asmagazine THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR COMMUNITY THEATRE
WWW.ASMAGAZINE.CO.UK APRIL 2009 £2.40
COSTUMES & MAKE-UP News * The Play Produced Playscript Reviews * West End Reviews Apr09_1-11.indd 1
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NEWS
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AS MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2008
09/04/2009 14:07:46
asmagazine apr09 from the EditorIAL TEAM Welcome to the April issue of AS. We were saddened this month to hear of the passing of Derek Benfield. Derek had been a good friend to AS for many years and his talent and kindness will be sorely missed. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this month’s issue. Please ensure that the press officer for your group has our contact details to submit information on your show to us. We hope that you find our costume feature this month of interest. We salute the wardobe staff and costume designers across the country who make our shows look so great.
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Kind regards The Editorial Team
THIS MONTH
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NEWS
News from around the country.
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FIRST NIGHT INSURANCE
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Robert Israel discusses the impact of weather.
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THE PLAY PRODUCED
An Audience with Murder by Colin Wakefield.
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COSTUMES
We talk to industry practitioners and feature some UK suppliers.
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PLAYSCRIPT REVIEWS
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WEST END
We review War Horse, Priscilla and Dancing At Lughnasa.
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DIARY
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HELLO MY LUVVIES
Our new monthly correspondent diarises her current production.
COVER PHOTO: Gumbies from Priscilla Queen Of The Desert by James Morgan
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credits Published monthly by Next Phase Media Limited Suite 404 Albany House, 324/326 Regent Street, London W1B 3HH P: 0870 233 2040 www.asmagazine.co.uk Editor : editor@asmagazine.co.uk Advertising :sales@asmagazine.co.uk Subscriptions/ Diary Listings : Paul Webster 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
AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2009
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NEWS early twenties, a family comedy called The Young In Heart, which was first presented by Reginald Salberg at the Preston Hippodrome. Since then Derek wrote some 25 full length plays including successes like Caught On The Hop, Touch and Go, Bedside Manners, Beyond A Joke, Fish Out Of Water, Anyone For Breakfast, Don’t Lose The Place, Post Horn Gallop, and Wild Goose Chase. Many of Derek’s plays have been translated into other languages and are widely presented in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Holland, Scandinavia and Italy. Away from his work, Derek Benfield’s pleasures included watching cricket and tending his garden at his home in Barnes, south-west London. Derek is survived by his wife, two grown up children and two grandchildren.
A PERSONAL NOTE FROM AMANDA SMITH AT SAMUEL FRENCH
DEREK BENFIELD 1926 - 2009 Derek Benfield was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, the son of a journalist. He was educated at Bingley Grammar School where, in addition to his academic efforts, he soon acquired a taste for the theatre through appearing in school plays and later as an amateur actor at the Bradford Civic Playhouse. He trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, where he won the Gertrude Lawrence Award for his performance in French Without Tears. Derek’s first professional appearance was with Brian Rix’s company in Ilkley and Bridlington. He spent many years playing a wide variety of parts in various repertory theatres including Preston, Hull, Salisbury, Hornchurch, Worthing, Croydon and Richmond.
Derek appeared in the West End in The Young Elizabeth, Trial and Error and The Cigarette Girl amongst many others. He also worked as a director at theatres in Salisbury, Hull and Richmond. Over thirty years, Derek appeared in countless television productions and was well-known for his appearances as Bill Riley in the long running BBC soap The Brothers. More recently Derek was seen in Peak Practice, The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries, The Brittas Empire, Coronation Street, Casualty, Poirot, The Last Of the Summer Wine and Rumpole Of The Bailey. Perhaps his best known recent appearances were opposite Patricia Routledge in Hatty Wainthropp Investigates for the BBC. Derek wrote his first stage play in his
Derek Benfield was a very valued author and has been associated with Samuel French for over thirty years. Currently there are 23 of his full - length plays detailed in the catalogue. Many of them were written many years ago but are still popular with groups for their sheer clean cut humour, whether it’s a vicar in a wheelbarrow or a domineering lady organising people into community games. Derek was always kind, courteous and considerate and would think nothing of travelling many miles to attend an amateur production if invited. The amateur theatre has lost a well-loved playwright and a true gentleman.
THE PLAYS OF DEREK BENFIELD
Anyone For Breakfast (1991), Bedside Manners (1986), Beyond A Joke (1979), A Bird In The Hand (1973), Caught On The Hop (1977), Champagne For Breakfast (1954), Don’t Lose The Place (1992), Down To Brass Tacks (1962), First Things First, Fish Out Of Water (1962), A Fly In The Ointment (1996), Flying Feathers (1987), Funny Business, In At The Deep End, In For The Kill (1981), Look Who’s Talking (1983), Murder For The Asking (1966), Off The Hook, Out Of Thin Air (1960), Over My Dead Body, Panic Stations (1975), The Party, Post Horn Gallop (1964), Running Riot (1957), Second Time Around, Third Party Risk, Toe In The Water (1989), Touch and Go (1982), Two and Two Together (1997), Up and Running (1994), The Way The Wind Blows (1954), Wild Goose Chase (1954), The Young In Heart (1953).
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NEWS
SPOTLIGHT AWARD A SUPRISE Retired deputy head Douglas Currie thought it was a hoax when he received a call to tell him he had won a top theatre award. The Edinburgh Playhouse/Evening News Spotlight Award recognises the efforts of one selfless individual who has worked tirelessly in the field of amateur dramatics in the Capital. And after being presented with the trophy and a cheque for £1000 in recognition of his 60-year contribution to the local amateur drama scene he was left in no doubt that it was real. After the presentation ceremony at Edinburgh Playhouse before Friday’s performance of Joseph And His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the 79-year-old said: “I have been in the audience before but never on the stage of the Edinburgh
Playhouse – it was amazing. “I was delighted when I got the phone call to tell me that I had won. At first I asked if it was a hoax, it was so unexpected. I am very honoured that someone should have nominated me.” Mr Currie, who taught at Pentlands, Forrester and Craigroyston high schools between 1955 and 1988. was chosen by a panel of judges including West End impresario Bill Kenwright, Gordon Blackburn of the National Operatic and Dramatic Association, and Fiona Rogan of the Scottish Community Drama Association. The judges’ decision to recognise Mr Currie was unanimous after they read of his 60 years of dedication to amateur theatre in the city, including helping form Mayfield-Salisbury Players and being SCDA Librarian, advising clubs on scripts. Since 1997 he has held the post of club secretary with Mercators drama group. The award was introduced last year by James Haworth, general manager of the
Playhouse, who said: “I think that the judges chose very well when they opted to give this year’s award to Douglas. “Amateur dramatics is the lifeblood of British professional theatre and we at the Playhouse are very proud to be able to recognise such a stalwart as Douglas.” Mr Kenwright said: “This award is very important because you have to break down the barrier, show people that anyone can be involved in theatre. My dad never went to the theatre because he was frightened, it was like going to church.” Mr Currie, who went to George Watson’s Boys College, recalled: “I joined the school drama club in 1942, then I helped out at university. I joined The Mercators in 1947 when I was 18 and have been a member ever since.” He added: “As an administrator I still get a buzz from being able to ensure that people get a chance to perform and see live theatre
KENT YOUTH THEATRE FESTIVAL
The first Kent County Youth Theatre Festival took place on Sunday 22 March at The Marlowe Academy, Ramsgate with young people from across the county taking part. CBBC presenter Sophie McDonnell with Cre8tive Productions were among the professionals sharing their expertise during the festival joined by Strangeface Mask Company, Complicite Theatre Company and ASK Productions. The young people took part in workshops on masks, musical theatre, film, special effects make up and physical theatre in what will become an annual event, enabling young people to meet and celebrate youth arts in Kent. The event has been organised by Kent County Council’s Arts Development Unit after consultation with countywide youth theatre leaders and young people. The festival will develop the skills and experiences of the young participants and offer professional development for leaders. This event will help the development of a strong youth theatre network in Kent which will enable individuals and groups to share best practice and resources as well as help shape the future of the festival. Groups taking part included Sevenoaks Youth Theatre and Edenbridge Youth Theatre, Dover Youth Theatre, Theatre Royal Youth Theatre, Square Pegs Drama Group, Hillview Specialist Performing Arts School, Artwise Youth Centre, Ramsgate, Trinity Youth Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, Walk Tall Youth Theatre, Northfleet and Chilham Theatre Arts KCC Cabinet Member for Communities Mike Hill said: “It is very exciting that Kent has had its first festival for youth arts in the county. There are many successful groups providing young people with an insight into the industry as well as helping them develop
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Photo: www.benedictjohnson.com as confident individuals and I am delighted that they will continue to have these opportunities to make new friends and share their ideas and experiences of the arts.”
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NEWS
Celebulite 45 mins 1M 3F We live in a celebrity-obsessed society. So when C-list celebs Victoria and Russell realise that, overnight, they have aged 20 years and put on 5 stone in weight respectively they are devastated. Is something sinister happening, or is this reality TV gone mad? “Thought-provoking and very funny.� Swansea Evening Post
TWO GREAT ONE ACT COMEDIES BY DEREK WEBB Man's View 45 mins 1M 3F After a reunion in a wine bar Carol, Ann and Judy are the worse for drink. So, when Carol suggests a sort of truth game, secrets they have kept hidden for years emerge with disastrous consequences.
Both plays are available, with free evaluation copies, from New Theatre Publications
www.plays4theatre.com
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AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2009
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NEWS
www.asmagazine.co.uk
Taunton Thespians triumph at County Drama Festival Taunton Thespians make a habit of presenting high-class entertainment. At the County Drama Festival held on 28, 29 March, they won the County Shield with their production of “Two Gentlemen of Soho” by A. P. Herbert. Adjudicator Barbara Smith, LGSM, LLAM, ADB, praised the high level of achievement throughout the Festival and specifically admired the steady enhancement of standards in the youth entries. Of the winning production, Barbara said that A. P. Herbert’s farce made very high demands on the performing group to maintain pace and tension and the stylised manners body-language of the 1920ies and that all these challenges had been thoroughly mastered. They will represent Somerset at the Quarter Finals of the All England Theatre Festival to be held at the Blakehay Theatre, WestonSuper-Mare on Saturday 18 April. The Thespians also had two other matters to celebrate. Cast members Jane Edwards was awarded Best Actress for her portrayal of ‘Sneak’, a shady detective and Matt Botten collected the Edward Grey Memorial Trophy for the best performer under the age of 30 for his
1. Arthur Cummins of Westonzoyland receives the cup as winning playwright of the SFD, Original One Act Playwriting Competition 2009. 2. Liz Brown of Combwitch receiving the Eyris Jones Memorial Trophy for the winning production by a youth group, St Gregory Youth Theatre. 3. Matt Botten of Taunton Thespians receiving the Edward Gray Memorial Trophy for the best performer under the age of 30. 4. Jane Edwards of Taunton Thespians receives the certificate recording the award of Best Actress in the Festival. 5. Mike Gilbert of Wellington collects the County Shield as director of the winning production.
‘Withers’, an OTT ‘Hooray Henry’. St Gregory Youth Theatre are rarely out of the awards list and, for some years, have consistently won the Youth Entry Section of the Festival. This year was no exception: they won The Eyris Jones Memorial Trophy with their production of “Thin Skin” by Mike Kenny, a harrowing tale of school bullying that ends in tragedy. This hard-working group had three entries in all and also bagged the Cely Trevellian Cup for the best production of an original play, “Assassinating Aida” written by playwright Arthur Cummins
who lives at Westonzoyland. Arthur’s play was the winning entry in the 2009 Original Playwriting Competition run by the Somerset Fellowship of Drama for playwrights throughout the South West. Minehead Youth Theatre were successful in two instances. They won the Lydia Durston Trophy ‘for greatest endeavour’ for their “DNA” by Dennis Kelly and young Josh Witchard scooped the Best Actor certificate for his performance as ‘Phil’ in the same play. St Gregory Players added the Hope Cup for best allround presentation for their production of “Easy Stages” by N. J. Warburton.
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NEWS
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NEWS
KYT SHOWCASE KYT’s Spring Term Showcase took place last weekend to an audience of proud parents, supportive friends and even the new KYT patron, Kent actor Jazz Dhiman. The group of 20 strong 3-7 year old Stagebugs sprang into action with their performance of “Sound of Music from the Childrens’ perspective”. The girls in their favourite frocks and boys in shorts and braces formed a Captain Von Trapp-style line. One-by-one the Bugs stepped forward to explain they lived with their widowed father who hired governesses to look after them and who they tormented as Elly Simpson very proudly stated, by putting “FROGS in their BEDS!” The Stagebugs remained focused as they performed DoReMi in two singing parts – no mean feat for some as young as 3! They powered out the lyrics to “Favourite Things” and then danced to “The Lonely Goatherd,” some as puppet masters and some as puppets, some were goats and some were
villagers while George was the Prince yodelling on a raised platform at the back. To close, “Edelweiss” had the audience and teachers united in tears of pride for the little ones. Sidonie : “come on Mum’s and Dad’s... JOIN IN!” and the parents did. Stagebugs performances are always work in progress and never without forgotten lines, occasional distracted bugs exploring the stage and waving to family members in the audience but what is clear is their love of what they do and the confidence and sense of achievement it gives them. That is the value of drama. Tfino had the final word as he stretched to reach the microphone above his head “We love you Mum’s and Dad’s”. The older KYTers spent the spring term practicing devised theatre. They were given a theme from which they were to produce something. Group K, aged 8-11 based their piece on a mixture of Roald Dahl tales. Elly Hunter played an accomplished, articulate
SMALL MUSICALS SET FOR WEST END SEASONS
receives its long overdue West End première at the Duchess, running from Wednesday 13 to Sunday 17 May, also starring Julie Atherton, who is joined by Olivier Award winner Paul Keating (Tommy, Closer to Heaven, The Full Monty and Little Shop of Horrors) and TV actor Leon Lopez (RENT, Brookside, Hollyoaks). The Last 5 Years is an emotionally wrought and moving song cycle, in which creative tensions combine with complexities of the heart. Newly published novelist Jamie and aspiring actress Cathy tell the tale of their raw and impassioned relationship in opposite directions and from differing standpoints. tick, tick...BOOM! is an autobiographical look into Jonathan Larson’s struggle to be heard and accepted as the musical voice of a new generation. Following his tragically short life, Larson earned four posthumous Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for RENT. Duchess Theatre, London. The Last 5 Years Wed 6 - Sun 10 May. tick... tick... BOOM! Wed 13 - Sun 17 May. Wed Fri 20.00, Sat - Sun 16.00 & 20.00 Box Office: 0844 811 0052 (24 hrs) www.notesfromnewyork.com
Jason Robert Brown’s The Last 5 Years and Jonathan Larson’s tick... tick... BOOM! will be staged side by side in Notes from New York at the Duchess Theatre, a unique season of groundbreaking contemporary musical theatre, fully staged for a strictly limited engagement this May. As an initiative to make musical theatre more accessible, tickets are priced from £10 - £30 and a season ticket for both productions is available at £50. The Notes from New York production of Jason Robert Brown’s The Last 5 Years is reconceived for the Duchess following its acclaimed gala staging at the Theatre Royal Haymarket last year. West End stars Julie Atherton (Avenue Q, Mamma Mia!) and Paul Spicer (Taboo, The Witches of Eastwick) reprise their performances as Cathy and Jamie in this celebrated two-hander from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 May. Jonathan Larson’s tick... tick... BOOM!
and appropriately dominating Miss Trunchbull with talent and presence on stage which has developed significantly in the 3 whole years spent at KYT. Group Y performed their modern and humorous adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk, “Wayne and the Magic Stepladder”. George Benson gave structure to the performance by playing narrator and while not involved in the immediate action the group assembled stage right providing sound effects and quick comments in unison. Chavs replaced the giant and the performers captured the “chav” culture in a polished, entertaining and intelligent manner. The piece that Group Y constructed was funny and accomplished, worthy even of being written into script form and produced by other youth groups. Youth culture perceived by youth themselves is interesting and was continued by Group T in their dramatic piece on gang crime incorporating topical issues such as drugs, knives, guns and alcoholism. These are all very real issues for our youth and the groups portrayal was both sensitive and insightful. All dressed in black the group played out stories of a number of different families who eventually became linked by the death of a teenager at the hands of another. A highlycharged and passionate Beth Richford played her part in a breathtaking and moving manner but the entire cast should be proud of the work they devised themselves. The KYT students pay true testament to the talent that exists among us in Kent; but even more so the fact that there are wonderful, insightful, intelligent and confident individuals who project a very different message from the stereotypical view of today’s youth. The effect of KYT and drama on these children is undeniable. Richard Andrews really has created something wonderful. Regina Dowdeswell
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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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For over 80 years Brown, Son & Ferguson, Ltd. have been leading publishers of one act and full length plays for both amateur and professional groups. Details of plays currently available can be found on our website www.scottishplays.co.uk or by writing for our free catalogue to:
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09/04/2009 14:12:10
FIRST NIGHT INSURANCE
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HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES Over the years there has been a substantial amount of legislation relating to safety whilst in the workplace. You will, I am sure, be aware that certain types of injury occurring in the workplace have to be notified to the Health and Safety Executive. It is, of course, absolutely correct that everything is done to minimise accidents at work and there has, of course, been a substantial amount of legislation to reinforce this particular point, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 being the cornerstone of the legislation. Most Liability Sections of an Insurance Policy will provide an extension to cover the legal fees and expenses incurred in the defence of any criminal proceedings brought against you for breach of the relevant Act, as long as the breach was committed, or alleged to have been committed, during the Insurance period. The proceedings do have to be brought within the United Kingdom and this extension would not apply where proceedings relate to any deliberate or intentional act or omission. It is, of course, in Insurers’ interest to try and defend you because they hope that this will reduce any payment that may be made to the injured party. But what you may not be aware of is that the Insurance Policy would not cover any fines or penalties imposed upon you. These would have to be met from your own funds. Obviously, if you receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution you must inform your Insurers immediately because they will almost certainly want their own lawyers to act on your behalf. This has, in the past, caused a few problems because some of our clients like to use their own legal representatives. The important factor here is that Insurers use a panel of lawyers who are experienced in this type of work and it may well be that your own lawyers do not have the appropriate experience. If you do want to use your own law firm then you would have to negotiate with your Insurers immediately a decision is made to instruct lawyers. Working in the City of London, the only real topic of conversation over the last week has been the G20 meeting. This article is being penned a few days after the Conference but there has been a great deal of discussion prior to the event with regard to the Insurance position. Most Commercial Insurance Policies will cover damage done to a building or its contents caused by riot. The word riot does, in fact, have a legal definition, this being “12 or more people using threatening or unlawful violence for a common purpose, under the Public Order Act 1996”. So, if the damage caused by the incident cannot be classed as a riot then it is almost certain that Insurers will deal with a claim under the Malicious Damage Section of a Commercial Combined Policy. The interesting point
here is that if a riot is declared, by the appropriate Chief Constable of the Police Force concerned, then Insurers do have the option of trying to recover their costs through the Riot Damages Act 1888 from the relevant Police Force. You can therefore see that Insurers hope that a riot is declared, whereas Police Forces up and down the country would hope for the opposite. Consequential Loss or Business Interruption Insurance will cover specific additional operating costs such as hiring additional premises whilst the main premises are being repaired. It must, however, be borne in mind that there has to be physical damage to the insured property before a Business Interruption Policy would respond. There is, however, one exception to this rule and that relates to an extension that is available under a Loss of Profits Policy being “Denial of Access”. If you firm or society is restricted from accessing your premises due to a Police cordon then you may be able to make a claim under the Denial of Access extension, in other words you can see that in these particular circumstances damage to the venue is not a requirement. However, Denial of Access is usually subject to either an excess or a franchise and for this very specific type of Insurance the excess or franchise will be shown in time, not money. In other words the interruption to the business will have to be for more than a certain number of hours. Such an incident may, of course, not only affect commercial premises it can also affect individual types of Insurance such as Household Buildings, Contents or even Private Car Insurance. I would expect Household Buildings and Contents Policies to respond to such damage under the Malicious Damage Section of a Household Policy. As far as Motor Insurance is concerned, I do not think there is any problem as long as the motor vehicle concerned is covered on a Comprehensive basis. If, however, the car is covered for Third Party, Fire and Theft risks then, in my opinion, only fire damage would be covered. As far as First Night Policies are concerned, it should be borne in mind that the Material Damage Section of your Policy is covered under an All Risks wording, so both malicious damage and riot would be covered. Terrorism is, however, excluded unless the appropriate additional premium has been paid. Robert Israel ASCII
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THE MUSICAL PRODUCED
Elizabeth Delahunty talks about her recent production of Audience With Murder by Colin Wakefield with Redbridge Stage Company.
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THE PLAY PRODUCED
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“It’s got murder in the title. Let’s have a look,” we said, some eighteen months ago during a planning meeting. Redbridge Stage Company, with whom I work, is an old-established group which now stages 3, or occasionally 4, plays each year. We fight rising costs and falling audiences, as do most amateurs these days. Rehearsals take place at a local school and we perform at the Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford, Essex. This is a purpose-built theatre which opened in 1975. It seats about 360 in a conventional raked auditorium and enjoys all the facilities of a “real” theatre. Companies provide actors, crew and board operators while the theatre handles box office, publicity, front of house and technical support, which includes lighting design if required. Our (increasingly aging) audiences enjoy a thriller and we try to provide one, if not every year, then on a regular basis. “Audience With Murder” by Roger Leach and Colin Wakefield, looked a good proposition: small cast (2m 2f), present day and one set – always useful. THE PLOT The play appealed immediately though I
have to admit I was very lost after the first reading. The plot is enormously complex, consisting of a play-reading within a play within a play… if you get my drift. People get murdered but then they aren’t…pretend to die and then really do. The script publicity calls it,” A Russian doll of a play,” and it isn’t wrong. Ultimately everything is revealed as a play but you really do need to read the script to get the full ingenuity of the plot. The characters have surprising depth and present interesting challenges to the actors. Characters have to change by voice and personality rather than by costume. The whole concept was very unusual and looked as if it would play well, so it duly went on the calendar for February 09. CASTING Preparations began towards the end of last year. I was extremely fortunate that the first actors I approached said yes and we assembled for a read-through just before Christmas. It all looked promising then, over the holiday, came the nightmare phone call, “I’m sorry Liz but I can’t…” and one of the actors had to drop out. But luck was still with me and I was able to re-cast with one phone call and all
was well. REHEARSALS Rehearsals started at the beginning of January on a twice weekly basis, which gave us roughly 7 weeks till the show. A small cast is either a dream (if everybody is there) or a nightmare (one absentee and you might as well cancel) but our luck held. Blocking proved interesting: I gave up on the characters’ names because everybody played between 3 and 5 roles so I simply used my actors’ names and trusted that, between us, we knew who everybody was at a particular moment. This was where directing an experienced cast who had all previously worked together was both a blessing and a delight. We could discuss, play about with ideas and cheerfully disagree with each other. “Let’s give it a go,” became our watchword. THE SET The set proved interesting. Our audiences tend to expect a thriller to be played in a conventional box set with as much dressing as possible but this play didn’t conform. It may appear to be
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THE PLAY PRODUCED set in a living room but eventually the audience realise they are watching a play on a stage so the text’s production note recommends that the set should be “as simple and uncluttered as possible.” To that end I decided on a back wall of flats containing 2 doorways with backing behind and the minimum of furniture and dressing. In fact our set designer didn’t even submit a bill as he said he didn’t have to buy anything and, since one of the appeals of the play was the prospect of an inexpensive set, this was a real bonus. The set, after the hire of the theatre, is always our biggest expense. Mind you, that is not to say I didn’t panic when I arrived at the theatre and saw exactly how bare my minimalism was in reality! It did, however, mean that the integral plot action involving off-stage lights could be played to great effect. There were a number of technical problems to be solved: 2 shots require firing close together on stage. The gun belonging to the theatre is notoriously unreliable. The last time we used it, I believe it failed 5 times out of 7, so I was understandably concerned. Nothing damages a production as much as a technical failure especially at a moment of high tension. Consequently, I investigated hiring a weapon but, cost apart, there were delivery problems – it couldn’t be sent to
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the theatre but had to go to a business address and that isn’t something that is always possible to arrange. New legislation has caused difficulties in a number of areas. Eventually I decided to use the theatre’s gun unloaded and trust to the quick responses of the technical operator. It worked every time, enhanced by the victim’s ability to throw herself headlong to the ground. The audience found it impressive. (So did I!) Then there was the knife. It had to be pocket-sized and used to slash twice across a face, leaving blood. While it was possible to find a knife which would deliver blood, its over-large size ruled it out. Consequently one of the cast made a small wooden knife with a hollow handle to contain a pipette of blood which, when pressure was applied through an opening in the handle, delivered a creditable smear of gore to the face. Trial and error proved that the really liquid blood worked best. The play also requires mobile phones – which go off – at the right time. Oddly enough, we found that programming real phones was the easiest thing to do. If I hadn’t seen it done, I would never have believed it. As if this wasn’t enough, “Audience With Murder” provides body problems. Two characters are dead on stage at the end
of Act 1 – and they remain there throughout the rest of the play. Positioning problems are obvious here: one person may die behind a piece of furniture but two looks ridiculous. I solved the difficulty by using throws on an armchair and settee (neatly hiding our shabby furniture) and having the first victim expire on the armchair, where he could be wrapped in one throw and having the other die downstage and be covered by a throw from the settee. There were good audience reactions to be gained in Act 2 by one actor sitting on the arm of the chair containing “his” body, while another stepped over “his”. My original idea of using shop mannequins for the bodies proved unworkable – too hard and un-yielding - so pillows, towels, wig stands and clothes came in to service and were extremely successful. On stage, the actors would carefully remove their shoes in the interval and the dummies would be manoeuvred into them and set up. SOUND EFFECTS We try to do sound effects live where possible: doors slams are much tighter when done by the actor so we kept to that. This play also requires an actor to speak on an off-stage microphone which was rigged to come through one speaker
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09/04/2009 12:04:56
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THE PLAY PRODUCED
only and was delightfully creepy I also took liberties with aspects of the script. The “Hippodrome” theatre became the Kenneth More theatre, the stage door keeper was given the name of our real doorman while the theatre manager, who speaks from the auditorium on the last page, was played by the real theatre manager. The local audiences seemed to appreciate these touches! It was also necessary to tone down some of the language: the “f” word doesn’t go down well in Ilford but, I think, milder alternatives delivered with venom were equally successful. CONCLUSION Our audiences may be regarded as connoisseurs of the genre and this play did not disappoint them. Without exception, they were attentive and focussed – even, at times, thinking they were ahead of the plot. (Not possible!) They saw something different, enjoyed it and, with a running time of 45 minutes each act, did not face too late an evening. “Audience With Murder” is challenging for actors and director alike. Its plotting is fiendishly clever and its success in performance makes all the effort worthwhile. As our local paper commented, “An evening of taut and suspenseful entertainment.”
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SCREEN TO STAGE Lizzie Gardiner and Tim Chappel talk about their award winning costume designs for Priscilla - Queen Of The Desert. This month sees the opening of the Australian musical Priscilla Queen Of the Desert in London’s West End. This larger than life musical is based on the film of the same name and its costumes were designed by Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel who worked on the original film.
Australiana, ‘cause thongs are like Australia’s national shoe, you know like the clog is to Holland,” Chappel said.
The design of the costumes, according to Gardiner and Chappel, was rooted in a combination of the budget constraints of the film, a tribute to Australiana, and the “’70s disco trash” with which they grew up.
“What happened was, we were at a barbecue at Lizzy’s father’s, Lizzy’s parents’ place and Lizzy’s father fell asleep on the banana lounge outside,” Chappel explained. “Do you call ‘em banana lounges here?”
“When you’ve got a lot of money, you just tend to buy nice-looking materials and make it look beautiful,” explained Chappel. “But, if you don’t have any money, you have to think about cheap materials that are effective. I love those costumes we made out of things like room deodorizers, like floral room deodorizers or chicken/rodent wire or duct tape.”
“The outdoor seating,” said Gardiner, clarifying Chappel’s reference to outdoor furniture.
Something closer to home was the thought behind the thong dress worn by Hugo Weaving in the movie. “The thong dress was our tribute to
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“It was based on our fathers,” said Gardiner as the two related the story of the dress’ creation.
“All of Lizzy’s cousins had left their thongs on the couch. And he was a bit drunk, and he fell asleep in the hot sun. He woke up and they were all stuck to him. And we were like ‘Oh my God, what a great idea for a costume,’” Chappel said. “Obscure Australiana” and “’70s memorabilia,” were the inspirations for the rest of the designs. However, the costumes were not developed without
research. “We’re method designers,” said Gardiner. “So, we spent a lot of time around drag queens and going to drag shows or clubs, and that kind of thing.” Part of the costumes’ success has come from the freedom the designers were allowed when working on “Priscilla.” “If you do a $40 million film in Hollywood, every step you take is completely controlled by studios, by market reports, by demographics,” Gardiner said. “We didn’t take any of that into account when we made Priscilla. We made what we wanted to do. So, you know, it made us very free basically.” Gardiner and Chappel’s creative expression has won them fans all over the world - from gay audiences who they knew would enjoy it, to drag queens and “grannies out in the Midwest.” Translation for UK. A thong is an Aussie term for a flip flop.
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09/04/2009 12:07:27
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COSTUMES
THE RSC Alistair McArthur speaks to AS about the workings of the Royal Shakespeare Company costume department. AS: What exactly does your job entail? Alistair: I am head of the costume department which covers the costume workshops, within which we have a mens workroom, a ladies workroom, hats and jewellery, an armoury and a die shop. We also have running wardrobe who maintain the costumes during performances, the wig department and costume hire. AS: How many shows a year does the RSC stage? Alistair: This year we are staging 11 shows. We open shows in Stratford, some go to London, some to Newcastle. It’s always quite busy with a lot going on. AS: When you are preparing a show how much is derived from stock and how much is made from scratch? Alistair: I would say on average show we aim to use about 25% of the costumes from stock. The remainder depending on the show are made. If its a modern show its a mixture of makes and buys. It’s sometimes nice just to use something from stock if we have it to
hand. For instance if we have to break something down or have to age some leather. We are always looking and asking what is the right place that this costume is going to come from? AS: Do you ever take in work from other companies? Alistair: We sometimes do a bit of work for other companies when our workshops are quiet but the RSC does keep us incredibly busy. AS: So do you have any favourite pieces in your stock? Alistair: We have some really interesting stuff. We did a production of Much Ado About Nothing a few years ago which was set in 1950’s Cuba which was really good fun and had some great vintage stuff alongside some new creations. We also did a great King Lear for Ian McKellen and a Seagull which was a lovely looking show. Last year we did Loves Labour Lost in a full-on Elizabethan Period dress. It’s
not in hire yet because its due to be remounted. AS: How important is costuming? Alistair: What matters is that the show has to look great, but the costumes are only supporting the show, they aren’t the most important thing. If people walk out singing the costumes it’s gone wrong somewhere. AS: What’s the best way for people to get in touch with you to talk about their needs? Alistair: Anyone who wants to come see us should just call us or email. We have a great team down here who are really enthusiastic about helping companies who want to come in. They’ll be happy to give as much help or guidance as is needed. We have about 80,000 items in stock so there is certainly something for everyone. Whether it be armour, footwear, you name it we most likely have it. We have a huge fantasy rail of indescribable costumes that just have to be seen. RSC Costume Hire P: 01789 205920 www.rsc.org.uk
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COSTUMES
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FEATURED SUPPLIERS With so many companies staging more and more ambitious productions, AS profiles some of our favourite costumiers from around the UK.
MARIGOLD COSTUMES
Four years ago established film and tv designer Dawn Thomas-Mondo acquired Marigold Costumes (which has been in existence since the 1960’s) and merged stock from her own company to offer an enhanced and exciting range of costumes. She has further expanded the company with the acquisition of a huge variety of vintage textiles and haberdashery from the BBC costume making department, which is now available to purchase. Marigold Costumes Ltd is now the premier costume hire company in Wales and has over 85,000 quality costumes and accessories. “We are always ugrading and adding to our stock” says production manager Sue Williams, “and the BBC aquistion has added an exciting new dimension to this. We are amazed at how many people come in and say they didn’t know we did so much
and how great the costumes are. That is why I am always happy to have people come in to discuss their requirements. They get here and see our stock and get really excited. We have a very experienced staff including makers and a wig dresser and we really try to make the whole process as painless as possible. Our location is perfect, we are just minutes from the station and close to the M4 which makes us easy to get to and very convenient for courier services. We offer a fully professional service at reasonable prices whether period drama productions, musicals or pantos. We also offer ‘make-to-hire’ facilities for special requirements and can adapt costume sets to give a new ‘twist’ to an existing show. Marigold Costumes has it all.”
COSTUMIA
At Costumia, we offer a huge range of theatrical and vintage costumes for all sorts of
The 1930’s Look from Costumia
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events and performances, all from Birmingham Rep Theatre’s own costume collection. Costumia is run by professional theatrical costumiers, and we provide not only fabulous, beautiful costumes, but also a wealth of knowledge and experience in the history of fashion and costuming for the theatre. We have a large collection of original and authentic vintage clothing, spanning the entire 20th Century. Whether you need costumes for performance, presentation or photography, we can offer competitive rates of hire. We have beautiful designer pieces as well as seminal era defining fashion! We have male and female garments, as well as shoes and accessories. We have thousands of professionally designed and made theatrical costumes, all of which have been used in past productions at Birmingham Rep. We stock almost every period and style you can think of, and can put together a complete, historically accurate
set of costumes for many well known productions. We stock men’s, women’s and children’s wear in a wide range of sizes, as well as a selection of accessories, including shoes, hats, scarves and ties. As all our outfits are carefully made for the stage, they are both spectacular and sturdy, pretty yet practical, and are suited to any length of show. We aim to provide a professional yet affordable service, offering special rates for schools, colleges, youth theatres and charitable organisations. You can contact us on 0121 551 2710 or www. costumia.co.uk to book an appointment or talk to us about our costumes!
BRYAN PHILIP DAVIES
Bryan Philip Davies costumes is a long established costume production company based in the pleasant East Sussex market town of Lewes. Opera fans will know Lewes as the stopping off point for nearby Glyndebourne. This is more than a coincidence as Bryan Davies himself worked in the Wardrobe Department at the Opera House for eight years before devoting himself fully to his production company. His experience there informs his highly professional approach to his work and he uses a team of experienced freelancers to achieve topquality products within tight schedules. Over the years Bryan has supplied costumes to a wide range of professional and amateur companies throughout the UK and abroad. Much of his work is repeat bookings but he enjoys the challenge of creating new costumes as well as supplying the old favourites. Recent productions have included Cinderella, The Threepenny Opera, The King and I and Thoroughly Modern Millie. He has also worked with a number of schools and has built up an extensive collection of children’s costumes.
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COSTUMES
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Another specialist area is oriental costumes although Bryan says that, recently, everyone has wanted to do Cinderella rather than Aladdin ! Bryan can be contacted via his website at www.bpdcostumes.co.uk or on 01273 481004
LARGER THAN
LIFE STAGEWEAR
Larger Than Life Stagewear, managed by Andrea Gambell, has a rich selection of theatrical costumes available for hire. The shop is located in Plaistow Lane, at the north end of Bromley, Kent, close to Sundridge Park BR Station and has been in operation for two years.
For the connisseur there are many professionally made costumes which evoke the past from the early 18th century through to the 1920s. There is a large selection of late Victorian and Edwardian clothes for men, women and children and care is taken to ensure that the costumes fit comfortably for the desired
Meet Me IN St Louis - BPD Costumes
occasion – alterations will be undertaken if time permits. There are many accessories which can be hired singly, or with outfits and in some cases e.g. Edwardian, a dress can be complemented by a parasol, large hat, gloves, bag and lace-up boots. There is also a wide selection of masks available to buy. As well as supplying costumes locally, Andrea has successfully put together many costumes for groups and individuals further afield, based only on measurements supplied, without the luxury of actually seeing the people involved! Delivery can be arranged via a reputable carrier generally by a next day service. Andrea has had wide experience in drama generally, and in the costume field in particular. Her client list includes several schools, independent film companies and her loyal regular customers. She was delighted to supply Edwardian costumes to BBC South East recently for a documentary for “Inside Out”.
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DRESS CIRCLE COSTUMIERS Dress Circle Costumiers is a well established Essex based theatrical costume supplier offering superior standard, cost effective costume services for dramatic and musical productions. It has cultivated relationships with national and international customers, both professional and amateur, and has provided costumes included in period television drama productions. The Team Artistic Design, Costume Production and Customer Contact – The creative edge of Dress Circle Costumiers is shared by the sister partnership of Jan Elliot and Rachel Hutchinson. Jan and Rachel have a wealth of experience both on stage and behind the scenes in professional and amateur theatre. They are our customers’ principle point of telephone contact in the hectic workshop and are happy to discuss your specific needs and provide guidance on your production requirements. Business Administration and Finance – Tom Elliot is found in the darker recesses of the Dress Circle Costumiers office and is responsible for business development, marketing and financial relationships with customers and professional partners. Professional Memberships Dress Circle Costumiers is proud to be a corporate member of NODA and is an active member of the Theatrical Traders Association. Further Information is available on the website – www.dresscirclecostumiers. com and customers are invited to ring the workshop 01376 515500 to discuss future productions or book a viewing appointment. Dress Circle Costumiers, Brook House, Maldon Road, Witham, Essex, CM8 3HY Tel – 01376 515500 Email – info@ dresscirclecostumiers.com
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COSTUMES
AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2009
09/04/2009 12:11:39
COSTUMES
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COSTUME REFERENCE GUIDE
Carousel Costumes The Old Bakery 120 Shrubland Street Royal Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV31 2AR 01926 881356 www.carouselcostumes.com
ST6 Costumes The Burslem School of Art, Queen Street, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 3EJ 01782 811148 www.st6costumes.com
Wig Specialities 173 Seymour Place London W1H 4PW 020 7262 6565 www.wigspecialities.com
Dress Circle Costumiers Brook House, Maldon Road, Witham, Essex, CM8 3HY 01376 515500 www.dresscirclecostumiers.com Script to Screen Costume Unit J7 Colchester Ind. Estate Colchester Avenue Cardiff, CF23 9AP 029 2045 4222 www.scripttoscreen.co.uk Northern Costume Hire Long Mill, Long Ing Lane, Barnoldswick, BB18 6BJ 01282 817351 www.northerncostumehire.co.uk Flame Torbay Costume Hire 31/35 Market Street, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 3AW, England 01803 211930 www.flametorbay.co.uk Bryan Philip Davies Costumes 68 Court Road, Lewes, , East Sussex. BN7 2SA 01273 481004 www.bpdcostumes.co.uk Marigold Costumes Ltd. Priority Business Centre Curran Road Cardiff, CF10 5ND 029 2064 4664 www.marigoldcostumes.co.uk Bristol Costume Services Filwood House Filwood Road Bristol BS16 3RY 0117 965 9555 www.bristolcostumeservices.com 1st Night 35 Vicarage Road Stony Stratford MILTON KEYNES Buckinghamshire MK11 1BN 01908 262250 www.1stnight.co.uk
Angels Fancy Dress Shop 119 Shaftesbury Avenue London WC2H 8AE 0207 836 5678 www.fancydress.com Costumia, Unit 9, Hockley Industrial Estate, Pitsford St, Hockley, Birmingham B18 6PT 0121 551 2710 www.costumia.co.uk Derek Easton Wigs 1 Dorothy Avenue Peacehaven East Sussex BN10 8LP 01273 588262 www.derekeastonwigs.co.uk Larger Than Life Stagewear 2 Sundridge Parade, Bromley, Kent, BR1 4DT 020 8466 9010 www.largerthanlifestagewear. co.uk The Haslemere Wardrobe 18-19 St Christophers Road Haslemere, GU27 1DQ 0845 094 2071 www.haslemerewardrobe.co.uk Khaki Devil ++ 44 (0) 1473 712 723 www.khakidevil.co.uk Costume North 20 Lord Street Cheetham Manchester M4-4FP 0161 211 9977 www.costumenorth.com RSC Costume Hire The Cortyard Theatre Southern Lane Stratford Upon Avon Warwickshire CV37 6BB 01789 205920 www.rsc.org.uk
Marlowe Costume Hire Roper Close, St.Dunstans Canterbury, Kent CT2 7EP 01227 455133 www.marlowecostumes.co.uk
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no drama just great costumes!
COSTUMES
Costume Hire Company for Schools, Colleges& Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Groups Marigold Costumes Ltd is the premier costume
hire company in Wales and has over 85,000 quality costumes and accessories.
From historical through to contemporary we can provide you with a single costume or a whole show set. What Marigold Costumes can offer you... • Costume plots and prices • Measurement charts supplied • Labelled costumes for ease of distribution • 11 day hire period • Wigs and accessories available to buy • ‘Make-to-hire’ facilities • Workshops for teachers or students • Work experience available • Costume reference library • Vintage haberdashery for purchase vintagemarigold – find us on ebay. WINNER Education Business Partnership Award for Work Experience in the Creative Sector
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Present this coupon with your first booking to receive your
10% Discount Coupon valid for 6 months March 2009
Issue Date:
We are situated in the heart of Cardiff, just minutes from the Central railway station and 6 miles from the M4. Only 40 minutes from Bristol. Priority Business Centre, Curran Road, Cardiff CF10 5ND
Tel: 029 2064 4664 or 029 2066 6611 Email: info@marigoldcostumes.co.uk
www.marigoldcostumes.co.uk
AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2009
09/04/2009 12:13:08
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SUMMER SCHOOL
ESSENTIAL REFERENCE GUIDES PERIOD HAIRSTYLES FOR STUDIO, STAGE AND SCREEN
Kit Spencer Published by Metheun Drama ISBN: 9781408109885 £19.99
PERIOD MAKEUP FOR STUDIO, STAGE AND SCREEN Kit Spencer Published by Metheun Drama ISBN 9781408110430 £19.99 These are two fantastic reference books for anyone with an interest in make-up for the stage or screen. Kit Walker, an experienced make-up artist and hair stylist with a background in producing make-up for television and film has compiled these two step by step guides. In PERIOD MAKE-UP we are guided through numerous styles of make up ranging from looks equated with ancient civilisations through period drama to a range of Twentieth Century Styles. Whether you want to look like a Celtic warrior, a character from Imperial Russia or a Bollywood Princess, this guide contains all the style information you will need to effect a transformation. In PERIOD HAIRSTYLES the same period styles are shown through the styling of hair to complement the make-up for the previous edition. Each style guide explains the equipment and product you need to effect each look and step-by-step guides that are exceptionally easy to follow. Classic shots of Hollywood and stage actors are used to illustrate the finished look Presented in spiral bound hardback these books are built to be permanent fixtures in the make-up or styling room.
Costume
HIRE
AN IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION OF THOUSANDS OF COSTUMES, ACCESSORIES AND ARMOUR COVERING MOST PERIODS AVAILABLE FOR HIRE. EACH ONE BEAUTIFULLY MADE AND FROM PAST RSC PRODUCTIONS. WHETHER YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ONE OR ONE HUNDRED, OUR ENTHUSIASTIC AND EXPERIENCED STAFF WILL BE DELIGHTED TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR IDEAL COSTUME.
CALL US TO DISCUSS YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT COSTUME HIRE MONDAY - FRIDAY 10AM - 5PM 01789 205920
costume.hire@rsc.org.uk
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PLAYSCRIPTS
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WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH! UNBROKEN
By Alexandra Wood Cast : M1, F1 Scene: Various Published by Nick Hern Books ISBN: 9781848420212 Inspired by La Ronde, and portraying the same ‘daisy chain’ of sexual encounters, Unbroken offers a radical re-interpretation of Arthur Schnitzler’s taboo breaking 1897 original. In place of Schnitzler’s soldiers, poets and aristocrats in Vienna, Alexandra Wood gives us the interns, rockstars and office workers of 21st Century London, all inextricably linked by sex. This play premiered at The Gate Theatre London in 2009.
DELERIUM
By Edna Walsh Cast: M5, F2 Published by Nick Hern Books ISBN: 9781854595294 The Karamazovs are a train wreck waiting to happen. A hated father and his sons battle it out over women, money and God. This is them, uncompromising and on the edge. They don’t so much live as burn up. Behind them lurks a servant, taking note of it all; and to the side, two beautiful women, clinging onto impossible loves. Delerium is a radical reinterpretation of The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky’s classic and compelling tale of family rivalries. Delerium is the hilarious, brutal and tragic story of the fight between good and evil where the battlefield is the human heart. The play weaves togather text, grotesque puppetry, dance, animation and song.
TOO MUCH IN THE SUN
By Nicholas Pierpan Cast: M4 Scene: The action takes place in a coastal village in England Published by Samuel French ISBN: 9780573142215 Fresh out of prison, a young man returns to his English coastal home village. He takes a job offered by the local eccentric, a clockmaker and friend of his father. Storytelling, epilepsy, seafaring, lockpicking and espionage make this unique lyrical play a true delight. This is how it works. A son is ursurped from his throne. The counterfeit king offers him a series of impossible challenges to regain his lost place. But the boy passes them all. The final test involves two envelopes - one has ‘King’ written inside it and the other has ‘Death’. But the boy knows the King has written ‘Death’ in both and he is able to outwit the King and ultimately win. It is suggested that all the actors remain on stage throughout the play and when not actually involved in a scene should move about in ways suggesting the interior movements of a timepiece. The play won the Cameron mackintosh Award at Oxford University’s annual New Writing Festival.
A WALK IN THE PARK
By Mark Green Cast: M2, F2 Published by Cressrelles Publishing ISBN: 9780853436584 A Walk In The Park is a ‘coming of age’ comedy which takes a light-hearted look at four teenagers as they prepare to take their seperate ways into the unknown world of adulthood. Four distinct
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PLAYSCRIPTS
personalities, with four distinct ways of looking at life, stroll through their local park pondering life and love. One year later, they all meet up again in the park - have they learnt anything since the last time they met?
SMALL MERCIES
By Melville Lovatt Cast: M4, F2 Published by New Theatre Publications ISBN: 9781840944808 In Melville Lovatt’s award wining comedy/drama people’s lives hang well and truly in the balance. Shop owner Donald and wife Andrea are desperate people with a failing business. They decide to pay an arsonist to set fire to their shop so they can claim on the insurance and start a new life. Little do they know that two late customers have inadvertently been locked inside! As the two couples, each with their own very different problems, touch each others lives with unexpected results, the comedy pathos, and fragility of existence shines through in this ultimately heart-warming play. The play is perfect for performance in either full scale production of festival mode. The author gives guidance in the script for production in minimalistic and full scale setting.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
By Thomas Hardy. Adaptation by Mark Healy Cast: M8, F5 Published by Nick Hern Books ISBN: 9781848420274 Having inherited his fathers farm, the spirited and feisty young Bathseba Everdene finds herself playing mistress in a man’s world. She is pursued by three would be lovers: the constant shepherd, Gabriel Oak; the obsessive landowner, William Boldwood; and the reckless Sergent Troy. But are any of them a match for the headstrong and independent Bathsheba? First staged by English Touring Theatre this is a large scale adaptation of one of Thomas Hardy’s most popular novels.
GET SMART
Adapted by Christopher Sergel from the series created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry Cast: M10, W17 Published by The Dramatic Publishing Company ISBN: 9780871292605 Following the successful film based on the cult classic television series, Get Smart is a rip roaring comedy for large cast companies. Fans of the television series will delight to find all of the shows cliches, gimmicks and even the famous shoe phone are included in this script. The dialogue is vintage Mel Brook, sharp and funny and entertaining.
SIX ACTS OF LOVE
By Ioanna Anderson Cast: M2, F3 Published by Nick Hern Books ISBN: 9781848420182 Katherine’s life has come to a standstill. Her husband Tom has left for a younger woman and her once-glamorous mother Dorothy is slowly losing her mind. As Dorothy’s condition worsens, Katherine’s stepfather and a new nurse rally to support her. Then Tom appears with a sudden announcement that sets them all off on an unexpected journey deep into rural Ireland. By turns deeply moving and gloriously funny, Ioanna Anderson’s bittersweet new play embraces the complexities of life and shows that, just as love may ultimately fade, it can also blossom in the most suprising places.
Samuel French Ltd The play publisher
NEW RELEASES!
Ding Dong a full length play by Marc Camoletti, translated by Tudor Gates CAST M2 F4 SCENE Various settings Bernard has discovered that his wife Jacqueline is having an affair with Robert. Rather than be killed, Robert says Bernard may sleep with his wife, Juliette. Bernard arranges a meal with both couples, but Robert brings Barbara, a call girl, instead of Juliette. Jacqueline is stunned to learn that Robert and his wife are coming to dinner, and the situation becomes even more hilarious when Juliette turns up! Price £8.50
Curtain Up! a full length comedy by Peter Quilter CAST F5 SCENE Based on the author’s earlier Respecting Your Piers, Curtain Up tells the story of five women who inherit equal shares in a dilapidated theatre and plan to bring it back to life again. They hold a concert featuring local talent and a world-famous star, who agrees to appear for no fee! Their plans go awry and it’s a race to keep the audience from guessing the truth. Price £8.25.
That Face a full length play by Polly Stenham CAST M2 F4 SCENE Mia is at boarding school. She has access to drugs. They are Martha’s. Henry is preparing for art college. He has access to alcohol. From Martha. Martha controls their lives. Martha is their mother. A multi award-winning play from one of Britain’s most exciting new playwrights. Due to technical difficulties The 93rd Edition of The Guide to Selecting Plays for Performance has been delayed. Please note the 92nd Edition and its supplements are available for £8.50.
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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WEST END
WAR HORSE
New London Theatre After a hugely successful and award winning season at the National Theatre this monumental piece of theatre comes into the West End all guns blazing. War Horse is in its simplest form the story of the boy and his horse set against the attrocities of the First World War. It’s an epic tale brilliant bought to life by a large cast of tremendously talented puppeteers and actors. The majesty of the truly beautifully crafted horses each controlled by three actors just has to be seen. Together these performers create such a range of subtlety and nuance that you can actually stop seeing the workings and see the actual horses themselves as real emotive characters. Rae Smith’s vast open stage design backed by a enlarged shred of paper torn from a soldiers sketchbook provides an animated background in pencil sketch form that takes the audience from Devon to the trenches and back again. It is
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beautiful, fluid and engrossing.
show is here for a long stay.
It would be easy for the actors to be overshadowed by the spactacle of this production. It is a tribute to those actors that this is not the case. Standout performances by Bronagh Gallagher (Rose), Colin Mace (Ted), and Patrick O’Kane (Muller) add a human element. The evening does really belong to KIt Harrington though, who as Albert, raises, cares for and searches for his beloved Joey, the Hunter Colt. His performance verges on the spiritual, his bond with his horse bought tears to my eyes and to many of the people who were sitting around me in the audience.
PRISCILLA - QUEEN OF THE DESERT
This tremendously filmic production is enhanced even further by Adrian Suttons stirring score. The ballads and orchestral movements drive this show. Warhorse is a show that should be seen by everyone. Thankfully, the National Theatre seems to have now found a West End home which brilliantly emulates the stage space at the Olivier. No audience member is far from the action in this production. There’s no doubt this amazing
Palace Theatre
Elsewhere in the West End, another form of spectacle has landed in the shape of three garish drag queens in a huge pink bus called Priscilla. Based in the 1994 Australian film, the stage show retains the core plot of the film with a few small changes. The show is an outlandish “road film” on stage as Tick and Adam (two drag queens) and Bernadette (a transexual) head across the desert for a performance season in Alice Springs. Unlike a lot of other juke box musicals, most of the songs used int he show are directly drawn from the film soundtrack. It’s unashamedly geared around pop. Kylie, Joni Mitchell, Donna Summer are just a few of the artists represented in the score. Priscilla is no Les Miserables, it aims to make you laugh and to keep an enormous smile on your face throughout as
AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2009
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WEST END
www.asmagazine.co.uk the cast charge through numbers like Go West, MacCarthur Park (a perfect excuse for dancing cupcakes if ever there was one), I Will Survive and Don’t Leave Me This Way (the kitschest funeral ballad ever). Whilst Jason Donovan and Oliver Thornton carry off their respective roles it is Tony Sheldon who shines as Bernadette. The acid one liners, feminine demeanour and brilliant comic timing make Bernadette enormously appealing as a character with huge heart. Huge praise must also go to the energetic ensemble in this show. They take Ross Coleman’s choreography and deliver it with such frenetic energy. You can’t talk about this show without a loud hoorah for the amazing design team who make this show tick. Brian Thomson has made Priscilla, the star of this show. This huge bus moves fluidly on stage with more han a few tricks built into her bulky frame. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner have re-created the iconic looks from the film and added in quite a few more. It’s truly spactacular that you could possibly imagine. Every penny can be seen on stage and then some. Take a group of friends and just enjoy. It doesn’t get much more outrageous than this.
DANCING AT LUGHNASA Old Vic
The Old Vic has pulled a rabbit out of the hat with this superb production of Brian Friel’s play. After some decidely questionable productions over past months, this play has re-established Kevin Spacey as Artistic Director de jour.
debut. Staged in the round on a tree dominated set beautifully designed by Les Brotherston, Dancing At Lughnasa is a real treat. It’d difficult to criticise anything about this magnificent play.
Dancing at Lughnasa is a play which mixes memory and desire, generous humour with piercing sadness. Set in the summer of 1936 in the fictional Irish town of Ballybeg in the home of spinster sisters. Money is tight with Kate a school teacher being the households only breadwinner. Some of the others earn pennies with handicrafts whilst the youngest Chris, is the unmarried mother of seven year old Michael. It is Michael’s older self who acts as the play’s narrator looking back in hindsight at a summer that would change everything. Catholocism and paganism are constant themes throughout this play, no more so than in a scene where the sisters dance like the devil, a tumultuous celebration of life. Anna Mackmin has directed this revival with tremendous style. Casting highlights include Niamh Cusack and Andrea Corr, the Irish pop singer making her stage
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DIARY
DIARY MAY - JUNE 2009 42nd Street
13 - 16 May 2009 Birkenhead Operatic Society Trust Empire Theatre, Liverpool, Merseyside 0151 677 7084 19 - 23 May 2009 Oxford Operatic Society New Theatre, Oxford 0844 847 1585
A Bolt form the Blue 09 - 13 June 2009 Highbury Players St. Phillip’s Hall, Cosham Portsmouth, Hampshire 023 9238 9359
13 - 16 May 2009 Falcon Players Cope Auditorium, Loughborough University Loughborough, Leics 01509 231914
A Chorus Line
07 - 09 May 2009 Airbrush Productions Hazlitt Theatre, Maidstone, Kent 01622 758611
A Month of Sundays 27 April - 02 May 2009 The Little Theatre Gateshead Gateshead, Tyne & Wear 0191 478 1499
A Musical Revue
10 - 13 June 2009 Blaenau Gwent Young Stars - Youth Musical TC Beaufort Theatre Beaufort, Ebbw Vale, Gwent 01495 301049
An Evening with Rogers and Hammerstein 14 - 16 May 2009 Oldfallings Players AOS Oldfallings United Reformed Church Wolverhampton, W Mids 01902 737195
Annie
12 - 16 May 2009 Fakenham & District Light Opera Society (FADLOS) Fakenham Community Centre Fakenham, Norfolk 01328 862622 12 - 16 May 2009 Sussex Musical Productions Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, W Sussex 01903 537383 22 - 30 May 2009 Scarborough & District Light Opera Society YMCA Theatre Scarborough, North Yorkshire 01723 506750
Black Comedy
14 - 16 May 2009 Lion and Unicorn Players The Studio, Petersfield School Petersfield, Hants 01730 821491
Blitz!
05 - 09 May 2009 Sainsbury Singers The Hexagon, Reading, Berkshire 0118 9882510
Brassed Off
20 - 22 May 2009 Cleckheaton & Spenborough AO & DS Town Hall, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire 01274 877828
Brightlings Strikes Again 14 - 16 May 2009 Clevedon Comedy Club The Princes Hall, Clevedon, Somerset www.clevedoncomedyclub.co.uk
Busybody
11 - 13 June 2009 Kaleidoscope Players Guildhall Theatre, Derby, Derbyshire 01332 281900
29 June - 04 July 2009 Droylsden Little Theatre, Droylsden, Manchester 0161 370 7713
22 June - 04 July 2009 Newmarket Operatic Musical & Dramatic Society (NOMADS) Kings Theatre, Newmarket, Suffolk 01638 663337
Calamity Jane
Anything Goes
11 - 16 May 2009 Cirencester Operatic Society The Barn Theatre Cirencester, Gloucestershire 01285 648230
04 - 09 May 2009 Blackburn Musical Theatre Company Thwaites Empire Theatre Blackburn, Lancashire 01254 685500
18 - 23 May 2009 Newry Musical & Orchestral Society Town Hall, Newry Newry, Co Down 07851 754478
26 - 30 May 2009 Margate Operatic Society Winter Gardens, Margate, Kent 01843 299803
19 - 23 May 2009 Masqueraders Theatrical Society Abbey Theatre, Nuneaton, Warks 02476 347931
Camelot
A Walk Through The West End
20 - 23 May 2009 Barnstaple Musical Comedy & Dramatic Soc Queens Theatre, Barnstaple, Devon 01271 324242
A Night on the Town
11 - 12 June 2009 County Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society Lincoln Drill Hall, Lincoln, Lincs 0845 652 5021
Alice In Wonderland 23 May - 27 August 2009 Kidz R Us St Ives Theatre, St Ives, Cornwall 01736 797007
13 - 14 June 2009 The Uptown Players Hampden Park Community Centre, Brodrich Road, Eastbourne, E Sussex 01323 722895
Allo ‘Allo
11 - 13 June 2009 Little Theatre Donnington The Little Theatre, Telford, Shropshire 01952 603231 30 May - 06 June 2009 HIADS Station Theatre, Hayling Island, Hampshire 023 9246 6363
Amy’s View
19 - 22 May 2009 Quarndon Amateur Dramatic Society Quarndon Village Hall, Derbyshire 01332 840007
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26 - 30 May 2009 Bollington Light Opera Group Bollington Civic Hall, Bollington, Cheshire 01625 431038
Are You Being Served 06 - 09 May 2009 Grantham Dramatic Society The Guildhall Grantham, Lincs 01476 406158
20 - 23 May 2009 Totnes Operatic & Dramatic Society Totnes Civic Hall, Totnes, Devon 07912 142053
Barnum
13 - 23 May 2009 Louth Playgoers Society Ltd Riverhead Theatre, Victoria Road Louth, Lincs 01507 600350
Bath & District Gang Show 2009
27 - 30 May 2009 Bath and District Scout & Guide Gang Show Kingswood Theatre, Lansdown Bath, Somerset 01225 834293
27 - 30 May 2009 Cowbridge Amateur Operatic Society Llantwit Major School Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan 01656 881907
Carousel
04 - 09 May 2009 Greasborough Operatic Society Civic Theatre, Rotherham, South Yorkshire 01709 823621 05 - 09 May 2009 Lancaster Amateur Dramatic & Operatic Soc Grand Theatre, Lancaster, Lancashire 01524 64695 12 - 16 May 2009 Bedford Marianettes Am Mus & Comedy Soc Bedford Civic Hall, Bedford, Bedfordshire 07813 566698 12 - 16 May 2009 Bromsgrove Operatic Society Artrix, Bromsgrove, Worcs 01527 871426 12 - 16 May 2009 Penarth Operatic & Dramatic Society Paget Rooms, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan 02920 712260 20 - 23 May 2009 Trowbridge Amateur Operatic Society The Civic Hall, Trowbridge, Wilts 01225 710535 20 - 23 May 2009 Basildon Operatic Society Towngate Theatre Basildon, Essex 01245 222267
www.asmagazine.co.uk 27 - 30 May 2009 Eastbourne Operatic & Dramatic Society Congress Theatre, Eastbourne, East Sussex 01323 412000 28 - 30 May 2009 Harrogate Operatic Players Royal Hall, Harrogate, N Yorks 0845 1308 840
Cash on delivery
07 - 09 May 2009 Digswell Players Digswell Village Hall, Digswell Welwyn Garden City, Herts 01438 715489
Castles in Spain
13 - 16 May 2009 The Musical History Company Chequer Mead Theatre East Grinstead, W Sussex 01342 302000
Caught in the Net
14 - 16 May 2009 The Chameleons Kingsland Hall, United Reformed Church Wembley, Middx 0208 123 6443
Cavalcade
28 - 30 May 2009 PAC Theatre Company Mick Jagger Centre, Dartford, Kent 01322 221840
Chess
19 - 23 May 2009 Lowestoft Players The Marina Theatre, Lowestoft, Suffolk 01502 533200 27 - 30 May 2009 Exmouth Musical Theatre Company The Exmouth Pavilion, Exmouth, Devon 01395 279030 02 - 06 June 2009 Bournville Musical Theatre Company Crescent Theatre Birmingham, W Midlands 0121 643 5858 10 - 13 June 2009 West Kirby Light Opera Society Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, Wirral 0151 342 2143 09 May 2009 Kamamica The Royal Hall, Harrogate, North Yorkshire 0845 130 8840
Children of Eden
10 - 13 June 2009 Chadsmoor Choral Society Chadsmoor Methodist Church, Cannock Rd Chadsmoor, Staffs 01543 574679
Come Fly With Me 22 - 22 May 2009 Bella Musica! Society Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Stafford, Staffs 01543 451427
Comic Potential
14 - 16 May 2009 Princess Theatre Club Princess Theatre, Hunstanton, Norfolk 01485 532252
Coming Home to Burns 28 - 29 May 2009 Ury Players Stonehaven Town Hall Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire 01569 763524
Copacabana
19 - 23 May 2009 Horwich AODS Albert Halls, Bolton, Greater Manchester 01942 811976 25 - 27 June 2009 Coventry Musical Theatre Society Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, West Midlands 02476 553055
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Wick T Photos
DIARY
www.asmagazine.co.uk Copenhagen
24 - 28 June 2009 The Harrogate Dramatic Society The Harrogate Theatre Harrogate, North Yorkshire 07770 630299
Crazy For You
18 - 23 May 2009 Walton & Weybridge Amateur Operatic Soc The Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey 01483 770130
Dad’s Army
08, 09, 15, 16 May 2009 Chapel Players Chapel-en-le-Frith Playhouse Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire 01298 813176
Dead Man’s Hand
14 - 16 May 2009 Haverhill & District Operatic Society Haverhill Arts Centre, Haverhill, Suffolk 01440 714140
Deadly Nightcap
08 - 16 May 2009 Briston Players The Copeman Centre/Briston Village Hall Briston, Melton Constable, Norfolk 01263 861340
Disco Inferno
13 - 15 May 2009 Briton Ferry Little Theatre Community Hall Briton Ferry, Port Talbot 01639 820334 21 - 23 May 2009 Belper Stage Productions Robert Ludlam Theatre Derby, Derbyshire 01332 666404
23 - 27 June 2009 Argosy Musical Theatre Company Crescent Theatre Birmingham, West Midlands 0121 643 5858
Fabulous at Fifty
20 - 23 May 2009 Crigglestone Theatre Company Wakefield Arts Centre, Wakefield, W Yorks 01924 265829
Fame
26 - 30 May 2009 Orbit Theatre Ltd - Cardiff New Theatre, Cardiff, Cardiff 02920 878889
Fiddler on the Roof
07 - 09 May 2009 Southminster Operatic & Choral Society St Peter’s High School Burnham on Crouch, Essex 01621 740787 13 - 16 May 2009 Wigan Musical Theatre Group St Michael’s Parish Hall Wigan, Lancashire 01942 709050 20 - 23 May 2009 Cuffley Operatic Society Cuffley Hall, Cuffley, Potters Bar, Herts 01707 888415
Fish Out of Water
18 - 20 June 2009 Crofton Amateur Dramatic Society Theatre Hall, Crofton Comm. Centre Stubbington, Hampshire 01329 661143
Five Blue Haired Ladies Sitting on a Green Park Bench 04 - 09 May 2009 Newmarket Operatic Musical & Dramatic Society (NOMADS) Kings Theatre, 16 Fitzroy St Newmarket, Suffolk 01683 663337
Follies
12 - 16 May 2009 PHEOS Musical Players Watersmeet Rickamansworth, Hertfordshire 01923 711063
Footprints in the Sand
12 - 12 May 2009 The Ashtead Players Leatherhead Drama Festival at Leatherhead Theatre, Leatherhead, Surrey 01372 365141
Frozen
18 - 23 May 2009 Highbury Players Highbury Theatre Centre, Sheffield Road Sutton Coldfield, W Midlands 0121 373 2761
Gaslight
13 - 16 May 2009 Phoenix Players Stratford Civic Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warks 01789 207100
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 11 - 16 May 2009 The Caprian Theatre Company Little Theatre Gateshead Gateshead, Tyne and Wear 01207 270596
Godspell
10 - 13 June 2009 Manor Operatic Society City Hall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 01709 365108
Gondoliers
20 - 23 May 2009 Southdown Savoyards Herbert Shiner School, Petworth 01798 873038 03 - 06 June 2009 Harrogate G & S Society Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate, N Yorks 01423 502116 04 - 06 June 2009 Chester Operatic Society Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, Flintshire 0845 330 3565 09 - 13 June 2009 Cotswold Savoyards The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, Glos 01242 572573
Guys and Dolls
19 - 23 May 2009 Spalding Amateur Dramatic & Operatic Soc The South Holland Centre Spalding, Lincolnshire 01775 764777 20 - 23 May 2009 Petersfield Theatre Group Festival Hall, Petersfield, Hants 01730 893328 20 - 23 May 2009 Clacton Amateur Operatic Society Prices Theatre, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex 01255 686633
Wick Theatre Co - Abigail’s Party Photos: Lucien Bouchy
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DIARY
www.asmagazine.co.uk
CHADS. The Life Of Galileo. Photos: Pauline Nield Hay Fever
27 - 30 May 2009 Emley Drama Group Emley Methodist Church Hall Emley, Huddersfield, W Yorks 01924 848664
Hello Dolly!
05 - 09 May 2009 Belfast Operatic Company Grand Opera House, Belfast 0289 024 1919 06 - 09 May 2009 Retford & District Amateur Operatic Society Majestic Theatre Retford, Nottinghamshire 01777 706866 03 - 06 June 2009 Over Players Over Community Centre,Over, Cambs 01954 230056 23 - 27 June 2009 Wimborne Musical Theatre Society Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne, Dorset 01202 885566
High Society
23 - 27 June 2009 Morecambe Amateur Operatic & Dram Soc Lancaster Grand Theatre Lancaster, Lancashire 01524 64695
HMS Pinafore
13 - 16 May 2009 Chapel End Savoy Players Deaton Theatre, Forest School Waltham Forest E17 3PY, London 020 8527 0215 19 - 23 May 2009 Hatton Operatic Society Magna Carta Arts Centre,Staines, Middlesex 01784 256320
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HMS Pinafore & Trial by Jury
17 - 19 June 2009 Hull Savoyards Amateur Operatic Society Middleton Hall, Hull, E Yorks 01482 876918
Homeward Bound
13 May 2009 The Oxted Players Barn Theatre, Bluehouse Lane, Oxted 01959 561811
Honk!
19 - 23 May 2009 BROS Musical Productions Alexander Theatre Bognor Regis, West Sussex 01243 861010 03 - 06 June 2009 Richmond Operatic Society The Georgian Theatre Royal Richmond, N Yorks 01748 825252
Hot Mikado
23 - 30 May 2009 St Annes-on-Sea Amateur Op & Dram Soc Lowther Pavilion, Lytham St Annes, Lancs 01253 658666
Hotbed Hotel
11 - 13 June 2009 New Mills Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Soc The Art Theatre, New Mills, Derbyshire 01298 25750
Inspector Drake and the Black Widow
14 - 16 May 2009 Rowlands Castle Amateur Dramatic Society Rowlands Castle Parish Hall Rowlands Castle, Hampshire 023 9241 3124
Iolanthe
12 - 16 May 2009 Trinity Methodist Music & Dram Fellowship CivicTheatre, Fairfield Road Chelmsford, Essex 01245 606505
Jack the Ripper
13 - 16 May 2009 Christchurch Music Society - Newport Christchurch Parish Hall Newport, Monmouthshire 01633 881320
11 - 13 June 2009 Matlock G & S Society Medway Centre, Bakewell, Derbyshire 01246 277698
16 - 20 June 2009 Abbots Langley G & S Society Henderson Hall Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire 01923 676120
Jane Eyre - The Musical
11 - 16 May 2009 Ebbw Vale & District Operatic & Dramatic Soc Beaufort, Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent 01495 350179
Jekyll & Hyde
12 - 16 May 2009 Larbert Amateur Operatic Society Dobbie Hall, Larbert 01324 623365 13 - 16 May 2009 Lynden Players Middleton Cheney Village Hall Middleton Cheney, Northants 07835 773494 03 - 06 June 2009 Clacton Amateur Dramatic Society West Cliff Theatre, Clacton on Sea, Essex 01225 433344
Kiss Me, Kate
10 - 16 May 2009 Brentwood Operatic Society Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, Essex 01277 223710 12 - 16 May 2009 The Mellow Dramatics The Brewhouse, Burton on Trent, Staffs 01283 508100
26 - 30 May 2009 Dover Operatic & Dramatic Society St Edmunds School, Dover, Kent 01304 203285 09 - 13 June 2009 Woodley Light Operatic Society Kenton Theatre Henley-on-Thames, Oxon 0845 521 3459 27 April - 02 May 2009 Letchworth Arcadians Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage, Herts 08700 131 030 www.godon-craig.co.uk
La Boheme
24 - 27 June 2009 Southgate Opera Wyllyotts Theatre, Darkes Lane Potters Bar, Herts 01707 645005
Laying the Ghost
07 - 09 May 2009 Locko Amateur Dramatic Society Spondon Village Hall, Spondon, Derbyshire 01332 255800
Lend Me a Tenor
17 - 20 June 2009 Chingford Amateur Dramatic & Operatic Soc Mornington Hall, Chingford, London 0208 529 2123
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DIARY
www.asmagazine.co.uk Les Miserables (Sch Ed)
20 - 23 May 2009 BMOS Youtheatre Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, W Midlands 07850 306318
Lili - the History of a Song 19 - 27 June 2009 Teflonstage Amateur Group Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl, Bridgend 01656 815995
Little Shop of Horrors 19 - 23 May 2009 St Andrews Players Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate, N Yorks 01423 502116
Lock Up Your Daughters 29 - 30 May 2009 Manor Theatre Group North Heath Hall, Horsham, W Sussex 01403 267589
Loot
17 - 20 June 2009 Southsea Shakespeare Actors 3rd Flr Arts Centre, Portmouth Central Library Portsmouth, Hampshire 023 9268 8070
Losing Louis
07 - 09 May 2009 Hemel Hempstead Theatre Company The Boxmoor Playhouse Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire 01442 252747
Mack and Mabel
12 - 16 May 2009 Frome Amateur Operatic Society Memorial Theatre, Frome, Somerset 01373 462795 08 - 13 June 2009 Barnsley Amateurs Musical Theatre Group The Lamproom Theatre, Barnsley, S Yorks 01226 200075
Mame
05 - 09 May 2009 Green Room Productions Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar, Herts 020 8360 1957
Maskerade
04 - 06 June 2009 Hounslow Light Opera Company St Mary’s Church Hall, Church St Hampton, Middlesex 020 8892 2597
Modified Rapture - The G&S story 08 - 09 May 2009 Stage a Chord Operatic Society Town Hall, Wadebridge, Cornwall 01208 814142
Move Over Mrs Markham
29 April - 02 May 2009 Stage Door Theatre Company Windmill Entertainment Centre, Littlehampton 01903 722224
Much Ado About Nothing 13 - 16 May 2009 The Oxted Players The Barn Theatre, Oxted, Surrey 01883 724852
Music Man
26 - 30 May 2009 STC Musical Society Dolman Theatre, Newport, S Wales 01633 676270
My Cousin Rachel
09 - 20 June 2009 Highbury Players Highbury Theatre Centre, Sheffield Road Sutton Coldfield, W Midlands 0121 373 2761
My Fair Lady
07 - 09 May 2009 Battle Light Op Group, Battle Memorial Hall Battle, E Sussex 01424 211140
12 - 16 May 2009 Radlett Light Opera Society The Radlett Centre, Radlett, Hertfordshire 01923 859291
09 - 13 June 2009 Forefront Children’s Theatre Town Hall, Alloa, Clackmannanshire 01259 750394
19 - 27 June 2009 Whitworth AM & Dramatic Society Curtain Theatre, Rochdale, Lancs 01706 342821
12 - 16 May 2009 Wellington Arts Association The Wellesley Theatre Mantle Street, Wellington, somerset 01823 663597
09 - 13 June 2009 Farnham Amateur Operatic Society Farnham Maltings, Farnham, Surrey 01252 722233
30 June - 04 July 2009 Halifax Amateur Operatic Society Halifax Playhouse, Halifax, W Yorks 01422 365998
09 - 13 June 2009 Springers Civic Theatre, Chelmsford, Essex 01245 606505
03 - 06 June 2009 CCADS New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, Hampshire 023 9264 9000
Out of Focus
Return to the Forbidden Planet
15 - 16 May 2009 Hinckley Concordia Operatic Society Hinckley Concordia Theatre Hinckley, Leciestershire 07855 746520 18 - 23 May 2009 Worthing Musical Comedy Society Connaught Theatre, Worthing, West Sussex 01903 206206 02 - 06 June 2009 Brighton Theatre Group Theatre Royal, Brighton, E Sussex 0871 297 5454 27 - 30 May 2009 Denmead Operatic Society Havant Arts Centre, Havant 023 9247 2700
My Own Show
22 - 27 June 2009 Arundel Players Priory Playhouse, Arundel, West Sussex 01243 542221
Oklahoma!
20 - 23 May 2009 The Hastletons White Rock Theatre, Hastings, E Sussex 08701 451133 06 - 14 June 2009 Rugby Theatre Society Rugby Theatre, Henry Street Rugby, Warks 01788 541234
Old Time Music Hall 14 - 14 June 2009 Stevenage Lytton Players Gordon Craig Theatre Stevenage, Herts 0870 777 7619
Old Tyme Musical Hall 14 - 16 May 2009 Vane Tempest Theatre Group Vane Tempest Welfare Hall Seaham, Durham 0191 5819 631
Oliver!
07 - 09 May 2009 Leighton Buzzard Drama Group Leighton Buzzard Theatre Leighton Buzzard, Beds 01525 370321 03 - 06 June 2009 St Bernadette’s Players St Bernadette’s Church Hall Bispham, Lancs 07846 629766
Outside Edge
20 - 23 May 2009 Marlborough Dramatic Club Brentwood Theatre, Brentwood, Essex 01277 223710
Pajama Game
22 - 23 May 2009 Langley Youth Theatre Netherton Arts Centre Netherton, Dudley, W Midlands 07742 546817 03 - 06 June 2009 Maghull Musical Theatre Company The Little Theatre, Southport, Merseyside 01704 530521
Parade
03 - 07 June 2009 Spotlight Theatre Company - Treorchy Coleg Morganwg Llwynypia Rhondda, RCT 01656 732280
Pass the Butler
13 - 16 May 2009 Peterborough Players John Clare Theatre, Peterborough 01733 315684
Pirates Of Penzance
05 - 09 May 2009 All Saints Musical Productions The Lowry Theatre, Salford, Manchester 0870 787 5870
04 - 09 May 2009 Kinver Light Operatic Society Edgecliff High School, Kinver, S Staffs 01384 836963
12 - 16 May 2009 Lyme Regis Operatic Society The Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, Dorset 01297 443382
11 - 16 May 2009 Hexham Amateur Stage Society Queens Hall Hexham, Northumberland 01434 652477
19 - 23 May 2009 Crowthorne Musical Players Wilde Theatre, Bracknell, Berkshire 01344 484123
12 - 16 May 2009 Wakefield West Riding Operatic Society Wakefield Theatre Royal Wakefield, West Yorkshire 01924 211 311 13 - 16 May 2009 The Mummers Theatre Group Clydebank Town Hall, Clydebank 0141 560 2155 13 - 16 May 2009 Aldridge Musical Comedy Society Prince of Wales Theatre Cannock, Staffordshire 01543 578762
09 - 13 June 2009 Shenfield Operatic Society Brentwood Theatre, Brentwood, Essex 01708 700625 26 - 27 June 2009 Livewire Opera Company Wymondham High School, Folly Road Wymondham, Norfolk 01953 851543 19 - 23 May 2009 Horwich AODS The Albert Hall, Bolton, Lancs 01204 694643
Red, Red Rose
20 - 24 May 2009 Touchwood Musical Company Globe Theatre, Plymouth, Devon 09996 39888
02 - 09 May 2009 Dumfries Musical Theatre Company Theatre Royal,Dumfries & Galloway 01387 267894
20 - 23 May 2009 Poole and Parkstone Productions Lighthouse Theatre, Poole, Dorset 08444 068666
Rent
10 - 13 June 2009 Crossed Keys Musical Theatre Company The Old Rep Theatre Birmingham, West Midlands 0121 603 5970 18 - 20 June 2009 Dryburn Theatrical Workshop Park View Theatre Chester-le-Street, Durham 0191 388 9709
Roald Dahl double bill - James and the Giant Peach/The Witches 04 - 06 June 2009 Stevenage Lytton Players Nobel School Stevenage, Herts 0870 777 7619
Robin, Prince of Sherwood 25 - 30 May 2009 St Luke’s Arts & Drama Society St Luke’s Parish Hall, Derby Rd Salford, Lancs 0161 281 7423
Roleplay
29 April - 02 May 2009 Banbury Cross Players The Mill Arts Centre Banbury, Oxon 01295 279002
Romeo & Juliet 14 - 16 May 2009 West London Opera Questors Theatre Ealing, London 0208 423 3797
Run For Your Wife 21 - 24 May 2009 Tingdene Entertainers The Star Hall Finedon, Northants 01933 680680
Separate Tables
17 - 20 June 2009 Waterloo & Crosby Theatre Company Little Theatre Southport, Merseyside 0151 924 0231
September Tide
11 - 16 May 2009 St Austell Players St Austell Community Centre & Arts Theatre St Austell , Cornwall 01726 879500
Seussical
04 - 06 June 2009 Wells Operatic Society Ltd The Little Theatre, Wells, Somerset 01749 672611
Seussical Jr
28 - 30 May 2009 Nottingham Operatic Society Youth Group Sandfield Theatre Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 07531 252254
She Loves Me
19 - 27 June 2009 Chorley Amateur Dramatic & Operatic Society Chorley Little Theatre, Chorley, Lancs 01257 264362
13 - 16 May 2009 Sheffield Teachers Operatic Society Montgomery Theatre Sheffield, South Yorkshire 0114 269 6568
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www.asmagazine.co.uk
Snake in the Grass
Stepping Out
Sweeney Todd
Tchaikovsky’s Opera
Songs of the Seasons
11 - 16 May 2009 Droylsden Little Theatre Droylsden, Manchester 0161 370 7713
23 - 27 June 2009 Spotlight Musical Theatre Group The Public Hall Beccles, Suffolk 01502 717417
Tempest in a Teacup (dance/drama)
18 - 23 May 2009 South Shields Westovian Theatre Society Pier Pavilion South Shields, Tyne and Wear 0191 456 0980
27 - 27 June 2009 Great Witley Operatic Society Norbury Theatre Droitwich Spa, Worcs 01905 770154
South Pacific
09 - 16 May 2009 Birkdale Orpheus Society The Little Theatre Southport, Merseyside 01704 530521 18 - 23 May 2009 West End Operatic Society Theatre Royal Newcastle Upon Tyne, 08448 112121
Spotlight on a Dream 20 - 22 May 2009 Edith Harrison Performing Arts Town Hall Theatre Hartlepool 01429 890000
Spring Concert 10 - 10 May 2009 Tayside Opera Dundee West Church Hall Dundee 01382 350004
30 May 2009 Broughty Ferry Amateur Operatic Society Whitehall Theatre Dundee 01382 434940
24 - 27 June 2009 The Festival Players Loughborough Town Hall Loughborough, Leics 07855 248832
Sugar
09 - 13 June 2009 Pepper Pot Hill Theatre Group Darwen Library Theatre Darwen, Lancs 01254 706006
12 - 16 May 2009 Banstead & Nork Amateur Operatic Society Adrian Mann Theatre (NESCOT) Ewell, Epsom, Surrey 01737 370344
07 - 10 May 2009 STP Musicals Academy Kings Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9282 8282
Summer Holiday
Sweet Charity
12 - 16 May 2009 Shrewsbury Amateur Operatic Society Belvidere School Shrewsbury, Shropshire 01743 236855
12 - 16 May 2009 Solihull Theatre Company Solihull Arts Complex Solihull, W Mids 0121 704 6962
02 - 06 June 2009 Blackpool & Fylde Light Opera Company The Grand Theatre Blackpool, Lancashire 01253 884969
09 - 13 June 2009 Colin Smith Luton Youth Music Theatre Library Theatre Luton, Beds 01582 547474
Summer Musical Revue 04 - 06 June 2009 Alton Operatic & Dramatic Society Assembly Rooms Alton, Hampshire 01730 827200
Summer Variety Show 05 - 13 June 2009 Otterbourne Village Hall Committee Otterbourne Village Hall Winchester, Hampshire 023 8036 3205
14 - 16 May 2009 Una Voce Opera Company Southport Arts Centre Southport, Merseyside 01704 540011
17 - 19 June 2009 Side By Side Theatre Group Stourbridge Town Hall, W Midlands 01384 395350
The 43 Club Musical 19 - 23 May 2009 Camus Productions The Camberley Theatre Camberley, Surrey 01276 683710
The Auld Skinflint 13 - 15 May 2009 Riverside Drama Club Cowane Centre, Stirling 07787 160640
The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas
16 - 20 June 2009 Leatherhead Operatic Society The Theatre, Leatherhead, Surrey 07787 870012
23 - 27 June 2009 Handsworth & Hallam Theatre Company University of Sheffield Sheffield, South Yorkshire 0114 247 6179
17 - 20 June 2009 Burgess Hill Musical Theatre Society Martlets Hall, Burgess Hill, W Sussex 01444 242888
12 - 16 May 2009 Derby Opera Company The Guildhall Theatre, Derbyshire 01332 882909
Talking Heads 27 April - 02 May 2009 Macclesfield Amateur Dramatic Society MADS Little Theatre, Macclesfield 01625 611974
The Boyfriend 13 - 16 May 2009 Centre Theatre Players St Ivo Leisure Centre St Ives, Cambridgeshire 01480 388500
Molseley Musical Theatre. The Cabaret Cafe Photos: Gary Vaux. wwwgjbworld.com
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AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2009
09/04/2009 12:19:58
DIARY
www.asmagazine.co.uk 20 - 23 May 2009 Paignton Operatic & Dramatic Society Palace Theatre Paignton, South Devon 01803 665800 02 - 06 June 2009 Centenary Theatre Company The Brindley Theatre Runcorn, Merseyside 0151 907 8360 08 - 13 June 2009 Pershore Operatic & Dramatic Society (PODS) Number 8 Community Arts Centre Pershore, Worcs 01386 555488
The Capers at Cricketers’ Corpse 07 - 09 May 2009 Arrow Players St. Edmund’s Hall Northwood Hills, Middlesex 020 8868 7785
The Circle of Life 13 - 13 June 2009 Godalming Operatic Society The Electric Theatre Guildford, Surrey 01252 703376
The Crucible
18 - 20 June 2009 Compton Little Theatre Compton Village Hall Guildford, Surrey 01483 415526 tickets@comptonlittletheatre.org.uk
The Diamond Years 14 - 16 May 2009 Rayleigh A O & D S The Mill Arts Centre Rayleigh, Essex 01268 771751
The Full Monty
19 - 23 May 2009 Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company Lichfield Garrick Lichfield, Staffordshire 01543 412121 26 - 30 May 2009 Norfolk and Norwich Threshold Theatre Group Norwich Playhouse Norwich, Norfolk 01603 598598 03 - 11 June 2009 Grimsby & Cleethorpes AOS Parkway Theatre Cleethorpes, Lincs 01472 290100 08 - 13 June 2009 Leicester Amateur Operatic Society Curve Theatre (www.curveonline.co.uk) Leicester, Leics 0116 2423595 09 - 13 June 2009 Congress Players Oldham Coliseum Oldham, Lancs 0161 626 1747 09 - 13 June 2009 Overton Dramatic Society St Mary’s Hall, Overton Basingstoke, Hants 01256 770333
The Good Old Days
13 - 16 May 2009 The Elizabethans Amateur Operatic Society Town Hall Ossett, W Yorks 01924 280344
The Graduate 20 - 23 May 2009 Cosmopolitan Players The Carriage Works Leeds, West Yorkshire 01132 243801
The Greatest Little Whorehouse in Texas 25 - 30 May 2009 Arran Music & Drama Club Broddick Hall Broddick, Isle of Arran 01770 302820
The History Boys 09 - 16 May 2009 Rugby Theatre Society Rugby Theatre, Henry Street Rugby, Warks 01788 541234
The Home Front Revue
15 - 16 May 2009 Haworth-West Lane Baptist Am Operatic Soc West Lane Baptist Church Haworth Keighley, West Yorkshire 01535 643425
The Importance of Being Earnest 13 - 16 May 2009 The Harrogate Dramatic Society The Harrogate Theatre Harrogate, North Yorkshire 07770 630299 06 - 09 May 2009 Phoenix Players St. Peter’s Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 0845 293 9350
The King and I
05 - 09 May 2009 Silhouettes Operatic Society Grimsby Auditorium Grimsby, NE Lincs 0844 847 2426 05 - 09 May 2009 Whitby Area Musical Theatre Company Whitby Pavilion Theatre Whitby, N Yorks 01947 821383 11 - 16 May 2009 Thringstone Panto & Drama Society Thringstone Community Centre Thringstone, Leicestershire 01530 834575 18 - 23 May 2009 Redcar Operatic Society Middlesborough Little Theatre Middlesborough, 01642 815181 19 - 30 May 2009 Andover Operatic Society The Lights, Andover, Hants 01264 338719 23 - 27 June 2009 Bilston Operatic Company Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, W Midlands 01902 429212
The Late Edwina Black 09 - 16 May 2009 Bolton Little Theatre, Bolton 01204 334400 www.boltonlittletheatre.co.uk
The Likes of Us
19 - 23 May 2009 Knutsford Amateur Operatic Society The Grange Theatre, Hartford, Cheshire 01565 634551 15 - 20 June 2009 Concordia Youth Theatre Concordia Theatre, Hinckley, Leicestershire 01455 637700 23 - 27 June 2009 York Light Opera Company Ltd. Joseph Rowntree Theatre York, North Yorkshire 01904 791714
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 13 - 16 May 2009 Spa Theatre Company The Loft Theatre Leamington Spa, Warwickshire 07780 678582
The Madness of George III 06 - 09 May 2009 Anonymous Players Pavilion Theatre Lytham, St Annes 01253 658666
The Merry Widow 09 - 13 June 2009 Plymouth G & S Fellowship Athaenaeum Theatre Plymouth, Devon 01566 775557
The Mikado
06 - 09 May 2009 East Norfolk Operatic Society Maddermarket Theatre Norwich, Norfolk 01603 620917 11 - 14 May 2009 Stratford Upon Avon G & S Society Civic Hall, Rother Street Stratford Upon Avon, Warks 01789 207100 14 - 16 May 2009 Barnoldswick Gilbert and Sullivan Mus Soc The Civic Hall Barnoldswick, Lancashire 01282 815724
The Odd Couple
01 - 09 May 2009 Harleston Players Archbishop Sancroft High School Harleston, Norfolk 01379 588043
The Producers
09 - 16 May 2009 Leeds Amateur Operatic Society (LAOS) West Yorkshire Playhouse Leeds, West Yorkshire 0113 267 4249 09 - 16 May 2009 Leeds Amateur Operatic Society (LAOS) West Yorkshire Playhouse Leeds, W Yorks 0113 213 7700 17 - 20 June 2009 Ipswich Operatic & Dramatic Society The Regent Theatre Ipswich, Suffolk 01473 433100 09 - 13 June 2009 Portsmouth Players Kings Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9266 0880
12 - 16 May 2009 Ramsgate Operatic Society Theatre Royal Margate, Kent 0845 130 1786
The Wiz
04 - 06 June 2009 Neath Amateur Operatic Society Briton Ferry Community Centre Neath, Neath Port Talbot 01639 639726
There Goes the Bride
13 - 16 May 2009 St Herberts Amateur Dramatic Society St Herbert’s Parish Centre Chadderton, Oldham, Lancs 07790 417973
Thoroughly Modern Millie 05 - 09 May 2009 East Berkshire Operatic Society The Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park Arts Centre Bracknell, Berks 01344 484123 06 - 09 May 2009 Broxbourne Theatre Company Broxbourne Civic Theatre Hoddesdon, Herts 01992 441946 19 - 23 May 2009 Luton St Andrews Players Denbigh High School Luton, Bedfordshire 01582 725975 23 - 27 June 2009 Cheltenham Operatic & Dramatic Society Everyman Theatre Cheltenham, Glos 01242 572573
Titanic
20 - 23 May 2009 Stevenage Lytton Players Gordon Craig Theatre Stevenage, Herts 0870 777 7619
Trial By Jury & HMS Pinafore
05 - 09 May 2009 Eastbourne & Dist G & S Society Devonshire Park Theatre Eastbourne, East Sussex 01323 412000
The Railway Children
20 - 23 May 2009 Albrighton Musical Theatre Company Albrighton Junior School Albrighton, Shropshire 01902 418564
The Roses of Eyam 13 - 16 May 2009 Deben Players Seckford Theatre Woodbridge, Suffolk 01394 615015
Utopia Limited
09 - 13 June 2009 Tynemouth G & S Society Tynemouth Priory Theatre Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear 0191 252 6714
Viva, Mexico!
13 - 16 May 2009 Betchworth Operatic & Dramatic Society Betchworth Village Hall Betchworth, Surrey 01293 403114
The Scarlet Pimpernel 12 - 16 May 2009 Maidenhead Operatic Society Norden Farm Centre for the Arts Maidenhead, Berkshire 01628 671589
The Secret Garden 15 - 23 May 2009 Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Trust The Mill Theatre Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire 01234 781587
The Sorcerer
The Sorcerer & Trial by Jury
10 - 14 June 2009 Sheringham Savoyards Sheringham Little Theatre Sheringham, Norfolk 01263 822347
Voices & Brass
16 May 2009 Bolton Catholic Musical and Choral Society Parish Church Bolton, Lancashire 01204 856977
Waltzes From Vienna 29 - 30 May 2009 West Moors Singers Barrington Theatre Ferndown, Dorset 01202 894858
West …
09 - 13 June 2009 Humdrum New Theatre Royal Portsmouth, Hampshire 023 9264 9000
AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2009
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35 09/04/2009 12:20:21
DIARY
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White Horse Inn
12 - 16 May 2009 Three Towns Operatic Society Lowton Civic Hall Lowton, Warrington, Cheshire 01942 897053
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AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2009
13/04/2009 16:55:13
DIARY
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AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2009
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37 09/04/2009 12:21:26
THE LAST WORD
Wisteria Cottage Garrick Road Campton Royal
Hello again, my darlings, As promised, here is my progress report on my little production of Blithe Spirit for Compton Royal Amateur Players. Progress is perhaps not the right word, since two days after the read through/audition, two of my cast dropped out. I had barely walked through the front door after a stressful debate with my fishmonger. He was insisting that fish- friendly farmed salmon was better than wild salmon and refused to listen when I pointed out that any salmon that found itself in a net was likely to be wild, certainly not best pleased, so there was obviously no difference. I bought cod. I digress. As I was saying, I was looking forward to a nice cup of tea, when the phone rang. It was the vicar, Reverend Wilson, who I had invited to play the Doctor. He’s an enthusiastic thespian with wonderful diction, though his range is somewhat limited due to his tendency to deliver lines in the same way he delivers his sermons, out front and somewhat operatically. Still, Dr Bradman is a small part, and his housekeeper was keen to take her first steps on the boards as Mrs Bradman. She’s woefully inexperienced, but I felt she could be relied on not to fall over the furniture, and anyway, the poor thing doesn’t get out much. However, before I had time to say ‘Darling’, he launched into an apologetic diatribe, most of which I did not catch because of the unusual speed of his sentences and I was busy thinking that I could harness this unexpected talent for my play, when the words, ‘hope you find our replacements’ focussed my attention. It seemed that he had not realised that dear Noel’s masterpiece dealt with the supernatural, would involve him in a séance and that Elvira was a ghost. I know he’s merely forty, but how could any self-respecting amateur be unaware of this fact? Modern education has a lot to answer for. So, our normally reliable cameo actor had decided that this was a totally unsuitable activity for a man of the cloth and was regretfully withdrawing. To crown it all, he had also forbidden his housekeeper to take part on the grounds that her involvement might taint his reputation. His reputation? What about mine?
Hello
After Pure discre of am almos
Well, anyw pictur
So, th Blithe but m say au who y arrive
She’d about than a there’ two k
Rehea straig copy move was d small perfo squee
May be next time we can discuss the finer points of rehearsals, for now, it’s back to the drawing board. Yours,
Doris Richardson-Hall
There
More
Yours
Dor
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AS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2009
09/04/2009 12:24:53
Wisteria Cottage Garrick Road Campton Royal
Hello my luvvies! After many years of writing to Amateur Stage, sorry, AS magazine – why does everybody use initials these days? Pure laziness if you ask me. As I was saying, after more letters to the editor that I care to count, pointing out little discrepancies, all of them unpublished, this darling man has finally invited me to share my extensive experience of amateur dramatics with you. And it is extensive, I have been responsible for every production in our village for almost thirty years, so there’s not much that I don’t know. Well, there are some things, anything that has a plug attached is a mystery and my stage manager refuses to let me anywhere near his tool box. How was I to know that his hand was on the other side of the flat when I nailed in a picture hook? So, that’s me. My little group, Campton Royal Amateur Players are about to embark on a delicious production of Blithe Spirit. Auditions were held in my living room last week, over tea and cakes. Shop bought I’m ashamed to say, but my life is so taken up with my art that my mixing bowl has not seen the light of day for a very long time. When I say auditions, it was more of a read through, you don’t have to be Madame Arcarte to know well in advance exactly who you are going to cast, now do you? It all went relatively smoothly, then this twenty something blonde creature arrived on my doorstep. She’d ‘done acting’ at some central school, presumably in the Midlands, and a man in the Post office had told her about our group. I have to say I was not best pleased, who needs a newcomer who says she feels more like an Elvira than a Ruth? Not that it matters, Marjorie will play Ruth and Kath will take Elvira, Kath won’t see 50 again, but there’s nothing that a good layer of 5 and 9 won’t hide. Anyway, Miss Enthusiastic, who likes to be call Nikki, with two k’s, turned out to be useful and I cast her as the maid. Rehearsals start next week and should be quite straightforward, particularly since I still have my copy from eighteen years ago, complete with all the moves. Slight problem when I realised that it was designed for the Junior School hall, not the smaller community centre stage where we now perform, but I’m sure the Stage manager can squeeze the French windows in somehow. There you have it – onwards and upwards. More soon. Yours Doris Richardson-Hall
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