job interviews as you can at regular intervals to keep up your interview skills. Auditioning is very much the same. The more auditions you undertake, the better you are likely to get at it. AUDITIONS – A Practical Guide by Richard Evans CDG is available from Routledge. THANK YOU – THAT’S ALL WE NEED FOR TODAY by Mary Hammond with Emer Gillespie and Nigel Lilley is published by Edition Peters.
AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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Wed 21 - Sat 24 Oct 2009, 7.45pm Tickets: £6.00 / £5.00 • Box Office: 01606 353534 www.harlequinplayers.co.uk diary.indd 2
10/09/2009 11:11:32
LISTINGS>CLASSIFIEDS>PHOTOS>>>
SHOWdiary SITTING PRETTY Hayes Players
THE LOVE SHOP Big Village Theatre Co
FAME Featured shows this month include Oklahoma!, The Likes Of Us, Barefoot In The Park, Alice In Wonderland, The Thwarting of Baron Bollingrew, Cider With Rosie, Sitting Pretty, The Love Shop, Raise The Roof and Someone To Watch Over Me.
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HMS PINAFORE Marton Operatic
10/09/2009 11:13:54
SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiar A Murder is Announced 23 - 24 October 2009 Ace Theatre Company The Hawth Studio Crawley, West Sussex 01293 553636 06 - 07 November 2009 Ace Theatre Company Chequer Mead Theatre East Grinstead, West Sussex 01342 302000 25 - 28 November 2009 Athelney Productions St Peter’s Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9281 7662
1950s Musical Revue 14 - 18 October 2009 Woodmansterne O & DS St Peter’s Church Hall, Chipstead Way Woodmansterne, Surrey 01737 555009
42nd Street 06 - 10 October 2009 Splinters Theatre Group University Drama Studio Sheffield, S Yorks 07910 251584 14 - 17 October 2009 The Kings Lynn Players Corn Exchange King’s Lynn, Norfolk 01553 764864 14 - 17 October 2009 City of Plymouth Theatre Company The Devonport Playhouse Plymouth, Devon 01752 560726 26 - 31 October 2009 Centre Stage of Exmouth Exmouth Pavilion Exmouth, Devon 01395 232830 03 - 07 November 2009 South Downe Musical Society Kings Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9282 8282 12 - 14 November 2009 Worle O & DS Playhouse Theatre Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset 01934 645544 24 - 28 November 2009 Bradford Catholic Players Alhambra Bradford, W Yorks 01274 432000
50/50 concert 07 November 2009 Kilmarnock Amateur OS Grand Hall Kilmarnock, Ayrshire 01563 554900
70, Girls, 70 10 - 14 November 2009 Manifest Theatre Group Manifest Theatre Manningtree, Essex 01206 391309
84 Charing Cross Road 18 - 21 November 2009 Honley Players Amateur Dramatic Society Southgate Theatre, Honley Huddersfield, W Yorkshire 01484 662378
A Bedfull of Foreigners 18 - 21 November 2009 Ruislip Dramatic Society Compass Theatre Ickenham, Middlesex 01895 675343 www.ruislipdramatic.org
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A Box of Oblivion & Fate’s Thread 23 - 24 October 2009 Celesta Players Didsbury, Manchester www.celestaplayers.co.uk
A Chorus Line 13 - 17 October 2009 Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company Sutton Coldfield Town Hall Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands 07856 537168
A Christmas Carol 11 - 14 November 2009 Chesham Theatre Company The Elgiva Theatre Chesham, Bucks 01494 774557
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg 03 - 10 October 2009 HIADS Station Theatre Hayling Island, Hampshire 023 9246 633 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way To the Forum 11 - 14 November 2009 The Grove & Rawdon Theatre Company Yeadon Town Hall Yeadon, Leeds, W Yorks 0113 250 5011 25 - 28 November 2009 Petersfield Theatre Group Festival Hall Petersfield, Hants 01730 233919
A Man for All Seasons 02 - 10 October 2009 Nomad Theatre Group Nomad Theatre East Horsley, Surrey 01483 284717
All Shook Up 20 - 24 October 2009 Haverhill & District OS Haverhill Arts Centre Haverhill, Suffolk 01440 714140
An Ideal Husband 10 - 14 November 2009 Radcliffe-on-Trent Drama Group Grange Hall Radcliffe-on-Trent, Notts 0115 933 2906 www.radcliffe-on-trentdramagroup.co.uk
An Inspector Calls 29 - 31 October 2009 Common Ground Theatre Company Bishop Greaves Theatre Newport, Lincolnshire 01522 873894 www.commongroundtheatre.co.uk
25 - 28 November 2009 Mid Argyll Musical Society Public Hall Ardrishaig, Argyll 01546 603412
18 - 21 November 2009 St Austell Players St Austell Community Centre & Arts Theatre St Austell, Cornwall 01726 879500
Annie Get Your Gun 05 - 10 October 2009 Harpenden Light OS Harpenden Public Halls Harpenden, Hertfordshire 01582 624147 11 - 17 October 2009 Stafford & District OS The Gatehouse Theatre Stafford, Staffs 01785 253595 03 - 14 November 2009 Hinckley Concordia OS Hinckley Concordia Theatre Hinckley, Leics 01455 615005 04 - 07 November 2009 Wantage Stage Musical Company Civic Hall Wantage, Oxon 01235 770087
Anything Goes 13 - 17 October 2009 South Yorkshire Musical Comedy Society Dearne Community Theatre, Goldthorpe Rotherham, S Yorks 01709 894128
Abigails Party 13 - 17 October 2009 Hessle Theatre Company Hull Truck Theatre Hull, E Yorks 01482 323638
13 - 17 October 2009 Northampton Amateur Operatic Company Royal and Derngate Theatre Northampton, Northants 01604 712651
09 - 14 November 2009 South Shields Westovian Theatre Society Westovian Theatre, Pier Pavilion South Shields, Tyne & Wear 0191 456 0980
14 - 17 October 2009 Crigglestone Theatre Company Theatre Royal Wakefield, W Yorks 01924 211311
Ace Chorus Entertains
20 - 24 October 2009 Circle Light Opera Company Old Rep Theatre Birmingham, W Midlands 0121 353 0633
14 November 2009 Artistic Concert Experiences The Clyde Auditorium Glasgow, Strathclyde 0870 040 4000
Aladdin 26 November - 01 December 2009 Sultan Theatre Group Brunel Theatre Gosport, Hampshire 023 9254 2272
Alice In Wonderland (Disney) 03 - 07 November 2009 Ilkley Amateur OS Kings Hall, Ilkley, W Yorks 01943 602028
All in Love 04 - 07 November 2009 Sherard Players Tyler Theatre Eltham, Middx 0845 490 0216
18 - 21 November 2009 WOW Youth Musical Theatre Pavilion Theatre Weymouth, Dorset 01305 783225 24 - 28 November 2009 Newport OS Dolman Theatre, Kingsway Newport, Gwent 01633 891363
Abandonment 08 - 10 October 2009 Portchester Players Ashcroft Arts Centre Fareham, Hampshire 01329 223100
27 - 31 October 2009 Saddleworth Musical Society Saddleworth School Uppermill, Oldham 0161 633 3597
20 - 24 October 2009 Leamington Spa Opera Group Royal Spa Centre, Newbold Terrace Leamington Spa, Warks 01676 532477 20 - 24 October 2009 Portsmouth Players Kings Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9266 0880 27 - 31 October 2009 Ingatestone Musical Operetta Group Ingatestone & Fryerning Community Club Theatre Ingatestone, Essex 01245 360532
Arsenic and Old Lace 29 - 31 October 2009 Lyndhurst Drama & Musical Society Vernon Theatre Lyndhurst, Hants 023 80282729 www.lyndhurstdrama.i12.com
Babes in the Wood 19 - 21 November 2009 Banbury Cross Players The Mill Arts Centre Banbury, Oxfordshire 01295 279002
Babes in Toyland 19 - 22 November 2009 Wimbledon Light Opera Society Secombe Theatre Sutton, Surrey 020 8770 6990
Bedroom Farce 17 - 24 October 2009 Rugby Theatre Society Rugby Theatre, Henry St Rugby, Warks 01788 541234
Black Comedy 29 - 31 October 2009 Curtain Up Amateur Dramatic Society Totland Church Hall Totland, Isle of Wight 01983 760344
Blithe Spirit 22 - 24 October 2009 Dollar Drama Club Dollar Academy Studio Theatre Dollar, Scotland 01259 742404 www.dollardrama.org.uk
Blitz! 27 - 31 October 2009 Haywards Heath OS Clair Hall Haywards Heath, W Sussex 01444 455440 03 - 07 November 2009 Gosport Amateur OS Ferneham Hall Fareham, Hampshire 01329 231942 18 - 21 November 2009 Barnstaple Musical Comedy & Dramatic Society Queen’s Theatre Barnstaple, Devon 01271 324242
Blood Brothers 28 - 31 October 2009 Sale Nomads Theatre Club Sale, Cheshire 0161 969 5140 29 - 31 October 2009 Kings Lynn O & DS Kings Lynn Arts Centre Kings Lynn, Norfolk 01553 764864
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Wdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>> Blood Wedding 12 - 17 October 2009 Winchester Dramatic Society Chesil Theatre Winchester, Hampshire 07527 471539 www.chesiltheatre.org.uk
Boogie Nights 07 - 10 October 2009 Monklands Light Opera Caldervale High School Airdrie, Lanarkshire 07976 547652 08 - 10 October 2009 Skegness Theatre Arts Group Embassy Theatre Skegness, Lincs 01754 897671
Broadway meets Hollywood 11 October 2009 Porthcawl Amateur O & DS Grand Pavilion Porthcawl, Bridgend 01656 815995
Bugsy Malone 14 - 17 October 2009 Blaenau Gwent Young Stars - Youth Musical TC Beaufort Theatre Ebbw Vale, Gwent 01495 301049 20 - 24 October 2009 Walney Junior Amateur OS Forum 28 Barrow in Furness, Cumbria 01229 820000
BOUNCERS 30 September - 3 October 2009 Teddington Theatre Club Hampton Hill Playhouse High Street Middlesex 0845 8387529 www.ttc-boxoffice.org.uk
Brief Encounter 31 October - 07 November 2009 Bolton Little Theatre Bolton 01204 334400 www.boltonlittletheatre.co.uk
28 - 31 October 2009 Eastbourne O & DS Devonshire Park Theatre Eastbourne, East Sussex 01323 412000 www.eodsinfo.co.uk 09 - 14 November 2009 Chelmsford Young Generation Amateur Musical Society The Civic Theatre Chelmsford, Essex 01245 257898
By Popular Demand Brigadoon 05 - 10 October 2009 Carluke Amateur OS Motherwell Theatre Motherwell, Lanarkshire 01555 751176
16 - 21 November 2009 Hamilton Operatic & Dramatic Club The Town House Hamilton, Lanarkshire 01698 385627
Cabaret of Song & Dance
California Suite
28 November 2009 Applause Dovehouse Theatre Solihull, West Midlands 07814 368889
07 - 10 October 2009 Dursley O & DS Lister Hall Dursley, Glos 07890 203318
Calamity Jane
Camelot
06 - 10 October 2009 Huddersfield Longwood Amateur OS Lawrence Batley Theatre Huddersfield, West Yorkshire 01484 430528
26 - 31 October 2009 Adlington Music & Arts Society Adlington Community Centre Adlington, Lancs 01257 480166
07 - 10 October 2009 Welwyn Thalians Musical & Dramatic Society Campus West Theatre Welwyn Garden City, Herts 01707 357117
Carmen
29 - 31 October 2009 Skipton & District Amateur O & DS The Mart Theatre Skipton, N Yorks 01756 791411 11 - 14 November 2009 Wembley OS Winston Churchill Theatre Ruislip, Middlesex 07983 103444 17 - 21 November 2009 Ramsgate OS Granville Theatre Ramsgate, Kent 01843 591750
Calamity Jane - the Panto 28 - 31 October 2009 Dragon Tale Theatre Group Prudhoe Community School Prudhoe, Northumberland 01661 833614
05 - 07 November 2009 Kennet Opera Corn Exchange Newbury, Berks 01635 522733
Carousel 02 - 07 November 2009 Letchworth Arcadians Gordon Craig Theatre Stevenage, Herts 08700 131030
Caught on the Hop 07 - 10 October 2009 Phoenix Theatre Company The Church Hall Chelmsford, Essex 01245 468956 www.phoenixtheatrechelmsford.co.uk
Cavalleria Rusticana & Trial by Jury 10 - 14 November 2009 Winchester OS Theatre Royal Winchester, Hants 01962 840440
Big Village Theatre Co - The Love Shop Photos: Jon Davey
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Hayes Players - Sitting Pretty Photos: David Slater
Charley’s Aunt 25 - 28 November 2009 Beaconsfield Theatre Group Beacon Theatre Beaconsfield, Bucks 01628 524127
Chess 27 - 31 October 2009 Sainsbury Singers The Hexagon Reading, Berks 0118 988 2510 28 - 31 October 2009 Stratford Upon Avon OS Civic Hall Stratford upon Avon, Warks 01789 207100
10 - 14 November 2009 Vane Tempest Theatre Group Vane Tempest Social Welfare Centre Seaham, Durham 0191 581 9631 23 - 28 November 2009 Childrens Theatre Bo’ness Society Town Hall Bo’ness, Falkirk 01324 712443 28 November - 05 December 2009 Johnstone Phoenix Theatre Group Johnstone Town Hall Johnstone, Renfrewshire 07748 827727
Colder Than Here
07 - 14 November 2009 Burnley Light Opera Society Mechanics Theatre, Manchester Road Burnley, Lancs 01282 664400
21 - 24 October 2009 John Lewis Partnership Dramatic Society Norden Farm Centre Maidenhead, Berkshire 01628 788997 facebook: John Lewis Partnership Dramatic Society
28 November - 05 December 2009 Rugby Theatre Society Rugby Theatre Rugby, Warks 01788 541234
Comedy Playhouse featuring “Major Star”
Children of Eden 06 - 10 October 2009 St Patrick’s AOG Calderhead High School Shotts, Lanarks 01501 822332
Cinderella 27 - 31 October 2009 Caldicot Musical Theatre Society Caldicot School Caldicot, Monmouthshire 01291 422207
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13 - 14 November 2009 Suffolk on Stage The Royal British Legion Club Lakenheath, Suffolk 01842 861160
Communicating Doors 14 - 17 October 2009 The Oxted Players Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 01883 724852 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk
Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) 27 - 31 October 2009 HUMDRUM Havant Arts Centre Havant, Hampshire 023 9247 200
Copacabana 14 - 17 October 2009 Eldorado Musical Productions The Bob Hope Theatre Eltham, London SE9 0208 850 3702 04 - 07 November 2009 Zodiac Musical Society Magna Carta Arts Centre Staines, Surrey 01932 782571 10 - 14 November 2009 Nottingham OS Theatre Royal Nottingham, Notts 0115 959 8936 10 - 14 November 2009 Curtain Up Productions Grimsby Auditorium Grimsby, NE Lincs 0844 847 2426
Cox & Box AND The Sorcerer 18 - 21 November 2009 Ipswich G & S Society The Corn Exchange Ipswich, Suffolk 01473 433100
Crash Jordan 05 - 07 November 2009 Girton Players Mumford Theatre, Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge, Cambs 0845 196 2320
Crazy For You 26 - 31 October 2009 Northallerton Amateur OS Hambleton Forum Northallerton, N Yorks 01609 770936 02 - 07 November 2009 Walmsley Church O & DS Walmsley Parish Hall Egerton, Bolton, Manchester 01204 305812 12 - 14 November 2009 Gravesend & District Theatre Guild Woodville Halls Gravesend, Kent 01474 360315
Curtain Up On Murder 01 - 03 October 2009 Hayes Players Hayes Village Hall Bromley, Kent 07905 210718 www.hayesplayers.org.uk
Curtains 26 - 28 November 2009 Alive Warehouse Theatre Ilminster, Somerset 01460 52982
Daisy Pulls It Off
30 September - 03 October 2009 Trowbridge Players Arc Theatre Trowbridge, Wiltshire 0845 2990476
AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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Wdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>> Iver Heath Drama Club - Jack & The Beanstalk
Daisy Pulls It Off
Fame -The Musical
19 - 24 October 2009 Exmouth Players Blackmore Theatre Exmouth, Devon 01395 269013
10 - 14 November 2009 Spa Theatre Company Royal Spa Centre Leamington Spa, Warwickshire 07780 678582
Darling Buds of May
Farce & Furious
18 - 21 November 2009 Stage Door Theatre Company Windmill Theatre Littlehampton, West Sussex 01903 722224
28 - 31 October 2009 Tenterden O&DS Town Hall Tenterden, Kent 01580 241966
Dead Guilty
Faust (Gounoud)
02 - 10 October 2009 Nantwich Players Players’ Theatre Nantwich, Cheshire 01270 537359 www.nantwichplayers.com
25 - 28 November 2009 Guildford Opera The Electric Theatre Guildford, Surrey 01483 444789
Disco Inferno 16 - 21 November 2009 St Augustine’s Musical Theatre Company Solihull Arts Complex Solihull, W Midlands 0121 704 6962
Don’t Dress for Dinner 09 - 14 November 2009 Louth Playgoers Riverhead Theatre Louth, Lincolnshire 01507 600350 www.louthplaygoers.co.uk
Dry Rot 07 - 10 October 2009 Wordsley Amateur Dramatic Society Kingswinford Methodist Church Hall Wordsley, West Midlands 01384 273026 www.wads-onlie.co.uk
Fawlty Towers
07 - 10 October 2009 Mid-Cheshire Amateur OS The Grange School Theatre Northwich, Cheshire 01606 331557
28 - 31 October 2009 Rhyl & District Amateur OS Pavilion Theatre Rhyl, Denbighshire 01745 330000
20 - 24 October 2009 BCMCS The Albert Halls Bolton, Greater Manchester 01204 334400 www.bcmcs.co.uk
28 - 31 October 2009 Weston-Super-Mare OS Playhouse Theatre Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset 01934 628707
20 - 24 October 2009 Keighley Amateur O & DS Victoria Hall Keighley, West Yorkshire 0845 017 0718 26 October - 07 November 2009 County Amateur O & DS Theatre Royal Lincoln, Lincs 0845 652 5021
02 - 07 November 2009 Herstmonceux Amateur Theatrical Society Herstmonceux Village Hall nr Hailsham, E Sussex 01323 832117 03 - 07 November 2009 Horsham Amateur O & DS The Capitol Horsham, W Sussex 01403 750220
17 - 21 November 2009 Ulverston Outsiders Coronation Hall Ulverston, Cumbria 01229 587140 25 - 28 November 2009 Hertford D & OS Castle Hall Hertford, Herts 01992 531500
Fiddler oN the Roof 05 - 10 October 2009 Hitchin Thespians The Gordon Craig Theatre Stevenage, Herts 08700 131 030 www.gordon-craig.co.uk 06 - 10 October 2009 Strode Productions Strode Theatre Street, Somerset 01458 442846
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SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiar Fiddler on the Roof 11 - 14 November 2009 Coliseum O & DS Coliseum Theatre Aberdare, South Wales 01685 881188 17 - 21 November 2009 South Moor Musical Theatre Group Lamplight Arts Centre Stanley, Co Durham 01207 218899
Five Guys Named Moe 26 - 31 October 2009 Spennymoor Youth Theatre Group Town Hall Bishop Auckland, Durham 01388 602610
Follies 28 - 31 October 2009 Manor & Philbeach Light Opera The Lund Theatre, University College School Frognal, London 0207 328 7846
21 - 24 October 2009 Heywood Amateur O & DS Heywood Civic Centre Heywood, Lancs 01706 368904 02 - 07 November 2009 Rotherham & District Teachers OS Civic Theatre Rotherham, S Yorks 01709 701120 19 - 21 November 2009 Yeovil Youth Theatre Octagon Theatre Yeovil, Somerset 01935 422884
From Bow Bells to Broadway 18 - 21 November 2009 Loughton OS Lopping Hall Loughton, Essex 01992 575502
George the Gladiator 26 - 28 November 2009 Horndean Amateur Theatrical Society Merchistoun Hall Horndean, Hampshire 023 9259 7114
Gigi 13 - 17 October 2009 Briton Ferry Musical Theatre Company Princess Royal Theatre Port Talbot, W Glam 01639 763214
Godspell 07 - 10 October 2009 GHosTs Electric Theatre Huildford, Surrey 01483 444789 20 - 24 October 2009 Stoke Youth Musical Theatre Company Stoke Minster Stoke on Trent, Staffs 01782 659156
From Stage to Screen Footloose 30 September - 03 October 2009 The Good Companions Stage Society Assembly Rooms Derby, Derbyshire 01332 721108 www.derbyartsandtheatre.org.uk 19 - 24 October 2009 Stourbridge Amateur OS Town Hall Theatre Stourbridge, W Mids 07504 301767 21 - 24 October 2009 New Southern Musical Productions Pavilion Theatre Worthing, W Sussex 01903 206206
13 - 14 November 2009 Spotlight Musical Theatre Company Lampton School Hounslow, Middlesex 01895 430031
Golden Jubilee Concert 09 October 2009 The Elizabethans Amateur OS Town Hall Ossett, W Yorks 01924 280344
Fur Coat & No Knickers 08 - 10 October 2009 Locko Amateur Dramatic Society Spondon Village Hall Spondon, Derbyshire 01332 669138 www.thladsdrama.co.uk
Gondoliers
Generations Apart
05 - 10 October 2009 Yeovil Amateur OS Octagon Theatre Yeovil, Somerset 01935 422884
10 - 14 November 2009 Highbury Players St Phillip’s Hall Cosham, Portsmouth 023 9238 9359
04 - 09 October 2009 Harpenden Light OS Harpenden Public Halls Harpenden, Herts 01582 624147
03 - 07 November 2009 Halifax G & S Society Halifax Playhouse Halifax, W Yorks 01422 365998 16 - 21 November 2009 Haworth-West Lane Baptist Amateur OS West Lane Baptist Chapel, Haworth Keighley, W Yorks 01535 643425
Good Deads Deadly Deeds 08 - 10 October 2009 Woodcote Amateur Dramatic Society Woodcote Village Hall Reading, Berkshire 01491 680556
Gypsy 04 - 08 November 2009 Swanbank Music Putney Arts Theatre Putney, London 0208 286 0229
Habeas Corpus 17 – 21 November 2009 Hull Playgoers Society Hull Truck Theatre Hull, Yorkshire 01482 701570
Harper Valley Heartbreak Express 20 - 24 October 2009 Keynsham Light Opera Group Saltford Hall, Saltford Bristol, Avon 0117 986 3399
Harvey 13&14, 20&21 November 2009 Sutton Theatre Company Trusthorpe Village Hall Trusthorpe, Lincolnshire 01507 441324 www.suttontheatrecompanylincs.com
Common Ground Theatre Co - Cider With Rosie
Lighted Fools Theatre Co - Shirley Valentine
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OWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>> Every two weeks you can
The Haunted Through Lounge and Recessed Dining Nook at Farndale Castle
17 - 21 November 2009 Sheffield Teachers OS Lyceum Theatre Sheffield, S Yorkshire 0870 774 3422
Send for a free specimen
05 – 07 November 2009 Hall Players Parish Hall, Fulwood Preston Lancashire 01772 863801 www.hallplayers.org.uk
18 - 21 November 2009 KVODS Arthur Cotterell Theatre Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey 07982 046210 www.kvods.com
copy to:
Hedda Gabler
read the complete, unabridged reviews of all the major national drama critics, reprinted with photos in Theatre Record.
Theatre Record PO BOX 445 CHICHESTER, W. SUSSEX
COSTUMES COSTUME HIRE, SHOWS KING & I, PHANTOM, LES MIZ, OLIVER, FIDDLER, KISS ME KATE, FOLLIES, PINAFORE, ANNIE, ALL PANTO SUBJECTS, ORIENTAL COSTUMES www.bpdcostumes.co.uk P: 01273 481004
Honk!
High School Musical 2 02 - 07 November 2009 Arundel Players Priory Playhouse Arundel, West Sussex 01243 782976
Hello Dolly! 07 - 10 October 2009 Brierley Hill Musical Theatre Company Brierley Hill Civic Hall Brierley Hill, West Midlands 0845 658 8095 13 - 17 October 2009 Waveney Light Opera Group Public Hall, Smallgate Beccles, Suffolk 01502 712329 19 - 24 October 2009 Beaconsfield OS Phoenix Theatre Blyth, Northumberland 01670 356102 10 - 14 November 2009 Vane Tempest Theatre Group Vane Tempest Welfare Hall Seaham, Durham 0191 581 9631
13 - 17 October 2009 Musicality Academy of Performing Arts Penyrheol Theatre Gorseinon, Swansea 07986 385479 28 - 31 October 2009 Wisbech Amateur O & DS Thomas Clarkson Community College Wisbech, Cambs 07776 318309
High Society 10 - 14 November 2009 New Earswick Musical Society Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York 01904 768182
HMS Pinafore
23 - 28 November 2009 Neath Amateur OS Princess Royal Theatre Port Talbot 01639 763214
Hot Mikado 13 - 17 October 2009 Dukinfield Amateur O & DS The George Lanton Hall Mossley, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancs 0161 330 2944 15 - 17 October 2009 Elstree & Borehamwood Light OS The Radlett Centre Radlett, Herts 01923 857546 20 - 24 October 2009 Maesteg Amateur OS Maesteg Town Hall Maesteg, Bridgend 01656 732690 27 - 31 October 2009 Wycombe Society for the Performing Arts Lancaster Arts Centre, Wycombe Abbey High Wycombe, Bucks 01494 564667
06 - 10 October 2009 Chesterfield G & S Society Pomegranate Theatre Chesterfield, Derbyshire 01246 345222
02 - 07 November 2009 Kendal Amateur OS The Town Hall, Kendal, Cumbria 01539 727813
28 - 31 October 2009 Bournemouth G & S OS Lighthouse Poole, Dorset 0844 406 8666
17 - 21 November 2009 Redditch OS The Palace Theatre Redditch, Worcs 01527 527363 www.redditch-operatic.co.uk
03 - 07 November 2009 Scunthorpe G & S Amateur OS Plowright Theatre Scunthorpe, N Lincs 01724 277733
18 - 21 November 2009 Whitefield Amateur O & DS Radcliffe Civic Suite Radcliffe, G Manchester 0161 766 6674
The Biz - Fame
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SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiar Kiss Me, Kate
Moby Dick - The Musical
24 - 28 November 2009 Tunbridge Wells O & DS Assembly Hall Theatre Tunbridge Wells, Kent 01892 530613
09 - 14 November 2009 AAODS Borough Theatre Abergavenny, Monmouthshire 01873 850805
Lady Windermere’s Fan
Mother Goose
22 - 31 October 2009 Cowes Amateur O & DS Trinity Theatre Cowes, Isle of Wight 01983 295229
30 November - 05 December 2009 Saundersfoot Footlights Amateur Music Theatre Regency Hall Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire 01646 682058
Last Night of the Proms 17 October 2009 The Elizabethans Amateur OS Town Hall Ossett, W Yorks 01924 280344
Lend Me a Tenor
23 - 28 November 2009 Cotswold Savoyards The Playhouse Theatre Cheltenham, Glos 01452 618425
Hotel Paradiso 21 - 24 October 2009 Abbey Foregate (Shrewsbury URC) Drama Group Shrewsbury URC Church Hall Shrewsbury, Shropshire 01743 236855
Iron 30 September - 03 October 2009 Barony Players Barony Theatre Bo’ness, Scotland 01506 829197 www.baronyplayers.co.uk
It Could Be Any One Of Us 22 - 24 October 2009 Wetherby Drama Group Linton Memorial Hall Wetherby, W Yorks 01937 520665
How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
13 - 17 October 2009 Epsom Light Opera Company Epsom Playhouse Epsom, Surrey 01372 742555
30 November - 05 December 2009 Willow Tree Theatre Company The New Hall Tiverton, Devon 01884 250485
Humble Boy
Jack and the Beanstalk
18 - 21 November 2009 The Cuffley Players Cuffley Hall Cuffley, Herts 01707 870854 www.cuffleyplayers.freeserve.co.uk
04 - 07 November 2009 BMOS Youtheatre Old Rep Theatre Birmingham, West Mids 07890 306318
Kettering Gang Show Hypnosis 10 - 21 November 2009 Highbury Little Theatre Sutton Coldfield, W Midlands 0121 373 2761
I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire 04 - 07 November 2009 Stafford Players The Gatehouse Stafford, Staffordshire 01785 254653
I’ll Get My Man 16 - 17 October 2009 The Community Players New Elthan Methodist Church New Eltham, London 01322 613128 www.thecommunityplayers.co.uk
Iolanthe 07 - 10 October 2009 Putteridge Bury G & S Society Queen Mother Theatre Hitchin, Herts 01462 455166 29 - 31 October 2009 Halton Singers John Colet School Wendover, Bucks 01296 623056 17 - 21 November 2009 Radlett Light Opera Society The Radlett Centre Radlett, Herts 01923 859291
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18 - 21 November 2009 Glendon District Scout Council Lighthouse Theatre Kettering, Northants 01536 414141
King and I 02 - 07 November 2009 Trafford Margaretians Amateur OS Altrincham Garrick Playhouse Altrincham, Cheshire 0161 9281677 17 - 21 November 2009 Leeds Amateur OS (LAOS) The Grand Theatre Leeds, West Yorkshire 0844 848 2701 24 - 28 November 2009 Cleckheaton & Spenborough AO & DS Town Hall Cleckheaton, W Yorks 01274 877828
King’s Rhapsody 05 - 10 October 2009 Abergavenny Light Opera Company Borough Theatre Abergavenny, Monmouthshire 01873 850805
Kismet 17 - 21 November 2009 Abbey Players Swansea Swansea Grand Theatre Swansea, Wales 01792 475715 02 - 07 November 2009 St Alphege Musical Productions Society Arts Complex Theatre Solihull, W Midlands 0121 705 1435
21 - 24 October 2009 Fintry Amateur Drama Society Menzies Hall Fintry, Scotland 01360 860078 www.fintrydrama.org.uk
Mr Scrooge 23 - 28 November 2009 Lamproom Musical Theatre Company The Lamproom Theatre Barnsley 01226 200075
Much Ado About Nothing
Little Red Riding Hood
28 – 31 October 2009 Farnham Shakespeare Co. The Bourne Hall Farnham, Surrey 01252 716342 www.farnhamshakespeare.co.uk
10 - 14 November 2009 St Cuthberts ADS Darwen St Chad’s Theatre St Cuthbert’s Primary School Darwen, Lancs 07804 681778
25 - 28 November 2009 Southsea Shakespeare Actors New Theatre Royal Portsmouth, Hampshire 023 9264 9000
Little Shop of Horrors
Murder at the Vicarage
20 - 24 October 2009 Ravensbourne Light OS The Bob Hope Theatre Eltham, London 0208 857 1918
16 - 17, 23 - 24 October 2009 Chapel Players Chapel Playhouse Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire 01298 813176
27 - 31 October 2009 Marsden Parish Church AODS The Parochial Hall, Marsden Huddersfield, Yorkshire 01924 456211
Murdered to Death
Little Women 14 - 17 October 2009 Guildonian Players The Little Theatre Harold Wood, Essex 01708 762822
Mack and Mabel 26 - 31 October 2009 Burton on Trent & District OS De Ferrers Specialist Technology College Burton upon Trent, Staffs 01283 541552 20 - 28 November 2009 Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Trust The Mill Theatre Sharnbrook, Beds 01234 781587
22 - 24 October 2009 Sturminster Newton Amateur Dramatic Soc The Exchange Sturminster Newton, Dorset 01258 475137
Music Man 27 - 31 October 2009 COS Musical Theatre The Hawth Theatre Crawley, W Sussex 01293 553636 09 - 14 November 2009 Cassio OS Watford Palace Theatre Watford, Herts 01923 225671
My Boy Jack 12 - 15 November 2009 CCADS D-Day Museum Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9282 7261
Mad Monster Party 06 - 07 November 2009 Belper Stage Productions Robert Ludlam Theatre, St Benedict’s School Derby, Derbyshire 01332 666404
Magician’s Nephew 10 - 21 November 2009 Leeds Childrens Theatre The Carriageworks Leeds, West Yorkshire 0113 2243801
Mein Bunker 16 - 17 October 2009 Encore Shipley Theatre Company Shipley United Reformed Church Shipley, Leeds 01274 592727
Mime 20 - 31 October 2009 Highbury Little Theatre Sutton Coldfield, W Midlands 0121 373 2761
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Plough Photos
Wdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>> Plough Youth Theatre - Oklahoma! Photos: Sarah Willans
My Darling Clemmie 26 November 2009 Indigo Entertainments Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 01883 714103 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk
My Fair Lady 12 - 16 October 2009 Jarrow Musical Theatre Company Jarrow Community Centre Jarrow, Tyne and Wear 0191 428 0873 22 - 31 October 2009 Swindon ALOS Wyvern Theatre Swindon, Wilts 01793 524481
My Fair Lady 23 - 24 October 2009 Dunstable Amateur OS The Grove Theatre Dunstable, Beds 01582 602080 26 - 31 October 2009 Settle Amateur OS Settle Victoria Hall Settle, N Yorks 01729 825718 27 - 31 October 2009 Falkirk Bohemians Amateur O & DS Falkirk Town Hall Falkirk 01324 557233 27 - 31 October 2009 Urmston Musical Theatre Poolside Theatre, Urmston Leisure Centre Urmston, Trafford 0161 408 1288
28 - 31 October 2009 Kingsbury Amateur OS KAOS Theatre Kingsbury, London 0845 020 4240 03 - 07 November 2009 Green Room Productions Wyllyotts Theatre Potters Bar, Herts 020 8360 1957 04 - 07 November 2009 Southend on Sea O & DS Cliffs Pavilion Southend on Sea, Essex 01702 351135 10 - 14 November 2009 Minerva Club Glasgow The Mitchell Theatre Glasgow, 0141 942 4245 17 - 22 November 2009 Bishops Stortford Musical Theatre Company Rhodes Arts Complex Bishop’s Stortford, Herts 01279 651746 18 - 21 November 2009 Axminster & District Amateur OS The Guildhall Axminster, Devon 01297 33595 23 - 28 November 2009 Oxford OS Oxford Playhouse Theatre Oxford, Oxfordshire 01865 305305
Nightmare 07 - 10 October 2009 Broughton Players The Playhouse Preston, Lancashire 01772 463122
No Sex Please - We’re British 18 - 21 November 2009 The Ashtead Players Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall Ashtead, Surrey 01737 640352
Noises Off 10 - 14 November 2009 Newcastle Players Stoke on Trent Repertory Theatre Stoke on Trent, Staffs 01782 627551
Not About Heroes 20 - 21 October 2009 Lighted Fools Theatre Co. Riverhouse Walton-on-Thames, Surrey 01932 253354 www.lighted-fools.co.uk
Not About Heroes 11 - 12 November 2009 Lighted Fools Theatre Co. Cranleigh Arts Centre Cranleigh, Surrey 08456 128128 www.lighted-fools.co.uk
Nunsense - The Mega Musical 08 - 10 October 2009 Forest Musical Productions Kenneth More Theatre Ilford, Essex 0208 553 4466
Oh What A Lovely War 13 - 21 November 2009 ShowCo Bedford The Place Bedford, Beds 07956 122333
Oklahoma! 07 - 10 October 2009 Tamworth Arts Club Tamworth Assembly Rooms Tamworth, Staffs 01827 709581 13 - 17 October 2009 Brighouse Theatre Productions Brighouse Civic Hall Brighouse, W Yorks 01484 719689 14 - 17 October 2009 Rugeley Musical Theatre Company Rugeley Rose Theatre Rugeley, Staffs 07971 263172 27 - 31 October 2009 Brigg Amateur OS Westmoor House Vale of Aucholme Music & Technology College Brigg 01724 330874 28 - 31 October 2009 Spot On Musical Theatre Moldgreen United Reformed Church Huddersfield, W Yorks 01484 305421 28 - 31 October 2009 Local Amateur Music Players Royal Victoria Hall Theatre Southborough, Kent 8452412573 04 - 07 November 2009 Buttington Musical Theatre Company Trewern Community Centre nr Welshpool, Powys 01938 552053 09 - 14 November 2009 Our Lady’s High School FPA Light Opera Soc Motherwell Theatre Motherwell 01698 733502
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SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiar
Marton Operatic Society - HMS Pinafore
17 - 21 November 2009 Bristol Light Opera Club Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol 0844 847 2341 24 - 28 November 2009 New Mills Amateur O & DS The Art Theatre New Mills, Derbyshire 01298 25750
Old Time Music Hall
29 - 31 October 2009 Stage One STC Youth Theatre Group Ferneham Hall Fareham, Hants 01329 231942 10 - 14 November 2009 Halifax Light Opera Society Victoria Theatre Halifax, W Yorks 01422 351158
13 - 16 November 2009 New Empire Players The New Empire Theatre Southend on Sea, Essex 01702 353577
17 - 21 November 2009 Esna Players Loughborough Town Hall Loughborough, Leics 01509 231914
Oliver!
On The Razzle
05 - 10 October 2009 Infirmary DO & LS Little Theatre Leicester, Leics 0116 292 0162
12 - 14 November 2009 Lion and Unicorn Players Festival Hall Petersfield, Hampshire 01730 821491
Oliver!
On With the Mottley!
06 - 11 October 2009 Ferryhill Stage Society Mainsforth & District Community Centre Ferryhill, Durham 01740 652551
24 October 2009 The Oxted Players Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 01883 724852 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk
13 - 17 October 2009 Maidenhead Musical Comedy Society Peterborough Suite, Maidenhead Town Hall Maidenhead, Berks 01628 605077 20 - 24 October 2009 The Arcadians The Crescent Theatre Birmingham, W Midlands 0121 421 7278 28 - 31 October 2009 Brixham OD&CS Brixham Theatre Brixham, Devon 01803 857654
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One Night Only - Again! 13 - 14 November 2009 Hayling Muscial Society Parkview Community Centre Hayling Island, Hampshire 023 9246 2834
One O’Clock From The House 27 - 28 November 2009 SPATS Salford Priors Memorial Hall Salford Priors, Warwickshire 01789 773523 www.spatssalfordpriors.com
Orpen Players 40th Anniversary Music Hall 29 - 31 October 2009 Orpen Players Orpen Hall Colchester, Essex 01206 241048 www.orpenplayers.co.uk
Orpheus In the Underworld 26 - 31 October 2009 Windsor & Eton OS Farrer Theatre Eton, Berks 01753 863719 29 - 31 October 2009 Preston Opera Company Preston Playhouse Preston, Lancashire 01772 784578
Out of Order 27 - 31 October 2009 Potters Bar Theatre Company Tilbury Hall, Potters Bar, Herts 01707 880017
Pastimes 18 - 28 November 2009 QUADS Quarndon Village Hall Derby, Derbyshire 01332 840007 www.quarndonquads.co.uk
Patience 21 - 24 October 2009 Hounslow Light Opera Company Hampton Hill Playhouse Hampton, Middlesex 020 8898 2971 12 - 14 November 2009 Battle Light Opera Group Memorial Hall Battle, E Sussex 01424 211140
Perfect Pitch 05 - 10 October 2009 Droylsden Little Theatre Castle Close Manchester 0161 370 7713 www.droylsdenlittletheatre.co.uk
Perfect Wedding Outside Edge 14 - 17 October 2009 Clitheroe Parish Church AO & DS St Mary’s Centre Clitheroe, Lancashire 01254 248679
Party Piece 20 - 24 October 2009 St Johns Players The Swan Theatre Worcester, Worcs 01905 640298
06 - 10 October 2009 Wellingborough Co-operative ADS The Castle Wellingborough, Northants 01933 405522
Peter Pan 28 - 31 October 2009 Victory-Land Theatre School Kings Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9273 2785
AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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OWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>> Pickwick 27 - 31 October 2009 Long Eaton OS May Hall, Trent College Long Eaton, Notts 01332 874352
17 - 21 November 2009 Eastbourne O & DS Devonshire Park Theatre Eastbourne, East Sussex 01323 412000 www.eodsinfo.co.uk
17 - 21 November 2009 Stewartby Amateur O & DS Stewartby Village Hall Stewartby, Beds 01525 402457
Ruth Pirates Of Penzance 07 - 10 October 2009 Castleford & Dist G & S Soc The Town Hall Pontefract, W Yorks 0113 287 3461 13 - 17 October 2009 Marton OS St Paul’s Church Marton, Blackpool 01253 694856 www.martonoperatic.co.uk 13 - 17 October 2009 Worcester Gilbert & Sullivan Society Swan Theatre The Moors, Worcestershire 01905 611427 www.gasworcs.com 17 - 21 November 2009 Eastleigh Operatic and Musical Society The Point Eastleigh, Hants 023 8065 2333 17 - 20 November 2009 Petts Wood OS The Stag Theatre Sevenoaks, Kent 01689 820448
PLAY - Curtain Up On Murder 22 - 24 October 2009 Blaby Drama Group Blaby Leicester, Leicestershire 0116 277 1157
Popcorn 07 - 10 October 2009 Wick Theatre Company Barn Theatre Southwick, West Sussex 01273 597094 www.wicktheatre.co.uk
Return to the Forbidden Planet 15 - 21 November 2009 Henley-on-Thames O & DS Kenton Theatre Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire 01491 684177
“Revuing” the Situation 24 October 2009 Sounds Musical Devonport Playhouse Plymouth, 01752 510934
Rokella 10 - 14 November 2009 Idle & Thackley Theatre Group Bradford Playhouse Bradford, W Yorks 01274 820666
Ruddigore
27 - 29 October 2009 Kingfield Theatre Company Kingfield Hall Sheffield, S. Yorkshire 0114 2362758
Scrooge 27 - 31 October 2009 The Haslemere Players Haslemere Hall Haslemere, Surrey 01428 642161 10 - 14 November 2009 Sussex Musical Productions Pavilion Theatre Worthing, W Sussex 01903 206206 17 - 21 November 2009 Durham Musical Theatre Company Gala Theatre Durham City, Durham 0191 332 4041
07 - 10 October 2009 St John’s (Sidcup) Amateur OS St John’s Church Hall Sidcup, Kent 07766 320888
25 - 28 November 2009 Bridgwater Amateur OS Bridgwater Town Hall Bridgwater, Somerset 01278 662181
14 - 17 October 2009 West Wirral Musical Society Westbourne Community Hall West Kirby, Wirral 0151 625 9053
30 November - 05 December 2009 Walton & Weybridge Amateur OS The Playhouse Walton upon Thames, Surrey 01483 770130
30 October - 01 November 2009 Kington & District Amateur OS Lady Hawkins Community Leisure Centre Kington, Herefordshire 01544 231501
24 - 28 November 2009 The Opera Club of Reigate and Redhill The Harlequin Theatre Redhill, Surrey 01737 276500
Searching for Doctor Branovic 18 - 21 November 2009 Flying Ducks Theatre Company Theatre on the Steps Bridgnorth, W. Midlands 01746 763257
Seasons Greetings 23 - 24 October 2009 Quaintwood Players Quainton Memorial Hall Quainton, Bucks 01296 770723 04 - 07 November 2009 Forest Players Freshfield Hall Forest Row, East Sussex 01342 323640 04 - 07 November 2009 Ditching Players Ditching Village Hall Ditching , East Sussex 01273 843344 www.ditchingplayers.co.uk 06 - 07 November 2009 Quaintwood Players Grendon Village Hall Grendon Underwood, Bucks 01296 770723
Serendipity
11 - 15 November 2009 Maidenhead OS Desborough Suite, Town Hall Maidenhead, Berkshire 01628 671589
29 November 2009 Jay aston Theatre Arts Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 07968 381471 www.jayastonschool.co.uk
Seussical 15 - 17 October 2009 Hemel Hempstead Theatre Company The Boxmoor Theatre Hemel Hempstead, Herts 01442 239581 25 - 28 November 2009 Croydon Stagers Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls Croydon, Surrey 0208 651 0527
Princess Ida 07 - 10 October 2009 Peterborough G & S Players Key Theatre Peterborough, Cambs 01733 207239
Railway Children 27 - 31 October 2009 Halifax Amateur OS Halifax Playhouse Halifax, West Yorkshire 01422 246369 03 - 08 November 2009 Morecambe Warblers Amateur OS Grand Theatre Lancaster, Lancs 01524 417216
Relative Values 16 - 17 October 2009 Theatre 28 Solihull Arts Complex Solihull, West Midlands 0121 704 6962
Rent 16 - 24 October 2009 CADOS Chorley Little Theatre Chorley, Lancashire 01257 264362 www.chorleytheatre.com 21 - 24 October 2009 Stage Productions Regent Theatre Stoke, Staffs 0870 060 6649 12 - 14 November 2009 Giselle Academy St Peter’s Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9264 3385
Guiseley Amateur Operatic Society - The Likes Of Us Photo: Barbara Boothroyd
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Barefoot in the Park’ at the Walton-on-Thames Festival of Drama Staines Players
26 - 28 November 2009 Curtain Up Youth Theatre Maesteg Town Hall Maesteg, Bridgend 01656 732855
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers 02 - 07 November 2009 Middlesbrough Amateur OS Middlesborough Theatre Middlesborough 01642 815181 09 - 14 November 2009 Cradley Heath Amateur OS Brierley Hall Civic Hall Brierley Hill, West Midlands 0121 585 7380
Showboat Concert & Nautical G&S 09 - 10 October 2009 Cowbridge Amateur Dramatic Society Town Hall Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan 01446 713110
Singin’ In The Rain 19 - 24 October 2009 Congleton AOS Daneside Theatre Congleton, Cheshire 01260 276371 10 - 14 November 2009 Walney Musical Theatre Company Forum 28 Barrow in Furness, Cumbria 01229 82000
Shadowlands 15 - 17 October 2009 Henfield Theatre Company The Henfield Hall Henfield, W Sussex 01273 492204
Skirmishes 21 - 24 October 2009 New Stagers Theatre Company St Anne’s Church Hall Wandsworth, London 07814 611239
Shakers 28 - 31 October 2009 Harleston Players Archbishop Sancroft High School Harleston, Norfolk 01379 676324
Show Time 26 - 28 November 2009 Bidborough Dramatic Society Bidborough Village Hall Tunbridge Wells, Kent 01892 523499
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarves 18 - 21 November 2009 Eyemouth & Dist Community Youth Theatre Eyemouth High School (old) Eyemouth, Berwickshire 01890 750585
Some Enchanted Evening (R&H) 01 - 03 October 2009 St Helens Amateur OS Theatre Royal St Helens, Merseyside 01744 756000
Somewhere in England
Stepping Out
13 - 18 October 2009 Pickering Musical Society Kirk Theatre Pickering, N Yorks 01751 474833
09 - 10 October 2009 Berwick-upon-Tweed Amateur OS The Maltings Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland 01289 330999
Songs from Screen and Stage
Sugar (Some Like It Hot)
08 - 10 October 2009 Denmead OS Various Locations Hampshire 023 9226 9260 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk
Sounds Familiar 2009 02 - 10 October 2009 Ipswich O & DS Spa Pavilion Theatre Felixstowe, Suffolk 01394 282126
South Pacific 09 - 14 November 2009 Bingley Amateur OS Bingley Arts Centre Bingley, W Yorkshire 01274 432000
Spend, Spend, Spend 22 - 24 October 2009 Thistles Musical Theatre Company Kenneth More Theatre Ilford, Essex 0208 504 4577
Spotlight on Broadway 27 - 28 November 2009 Wimborne Musical Theatre Society The Tivou Theatre Winborne, Dorset 012012 885566
06 - 10 October 2009 From The Top Theatre Company Highbury Theatre Centre Sutton Coldfield, W Midlands 07974 894542
Summer Holiday 05 - 10 October 2009 Theatre Guild Glasgow Eastwood Park Theatre Giffnock, Glasgow 0141 577 4970 www.theatreguild.uktheatre.net 10 - 14 November 2009 Southey Musical Company Montgomery Theatre Sheffield, S. Yorkshire 0114 243 5587 www.southeymusicaltheatre.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Sweeney Todd 05 - 10 October 2009 Workington Amateur OS Carnegie Theatre Workington, Cumbria 01900 602122 13 - 17 October 2009 St Albans OS The Alban Arena, Civic Centre St Albans, Herts 01727 844488 21 – 24 October 2009 Harlequin Theatre Northwich, Cheshire 01606 353534 www.harlequinplayers.co.uk
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Young Wick Theatre Company - The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew. Photos: Lucien Bouchy
27 - 31 October 2009 Abingdon OS Amey Theatre, Abingdon School Abingdon, Oxon 01235 834383 28 - 31 October 2009 Three Towns Theatre Company The Brook Theatre Chatham, Kent 01634 338338 24 - 28 November 2009 Cleckheaton & Spenborough AO & DS Town Hall Cleckheaton, W Yorks 01274 877828
Sweet Charity 21 - 24 October 2009 Ellesmere Port Musical Theatre Company Ellesmere Port Civic Hall Ellesmere Port, Cheshire 0151 339 4390 27 - 31 October 2009 Tavistock Musical Theatre Company The Wharf Theatre Tavistock, Devon 01822 611166 03 - 07 November 2009 East Berkshire OS The Wilde Theatre Bracknell, Berks 0845 450 5301 10 - 14 November 2009 Chester-le-Street Amateur OS Park View Community Theatre Chester-le-Street, Durham 0191 584 3061 17 - 21 November 2009 Potters Bar Theatre Company Wyllyotts Theatre Potters Bar, Herts 01707 880017
Sweet FA
The Cemetery Club
30 September - 03 October 2009 UoP Dramatic & Muscial Society New Theatre Royal Portsmouth, Hampshire 023 9261 9000 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk
28 - 31 October 2009 LimeLight Drama Group The Carriageworks Leeds, W. Yorkshire 0113 224 3801
Taking Sides
The Crucible
21 - 24 October 2009 Adel Players Memorial Hall, Adel Leeds, W. Yorkshire 0113 275 5585
25 - 28 November 2009 Runnymede Drama Group Rhoda McGaw Theatre Woking, Surrey 01784 242512 www.rdg.org
Tan Tan Tara Tzing Boom
The Dresser
27 - 28 November 2009 Sheringham Savoyards The Little Theatre Sheringham, Norfolk 01263 822347
The Boyfriend 27 - 31 October 2009 Kettering & District Theatrical Society The Masque Theatre Kettering, Northants 01536 726311 25 - 28 November 2009 Sudbury Musical Society Quay Theatre Sudbury, Suffolk 01787 374745
The Canterville Ghost 26 - 28 November 2009 Hulviz OS Bob Hope Theatre Eltham, London 020 8858 9803
The Caucasian Chalk Circle 19 - 21 November 2009 Hemel Hempstead Theatre Company The Boxmoor Playhouse Hemel Hempstead, Herts 01442 234004
18 - 21 November 2009 Pattingham Drama Group Pattingham Village Hall Pattingham, Staffs 01902 700393
The Edge of Darkness 12 - 17 October 2009 Louth Playgoers Riverhead Theatre Louth, Lincolnshire 01507 600350 www.louthplaygoers.co.uk 23 - 28 November 2009 Droylsden Little Theatre Castle Close Manchester 0161 370 7713 www.droylsdenlittletheatre.co.uk
The Full Monty 29 October - 07 November 2009 Hereford Musical Theatre Company The Courtyard Hereford, Herefordshire 01432 340555
17 - 21 November 2009 Springers Cramphorn Theatre Chelmsford, Essex 07765 772059 18 - 21 November 2009 Bacup Amateur O & DS The Royal Court Theatre Bacup, Rossendale, Lancashire 01706 874080
The Gondoliers 07 - 10 October 2009 Derby Gilbert & Sullivan Derby Theatre Derbyshire 01332 255800
The Handyman 25 - 31 October 2009 Northenden Players Methodist Church Hall Northenden, Manchester 0161 445 6868 www.northendendplayers.co.uk
The Hollow 25 - 28 November 2009 Edinburgh Makars Adam House Theatre Edinburgh, Scotland 0131 445 3911 www.edinburghmakars.com
The Homecoming 18 - 21 November 2009 One Off Productions New Theatre Royal Portsmouth, Hampshire 023 9264 9000
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SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiar The Likes of Us 29 September - 03 October 2009 Tudor Muscial Comedy Society The Crescent Theatre Brindleyplace, Birmingham 0121 643 5858 06 - 09 October 2009 Glenrothes Amateur Musical Association Rothes Halls Glenrothes, Fife 01592 611101
26 - 31 October 2009 NOMADS Kings Theatre Newmarket, Suffolk 01638 663337 18 - 21 November 2009 Bexhill Light O & DS De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill-on-Sea, E Sussex 01424 229111
11 - 18 October 2009 Belmont Theatre Company The Pumphouse Theatre Watford, Hertfordshire 0845 521 3453
25 - 28 November 2009 Polden Productions Edington Village Hall Bridgwater, Somerset 01278 723095
12 - 17 October 2009 Carpet Trades OS Stourport Civic Hall Stourport on Severn, Worcs 01562 638864
The Love of Four Colonels
12 - 17 October 2009 Carpet Trades OS Civic Centre Stourport on Severn, Worcs 01562 638864 20 - 24 October 2009 Leigh O & DS Palace Theatre Southend on Sea, Essex 01702 351135 21 - 24 October 2009 St Nicolas Players The South Holland Centre Spalding, Lincs 01775 764777
05 - 07 November 2009 Alton O & DS Assembly Rooms Alton, Hants 01730 827200
The Magician’s Newphew 18 - 21 November 2009 Leeds Children’s Theatre The Carriageworks Leeds, W. Yorkshire 0113 224 3801 www.leeds-childrens-theatre.co.uk
The Melody Lingers On (Berlin) 10 - 17 October 2009 Dereham OS The Memorial Hall Dereham, Norfolk 01362 694222
26 - 31 October 2009 Guiseley Amateur OS Guiseley Theatre Guiseley, Leeds 0845 370 5045
The Merry Widow
The Producers
19 - 24 October 2009 Bishop Auckland Amateur OS Eden Theatre, Town Hall Bishop Auckland, Durham 01388 602371
20 - 24 October 2009 Orbit Theatre Ltd - Cardiff New Theatre Cardiff, Wales 02920 878889
The Mikado
03 - 07 November 2009 North Staffordshire Amateur OS Regent Theatre Hanley, Stoke on Trent, Staffs 01782 323050
02 - 04, 08, 09 October 2009 Derby Gilbert & Sullivan Chatsworth House Theatre Chatsworth, Derbyshire 01332 735980 21 - 24 October 2009 Generally G & S Majestic Theatre, Retford, Notts 01777 706866 03 - 07 November 2009 Erdington OS Sutton Coldfield Town Hall Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands 0121 360 6627
The Music Man 17 - 21 November 2009 Oxted OS Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 01883 714103 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk
The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 17 - 21 November 2009 Nomad Theatre Group Nomad Theatre East Horsley, Surrey 01483 284717
The Secret Garden 27 - 31 October 2009 Oswestry Musical Theatre Company The Marches School Theatre Oswestry, Shropshire 01691 655490
The Shell Seekers 13 – 16 October 2009 GADOC Beau Sejour Theatre Guernsey, CI 01481 747200 www.gadoc.org 20 - 21 November 2009 Princess Theatre Club The Princess Theatre Club Hunstanton, Norfolk 01485 532252
The Three Towns In Concert 20 - 21 November 2009 Three Towns OS Lowton Civic Hall Lowton, Cheshire 01942 883722
Dramawise Sawston - Alice In Wonderland
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Thoroughly Modern Millie
20 - 24 October 2009 Gasleak Theatre Company Melton Theatre Melton Mowbray, Leics 01664 560407
05 - 10 October 2009 Newton Abbot & District Musical Comedy Soc Alexandra Theatre Newton Abbot, Devon 01626 203570
The Titfield Thunderbolt
06 - 10 October 2009 Bolsover Drama Group The Bolsover School Theatre Chesterfield, Derbyshire 01246 850402
28 - 31 October 2009 Ringwood Musical & Dramatic Society Ringwood School Theatre Ringwood, Hants 01425 470837
The Wedding Singer 11 - 14 November 2009 Greenock Light Opera Company Greenock Arts Guild Theatre Greenock, Renfrewshire 01475 723038
The Winslow Boy 18 - 21 November 2009 Woodford Community Players Woodford Community Centre Stockport, Cheshire 0161 439 7535
Therese Raquin 11 - 14 November 2009 Preston Drama Club Preston Playhouse Preston, Lancs 01772 744771
Thirty Dancing 27 - 31 October 2009 Variety Express Plinston Hall Letchworth Garden City, Herts 01438 223461
19 - 24 October 2009 Braintree Musical Society The Institute Braintree, Essex 07835 122663 20 - 24 October 2009 Dartford Amateur O & DS Orchard Theatre, Home Gardens Dartford, Kent 01322 527165 20 - 24 October 2009 Murton & East Durham Theatre Group East Durham College New Drive, Peterlee 0191 526 2532 27 - 31 October 2009 Worcester O & DS Worcester, Worcestershire 01905 611427 03 - 07 November 2009 Bury St Edmunds Amateur O & DS Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 01284 769505 18 - 21 November 2009 Wallasey Amateur OS Floral Pavilion Theatre New Brighton, Wirrall, Merseyside 0151 639 4016
19 - 21 November 2009 Lytham Acadamy of Theatre Arts Lowther Pavilion Lytham St Annes, Lancs 01253 658666
19 - 21 November 2009 Amateur Players of Sherborne Digby Hall Sherborne, Dorset 01935 814626
23 - 28 November 2009 Kirkcaldy Amateur OS Adam Smith Theatre Kirkcaldy, Fife 01592 583302
Trial By Jury & concert “Not just G&S” 06 - 10 October 2009 St Andrews G & S Society St Andrew’s Church Monkseaton, North Tyneside 0191 252 6999
24 - 28 November 2009 Stockport Amateur OS Plaza Theatre Stockport, Cheshire 0161 427 7121
Trial By Jury & HMS Pinafore
Thoroughly Modern Musicals 27 - 31 October 2009 Herne Bay OS The Playhouse Whitstable, Kent 01227 272042
Titus Andronicus 10 - 14 November 2009 Derby Shakespeare Theatre The Guildhall Theatre Derbyshire 01332 255800
TonS of Money 07 - 10 October 2009 Carleton Theatre Group Carleton Community Centre Pontefract, W. Yorkshire 01977 700052 www.carletontheatregroup.co.uk
26 - 31 October 2009 Cirencester OS The Barn Theatre Cirencester, Glos 01285 648234 11 - 14 November 2009 Tinkers Farm Opera Company The Crescent Theatre Birmingham, W Midlands 0121 643 5858
Underground 26 - 31 October 2009 Bingley Little Theatre Bingley Arts Centre Bingley, W. Yorkshire 01274 432000
Unexpected Guest 15 - 17 October 2009 Maldon Drama Group Maldon Town Hall Maldon Essex, 01621 856503
CADOS (Lancashire) - Raise The Roof
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SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiar Vaughan Singers in Concert
West Side Story 02 - 07 November 2009 Worthing Musical Comedy Society Connaught Theatre Worthing, W Sussex 01903 247999
22 – 24 October 2009 Lees Street CC AMDS Lees Street Church Hall Theatre Higher Openshaw, Manchester 0161 231 0004 www.amdram.piczo.com
WYRD Sisters
21 November 2009 Vaughan Singers Sutton Coldfield Town Hall Sutton Coldfield, W Midlands 0121 354 6977
Wait Until Dark
17 - 21 November 2009 Centenary Theatre Company The Brindley Theatre Company Runcorn, Merseyside 0151 907 8360
04 - 07 November 2009 The Hastleons White Rock Theatre Hastings, E Sussex 01424 462288
10 - 17 October 2009 Chesham Bois Catholic Players The Little Theatre by the Park Chesham, Bucks 01494 580327
When It Rains
11 - 14 November 2009 Maghull Musical Theatre Company The Little Theatre Southport, Merseyside 01704 530521
15 - 17 October 2009 Thurrock Courts Players Thameside Theatre Grays, Essex 0845 300 5264
17 - 21 November 2009 Chesterfield OS Pomegranate Theatre Chesterfield, Derbyshire 01246 345222
Yeoman of the Guard
30 September - 03 October 2009 The Festival players Loughborough Town Hall, Leicestershire 01509 231914 www.festivalplayers.com 15 - 17 October 2009 Winton Players Festival Hall Petersfield, Hants 01730 269066
27 - 31 October 2009 Ulverston Amateur OS Coronation Hall Ulverston, Cumbria 01229 587140
War-time Nostalgia
Wind In The Willows
11 - 14 November 2009 Mulberry Singers Drayton Methodist Church Drayton, Hampshire 01489 565252
25 - 28 November 2009 Guilsborough Musical & Dramatic Society Guilsborough Village Hall Guilsborough, Northants 01604 7400293
We Happy Few
26 - 28 November 2009 Soberton Players Soberton Village Hall Soberton, Hampshire 01329 833823
20 – 24 October 2009 Kelvin Players Theatre Co. The Studios Bishopston, Bristol 0117 959 3636 www.kelvinplayers.co.uk
West End Now 13 - 21 November 2009 Trowbridge Amateur OS Various Westbury, Corsham, Warminster, Trowbridge, Wilts 01225 763261
Wizard of Oz 12 - 17 October 2009 Dinnington OS. The Lyric Theatre Dinnington, South Yorks 01909 569340 20 - 24 October 2009 Bolton Catholic Musical and Choral Society The Albert Halls Bolton, Lancashire 01204 856977
25 - 28 November 2009 Ponteland Repertory Society Memorial Hall Ponteland, Northumbria 01661 822985 26 - 28 November 2009 Richmond OS Georgian Theatre Royal Richmond, North Yorkshire 01748 825252
Working 02 - 04 November 2009 Rainbow Youth Theatre Harraton Community Centre Washington, Tyne and Wear 0191 416 3454
08 - 10 October 2009 Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group Loddon Hall Twyford, Berkshire 0845 450 1308
07 - 10 October 2009 Wycombe Savoy Opera Company Beacon Centre Theatre Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshrie 07974 421488 07 - 10 October 2009 Bristol Savoy OS Redgarve Theatre Clifton, Bristol, 0117 9651784
You Can’t Stop The Beat 07 - 10 October 2009 Monklands Light Opera The Theatre, Caldervale High School Airdrie, N Lanarkshire 0141 771 1460
Zombie Prom 21 - 24 October 2009 Clydebank Musical Society Town Hall Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire 01389 386455
Impact - Someone To Watch Over Me
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2
Ti
TICKETS £9.00 - £12.00 BOX OFFICE 0161 928 1677
ck M et ON s fo DA r Y th N e IG pr H ic T e of o
Monday 21st to Saturday 26th SEPTEMBER 2009 at 7.30pm
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Directed & Designed by BARRY PURVES
The Phoenix Theatre Company Chelmsford presents
CAUGHT ON THE HOP
49
An amateur production by arrangement with Samuel French
A Comedy by Derek Benfield Directed by Chris Wright Wed 7th - Sat 10th October 2009 at 7.45pm (Doors open 7.15pm)
At: The Church Hall, Christ Church URC, New London Road, Chelmsford. Adult £7. Concession £6 Cheques payable to ‘The Phoenix Theatre Company’ + SAE to: 27 Ashurst Drive, Chelmsford. Essex. CM1 6TN .Tel: 01245 468956 E-mail: boxoffice@phoenixtheatrechelmsford.co.uk THE PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY CHELMSFORD
TO ADVERTISE YOUR SHOW HERE CALL ZOYA ON 0203 006 3094 - DISCOUNTED RATES AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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07/08/2009
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Page 1
ARTS EDUCATIONAL SCHOOLS LONDON
TRAINING THE AWARD WINNERS OF THE FUTURE
INDEPENDENT VOCATIONAL DAY SCHOOL 11-18YRS
OPEN EVENING 6th October, 6:30pm
backcover.indd 1
VISIT WWW.ARTSED.CO.UK 11/08/2009 12:42:01
PLAYSCRIPTS
www.asmagazine.co.uk
NEWS FROM THE PUBLISHERS This month sees the return of one of our regular features. On a bi-monthly basis will be passing on news from the publishers about their latest releases. To submit your information please email editor@asmagazine.co.uk. JOSEF WEINBERGER Josef Weinberger is pleased to announce two new titles to its ever-growing catalogue of seasonal offerings, play titles and publications, broadening the choice of pantomimes now on offer from the traditional well-known favourites, to the more contemporary Christmas show. The Merlin Theatre Pantomime Company in Frome, Somerset initially commissioned Colin Wakefield and Kate Edgar to adapt the Snow Queen, which opened to fantastic reviews. This is a perfect choice for amateur companies. With a cast of 19, the Snow Queen has something for every one of all ages to enjoy. Our other new title, also from the well-known team of Colin Wakefield (Book) and Kate Edgar (Music and Lyrics) is Ali Baba, which again was an original commission for the Theatre Royal Margate. Although the main cast is for six and would suit the smaller societies, it has the capacity to expand the cast for the larger societies. Also available for amateur performance from 1st January 2010 will be three new plays. Greenwash by David Lewis had its professional premiere earlier this year at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond. An up-to-the minute comedy about public and private deception, personal revelations and heated debate in a topical comedy about sex, lies and climate change, Greenwash features a cast of 3M and 4F. One Night in November by Alan Pollock opened in March 2008 at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry and was revived during the Spring 2009 season. Casting for this title is 6M and 5F. The piece examines the controversial view that Winston Churchill received advance warning on the attack on Coventry in 1940. Following the story of one family, Pollock’s writing forces the audience to question the historical content as it is told through the romantic liaison of its central characters 18 year old Katie Stanley and Oxford Language tutor Michael Green. It soon becomes clear Michael is putting his linguistic skills to work in deciphering German codes. Katie lives with her family in Coventry, a city living under threat of war. The Stanley’s have no idea how terrible that threat is… but Michael does and is being sworn to secrecy. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck in a new adaptation by Tim Baker. This has a large cast of 10M and 6F it also has casting for nine children making it an ideal play for community theatre projects and larger societies. First produced to critical acclaim at Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Tim Bakers stunning production is masterfully adapted for the stage from Steinbeck’s novel. This epic tale of the Joad family and their ill fated trip from Oklahoma to start a new life in the ‘promised land’ of California, captures the spirit of generosity he saw in the raw country which was both lost and waiting to be found. And finally, Weinberger is proud to announce the publication of two new titles, both Dickens adaptations. Great Expectations. Adapted by the acclaimed associate
director of Theatr Clwyd, Tim Baker. This has just finished a successful run at the Theatr Clwyd followed by a tour of regional theatres. Casting is 5M and 3F. Expected publication October 2009. A Christmas Carol. Adapted by Stephen Sharkey, this production was originally commissioned by the Northern Stage Company, Newcastle, and enjoyed a successful run over the Christmas period 2007/2008. Casting is 6M and 4F with a chorus/ensemble of eight. There is some doubling with the parts, which extends the casting possibilities for larger societies. Expected publication October 2009.
NICK HERN BOOKS
Now available for amateur performance is Dracula by Bram Stoker, adapted by Liz Lochhead (4f 5m doubling), which is ideal for schools and drama groups, and all the more chilling for the respect it shows for Stoker’s original nightmare creation. Staying with the gothic theme, the story of the creation of Frankenstein, Blood and Ice, also by Liz Lochhead (3f 2m) paints a vivid picture of the way Mary Shelley’s life influenced her creation and how that creation came to haunt her for the rest of her life. Staying with Liz Lochhead’s plays, we have re-issued her modern classic Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off (4f 4m), a play which draws the most uncomfortable parallels between the sacrifice of Mary and the myriad sexual, political and religious deformities that still plague the Scottish psyche even to this day. Last but not least, Ella Hickson’s debut play Eight (4f 4m, but the monologues can be performed separately as well, so any combination is possible) ranges from Millie, the jolly-hockeysticks prostitute who mourns the loss of the good old British class system to Danny, the ex-squaddie who makes friends in morgues. These monologues also provide excellent audition material. For more information on any of these plays, free approval copies or to obtain the performing rights, please contact the Performing Rights Manager on info@nickhernbooks.demon. co.uk.
AS MAGAZINE PRINT DEADLINES DIARY All entries must be submitted to diary@asmagazine.co.uk before 1st of each month. EDITORIAL All releases and photographs must be submitted to editor@asmagazine.co.uk before 5th of each month AS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2009
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PLAYSCRIPTS
SUPRISE ME DARLING A Play by Bob Heather Published by New Theatre Publications ISBN 9781840947175 Cast: W4, M5 This witty comedy takes the old adage of being careful what you wish for to its fullest extent. John and Chrissie have been married for two years and its become evident that romantic gestures and buying presents isn’t one of John’s fortes. Despite the best intentions in the world he just has no idea. After a last-minute, incident -ridden dinner party, John decides to mend his ways and surprise Chrissie more often. He is about to find out though that mastering the art of surprise is no easy feat. With a cast of nine, this is a comedy that will have you wincing at times with the near pin-point accuracy of the relationship comments it makes. The women in the audience will nod their heads gleefully as the blokes miss the point. With three surprises in the final scene, this comedy is sure to delight audiences in search of a great night’s entertainment.
DREAMS OF VIOLENCE By Stella Feehily Published by Nick Hern Books ISBN 9781848420427 Cast: W4, M4 For forty-something Hildy, political activism comes easier than dealing with the disorder of her family life: her druggie son; her philandering soon-to-be-ex husband; her father, misbehaving in a hugely expensive retirement home. Then there’s Shirley, Hildy’s charismatic mother – a former pop star with a fondness for booze – who sets up camp in Hildy’s spare room to belittle her from close range. By day, Hildy leads the City’s cleaners in a revolt against the bankers. But by night, she dreams of unsettling acts of violence. Dreams of Violence is a riotous comedy about love, death and responsibility. The play is more like a snappy collection of scenes that never come to any great conclusion. Dreams offers a great opportunity for a 40ish-year-old actress to really pull out the stops.
EIGHT By Ella Hickson Published by Nick Hern Books ISBN9781848420595 Cast: W3, M5 There’s nothing remotely new or exciting about a series of eight monologues, yet Ella Hickson’s Eight caused a stir in theatre circles when it was presented in 2008, purely due to the fact that audiences were asked to select which four of the eight monologues they wished to see. A great boost for audience power but pity the poor actors who weren’t chosen at each performance. Eight’s monologues offer a stateof-the-nation group portrait for the stage. From Millie, the jolly-hockeysticks prostitute who mourns the loss of the good old British class system, to Miles, a 7/7 survivor, and Danny, an ex-squaddie who makes friends in morgues, Eight looks at what has happened to a generation that has grown up in a world where everything has become acceptable. Of course, you don’t have to adopt the audience vote, you can select particular monologues for performance, and there are some sharply and brilliantly observed characters here.
APOLOGIA By Alexi Kaye Campbell Published by Nick Hern Books ISBN 9781848420533 Cast: W3, M3 Kristin Miller is an eminent and successful art historian. As a young mother she followed her politics and vocation, storming Parisian
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www.asmagazine.co.uk barricades and moving to Florence. Her birthday should be a time for celebration but, when her two sons deliver their versions of the past, everyone must confront the cost of Kirstin’s commitment to her passions. Apologia is an embittered family reunion, thought-provoking and touching, although sometimes the sympathy factor gets a bit much. Apologia is one of those plays where truths are unearthed as the wine flows. It’s fresh and at times quite breathtaking.
JERUSALEM By Jez Butterworth Published By Nick Hern Books ISBN 9781848420502 Cast: W5, M9
On St George’s Day, the morning of the local country fair, Johnny Byron, local water and modern day Pied Piper, is a wanted man. The council officials want to serve him an eviction notice, his children want their dad to take them to the fair, Troy Whitworth wants to give him a serious kicking, and a motley crew of mates want his ample supply of drugs and alcohol. Jerusalem seems to lament the loss of the England of old. Jerusalem garned some incredible rave reviews during its recent London season and it’s easy to see why. It’s not a short piece and runs with two intervals, but you can’t help but get a sense of sweep, or drama and great comedy.
FOR A FEW MONDAYS MORE
By Joe Graham Published by J. Garnet Miller (Cressrelles Publishing) ISBN: 9780853436614 Cast W3, M5
Published as a sequel to the hugely popular A Fistful Of Mondays, For A Few Mondays More is a great two act comedy. The Walbeswick Social Club is under threat from an unscrupulous property developer. The Monday Night All-Star Linedancing club have to deal with threat of closure as well as the death of Mary, an old group stalwart, and Annie and Tom’s troubled relationship. For A Few Mondays More utilises a suggested musical score to accentuate moments and according to the publishers a full musical version is in preparation. The wrecking ball looms large in this drama as character dramas and situations resolve.
THE AUDITION
A Play in One Act by Richard Macaulay Published by The Drama Association of Wales ISBN 1898740828 Cast: W3, M4
Adam Sparrow attends an audition for Garrick’s Drury Lane company at the beginning of a new season. He meets two of the backstage staff, Mrs Trundle and Tom Grout, then Hannah Moody, also hoping for an audition, who immediately catches his heart, and seemingly returns his feelings. Dr Johnson arrives. Finding Garrick is indisposed after too riotous an evenings, he indulges himself by conducting his own audition, a scene from Romeo and Juliet. But this brings ructions, first from Peg Woffington, one of the Lane’s established actresses and Garrick’s mistress, then from Garrick himself. Hannah, deserting Adam, succeeds in joining the company, but Adam loses both his new love and his chance of employment. Johnson sympathises but can do nothing. Only the sonnet that Adam bought with him as his audition piece can echo his feelings in the end.
Samuel French Ltd The Play publisher NEW PANTOMIMES!
The Dragon Of Wantley by Norman Robbins CAST 12 or 13 principals. Chorus. SCENE Various simple settings This spectacular pantomime, based on an English legend involving real people, was beloved by Victorian audiences and has now been adapted for the 21st century by that master of pantomime — Norman Robbins. With vengeful fairies, knock-about bailiffs, a romantic leading lady and a handsome Principal Boy, plus the outrageous Dame, all the ingredients are here for a wonderful evening’s etnertainment! The choice of music is left to the director. Price £8.50
Tom Thumb by Paul Reakes CAST 15 Principals. Chorus. SCENE Simple interior and exterior settings A hungry giant is advancing upon the Royal Kingdom, and his evil henchman Slither Slugslime has forced the citizens to give up all their food to him. Only Tom Thumb, the King’s head gardener, will stand up to him, but as punishment Slugslime shrinks him – to the size of a thumb! Mum Thumb, her son Tim, Princess Primrose and her maid Lucy Lastic enlist the help of the beautiful witch Spellena to restore Tom to his normal size. In the meantime Slugslime has taken a liking to Primrose and Mum must somehow rustle up a cake for the giant with two extremely dimwitted sous-chefs! Price £8.50
Contact us for a FREE pantomime list
The Catalogue of Musical Plays 2009-2011 is now available! Price £4.00
French’s Theatre Bookshop 52 Fitzroy St London W1T 5JR Tel: 020 7255 4300 Fax: 020 7387 2161 email: theatre@samuelfrench-london.co.uk
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BOOKS
BOOK OF THE MONTH THE LONDON PALLADIUM The Story of the Theatre and its Stars Published by Jeremy Mills Publishing ISBN 9781906600396 It’s not very often that a sumptuous book like this arrives in our offices. Chris Woodward has captured the glamour, beauty and memories of this iconic London theatre. This is a building which engenders huge loyalty from the many people who have performed and worked there and that amazing affection is chronicled here. The book is richly illustrated with historic photographs, programme images and memorabilia that bring to life decades of entertainment history. Littered with memories of performers and other Palladiumites, this book would make a great gift for anyone with an interest in theatre. We found it enchanting and couldn’t put it down until we’d read it cover to cover.
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO WORKING IN THEATRE By Gil Foreman Published by Methuen Drama ISBN: 9780713687675 Written by the Acting Head of the Young People’s Programme at the Royal Shakespeare Company and former Director of Education at the Bristol Old Vic, this is a book for new entrants in the theatre industry needing a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how theatre is made. With contributions from across the industry, this new and upto-date guide will be essential for all those planning their careers. Covering each role, including director, designer, sound and lighting, front of house and playwright, each chapter looks in detail at what each role entails, the main people who it involves working alongside and the skills required. This essential guide includes interviews with industry leaders including Nick Hytner, Emma Rice, Simon Russell Beale, Michael Boyd, Mike Shepperd and Rachel Kavanaugh.
THE THEATRE PRACTICE OF TADASHI SUZUKI By Paul Allain
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Published by Methuen Drama ISBN 9781408116432 A lively, critical study of one of the most important innovators, thinkers and directors in contemporary world theatre: Tadashi Suzuki. This book explores Suzuki’s theatre practice and contains a DVD with practical Suzuki Method actor – training examples. The DVD covers and actor training session (featuring both novices and an experienced practitioner with over ten years Suzuki training) showing the physical moves.
IMPROVISATION IN REHEARSAL By John Abbott with foreward by Mark Rylance Published by Nick Hern Books ISBN 9781854595232 Following on from his successful Improvisation Book, John Abbott now explains how theatre directors at every level can use improvisation in the rehearsal room. Packed with useful exercises and improvisation scenarios, and examples from a wide variety of plays, Improvisation in Rehearsal reveals how improvisation enriches and enlivens the creation of characters, back-stories, relationships, shared histories and emotional lives. The book also demonstrates how improvisation
can be used as a powerful tool in the foundation of a strong company, and when searching for the hidden depths and dynamics in a scene.
TALKING THEATRE – INTERVIEWS WITH THEATRE PEOPLE By Richard Eyre Published by Nick Hern Books ISBN 9781848420465
Shortly after he left the directorship of the National Theatre, Richard Eyre embarked on a series of interviews with people who had played a significant part in making and influencing the theatre of the second half of the twentieth century. Forty of these interviews – threaded through with Eyre’s own commentary – are published here for the first time. Eyre’s interview subjects are a Who’s Who of theatre including John Gielgud, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Arthur Miller, Stephen Sondheim, Cameron Mackintosh, Christopher Hampton, Harold Pinter and Vanessa Redgrave amongst others. There are some strong opinions here but it’s an engrossing read.
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BOOKS
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GHOSTS OF ROSEVEAR AND THE WRECK OF THE NANCY PACKET By Todd Stevens & Edward Cumming ISBN 9781849270120
In the Isles of Scilly archives there are listed over seven hundred wrecks, the first of which was recorded in 1305. Whilst always a matter of opinion, the authors believe that the story associated with the 5PEE 4UFWFOT &EXBSE $VNNJOH East India Company packet ship Nancy rates in the top ten shipwreck incidents currently published. 28/4/08, 5:29 pm
The loss of Sir Shovell’s fleet in October 1707 was certainly the worst shipwreck incident in the Isles Of Scilly, responsible for the loss of four ships and up to 2000 lives. What has this got to do with theatre, we hear you asking. This great little book caught our eye based solely on the involvement on one Miss Ann Cargill, a notorious London actress who was initially seduced by several men involved in London Theatre. Eloping with a Captain to Bombay, she made a fortune in India, until the Prime Minister William Pitt instructed the East India Company to get her back to Britain as he was outraged that “an actress should be defiling the pure shores of India�. The search continues today for her cash and jewels lost in the wreck. It’s a true story that is well worth a read.
THE GUIDE TO SELECTING PLAYS FOR PERFORMANCE 93RD EDITION Samuel French have done it again. This is one of the most comprehensive guides you will ever need. The guide contains cast and plot details for over 2000 plays, including full length plays, one act plays and revue sketches, plays for children and young people, musical plays and pantomimes.
THE PLAY PRODUCED You will notice that our regular feature The Play Produced is taking a sebatical this month. We are preparing a great new series of articles which we hope you will enjoy. There are some productions though we would like to feature and we’d like to invite interested parties to get in touch. If you have recently staged productions of any of the following we’d love to hear from you. The Producers, The History Boys, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf, The Likes Of Us, State Fair, Zombie Prom, The Railway Children, The Wedding Singer, Art, Boogie Nights, Dealer’s Choice, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Popcorn, Rent, and Footloose. To find out more information contact us at editor@asmagazine.co.uk.
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PROFILE
SCENIC SALVATION UK Productions recently opened up its sets and costume store to amateurs around the UK. AS spoke to Martin Dodd about the new hire business, making productions fit, and what makes productions work. “It’s taken us 15 years to get around to formalising our rental production. Over the years we’ve done the odd one or two” says Martin Dodd from UK Productions. “UK Productions have been in business 15 years now. We were formed to produce pantos and musicals. Our first tour was Barnum in 1995 which toured for 18 months. Since then we’ve done numerous productions, with three to four musicals touring each year.” No mean feat, given the current economic climate. “This year we have Disney’s Beauty & The Beast, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Singing In the Rain and we’ve just gone into production on Oklahoma!
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for 2010.” For most people that would be more than enough, but at UK Productions that is only just the beginning of a massive theatrical operation. “We are also currently contracted to produce 10 pantos per year, which can get a little hairy around Christmas. This year Beauty & The Beast will also stay out at Christmas in Glasgow so we are presenting all over the country.” “As a result of that we have built up an extensive store of costumes, sets and technical kit.” Martin said. UK Productions are now in the hire business. Their massive stores are now open to companies around the country who want
to hire sets and costumes for any of the musicals they have produced. “Being touring sets, they have been designed to tour and relatively quickly get in and out. Beauty & The Beast is not quite so easy, it’s a big set.” So how can UK Productions help your company? Martin is quick with a response “Because we are so used to playing all these different venues, with tight get in and out times, there are very few theatres that are unknown to us. Our production manager can tailor a hire to your time and space requirements. We have various packages available where you can swap elements to fit your venue and make it easier to present. Over the 5 years we’ve
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keep everything in very good condition so that we can revive shows easily. In the meantime it does seem crazy to let them sit there.”
been touring Beauty and other shows they’ve played in non-flying venues, small venues, massive venues, so we have two or three versions of the sets available”, he said. So what prompted the move into rentals? “We have rented out the odd set in the past but we decided it was time to formalise it. Beauty & The Beast has really make us aware of the interest out there. People have now started asking us if we have other shows available and chances are we probably do as we’ve never scrapped a show since the day we started.” “It leads to some fairly hefty storage bills, that’s partly the driving force between our decision to start hiring if I’m honest. We
Surely, hiring out big commercial sets costs a fortune. Martin sets the record straight, “Costwise, hires depend on us trying to tailor a package to your company and budget. For example Beauty & The Beast could go out for £5000 per week for the full set and all the bells and whilstles, we realise though not many companies could accommodate the whole set, so there are packages available for £1000 - £1200 per week. We do the same with the costumes. We have our own wardrobe department and costume designer and huge warehouse in Blackpool which is manned all the time as we are always making for panto and our own shows. There are tens of thousands of costumes. Obviously Beauty has a load of specialist costumes with all the enchanted objects so we have different deals available so you can hire the enchanted costumes or the whole shebang. The same applies for all our other shows.”
smile on their face.” So how much notice do UK Productions need to help groups with staging their productions? “We don’t, to be honest. As long as there is time to get it on a truck and get it out there. We are used to reacting to things so it takes next to no time. Our stores are fully manned, so its not an issue. But obviously as more and more people are interested in shows like Beauty (we’re already taking bookings for the set for 2011), then a bit of notice would be great.” For more information email rentals@ukproductions.co.uk or visit www.ukproductions.co.uk.
Given that so many shows fail, what does Martin attribute his success to? “I tend to go for shows I grew up with and that I like myself. It’s why we mainly do revivals. You need to get a show that is deep in people’s psyche, a show that they really love. That is to a large degree what the amateur market does – shows that they really love. That’s why R & H and shows like 42nd Street are so popular. The audience knows what they are getting, they know the tunes, so if you give them a good production they come out with a
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TECHNICAL
Thousands of quality costumes, props, furniture and armour from past National Theatre productions available to hire. Beautifully crafted and historically accurate, the collection is easily accessible at one convenient location, where our friendly and knowledgeable staff will help you find exactly what you’re looking for – from a single costume to an entire production. Chichester House, Kennington Park Estate, 1 – 3 Brixton Road, London SW9 6DE Costumes 020 7735 4774
Props 020 7820 1358
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PROJECTING YOUR AMBITIONS Andy Vere, business development manager at London Light Production Services, talks to AS Magazine about how a little imagination goes a long way in lighting and projection. We all want our plays and productions to look stunning, but what looked fresh and creative 10 years ago can now, sometimes, look dated. Obviously there are occasions when this style of lighting suits the genre but with the advancement of technology, we now have the choice to move beyond static lighting controlled by a simple lighting desk, and look towards the future. Multimedia in the form of automated lighting can help transform your production by adding dynamics – whether with more flexibility, functionality or movement – and by giving the lighting designer more scope for creativity you can really increase the production values and give audiences something to remember. As automated lighting is now more affordable, many amateur companies are embracing this technology, even if it’s only a gel scroller controlled via the lighting desk. However, nowadays it is projection that is the new tool available to designers to create their stunning looks, but how available and cost effective is this technology to amateur companies? Andy Vere, business development manager at London Light Production Services, explains: “With amateur companies experiencing tight budgets, it’s easy to be demoralised and think that the highest quality looks are reserved only for professional productions. But you can still be creative with projection even when you have little money.”
Andy points towards a regular carousel slide projector as an example. “In the past, we’ve used one of these for projecting titles onto the set for a production of Les Misérables. We created our own slides by printing white text with a black background onto transparencies that we then cut to size and placed in the carousel. You can rent one of these projectors for around £20 or you can often find a friend who has one tucked away somewhere. We also connected a dimmer to the lamp so that the words can be faded in and out rather than snapping on and off as the projector changes slides.” “You aren’t limited to words either,” he continues. “You could use them for projecting any image onto almost any surface – as an example, you could project an image of an outdoor scene onto a cloth behind a window on stage to help set the location. But you must remember that the bigger the surface you’re projecting onto, the dimmer the image will become.” The next step up from a slide projector is a TV screen or computer monitor connected to something like PowerPoint. This can be placed, again, behind a window or even inside a fireplace for example, so you can play footage of a real fire rather than just flickering red and orange lamps. Beyond TVs and monitors is the realm of digital projectors. A basic one can be bought
for about £200 or hired from a lighting rental company from £40 a week. A huge range of projectors are available, in different power outputs and lens angles depending on how big your stage is and what you want to project, so it is very important to do your research. If you get the wrong type of projector you may have issues with it being too dim or not being able to project the image as big as you need it from the distance it is rigged. Hire companies like London Light are always available to offer advice to get you the correct projector for the job and at the right price. You could use a projector, or several, to project moving images of anything from clouds to an entire setting. For example, the Little Britain Live comedy show set was entirely projected and at points “moved” while they pretended to walk. The set for Our House, a musical based on Madness songs, featured projections of London, creating the impression of the car “flying” round town while they sang Driving in my Car. There are a number of things to consider when looking at projection: • Who is going to be responsible for what is to be projected? • Who will control the projector itself? • How will the projector interact with the lighting, sound and set? • Will it assist or distract from the narrative? • How will it fade in and out (remembering
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TECHNICAL that projectors don’t project true black)? • What happens if something goes wrong (such as the computer crashes)? There are several ways to control projections. “With a simple slide projector,” says Andy, “it is usually a wired remote with two buttons for forwards and backwards. More advanced digital projectors can be linked up to a computer running PowerPoint, or you could use a DVD player. However, you then need to consider how to prevent the ‘play’ icon displaying on screen. There is the option to put a vision mixer in the system so you can manually fade from black into the video or image after the ‘play’ icon has disappeared. However, these will set you back about £85 per week unless you can pick up a bargain from an online auction site. Another option, which is used at London Light, is the Green Hippo Hippocritter Media Server. This is simply a high spec computer that is built to cope with high quality graphics and videos and play them back through any device. The media server also gives you the ability to manipulate the media content as in real time. This means you can take the same raw data and give it different effects each time you use it. The different manipulations include brightness, contrast, colour, zoom, rotation, shaping, fading, blurring and will also allow you to add movement effects, including ripples and scrolling and many more! As an added bonus, you can control the media server through you lighting desk for ease and accuracy of cueing.
handle, yet can provide stunning results. Double hanging the Color Web so that one section hangs offset in front of another will increase the resolution for the images we use as seen on ITV’s The Cube. That’s what we’re about to do with Hairspray – there are several scenes so we are projecting different images or just adding colour to assist in the setting and emotion of the moment.” Imagine going one step further, though: for a dancing scene, such as Hairspray’s finalé, You Can’t Stop the Beat, not only are the lights above the dancers flashing, but so is the backdrop, as Andy continues: “We’ve created a disco wall effect with bright, vivid colours flashing across the backdrop; like Saturday Night Fever’s dance floor, but on the wall instead!”
the sun comes up; the next, it’s displaying moving images – the options are endless as demonstrated currently in the West End production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical. Just as production values develop and improve beyond recognition from what we remember only a few years ago, so does the visual quality of lighting. With some creativity and imagination you can go some way to replicating the spectacular effects seen on the professional stage and on TV shows such as X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent. Useful links: London Light: http://www.london-light.com Color Web: http://tinyurl.com/colorweb
The Color Web can also be used in place of a star cloth – so one minute it’s gently twinkling; the next, it’s bright colours as
Another fantastic function of the media server is ‘pixel mapping’. A pixel is defined as one dot of an image and using this function, you can assign each of these dots to a specific lighting fixture. This works particularly well when you are using LED fixtures and you want to project an image through them. All you need to do is input your fixtures onto a grid, in the same layout as they are in the rig, and the media server calculates which part of the image is projected through which LEDs. This function becomes very useful for London Light’s stock of Chroma Q’s Color Web, which is a matrix of coloured LEDs mounted in webbing 25cm from each other. It comes in metre square sections and can easily be clipped together to create large surfaces of varying shapes and is as versatile as a cloth so it can be hung round corners, draped over set or whatever you wish. Therefore being able to ‘map’ this layout into the media server by just clicking and dragging saves lots of time before you even arrive in the theatre or venue. It is often used in TV, film, events and theatre to fill in black holes with low-resolution images. “We’re about to use Color Web for an amateur production of Hairspray,” says Andy. “Because it’s simply fabric with LEDs attached, it is very light-weight and easy to
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WEST END
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State Fair
ALAN CUMMING
Finborough Theatre
Vaudeville Theatre
Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals, such as the recently staged Sound of Music and Carousel, are best known for big production values, but one of their lesser-known shows, State Fair, has been pared down for the small fringe venue of the Finborough, allowing it to really focus on the melodies and the characters.
I was quite unsure what to expect from Alan Cumming’s one man show I Bought A Blue Car Today. Cabaret can be a dodgy medium at best and one man vehicles can often fall flat, but I am pleased to say this was neither.
This is the European premiere of a musical that played Broadway in 1996, based on a 1945 film of the same name – the only time Rodgers & Hammerstein wrote directly for the movies. It is an uncomplicated tale of the Frake family leaving their Iowa farm for the state fair in Des Moines, where the mother and father get caught up in the politics of pig and pickle competitions while the son and daughter have their own romantic adventures. There are strong performances across the 14-strong cast, which includes Kellie Shirley (Carly Wicks from EastEnders), accompanied by musical director Magnus Gilljam on piano. As the older Frakes, Susan Travers and Philip Rham bring some touching comedy, while their children are well played by Siôn Lloyd and Laura Main, whose beautiful sweet voice is best displayed in the Oscar-winning melody of It Might As Well Be Spring. Other songs are less memorable but still enjoyable, such as More Than Just a Friend with the farmers’ amusing and slightly troubling adoration of their “sweet hog”. Many of the melodies were salvaged from the cutting room floor of other Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals, especially Oklahoma!, which State Fair most closely resembles. While the intimacy of this production is one of its strengths, it would be interesting to see this simple escapist gem burnished for a slightly larger venue with more space and more instruments.
Cumming took to the stage performing an eclectic mix of material which ranged Chess to Hedwig And The Andry Inch, with smatterings of original material and popular songs. Each piece had been re-arranged to suit not only Cummings incredible vocals but to put a unique spin on sometimes familiar material. It was certainly a night that had me wanting more. Highlights included a rather full force version of Mein Herr from Cabaret, the aforementioned Hedwig Medley, Taylor, The Latte Boy - presented with a refreshing spin, and What More Can I Say from the musical Falsettos. Much of the musical credit for the evening must go to Musical Director, Lance Horn who arranged most of Cummings’ selection for his embryonic on stage band. Cumming was repeatedly heard to quip about the age of his on stage musicians - many of whom had not been born when he debuted in the West End. All in all this was an amazing evening, very nearly a masterclass in taking well known favourites and giving them fresh vitality. A CD of material from the show has only just been released and personallly I am looking forward to getting my hands on a copy.
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INTERNET
NICK HERN BOOKS www.nickhernbooks.co.uk Any reader of AS Magazine will be familiar with Nick Hern Books and the numerous plays and great theatre books they publish each year. This website represents a significant information source for plays and authors. It also allows you to purchase from their sizeable catalogue online. For real fans there is also a section offering signed editions of selected publications.
DRESS CIRCLE RECORDS www.dresscircle.co.uk Dress Circle continue to offer one of the greatest online catalogues in the world for musical theatre fans. Be it cast albums, sheet music, memorabilia, books or DVDs - it’s all here. For years Dress Circle has supported new artists, encouraged the recording of new and interesting works in many languages and tried to get its shopper participate in special events. It’s a shop we probably couldn’t do without. Bravo!!
THE MUSIC ROOM www.musicroom.com A nifty online store that offers online sales of sheet music and music folios. You can also purchase backing tracks, video tutorials and much more, all aimed at teaching you how to reach and enjoy music. The store offers a great musical theatre section for anyone seeking music at the last minute for auditions or performance. For the music techies amongst you the latest in musical software is available for purchase and there’s even a range of instruments and accessories.
KIRKINTILLOCH PLAYERS - SCOTLAND www.kirkintillochplayers.co.uk The Kirkintilloch Players is a community-based amateur theatre club in Kirkintilloch, a town 9 miles to the north of Glasgow. Established in 1923, they’re even older than we are!! This snappy and very simple website is a great portal for anyone interested in finding out about the company. Everything you could want from society history, picture galleries, information on joining and upcoming shows, is all here. It’s very easy to navigate and beautifully designed.
HENLEY IN ARDEN DRAMA SOCIETY www.hads.org.uk HADS was formed in 1954, and continues to be a lively and thriving Drama Society. They generally perform in the Memorial Hall, Henley-in-Arden, two or three times a year. This simple and effective website is a great way to show societies that getting online isn’t as scary as many may think. It’s simple to navigate, really well put together and informative. Top marks to Henley, too, for keeping everything up to date.
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THE LAST WORD
Wisteria Cottage Garrick Road Campton Royal
Salutations,
I trust you enjoyed what passed for summer? Regrettably, what used to be my favourite season seems to be shorter every year. Indeed, as far as my local supermarket is concerned, August along with September are in danger of vanishing from the calendar altogether. Their displays indicate that children go ‘Back to School’ in July and Halloween paraphernalia is already in evidence. There is never enough time for rehearsals as it is. Talking of rehearsals, Blithe Spirit is back on track. My errant cast returned safely from their travels, and, to my delight, even seem to have taken their scripts with them. Last week Jeff’s Act 2 positively whizzed along. When I commented, he muttered that his Tresco friend had been a great help and since they had spent most of the holiday closeted in a hotel bedroom, it had helped pass the time. At this point, Vera had a coughing fit and ran from the hall. I trust she is not coming down with swine flu. I have not been idle myself and most of the cozzies for the girls are hanging from the picture rail in my spare room. Marjorie proved to be something of a problem being of, shall we say above average dimensions. Fortunately my mother was also of ample proportions and I still have some of her wardrobe in my attic. I made her try it on and was pleased with the result. Marjorie, on the other hand, was not pleased. She said that the smell of camphor would make her sick and the zip would only go half way up. I countered smartly that a squirt of eau de cologne and a woolly cardigan would solve the problems in an instant. Props have been more difficult, that is until I visited Kath, my Elvira, and discovered her house was a positive treasure trove. She was reluctant to part with her sofa, complete with anti-macassar, until I pointed out that during the week of the play she would not have time to use it anyway. As I was leaving, I noted an old-fashioned radiator in the hall which would add authenticity. I may ask Darren to pop over with his tool box while she’s rehearsing. I should also mention that a friend of Nikki’s will be helping with the lights. I was concerned when he mentioned hiring birdies, until he explained they had bulbs and no feathers. But you can never be too careful can you?
Till next time,
Doris Richardson-Hall
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