Amateur Stage Magazine Jan 2010

amateurstage THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR AMATEUR THEATRE JANUARY 2010 www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk

£2.95

WHAT’S IN A NAME? 2010 SEES SOME CHANGES AND EXCITING NEW PLANS AT AMATEUR STAGE MAGAZINE.

the play produced

SHADOWLANDS special feature

PLAYS & PLAYWRIGHTS technical feature

SOUND ADVICE interview

AMANDA WHITTINGTON PLUS: PLAYSCRIPTS LISTINGS, UK PRODUCTION DIARY & NEWS JAN10_1-11.indd 1

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amateurstagejan10 FROM THE EDITOR As I write this most of us in the UK are experiencing inclement weather and watching most of the country grind to a halt due to snow. This month sees the start of some further changes here at Amateur Stage starting with the name of the magazine itself (see comment pg 5).

Over the next few months various announcements and some further changes are forecast, like the UK weather at the moment I can advise a year of surprises.

I hope that the weather hasn’t harmed your Christmas and New Year performance schedules and that 2010 is bright and prosperous for you all.

I’m going to profer an apology in advance if we are late this month. With printers in the north and London being snowbound I am hoping against hope that everything comes together to allow us on time delivery.

Enjoy Doug

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THIS MONTH 5

NEWS

10

CHADS 50TH

CHADS celebrate 50 years at their theatre.

12

THE PLAY PRODUCED

Patricia Richardson discusses her recent production of Shadowlands at Bournemouth Little Theatre Club.

12

News from around the country.

28

SHOW DIARY

National listings and production shots.

26

SOUND ADVICE

Theo Holloway from Orbital Sound starts a series of articles about getting the best sound for your production.

28

PLAY SUCCESS

Andrew Dickson discusses the new playwriting.

30

NICK HERN BOOKS

Tamara Von Hern discusses the latest releases from NHB.

31

INTERVIEW: AMANDA WHITTINGTON

Amateur Stage talks to the successful British playwright.

34

NEW SCRIPT RELEASES

We look at the latest playscript offerings.

38

THE FINAL WORD

The latest gossip from Doris Richardson Hall!

COVER: Shadowlands

31 CREDITS

Published monthly by Next Phase Media Limited Suite 404 Albany House, 324/326 Regent Street, London W1B 3HH P: 0207 622 6670 www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk Publisher - Paul Webster : paul@nextphasemedia.co.uk Editor - Douglas Mayo : editor@asmagazine.co.uk Subscriptions/ Diary Listings : diary@asmagazine.co.uk Advertising : Zoya Berkeley: zoya@asmagazine.co.uk P: 0207 078 4893 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 Amateur Stage. The views and opinions expressed by the contributors to this magazine may not necessarily represent the views of Amateur Stage. (c) 2010 Next Phase Media Ltd

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

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13/01/2010 21:21:13

NEWS

WHAT’S IN A NAME???

It’s always been said that the start of a New Year should be a quiet time for contemplation and for planning the year ahead and here at Amateur Stage we had a series of long discussions over the break.

Stage. Over the next few issues you will see bigger issues, new contributors, announcements about exciting collaborations, and more pictures and news from our readers and other groups across the UK and indeed the English speaking world.

When we first took over the magazine from Charles Vance we were inundated with a lot of feedback from a vocal few who told us that times had changed and that calling the magazine Amateur Stage was forever going to burden us with negative connotations from the outside world. That’s partially proved to be the case if we are being completely honest. There are still a small number of people who don’t want to associate with anything labelled as “amateur” and rather than acceeding to the few we have decided to rejoin the many.

We’ve been madly working on our website and ironing out some early glitches so that in future months you’ll be able to view some of the magazine online as well as delve into our 63 year’s worth of archived material. We’ll be setting up a special online subscriber group and will be offering all manner of reader offers that we hope will give you preference in many events and save you a few pennies in these tough times.

Over the past year a persistent but growing group of our readers quietly petitioned for us to return the name of the magazine from AS Magazine (as we re-branded it) back to it’s long standing title of AMATEUR STAGE. A series of discussions ensued with advertisers, contributors and distribution companies and we are pleased to announce that effective immediately, the name of the magazine has reverted.

We tried it our way, but it’s become clear that you wanted it back the way it was and we have acquiesed to your requests.

This year is going to be an exciting year here at Amateur

To help us continue to modernise and grow we would like to encourage you to tell your friends about the magazine. If you would like us to send you free sample copies and subscription forms to hand out to your group please contact Zoya on 0203 371 1425 or email zoya@asmagazine.co.uk.

Before closing we’d like to thank a small army of people who nudged us, contributed and cheered us on in 2009. Your kind words and help were so greatly appreciated.

It all kicks off next month in our annual Panto issue so keep your eyes peeled. Exciting things lie ahead!!

Many thanks The Amateur Stage Team.

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NEWS

RED TAPE FORCES CHAPERONE TO QUIT

BRIGHTON & HOVE ARTS COUNCIL DRAMA AWARDS Theatre groups from Brighton, Southwick and Rottingdean in Sussex recently performed full-length plays to be judged in the annual Brighton & Hove Arts Council Drama Awards.

The adjudicator was writer, actor and composer Nigel Fairs.

as Mickey in “Blood Brothers” and Andrew Allen of New Venture Theatre as Yvan in “Art”.

BHAC was founded in 1974 to promote ‘not for profit’ arts and has a membership of almost 50 organisations embracing music, drama and visual arts. Twentyfive years ago the Drama Awards were launched to promote and recognise the high standards of local amateur drama.

Best Technical Achievement: Andy Etter of Wick Theatre Company for “Popcorn”.

A glittering awards evening took place in December in the Great Hall of Brighton College, in the presence of the Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Councillor Ann Norman.

Awards presented included: Best Overall Production New Venture Theatre of Brighton - “Art”.

Runner-up: Brighton Little Theatre for “Blood Brothers”

Best Actress: Anna Quick of Wick Theatre Company, Southwick, as Scout in “Popcorn”

Best Stage Crew: Southwick Players for “Jerry & Tom”.

Lighting Design: New Venture Theatre for “Art” Sound Design: Southwick Players for “Jerry & Tom” Costumes: Rottingdean Theatre Society for “Kafka’s Dick” Publicity: Wick Theatre Company for the promotion of “Popcorn”

Best Director Tim McQuillen-Wright of New Venture Theatre for “Art”.

Best Actor (joint award): Callum McIntyre of Brighton Little Theatre

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An amateur theatre chaperone has decided to quit his licence after more than 10 years of volunteering due to ‘silly bureaucracy’.

Tim Hinchcliffe, who acts, performs and directs at the Bromley Little Theatre and the Beckenham Theatre Centre, will refuse to renew his ‘Matron’ chaperone licence this year claiming that formfilling is putting pressure on voluntary organisations.

Photographer Mr Hinchcliffe, from Beckenham, says he even needs a licence for his own child to perform in a play under The Children (performances) Regulations 1968 which include amateur theatre companies.

He claims that this year’s pantomimes have been blighted by rules that have included that young performers should each be licenced, sent home at 10pm and chaperones should man hazardous areas to avoid accidents.

He added: “We need licences for each child to perform, licences for our own child to perform on stage with us and more licences for chaperones to make sure their ‘moral and physical health and welfare’ is not under threat.

“It appears that they have started a new regime over the last 12 months because as far as I am aware last year’s pantomime we didn’t have to go through this ‘pantomime’.

“We make just about enough to keep the roof on and now with more and more form-filling we are spending more time on bureaucracy then acting or performing when we managed to get by alright before.”

Mr Hinchcliffe claims that the increase in pressures on voluntary organisations could deter adults from agreeing to run activities for children. He added: “It is like using a sledge hammer to crack a nut.

I don’t want to be sitting on a staircase like a glorified guard dog, the reason I volunteer is to act, direct or perform in activities that are good experiences for children.

“Local authorities are making it so difficult for voluntary organisations that some may simply say ‘why should we do this when we are not being paid to be here?”

Licences are needed for every child performer if they are in paid work or unpaid work for five days or more.

Licences should include a photograph and can take up to a month to process and local authorities should be satisfied that disruption to education is kept to a minimum and rehearsal and performance space is satisfactory.

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

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NEWS

STRATFORD OPERATIC SOCIETY LOOKS TO THE EVANS FOR NEW MUSICAL DIRECTOR

The Stratford Operatic Society choir are starting the new year with a new musical director as Maddy Evans takes over from Andrew Holtom in January. She leads her first rehearsal on 6 January and will be preparing the choir for a concert in March featuring music from the movies.

Maddy is currently the choir’s pianist and, over the last few years, has been musical director for the society’s critically acclaimed productions of The Boy Friend and Guys and Dolls, as well as being assistant musical director for their recent production of Chess. She will also be pianist and assistant musical director for their production of Stephen Sondheim’s Company in June.

Maddy studied piano and violin at Birmingham Conservatoire and Manchester University before returning to Stratford and establishing herself as an in-demand instrumentalist, teacher and musical director. She regularly works across Warwickshire, The Cotswolds and the West Midlands and is the resident organist at St. George’s church in Brailes, where she also directs choral pieces, including a recent production of John Rutter’s Requiem.

Dave Fawbert, who sits on the society’s committee says: “We’re thrilled to be continuing what we hope to be a very long relationship with Maddy. She is undoubtedly one of the region’s most talented young musicians and has been absolutely key to the success of our recent stage musicals. I’m sure she will bring the same creative flair to our choir.”

“We would also like to thank Andrew Holtom, who has done a fantastic job directing our choir over the last few years, and wish him success as he moves on to new projects.”

Maddy said: “I’m delighted to be working with the choir and look forward to exploring an exciting new repertoire as we take Stratford Operatic to the movies in spring.”

The society is always looking for new members of all ages. If you’d like to have a go, please come along to a rehearsal and see what you think. They take place every Wednesday, 7:30pm, at Stratford Racecourse and start on 6 January 2010.

For more information, please contact Dave Fawbert on 07813 15 289 or davidfawbert@gmail.com.

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NEWS

ARIEL STUDENTS WIN DIANA AWARD

WOODSEATS RETURNS At a time when some groups are looking at closure, one of Sheffield’s most popular theatre companies finally makes its return to the stage.

Woodseats Musical Theatre last performed in 2005 with a revival of Broadway classic Guys and Dolls at the Lyceum Theatre.

Rising costs and the problems of the recession began to bite, however, and it looked like the critically-acclaimed company might have sung and danced its last big routine.

Now, though, the team is back together again and working on a new show which comes to Dronfield’s Civic Theatre in the New Year.

Directed by Sheffield amateur veteran Mary Newey, with choreography by Carla Jane Wade and musical direction

by Hugh Finnegan, Woodseats Meets the West End brings together songs from some of the theatre and movie world’s best-loved shows, including smash hits West Side Story, Cats, Chicago, Anything Goes, Blood Brothers, Wicked, Jekyll and Hyde and family favourite Mamma Mia. The show runs on February 3rd, 5th and 6th and will, the production team hopes, herald a return to full strength for the company which thrilled audiences with a string of critically acclaimed Lyceum shows.

“This really does prove the truth of the old showbiz saying the show will go on,” said director Mary. “For a while we really did fear that Woodseats Musical Theatre might be finished but we were determined not to go under and now we have a show that we are confident can put us back on the road.”

“We have some of the best non-professional talent in the region taking part – names like Richard Carlin, Marilyn Barker, Kate Newey and James Parkin – and a lineup of great numbers from a string of memorable shows.

“I think we can definitely say it’s going to be a night to remember!”

Tickets for the show cost just £8 and are available on 0114 2369 351 or 0114 246 8242.

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Youngsters from Burgess Hill and Hayward’s Heath received a top National lifetime honour for outstanding and selfless contribution to their communities.

These students at Ariel Drama Plus, support children with Special Needs to be able to access weekly Drama, Singing and Dance classes.

Aged 12 to 18 all students are from Ariel Drama Plus Academy received the ‘The Diana Award for Excellence’ at a ceremony at Oakmeeds Community College on Saturday Jan 9th.

The students had already travelled to London’s Canary Wharf to meet MP Dawn Butler (Minister for Youth Citizen’s and Youth Engagements).

Nicci and Neil Hopson, principles of Ariel Drama Academy comments “We are absolutely thrilled the students have been publicly recognised by the presentation of such a prestigious award”.

We pride ourselves that the Drama School is fully inclusive in every aspect and without these 7 students, I would be unable to teach them, and for that I am eternally grateful’ says Sue Jay, Special Needs Drama Tutor at Ariel Drama Plus The youngsters were selected from more than 3,000 candidates Nationwide. The Diana Awards still remains very close to the Princes William and Harry hearts, Ariel students were further awarded the highest accolade of the ‘Award of Excellence’ which only 12 received in the whole country.

16 year old Ben of Haywards Heath, one of the recipients of the award says’ I feel privileged to be able to take part with helping the Othello’s.

“We are always looking for ways to enhance there Drama experience, and offer through the Othello’s buddies, greater life skill rewards, which is an amazing opportunity for all the students that come every Saturday” said Nigel Harman, Ariel Patron.

For more details of Ariel’s work please visit www.arielct.co.uk or call 01444 250407.

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

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FEATURE

CHADS TAKE TIME TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS Chads Theatre in Cheadle Hume recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of having their own theatre by staging a production of Wait Until Dark.

In October 1959 there was great excitement when “Dinner With the Family” signalled a complete change for backstage and performers alike. From 1921, the theatre group had had to perform in a local Parish Room or a local cinema. Scenery and props had to be assembled in the stables of a large house and transported to the venue by a friendly local coalman who was prepared to wash out his lorry for the purpose.

Although building of the (new 1959) theatre was carried out by professionals virtually everything else was done by Chads members. The car park required levelling and a member on duty with Territorial Army, under training with a bulldozer, managed to borrow it for the purpose. He performed a great service except that one brick built gatepost was inadvertently demolished as he entered the car park; and the other, was equally inadvertently demolished as he departed!

As part of the anniversary celebrations, Chads recently held a display of hats from the theatre’s extensive Wardrobe in no lesser place than the Hatworks Museum in Stockport. The display

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included hats from the early and late Victorian periods and from the more flamboyant Edwardian era, as well as from the fifties which fitted the celebration. Long time patron of the theatre and former Mayor of Stockport, Ingrid Shaw, was on hand to inaugurate the display together with Councillor John Smith, Executive Member for Leisure Services in company with Anne Harrison, Chads Wardrobe Mistress who had selected and prepared the hats for display.

Since the opening in 1959 the theatre has been enlarged and improved: the wardrobe was multiplied in size the bar area enlarged and most recently a firstfloor rehearsal studio installed. Seven productions each year include one by the strong Youth Group and most Sundays from 10.30 to 12.30 the dress hire facility is open making a substantial addition to the theatre’s income.

Find out more about Chads at www.chads.co.uk Photographs: Main photograph from 1959 shows a working party taking a break from laying bricks and hardcore on the (levelled) car park. Middle photo shows Ingrid Shaw, former Mayor of Stockport, Councillor John Smith, Executive members for Leisure Services and Ann Harrison Chads Wardrobe Mistress. Bottom photo: Pauline Neild’s photo of the dress rehearsal of “Wait Until Dark” with Steve Berrington as Harry Roat and Natasha Johnson as Susy Hendrix.

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

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THEMUSICAL PLAY PRODUCED THE PRODUCED

SHADOWLANDS

Shadowlands recently enjoyed a hugely successful West End revival bringing the touching tale of C S Lewis and Joy Davidman back into the limelight. Patricia Richardson discusses her recent production of the hit play by William Nicholson at the Bournemouth Little Theatre Club.

Introduction

Although a huge challenge for any theatre group – if you have two strong actors for the leads and no shortage of men, then this production is well worth thinking about. It is a very rich and wonderful play with a good deal of carefully placed humour to perfectly balance the seriousness and pain in the latter half of the play. This is a powerful piece of theatre, and when we made the decision to stage the play I had no idea of the profound effect it would have on us, not just for the cast and crew, but for our patrons who came to see the production.

Seldom have I sat in a theatre and felt such an intensity of feeling.

Plot and Casting

It is set in academic Oxford in the 1950’s and follows the story of the shy Oxford don and children’s author, C S Lewis and American poet Joy Davidman from their initial correspondence and

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first meeting, through to the illness and finally the death of Joy towards the end of the play. When originally produced it was staged with 7 men, 2 women and a boy – with some doubling of the smaller characters. As we have a very active Theatre Workshop for new members with little experience, I decided to use some of these members to play the smaller roles and extras, giving myself a cast of 15 in total – 10 men and 5 women.

The casting of C S Lewis and Joy is central to the production as it is their story and we need to see their growing relationship and to see Lewis changing before our eyes and falling in love with Joy despite his initial resistance. The part of Joy is hugely challenging as it is a multifaceted character with a massive range. The hospital scenes with Lewis and the final death scenes needed to be handled with great sensitivity. There are some very interesting and contrasting roles for men and we worked a great

deal on the relationships between them and with Joy. A young boy is required for Joy’s son Douglas, who needs to be eight. I was very fortunate in having a young actor who was in fact ten, but he was quite small for his age and looked eight. Because of the subject matter this was a very demanding part for him, and he also needed an American accent. The relationship between Lewis and Warnie is vital to the play as with his relationship with Joy and Douglas which changes as the play progresses.

Rehearsals

As we have our own 95 seat theatre with comfortable seating and raked auditorium we are able to rehearse on the stage from the start of rehearsals, and the set is being created around us as we progress.

We rehearsed the play over six weeks, with three rehearsals during the week

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www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk

THE PLAY PRODUCED basis of our set, giving the impression of venerable collegiate antiquity required for the scenes set in Magdelen College, and also sympathetic to C S Lewis’s description of his home – The Midden!

The challenge of a multiplicity of scenes quickly changed, with no wings or storage space, meant a naturalistic set was impractical; a few areas were defined with flattage and a raised rostrum upstage to break things up, with minimal architectural features for visual variety courtesy of our skilled stage director Glan. Beautiful toning furniture and dressing from our expert Margaret fleshed out each area as required.

A three colour blend on all the downstage exposed areas of flattage used two similar shades of a colour somewhere between grey and lilac, one warm toned, one cool, defined with black shading in an effort to convey the idea of shadows all around, enhanced

by Alastair’s superb lighting. Magdelen College remained sombre grey. Some symbolic touches - a menu from the hotel where Joy meets Jack, and a Greek holiday advertisement were placed on a revolving flat downstage right.

and also on a Sunday afternoon. The Sunday rehearsals worked well for us and we were able to achieve a great deal during this time. I segmented the rehearsals calling only the actors I intended to work with. As the play is made up of a great number of short scenes we worked on all the scenes with ‘the dons’ or Lewis/Warnie Lewis/Joy etc.

This way we had the freedom to work in depth with these actors and get the greatest amount of work done. I also tried to work on all the Douglas scenes on a Sunday to prevent him having late night rehearsals.

By week four I was ready to start to put the play together and by then we could see the results of the in-depth work we had done and our technical team were coming in to add the lighting and sound.

As there are a great number of small scenes my original thoughts about the

production were that from the opening of the play I wanted the whole thing to swirl in and out of the scenes with no delay, using extra characters to set or strike any furniture that might be required for that scene without delaying the action. I had allocated areas for various locations and on a rostra at the back centre left had set the University Dining Hall and in front of it downstage had The Kilns set throughout.

During the interval I had two nurses and two extras as porters to strike the Kilns and set the Hospital Room. We have no curtains in the theatre so in order for the audience not to see Joy in bed from the opening of Act 11 we used hospital screens which were then replaced when we wanted to shield Joy from view.

Set and Scenery - Vicci Johnson

The wooden floor already in situ from previous productions, and worn to a lovely patina, was decided on as the

The wardrobe was the biggest challenge due to space restrictions, and it felt important to create a striking contrast between the Shadowlands where the adults were involved in their tragedies, and the fantasy world that Douglas could see beyond the doors. The wardrobe was almost invisible, painted the same colour as the back wall giving an impression of panelling, while inside was painted bright white, dressed with sparkling fabric, accessorised with white twigs and branches, giant snow flakes, glittered holly and similar - hurrah for Christmas looming! Special effects of lighting and smoke machine completed the magic, judging by the audience’s gratifying gasps each night!

Lighting – Alastair Griffiths

The play demands lighting for some 36 different scenes in 14 locations ranging from an Oxford College to a Greek island at varying times of the day and night and to meeting the different emotional moods as the play progresses. With our small stage and a limited stock of equipment this created an interesting challenge.

The approach revolved around a careful balance between – colours, direction/ angle of the lighting and cue timing. The basic common foundation across all areas in a basic warm cover (152/173) onto which colour washes and specials could be overlaid at various angles. For example the same stage area was used for the Kiln’s living room and the hospital

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THE PLAY PRODUCED area; with careful balancing of the basic cover and a cool wash the desired hospital feel was created. A key effect is the illusion of Narnia to be created inside the wardrobe whose doors magically open; a corridor of white light leading to the wardrobe was achieved with a couple of carefully focused profile backlights with the inside lit with a single PAR downlight and a touch of smoke, the contrast to the basic cover ensuring the necessary wow factor. Finally the timing of cues was paramount to ensure the scenes flowed seamlessly and the desired drama is achieved as Joy finally dies. Getting this timing right involved close coordination between the lighting designer, operator and cast.

Costumes – Sue Helps

This is a period piece set in the 50’s and as we have an extensive wardrobe at the club we were able to dress the whole production from the contents, with the exception of one or two pieces that we were loaned. The only clothes we needed to hire were for Douglas as he needed to look right for the period.

Shoes were a problem for him too – but a very lucky find in a charity shop gave us just what we wanted in a pair of black lace ups. We needed well lived-in clothes for Lewis and Warnie and for Joy we had a selection of genuine fifties costumes that were ideal. As our Lewis was slightly on the young side I settled on some tortoiseshell spectacles and a period hairstyle that aged him sufficiently rather than go for an aging makeup as our audiences are very close.

Sound - Gary Hayton

This production took place on a fairly small stage so the main function of the sound design was to tell the audience the story location of scenes. However, this did not preclude sound cues from contributing other functions of stage sound, such as setting the period of the play, giving information about a character and setting an emotional tone.

14 shadowlands.indd 4

The end time of sound cues was considered as important as the start time, for example by continuing the offstage music cue, which served to set the hotel tearoom scene where the Lewis brothers first meet Joy, until a little after Joy’s entrance, (where it stops), we subtly suggested that this woman is going to change the Lewis brothers’ world.

Music was chosen mostly for its emotional content in this production, although referential music was used as well. Two music cues were specifically written by the sound designer for the production, (Gary Hayton). These were for Douglas’ interaction with the magic wardrobe. The music here was intended to give a feeling of magical wonder and to draw Douglas to the wardrobe.

The second time this is heard, it is an underscore to the marriage of Jack and Joy in the hospital, so the music needed to be arranged in such a way that it did not distract form the dialogue.

The overall sound design of Shadowlands was quite subtle, which worked well with the strong performances of the actors.

Furniture and Props Margaret Eaton

As we are able to work on the stage from the start of rehearsals it is possible to have the correct furniture as soon as it has been decided on.

We were fortunate in having a wonderful refectory table in our store at the theatre which worked as a base for the University Dining Hall for the men to sit around. This was set on rostra and with cut glass decanters and glassware it looked very impressive, and we also had a set of solid chairs to go with it. This table was doubled up for the Registrar’s office, when it was swiftly brought down centre by two characters as we went into the scene.

For The Kilns we used two small wing armchairs and a bureau desk with an old desk chair. The space was very limited

so we had to create the right atmosphere and get the required effect.

In Act 11 a Hospital Bed is necessary and we were indeed fortunate that our props lady had a 1950’s hospital bed in her garage just waiting to be used.

With hospital screens that we were able to borrow – The Kilns became The Hospital Room.

We have a brilliant props lady and as with the rest of the play we were meticulous about making sure that all the props had the period feel about them. We were even lent a 1950’s Stethoscope for our Doctor.

Special Requirements

For the characters of Joy and Douglas it was necessary to have an American accent, but this did not present too much of a problem.

For us, with the small stage we have to work on with no wing space – we had created up right a flat with a curtain at the side of it, making a loading bay for all the small furniture used for the various scenes. It took enormous skill in setting and storing all of this in order for it to be accessed when required and returned in complete and utter silence. It was also an entrance for the actors which further complicated matters.

During Act 11 when the Hospital Room reverted to The Kilns – I made the decision to press the pause button on the play while my nurses and porters changed the set. This I covered with music and it was done swiftly and without any delay to the production.

Provided you have a dedicated team who are all working to the same ends, then any difficulty can be overcome and this will indeed be a more than worthwhile production to take on.

Thank you William Nicholson for writing such a masterpiece.

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010 13/01/2010 22:06:36

shadowlands.indd 5

13/01/2010 10:11:51

TWO NEW COMEDIES ON YOUR HONOUR

by Roger Leach and Colin Wakefield 3F, 5M – 1 set “In these troubled times what joy it is to find a brand new and extremely funny bedroom farce” (THE STAGE) (Published by Josef Weinberger Plays)

19

22

DOUBLE OR TWIN

by Roger Leach and Colin Wakefield 5F, 4M – 1 set “A brilliantly constructed situation farce” (former joint-Artistic Director, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry)

TWO NEW THRILLERS AUDIENCE WITH MURDER

by Roger Leach and Colin Wakefield 2F, 2M – 1 set (Published by Samuel French) “Exquisitely plotted… an evening of taut and suspenseful entertainment” (ILFORD RECORDER)

SLEEP NO MORE

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JAN10_1-11.indd 4

13/01/2010 13:46:23

LISTINGS>CLASSIFIEDS>PHOTOS>>>

SHOWdiary POPCORN Wick Theatre Co.

THE CRUCIBLE Runnymede

FOOTLOOSE The UK’s only complete national listings for Amateur Theatre.

Submit your diary listings & audition notices now to be included.

diary.indd 3

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Hayes Players

13/01/2010 11:17:13

SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiar 42ND STREET

13 - 20 February 2010 Clitheroe Parish Church AO & DS St Mary’s Centre Clitheroe, Lancs 01200 424545 30 March - 03 April 2010 Erewash Musical Society Trent College Long Eaton, Derbyshire 0115 930 1603

A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS 17 - 20 March 2010 One Off Productions New Theatre Royal Portsmouth, Hampshire 023 9264 9000 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

A NIGHT AT THE MUSICALS 27 March 2010 Giselle Academy St Peter’s Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9264 3385 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

A RAVE REVUE

25 - 26 March 2010 Glow Theatre Group Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 01959 561811 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk

ACT YOUR AGE

17 - 20 February 2010 Ruthin Musical Theatre Theatr John Ambrose Ruthin, Denbighshire 01824 703748

ALADDIN

05 - 07 February 2010 Sheffield Grenoside Community Association Grenoside Community Centre Sheffield, S Yorks 0114 201 7338

ALBERT MAKE US LAUGH 15 - 20 March 2010 Keighley Playhouse Keighly, West Yorkshire 01535 604764 www.keighlyplayhouse.co.uk

ALL SHOOK UP

02 - 06 March 2010 Marlow Amateur Operatic Society Shelley Theatre Marlow, Bucks 01628 473577

AMDRAM THANK YOU MA’AM

17 - 20 March 2010 Eyemouth Variety Group Eyemouth High School Eyemouth, Berwickshire 01890 750585

02 - 06 March 2010 Doncaster Amateur Operatic Society Civic Theatre Doncaster, S Yorks 01302 342349

ANNIE GET YOUR GUN

04 - 06 March 2010 Rochford District Players The Greensward Academy Hockley, Essex 07722 154052

16 - 20 March 2010 Kelso Amateur Operatic Society The Tait Hall Kelso, Roxburghshire 01573 274756 23 - 27 March 2010 TAB Operatic Society Civic Hall Brierley Hill, W Midlands 0121 550 7254

ANTHONY & CLEOPATRA 06 - 13 March 2010 Richmond Shakespeare Society Mary Wallace Theatre Twickenham Embankment, Surrey 020 8744 0547 www.richmondshakespeare.org.uk

ANYTHING GOES

09 - 13 March 2010 Central Operatic Society Landau Forte College Derby, Derbyshire 01332 366279 www.derbyartsandtheatre.org.uk 22 - 27 March 2010 Harpenden Light Operatic Society Harpenden Public Halls Harpenden, Herts 01582 624147 24 - 27 March 2010 Ellesmere Amateur Operatic Society Sheffield Montgomery Theatre Sheffield, S Yorkshire 01909 770050

BABES IN THE WOOD

17 - 20 February 2010 Brantham Amateur Theatrical Society Brantham Village Hall Brantham, Suffolk 07523 218270

BAD GIRLS - THE MUSICAL 23 - 27 February 2010 York Stage Musicals Joseph Rowntree Theatre York, Yorkshire 07989 586 906 25 - 27 February 2010 Theatreworkz The Masque Theatre Kettering, Northants 01933 224294

11 - 13 February 2010 Hampton Amateur Theatre Society Peterborough High School Peterborough, Cambridgeshire 07757 032286

24 - 27 March 2010 Worthing Light Opera Company Pavilion Theatre Worthing, W Sussex 01903 206206

AMPHIBIOUS SPANGULATOS

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

24 - 27 March 2010 Collingwood RSC Millennium Hall HMS Collingwood, Hampshire 07502 037922 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

ANNIE

16 - 20 February 2010 Fatfield Musical Stage Society St Robert’s School Washington, Tyne and Wear 0191 388 5425 23 - 27 February 2010 Melyncrythan Amateur Operatic Society Princess Royal Theatre Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot 01639 635502 15 - 20 March 2010 Bishop Auckland Amateur Operatic Society Civic Hall Shildon, Durham 01388 604275

18 diary.indd 4

01 - 06 February 2010 Southern Light Opera Company Kings Theatre Edinburgh, Scotland 0131 529 6000

16 - 20 February 2010 Shavington Village Festival Committee Shavington Leisure Centre Crewe, Cheshire 07913 372619 17 - 27 February 2010 York Light Opera Company York Theatre Royal York, Yorkshire 01904 623568 www.yorklight.com 01 - 06 March 2010 Cockett Amateur Operatic Society Taliesin Arts Centre Swansea, Glamorgan 01792 584706

08 - 13 March 2010 Tynemouth Amateur Operatic Society Playhouse Theatre Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear 0191 253 1802 21 - 27 March 2010 Glastonbury & Street Musical Comedy Society Strode Theatre Street, Somerset 01458 441442 24 - 27 March 2010 Hillingdon Musical Society Beck Theatre Hayes, Middlesex 01895 639769 29 March - 03 April 2010 Innerleithen Amateur Operatic Society Memorial Hall Innerleithen, Peeblesshire 0845 224 1908 30 March - 03 April 2010 Pied Pipers Theatre Company ADC Theatre Cambridge, Cambs 01223 300085

BEDROOM FARCE

24 - 27 February 2010 Belmont Theatre Company Pump House Theatre Watford, Herts 0845 521 3453

BLITHE SPIRIT

CALAMITY JANE

23 - 27 February 2010 Selkirk Amateur Operatic Society Victoria Hall Selkirk 01750 21719 17 - 20 March 2010 Motherwell & Wishaw Amateur Operatic Society Clyde Valley High School Wishaw, North Lanarkshire 078570 57963 23 - 27 March 2010 Hessle Theatre Company Hull New Theatre Hull 01482 226655

CAROUSEL

17 - 20 February 2010 Community of Hungerford John O’Gaunt Community and Technology College Hungerford, Berkshire 01488 684011 02 - 06 March 2010 Grange & Dist Amateur Operatic Society Victoria Hall Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria 01539 534308 16 - 20 March 2010 Walsall Operatic Society Lichfield Garrick Theatre and Studio Lichfield, Staffs 01922 611982 17 - 20 March 2010 Holy Ridiculous Theatre Group Mayhill County Junior School Odiham, Hants 01256 704916 22 - 27 March 2010 Lewes Operatic Society Town Hall Lewes, E Sussex 01273 480127

25 - 27 March 2010 Horndean Amateur Theatrical Society Merchistoun Hall Horndean, Hampshire 023 9259 7114 www.horndeanamdram.com

24 - 27 March 2010 Berwick-upon-Tweed Amateur Operatic Soc The Maltings Theatre Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland 01289 330999

BLITZ!

CASH ON DELIVERY

23 - 27 March 2010 Ruislip Operatic Society Winston Churchill Hall Ruislip, Middlesex 07905 932366

BOOGIE NIGHTS

02 - 13 February 2010 Highbury Little Theatre Sutton Coldfield, W Midlands 0121 373 2761

CAUGHT IN THE NET

23 - 27 March 2010 Dundee Operatic Society Whitehall Theatre Dundee, 01382 643868

18 - 20 February 2010 Hayes Players Hayes Village Hall Bromley, Kent 07905 210718 www.hayesplayers.org.uk

BRIGADOON

CHESS

15 - 20 February 2010 Penzance Amateur Operatic Society St John’s Hall Penzance, Cornwall 01736 363198

CINDERELLA

15 - 20 February 2010 Bridgnorth Musical Theatre Company Bridgnorth Sports & Leisure Centre Bridgnorth, Shropshire 01746 763510

BUGSY MALONE

08 - 13 March 2010 Leven Amateur Musical Association The Centre Leven, Fife 01334 659348

10 - 13 February 2010 Irchester Players Parsons Hall Irchester, Northants 01933 624310

22 - 27 February 2010 Guiseley Amateur Operatic Society Guiseley Theatre Leeds, W Yorks 08453 705045

16 - 20 February 2010 Hereford Amateur Pantomime Society The Courtyard Hereford, Herefordshire 01432 340555

24 - 27 February 2010 Carnegie Youth Theatre Carnegie Hall Dunfermline, Fife 01383 602302

17 - 20 February 2010 Seaton Pantomime Society Seaton Town Hall Seaton, Devon 01297 23202

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

13/01/2010 22:22:25

Wdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>> 11 - 14 March 2010 Bingley Amateur Operatic Society Bingley Arts Centre Bingley, West Yorkshire 01274 432000 20 February 2010 St Mary’s Panto Players St Peter’s Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9229 3020 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

COPACABANA

16 - 20 March 2010 Wolverhampton Musical Comedy Company Grand Theatre Wolverhampton, W Midlands 01902 429212

CRAZY FOR YOU

16 - 20 March 2010 Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Company Pendle Hippodrom Theatre Colne, Lancs 01282 612402 10 - 13 March 2010 Uni of Portsmouth D&MS New Theatre Royal Portsmouth, Hampshire 023 9264 9000 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

DAISY PULLS IT OFF 10 - 13 February 2010 Guildonian Players Methodist Church Harold Wood, Essex 01708 341442 www.guildonianplayers.co.uk

DANCE ATTACK

09 - 13 February 2010 Island Dance Fusion Station Theatre Hayling Island, Hampshire 023 9246 6363 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

DICK BARTON SPECIAL AGENT 11 - 13 February 2010 Thurrock Courts Players Thameside Theatre Grays, Essex 0845 300 5264

DIE FLEDERMAUS

23 - 27 March 2010 Great Witley Operatic Society Swan Theatre Worcester, Worcestershire 01905 611427

FAME - THE MUSCIAL 17 - 20 February 2010 STP Muscials Academy Ferneham Hall Fareham, Hampshire 01329 231942 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

FAR AWAY PLACES

11 - 13 March 2010 Ferryhill Stage Society Mainsforth Community Centre Ferryhill, Durham 01740 652551

FAWLTY TOWERS

23 - 27 February 2010 Chase Theatre Company Charles Cryer Studio Theatre Carshalton, Surrey 020 8770 6990

FESTEN

05 - 14 March 2010 Kidderminster Operatic & Dramatic Society Rose Theatre Kidderminster, Worcs 01562 743745 08 - 13 March 2010 Knowle Operatic Society Solihull Arts Complex Solihull, West Midlands 0121 704 6962 09 - 13 March 2010 Croft House Operatic Society Lyceum Theatre Sheffield, S Yorks 0114 249 6000 17 - 20 March 2010 HEOS Musical Theatre Questors Theatre Ealing, Middlesex 020 8567 5184

17 - 20 February 2010 Pendle Hippodrome Youth Theatre Hippodrome Theatre Colne, Lancs 01282 699799

24 - 27 February 2010 CCADS Portsmouth Central Library Portsmouth, Hampshire 023 9247 7466 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

22 - 27 March 2010 CODY Farnborough Amateur Operatic Society Princes Hall Aldershot, Hampshire 01252 329155

DROP IN

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

23 - 27 March 2010 Kings Langley Light Opera Company Kings Langley Community Centre Kings Langley, Herts 01442 268839

DISCO INFERNO

02 - 06 February 2010 Revellers Music & Dramatic Society Peterborough Indoor Bowls Club Peterborough, Cambs 01733 560449

ELIJAH

05 - 05 March 2010 Lanchester & District Choral & Operatic Soc Lanchester Methodist Church Lanchester, Durham 01207 520172

22 - 27 February 2010 Orpheus Club The King’s Theatre Glasgow, Scotland 08700 606648

23 - 27 February 2010 Chelmsford Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society Civic Theatre Chelmsford, Essex 01245 606505

FOOTLOOSE

17 - 20 February 2010 Seaham Youth Theatre Seaham School of Technology Seaham, Durham 0191 581 0340

Mossley AODS - Footloose

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

diary.indd 5

19 13/01/2010 22:22:46

SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiar

Runnymede - The Crucible. Photos: Colin Dolley

FOOTLOOSE

GODSPELL

HALF A SIXPENCE

09 - 13 March 2010 SCAMPS Youth Company Evans Theatre Wilmslow, Cheshire 01625 527593

GOODY TWO SHOES

HELLO DOLLY!

22 - 27 February 2010 Edinburgh Music Theatre Company Ltd. Church Hill Theatre Edinburgh, Midlothian 0131 332 6558

16 - 20 March 2010 Woodhouse Amateur Operatic Society Lawrence Batley Theatre Huddersfield, W Yorks 01422 310872 17 - 20 March 2010 Clydebank Musical Society Clydebank Town Hall Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire 0141 952 1886

GASLIGHT

17 - 20 March 2010 St Austell Players St Austell Community Centre & Arts Theatre St Austell, Cornwall 01726 879500

GIGI

02 - 06 March 2010 Wellingborough A O & D S The Castle Wellingborough, Northants 01536 516661

GLAMOROUS NIGHT

17 - 20 February 2010 Present Company Derby Theatre Derby, Derbyshire 01332 255800 www.derbyartsandtheatre.org.uk

20 diary.indd 6

23 - 25 February 2010 Kirkcaldy Youth Music Theatre Adam Smith Theatre Kirkcaldy, Fife 01592 203161

22 - 27 February 2010 Burton Bradstock Players Burton Bradstock Village Hall Burton Bradstock, Dorset 01308 897415

GOTTA SING - GOTTA DANCE

30 March - 03 April 2010 Northavon Youth Theatre Company Armstrong Hall Thornbury, S Glos 01454 613172

15 - 20 February 2010 CAOS Musical Productions Minerva Theatre Chichester, West Sussex 01243 781312 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

22 - 27 March 2010 Alderley & Wilmslow Amateur Operatic Soc Woodford Community Hall Woodford, Cheshire 0845 603 4505

09 - 13 March 2010 Basingstoke AOS The Haymarket Basingstoke, Hants 01256 844244

GYPSY

HIGH SOCIETY

16 - 20 March 2010 Yeadon Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society Yeadon Town Hall Leeds, W Yorks 0113 202 9524

08 - 13 March 2010 Alnwick Stage Musical Society Alnwick Playhouse Alnwick, Northumberland 01665 510785

HAEBEAS CORPUS

24 - 27 March 2010 Newtown Musical Theatre Company Theatre Hafren Newtown, Powys 01686 625007

23 - 27 March 2010 Sultan Theatre Group Brunel Theatre HMS Sultan, Hampshire 023 9254 2272 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

HALF A SIXPENCE 17 - 20 March 2010 The Garrick Singers The Duthac Centre Tain, Ross-shire 01862 842311

HMS PINAFORE

16 - 20 February 2010 Rugby Operatic Society Rugby Theatre Rugby, Warwickshire 01788 541234 02 - 06 March 2010 The Savoy Singers The Camberley Theatre Camberley, Surrey 01252 834380

10 - 13 March 2010 Knaphill & St John’s Opera Group Rhoda Megaw Theatre Woking, Surrey 01483 473657

HONK!

16 - 21 March 2010 Evesham Operatic & Dramatic Society The Arts Centre Evesham, Worcs 01386 442348

HOT MIKADO

23 - 27 February 2010 Torbay Operatic & Dramatic Society Palace Theatre Paignton, Devon 01803 290371 02 - 06 March 2010 Doncaster Amateur Operatic Society Civic Theatre Doncaster, S Yorks 01302 342349 24 - 27 March 2010 Hebden Bridge Light Opera Society Picture House Hebden Bridge, W Yorks 01422 250181

HUMBLE BOY

08 - 13 March 2010 South Shields Westovian Theatre Society Westovian Theatre South Shields, Tyne & Wear 0191 456 0980

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK 04 - 07 February 2010 Morley Amateur Operatic Society Morley Town Hall Morley, West Yorkshire 07960 766 334

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

13/01/2010 22:23:13

Wdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>> Iver Heath Drama Club - Jack & The Beanstalk

Wick Theatre Co - Popcorn

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR 22 - 27 March 2010 Lutterworth Musical Theatre Company Lutterworth St Mary’s Church Lutterworth, Leics 01455 209108

KEY FOR TWO

25 - 27 February 2010 Lechlade Players New Memorial Hall Lechlade, Glos 01367 253351

KILLING TIME

03 - 06 March 2010 Knutsford Little Theatre Knutsford Cheshire 01565 873515 www.knutsfordlittletheatre.com

KING AND I

09 - 13 February 2010 Lindley Church Amateur Operatic Society The Lawrence Batley Theatre Huddersfield, W Yorks 01484 430528 22 - 27 February 2010 Wickersley Musical Theatre Company Civic Theatre Rotherham, South Yorkshire 01709 544643 15 - 20 March 2010 Barnsley Amateurs Musical Theatre Group The Lamproom Theatre Barnsley, South Yorkshire 01226 200075 23 - 27 March 2010 Bo’ness Amateur Operatic Society Town Hall Bo’ness, West Lothian 01506 827292

KISMET

23 - 27 March 2010 All Souls Amateur Operatic Society Halifax The Playhouse Halifax, W Yorks 01422 205101

KISS ME, KATE

15 - 20 February 2010 Penzance Amateur Operatic Society St John’s Hall Penzance, Cornwall 01736 363198

LA PERICHOLE - OFFENBACH 23 - 27 February 2010 Opera South Haslemere Hall Haslemere, Surrey 01428 642161

MACK AND MABEL LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS 24 - 27 March 2010 Elstree Productions The Ark Community Theatre Borehamwood, Herts 0208 953 6560

LORD ARTHUR SAVILE’S CRIME

09 -13 February 2010 Stafford Players Malcolm Edwards Theatre Stafford Gatehouse, Staffordshire 01785 254855 www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk

15 - 20 March 2010 Maidstone Amateur Operatic Society Haglitt theatre Maidstone, Kent 01622 761998 22 - 27 March 2010 Hyde Musical Society Festival Theatre Hyde, Cheshire 0161 301 2253

MAGNIFICENT MUSICALS 16 - 20 March 2010 Fareham Musical Society Ferneham Hall Fareham, Hants 01329 231942 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

LA VIE PARISIENNE 03 - 06 March 2010 Kirkcaldy G & S Society Adam Smith Theatre Kirkcaldy, Fife 01592 566353

LES MISERABLES (SCHOOL EDITION) 15 - 20 February 2010 Tiverton Junior Operatic Club The New Hall Tiverton, Devon 01884 253672

15 - 20 February 2010 Centrestage Productions Youth Theatre The Point Eastleigh, Hants 023 8065 2333

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

diary.indd 7

21 13/01/2010 22:23:36

SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiar MAME

16 - 27 March 2010 Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society Octagon Theatre Yeovil, Somerset 01935 422884

23 - 27 March 2010 Ashbeian Musical Theatre Group Ivanhoe College Ashby-de-la-zouch, Leicestershire 01283 224879

OLIVER!

PIRATES OF PENZANCE

16 - 20 February 2010 Burton on Trent & District Operatic Society De Ferrers Specialist Technology College Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire 01283 541552

16 - 20 February 2010 Heanor Operatic Society Heanor Gate Science College Heanor, Derbyshire 01773 762042

17 - 20 February 2010 Southgate Opera Wyllyotts Theatre Potters Bar, Hertfordshire 020 8372 2383

02 - 06 March 2010 St Andrews Amateur Operatic Society Byre Theatre, St Andrews, Fife 01334 475000

01 - 08 March 2010 Wombwell & District Amateur Operatic Soc Operatic Centre Wombwell, S Yorks 01226 758375

08 - 13 March 2010 Lancaster Red Rose Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society The Grand Theatre Lancaster, Lancashire 01524 64695

01 - 06 February 2010 Cupar Amateur Musical Society Corn Exchange Cupar, Fife 01334 654187

08 - 13 March 2010 Maltby Musical Theatre Group Civic Theatre Rotherham, S Yorks 0845 241 2542

22 - 27 February 2010 Hinckley Comm Guild AOS Concordia Theatre Hinckley, Leicestershire 01455 847676

02 - 06 March 2010 Mansfield Amateur Operatic Society The Palace Theatre Mansfield, Nottinghamshire 01623 624980

17 - 20 March 2010 Rock Ferry Amateur Operatic Society Gladstone Theatre Wirral, Merseyside 0151 645 1369

PIRATES OF PENZANCE JR

08 - 13 March 2010 Hitchin Thespians The Gordon Craig Theatre Stevenage, Herts 01438 363200

30 March - 03 April 2010 Redruth Amateur Operatic Society Trust Hall for Cornwall Truro, Cornwall 01872 262466

17 - 20 March 2010 Staines Musical Theatre Group Magna Carta Theatre Staines, Middlesex 01784 456958

09 - 13 February 2010 Porthsmouth Players Kings Theatre Southsea, Hampshire 023 9266 0880 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS

16 - 20 March 2010 Stirling & Bridge of Allan Operatic Society Macrobert Stirling, Stirlingshire 01786 466666

MOTHER GOOSE

05 - 06 March 2010 Utopian Operatic Society Tyler Theatre Eltham, London 01322 402528

MURDER MISTAKEN

02 - 06 March 2010 Radcliffe-on-Trent Drama Group Grange Hall Radcliffe-on-Trent, Notts 0115 9332906 www.radcliffe-on-trentdramagroup.co.uk

MUSIC MAN

MY FAIR LADY

17 - 20 February 2010 Cary Amateur Theatrical Society Ansford School Castle Cary, Somerset 01458 273472 01 - 06 March 2010 Ayr Amateur Opera Company Ayr Town Hall, Ayr, Scotland 01292 287268

NOISES OFF

23 - 27 February 2010 Potters Bar Theatre Company Wyllyotts Theatre Potters Bar, Herts 01707 880017

NOT QUITE PANTO 04 - 06 February 2010 Bolney Players Rawson Hall Bolney, W Sussex 01444 461320

OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR 10 - 13 March 2010 Pirton Players Pirton Village Hall Hitchin, Hertforshire 01462 712572

OKLAHOMA!

16 - 20 February 2010 South Shields G & S Operatic Society Customs House South Shields, Tyne & Wear 0191 454 1234 17 - 27 March 2010 Peterborough Operatic & Dramatic Society Key Theatre Peterborough, Cambs 01733 552439 22 - 27 March 2010 Markinch Amateur Operatic Society Markinch Town Hall Markinch, Fife 01592 758478

22 diary.indd 8

ONCE UPON A TIME - TALES FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM 24 - 27 February 2010 Stevenage Lytton Players Lytton Theatre Stevenage, Herts 0870 777 7619

PAJAMA GAME

14 - 15 February 2010 Havering Music Makers Queens Theatre Hornchurch, Essex 01708 762256 16 - 20 March 2010 Canterbury Operatic Society Gulbenkian Theatre Canterbury, Kent 01227 769075 25 - 27 March 2010 Forest Musical Productions Kenneth More Theatre Ilford, Essex 020 553 4466

PATIENCE

17 - 20 February 2010 Intake Methodist Musical Society Intake Methodist Church Sheffield, S Yorks 0114 248 9971 09 - 13 March 2010 New Rosemere Amateur Operatic Society The Albert Hall Town Hall, Bolton 01204 300666

PETER PAN

11 February 2010 - 13 February 2010 Coquetdale Amateur Dramatic Society Jubilee Hall Morpeth, Northumberland 01669 622856

18 - 20 March 2010 The Elizabethans Amateur Operatic Society Town Hall Ossett, W Yorks 01924 265248

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 02 - 06 March 2010 Derby Shakespeare Theatre The Guildhall Theatre Derby, Derbyshire 01332 255800 www.derbyartsandtheatre.org.uk

PUSS IN BOOTS

22 January - 06 February 2010 St Nicholas Players St Nicholas Church Hall Derby, Derbyshire 01332 556228 www.derbyartsandtheatre.org.uk 09 - 13 February 2010 Circle Light Opera Company Sutton Coldfield Town Hall Sutton Coldfield, W Midlands 07960 869250

RAPUNZEL

04 - 06 February 2010 Woodmansterne Operatic & Dramatic Society St Peter’s Church Hall Banstead, Surrey 01737 555009

RENT

09 - 13 February 2010 Blaenau Gwent Young Stars - Youth Musical TC Beaufort Theatre Ebbw Vale, Gwent 01495 301049 24 - 27 February 2010 Stampede Theatre Company Yeadon Town Hall Yeadon, Leeds 07947 535536

RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET 09 - 13 February 2010 Wilton Productions Plowright Theatre Scunthorpe, N Lincs 01724 330940

22 - 27 March 2010 Braintree Musical Society The Institute Braintree, Essex 01376 553395

RICHARD THE THIRD

24 - 27 March 2010 Southsea Shakespeare Actors The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre Havant, Hampshire 023 9247 2700 www.pad.hampshire.org.uk

RJ - THE MUSICAL 25 - 27 February 2010 Sosage Factory Solihull Arts Complex Solihull, W Midlands 0121 704 6962

ROBINSON CRUSOE 17 - 20 February 2010 Lowdham Pantomime Group Lowdham Village Hall Lowdham, Notts 0115 9664143

ROMEO AND JULIET

22 - 27 February 2010 Romsey Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society Plaza Theatre Romsey, Hampshire 01794 512987

ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD 30 January - 06 February 2010 Richmond Shakespeare Society Mary Wallace Theatre Twickenham Embankment, Surrey 020 8744 0547 www.richmondshakespeare.org.uk

RUDDIGORE

03 - 06 February 2010 West Norfolk G & S Society King’s Lynn Corn Exchange King’s Lynn, Norfolk 01553 764864 22 - 27 February 2010 Barrow Savoyards Forum 28 Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria 01229 820000 23 - 27 February 2010 Preston G & S Society Playhouse Market Street West Preston, Lancashire 01772 339452

SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS 24 - 27 March 2010 Leamington & Warwick Musical Society Royal Spa Centre Royal Leamington Spa, Warks 01926 425507

SHUT YOUR EYES AND THINK OF ENGLAND 17 - 20 February 2010 Preston Drama Club Preston Playhouse Preston, Lancs 01772 744771

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN

23 - 27 March 2010 Brynmawr Amateur Operatic Society Market Hall Theatre Brynmawr, Gwent 07932 472638 23 - 27 March 2010 Bohemians Lyric Opera Company Edinburgh Kings Theatre Edinburgh, Midlothian 0131 336 3216

SLEEPING BEAUTY

29 January - 06 February 2010 Iver Heath Drama Club Iver Heath New Village Hall South Bucks 01753 652616 www.tinyurl.com/IHDCfacebook

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

13/01/2010 22:23:56

OWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>> Every two weeks you can read the complete, unabridged reviews of all the major national drama critics, reprinted with photos in Theatre Record.

Send for a free specimen copy to:

Theatre Record PO BOX 445 CHICHESTER, W. SUSSEX

17 - 20 February 2010 Brixham OD&CS Brixham Theatre Brixham, Devon 01803 857654

SNOW WHITE AND THE CURSE OF THE ICE QUEEN 10 - 13 February 2010 Darnall Musical Theatre Company Darnall & District Community Association HQ Sheffield, South Yorkshire 0114 268 3327

SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE WOMEN 03 - 05 March 2010 Bourne Players The Corn Exchange Bourne, Lincolnshire 01778 393787

SOMETHING’S AFOOT

COSTUMES COSTUME HIRE, SHOWS KING & I, PHANTOM, LES MIZ, OLIVER, FIDDLER, KISS ME KATE, FOLLIES, PINAFORE, ANNIE, ALL PANTO SUBJECTS, ORIENTAL COSTUMES www.bpdcostumes.co.uk P: 01273 481004

SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS

31 January - 06 February 2010 Teddington Theatre Club Hampton Hill Playhouse Hampton Hill, Middlesex 0845 8387529 www.teddingtontheatreclub.org.uk

SOUTHERN COUNTIES DRAMA FESTIVAL 22 - 27 February 2010 1st Round All England Theatre Festival Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 01959 561811 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk

STRICTLY MURDER

THE ANNUAL VARIETY SHOW

23 February - 06 March 2010 Highbury Little Theatre Highbury Little Theatre Sutton Coldfield, W Midlands 0121 373 2761

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

09 - 13 February 2010 Ecclesall theatre Co. Ecclesall Parish Hall Sheffield 0114 230 8842

SUMMER HOLIDAY

17 - 20 February 2010 Marvellous Amateur Dramatics (MAD) The Guildhall Axminster, Devon 01297 561400 22 - 27 February 2010 Melyncrythan Amateur Operatic Society Princess Royal Theatre Port Talbot, Neath Port 01639 763214

SWEET CHARITY

16 - 20 February 2010 Shrewsbury Amateur Operatic Society Ashton Theatre Shrewsbury, Shropshire 01743 281281 15 - 20 March 2010 Ashton Under Lyne Operatic Society George Lawton Hall Mossley, Gtr Manchester 0161 456 6560

THE ADVENTURES OF THE FARAWAY TREE 11 - 13 March 2010 Young Oxted Players Barn Theatre Oxted, Surrey 01959 561811 www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk

23 - 27 February 2010 The Rex Players The Rex Cinema Wareham, Dorset 01929 551817

16 - 27 March 2010 Highbury Little Theatre Sutton Coldfield, W Midlands 0121 373 2761

THE CHICAGO MIKADO 24 - 27 March 2010 Thurrock Operatic Society Thameside Theatre Grays Grays, Essex 01277 375955

THE COUNTRY WIFE 16 - 20 March 2010 Henley Players Kenton Theatre Henley-on-Thames, Oxon 01491 576293

THE DEEP BLUE SEA

03 - 06 March 2010 The Harrogate Dramatic Society Harrogate Theatre Studio Harrogate, N Yorks 07770 630299

THE FARNDALE AVENUE MURDER MYSTERY 18 - 20 March 2010 Haverhill & District Operatic Society Arts Centre Haverhill, Suffolk 01440 714140

THE FULL MONTY 22 - 27 March 2010 Newark AOS The Palace Theatre Newark, Nottinghamshire 01636 655 755

NEXT MONTH

PANTOLAND Our annual special feature covering all things panto.

This year we expand the feature to include

PANTO SCRIPTS SET HIRE COSTUMES SCRIPT REVIEWS AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

diary.indd 9

23 13/01/2010 22:24:31

SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiar THE THWARTING OF BARON BOLLIGREW 18 - 20 February 2010 Dollar Drama Club Dollar Academy Studio Theatre Clackmannanshire, Scotland 01259 742173 www.dollardrama.org.uk

THE WEDDING SINGER

24 - 27 February 2010 Cecilian Society - University of Glasgow The Mitchell Theatre Glasgow, Scotland 07595 363006

THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD 16 - 20 February 2010 Godalming Operatic Society Borough Hall Godalming, Surrey 01252 703376

THE GONDOLIERS 09 - 13 February 2010 Crosby G & S Society Crosby Civic Hall Waterloo, Liverpool 0151 924 5977

17 - 20 March 2010 Wakefield G & S Society Theatre Royal Wakefield, W Yorkshire 01924 211311 22 - 27 March 2010 Melrose Amateur Operatic Society The Corn Exchange Melrose, Roxburghshire 01835 822425

THE GRAND DUKE

23 - 27 March 2010 Birmingham Savoyards G & S Society Old Rep Birmingham, W Mids 0121 303 2323

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

23 - 27 March 2010 Market Harborough Musical Theatre Welland Park Octagonal Theatre Market Harborough, Leics 01858 445660

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE 25 - 27 March 2010 Murton & East Durham Theatre Group East Durham College Peterlee, Co Durham 0191 526 2532

THE MEMORY OF WATER 22 - 27 March 2010 Arundel Players Priory Playhouse Arundel, West Sussex 01243 782976

THE MIKADO

09 - 13 February 2010 St Andrews Operatic Society St Andrew’s Roker Sunderland, Tyne & Wear 0191 548 4621

16 - 20 February 2010 St Andrews Youth Fellowship Sandon Sandon Village Hall Chelmsford, Essex 01245 477872

01 - 06 March 2010 Leicester G & S Operatic Society Little Theatre Leicester, Leics 0116 255 1302

02 - 06 March 2010 Ilkley Amateur Operatic Society Kings Hall Ilkley, West Yorkshire 01943 602028

06 - 13 March 2010 Leeds G & S Society Carriageworks Leeds, West Yorkshire 0113 247 4746

24 - 27 March 2010 Young Inspirations Theatre Co Promegranate Theatre Chesterfield, Derbyshire 01246 345222

10 - 13 March 2010 The St Helens G & S Society Theatre Royal St Helens, Merseyside 01744 756000

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

THE PRODUCERS

18 - 20 March 2010 The Kings Lynn Players Arts Centre Kings Lynn, Norfolk 01553 764864 20 - 27 March 2010 Rossendale Players New Millenium Theatre Rossendale, Lancs 01706 228720

24 - 27 February 2010 Harlequin Theatre Northwich, Cheshire 01606 353534 www.harlequinplayer.co.uk

THE LIKES OF US

22 - 27 March 2010 Abbey Musical Society Barrow Forum 28 Barrow in Furness, Cumbria 01229 470067

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01 - 06 February 2010 Norfolk & Norwich Operatic Society Theatre Royal Norwich, Norfolk 01603 891494 09 - 13 March 2010 Paisley Musical & Operatic Society Kings Theatre Glasgow, Scotland 0844 871 7627

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN 16 - 20 February 2010 Court Players The Memorial Hall Rangeworthy, South Glos 01454 321149

24 - 27 March 2010 South Shields Westovian Theatre Society Westovian Theatre South Shields, Tyne & Wear 0191 456 0980

THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN 27 - 27 February 2010 Centre Stage Theatre Arts Assembly Rooms Derby, Derbyshire 01332 754449 www.derbyartsandtheatre.org.uk

THE SHAPE OF THINGS 16 - 20 February 2010 Kelvin Players Theatre Company The Studios Bishopston, Bristol 0117 942 5540 www.kelvinplayers.co.uk

THE SHELL SEEKERS

25 - 27 March 2010 Loughton Amateur Dramatic Society Lopping Hall Loughton, Essex 0208 502 5843

THE SORCERER

17 - 20 February 2010 Dunfermline G & S Society Carnegie Hall Dunfermline, Fife 0845 2412 187 16 - 20 March 2010 Rose Hill Musical Society The Guildhall Theatre Derby, Derbyshire 0115 9258717

26 - 27 February 2010 Godalming Operatic Society The Leatherhead Theatre Leatherhead, Surrey 01252 703376 24 - 27 March 2010 Hornby Occasionals Hornby Institute Hornby, Lancs 01524 222227

THE YORK REALIST 06 - 13 March 2010 ImpAct Theatre Various Locations Dorset 01202 876007

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE 16 - 20 February 2010 Letchworth Arcadians Plinston Hall Letchworth Garden City, Herts 01462 453801 17 - 20 February 2010 Cygnet Players The London Oratory School West Brompton, London 07941 448689 03 - 06 March 2010 Alton Operatic & Dramatic Society Assembly Rooms Alton, Hampshire 01730 827200

DIARY SUBMISSIONS Diary submissions are published each month for the two months immediately following publication.

Please note that the submission deadline is the 1st of each month.

Submissions should be sent in the format shown in the magazine to diary@asmagazine.co.uk Production photos should be emailed to editor@asmagazine.co.uk

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

13/01/2010 22:24:53

Wdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>

Hayes Players - Little Shop Of Horrors. Photos: Anthony Cake

18 - 20 March 2010 Skegness Musical Theatre Company Embassy Theatre Skegness, Lincs 0845 645 0505

03 - 06 March 2010 Elgin Musical Theatre Elgin Town Hall Elgin, Moray 01343 542088

TOUCH & GO

WEST END HITS, BROADWAY GLITZ

30 January - 06 February 2010 Heald Green Theatre Company Heald Green Theatre Heald Green, Cheshire 0161 436 5000 www.hgtc.org.uk

TRIAL BY JURY & HMS PINAFORE 09 - 13 March 2010 Astwood Bank Operatic Society The Palace Theatre Redditch, Worcs 01527 546569

UTOPIA LIMITED

23 - 27 March 2010 Good Companions Stage Society Guildhall Derby, Derbyshire 01332 721108 www.derbyartsandtheatre.org.uk

WHEN THE LIGHTS GO ON AGAIN 16 - 20 March 2010 Heckmondwike Players The Town Hall Cleckheaton, West Yorks 01924 492671

25 - 27 February 2010 Girton Operatic Society Girton Glebe Primary School Girton, Cambridgeshire 01223 276601

23 - 27 March 2010 Penistone Centre Stage Musicals Paramount Penistone, S Yorks 01226 370121

16 - 20 March 2010 Edinburgh Gilbert & Sullivan Society King’s Theatre Edinburgh, Scotland 0131 529 6000

WHEN WE ARE MARRIED

23 - 28 March 2010 Wolverton G & S Society Stantonbury Campus Theatre Milton Keynes, Bucks 01908 262250

VIVA, MEXICO!

04 - 05 February 2010 Aycliffe Musical Theatre Greenfield School Arts & Community Centre Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham 01325 379048

24 - 27 February 2010 Cromer & Sheringham Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society Sheringham Little Theatre Sheringham, Norfolk 01692 678010

WHIPPING IT UP

24 - 27 March 2010 Runnymede Drama Group Riverhouse Barn Theatre Walton-on-Thames, Surrey 01932 253354

WIZARD OF OZ

09 - 13 March 2010 Carlton Operatic Society Nottingham Playhouse Nottingham, Notts 0115 952 5721

WORKING

22 - 27 March 2010 The Tinhatters Concordia Theatre Hinckley, Leicestershire 01455 615005

**NEW** AUDITION LISTINGS We are pleased to announce that in February 2010 we will commence an auditions listing section in our diary pages.

To be included please send your audition information to editor@asmagazine.co.uk Deadline 1st of each month for publication on the 15th

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

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25 13/01/2010 22:25:20

FEATURE

PROFESSIONAL SOUND FOR THE AMATEUR STAGE Part 1 In the first of this series of articles, Theo Holloway, Head of Training at Orbital Sound explores the fundamentals of getting the best possible sound for your upcoming productions.

A Few Introductions

One of the great attractions of making theatre is the diversity of people you meet in the process – no matter what your set of skills and strengths, there’s almost certainly a job for you on a production.

The extroverts end up treading the boards, the meticulous planners find themselves in stage management, and there’s a safe place for slightlycrazed vertigo enthusiasts in the lighting department. Finally, there’ll be some poor benighted soul who’s asked to “sort out the sound”.

Some sixteen years ago, I stuck my hand up for that particular job, on a school production, and was given a tenminute lesson with a reel-to-reel machine and a splicing block (thanks, Mr. Peter!).

I was fascinated by the possibilities, and ended up making a career out of it – I now find myself, as Orbital Sound’s head of training, being the one who gives the lessons, albeit on rather more complex hardware!

So, when Doug asked me to write a series of theatre sound articles for AS, it was a no-brainer – there’s a mindboggling number of enthusiastic people

out there (a quick look at the AS listings confirms this – I think I lost count around 340 productions with pages to go!), but, sadly, a real lack of information for people who want to learn about sound for theatre in some depth. I believe that helping people involved in these shows – the people who are putting in so much care and attention – to do sound for themselves, is vitally important. I hope that this and future columns will serve as a good starting point for people who want to learn more about the subject.

The latter point is absolutely central to this series of articles – it will revolve around the idea that theatre groups can and should be handling the sound for themselves. Doing sound is not about acquiring the legendary set of “golden ears” beloved by top record producers, nor does it involve getting hold of the latest and most “professional” equipment.

If you understand a fairly basic set of principles, and apply the good practice that has been developed over the last decades of amplified sound in theatre, the sound really will work. It may not be perfect (we should leave notions of perfection in the recording studio), but with informed people and good practice, it’ll work, and work well.

In each column, I will go over the basics of how to address a particular challenge – using radio microphones for example. I can’t provide an exhaustive description in the space of one article, but I hope that going over the essentials will provide a useful framework for people to develop their understanding

Soundadvice.indd 2

to a useful and practical level. Many of you will have been successfully doing the things I discuss for some time – so if something that I suggest contradicts your way of working, please don’t think that I’m suggesting that there’s only one way of doing things – there isn’t. There is, however, a fairly standard set of practices that have developed over the last decades, and I hope that explaining these will be of value.

I should also admit to an ulterior motive in writing these columns – there is a lack of skilled people coming into the industry, and I hope that these articles spark people’s enthusiasm for going out and doing theatre sound. For all the people who enjoy working with audio technology, there are a limited number who’ll successfully turn it into a career – the hours, the stress, and the unpredictability aren’t for everyone. Hopefully, if we can enthuse some of those people about theatre sound, a proportion of them will knock on our door asking for a job!

The chances are that you or someone you love will, at some point in the not-toodistant future, be that person “sorting out the sound”. In this column, we’ll start with the first challenge – where to start!

Do I need to worry about the kit I’m using?

Well, practicalities are important - it is meaningful to say, for example, that a show needs a 48-channel desk with eight groups and four matrix outs. It’s

13/01/2010 10:13:43

www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk vitally important to understand why these features are important, and why others aren’t. Sound engineers can get obsessed with irrelevant specifications, and the mystique that surrounds some equipment, but this is often down to insecurity more than anything else.

Again, a better understanding of the principles will help you sort the essentials from the expensive toys!

So which bits are important?

The details of this will have to wait for future articles, but it is useful to speak in general terms. There are three critical points in the signal chain – the microphone, the finger on the fader, and the loudspeaker. With the first and last of these, “where” is often more important than “what”, and it is absolutely essential to understanding why this is the case; this will be covered by articles three and four. By “the finger on the fader”, I mean two things – first, specifically, how a show is mixed. No matter what technological wonders a sound designer achieves, they’re only setting up a system to help the mixer do his or her job. Secondly, and more generally, I mean that how people work is far more important than the tools they use – this will the topic of article five.

And article two? – Well noticed! Article two will be about good noise, bad noise, and how correct gain structure can change your life!

The venue we rent says they’ll sort out the sound – shouldn’t we leave it to them?

There’s no reason not to accept all the support that the venue offers, but it’s important that you’re an active partner in the process, and are very clear about what you want – they should be helping

FEATURE

you get the sound right, not presenting you with a fait accompli. Be aware also that some venues can treat sound as a lesser priority; they may just delegate these duties to the most junior technical member, who in turn has little or no real knowledge of what should be done – and may well be afraid to admit it! Even if you do leave sound entirely in their hands, developing your understanding of the principles behind what you’re trying to get achieved will help you ask the right questions and set useful priorities.

I need to hire some of the equipment – how do I know I’m getting a good price?

Sound hire is a competitive market – if you go to an established hire company with a set of needs and a budget (rather than a shopping list), they’ll always do their best to recommend suitable options and give you a good quote. When comparing prices, also bear in mind the supplier’s ability (and contracted commitment) to support your show – there’s a big difference between just shipping you some flightcases of kit, and a commitment that everything will work for the duration of your show.

I’ve done extensive reading around what I want to do – what’s the next step in putting it in to action?

Putting technical knowledge in to action is always a challenge to your confidence – especially in the pressurised atmosphere of a technical rehearsal.

Aimed at giving people some hands-on experience with the kit and techniques discussed in these articles, Orbital Sound will be running courses throughout 2010 aimed at people doing sound in amateur theatre.

Finally – and most importantly – I need your input. For all the shows I’ve been involved in, and all the experience I can draw from my colleagues, I don’t know about the shows that you’re doing, and the specific challenges that you’re facing.

So please send all questions, comments and requests to amateurstage@orbitalsound.co.uk Thank you!

COMING IN MARCH

SUMMER SCHOOLS ISSUE A complete guide to what’s on offer this Summer.

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

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FEATURE

PLAYWRITING A GROWTH INDUSTRY What’s Britain’s biggest growth industry? Playwriting, apparently.

According to a recent report by Arts Council England, the amount of new writing produced by mainstream, subsidised theatre has more than doubled in the last six years. Many of these plays have opened in large theatres, with impressive ticket sales. As one of the report’s authors, playwright David Edgar, argued in the Guardian last week, something has happened over the last decade that few people could have predicted: new writing became an honestto-goodness success story.

But while dramatists like Lucy Prebble, Polly Stenham and Jez Butterworth have all received plenty of attention in the last few months, what’s less well known is the process by which new plays make it on to the stage. Few writers operate in isolation; nor do they turn up to first rehearsals with scripts fully formed.

Behind every success story stands a small army of producers, associate directors, agents and editors – and it’s editors, in particular, who play a crucial,

28 playwriting.indd 2

if largely unsung, role. With so much new work in circulation, how do script departments forge strong relationships with writers, to help them produce their best work? And how do they handle plays that don’t make the grade?

The National Theatre’s literary department is on the fourth floor of the organisation’s concrete HQ. The office isn’t what you would call glamorous: there are fluorescent lights buzzing, a carpet that has seen better days. But your eye is drawn to one side of the room where, on shelf after shelf, there’s an A-Z of neatly filed scripts, from medieval mystery cycles to Caryl Churchill – every play the National has ever staged, plus titles it is considering. The literary department is part archive, part foundry, a place where scripts are commissioned, developed, bashed into shape and polished to perfection. It is presided over by literary manager Sebastian Born, who has worked on hundreds of new plays in the last 30 years, from scripts by the UK’s biggest playwrights to first-time studio pieces. He manages a team of three,

making this one of Britain’s largest literary departments.

The job sounds simple but isn’t, explains Born, a 56-year-old with a precise, professorial air. “We present [artistic director] Nick Hytner with options, then make sure the script is in the best possible shape,” he says. “If it’s a new piece, it can mean working on the play, or helping the writer work on the play.

Or it might be a translation of an existing play, where you’re trying to get an English version that captures the spirit of the original.”

Some works are commissioned years in advance, then painstakingly teased out in workshops and readthroughs. An increasing number are devised collaboratively, or based on improvisation, but they still need a script for the production crew. Some writers evolve slowly, says Born: “Alan Bennett’s scripts develop over time, like laying down sedimentary strata.” Others – such as The Power of Yes, David Hare’s recent anatomy of the financial crisis – go from

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

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FEATURE

www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk first draft to first night in months. But, in one form or another, everything makes its way through the literary department: a crucial bridge between playwrights fretting over commas and the hundreds of people involved in a large-scale performance. “Once you start rehearsal, it’s a runaway train,” Born says. “If you’re trying to fix the script at the same time, it’s very difficult.”

called Bushgreen. This aims to be a Facebook for playwrights, a destination for the 1,000-plus scripts the Bush receives each year. “We had this simple idea: what if you were able to give writers the ability to publish their work online?” says Josie Rourke, the theatre’s artistic director. “Think how fantastic social networking can be, and how you might use some of those tools professionally.”

These days, one of the biggest challenges is saying no. Opposite the National’s script library stands a bundle of envelopes and A4 paper, several feet high. This is the slush pile; four or five unsolicited manuscripts land on it each day. The number is rising: the National gets 1,500 a year, and, although its panel of freelance readers assiduously work their way through every one, the theatre has stopped offering feedback on plays it doesn’t intend to pursue.

Bushgreen does look like a pared-down social networking site, albeit one with echoes of HarperCollins’s Authonomy site, an online community for wannabe novelists. There’s an “editorial” section, containing survivors’ tales from familiar names, such as Neil LaBute and David Eldridge; this will also be filled with rehearsal diaries and how-to tips. And there are a lot of new plays. In the first few weeks, 1,000 people joined the site and some 300 scripts were uploaded.

A FACEBOOK FOR DRAMATISTS

Directors, agents, and students – as well as other writers – are encouraged to sift through these plays by title, author, even requirements such as cast size or character type. Tasters of new work are available for free, while downloads of full scripts cost up to £2.50. Some writers have been nervous about sharing their work online, Rourke and her colleague James Grieve admit, but there are safeguards, one being that downloads are encrypted: they can only be read through the site’s software and can’t be emailed on.

Even theatres that specialise in new writing are struggling to cope with the volume of unsolicited scripts.

Edinburgh’s Traverse gets 400 a year.

The Royal Court gets 3,000, and valiantly promises to offer feedback on every one.

Manchester’s Royal Exchange reads only one script per writer per year (it still gets more than 350) and is focusing efforts on a playwriting competition that accepts anonymous contributions – partly to encourage female writers. According to recent research by campaigning theatre group Sphinx, just 17% of new plays staged in the UK are by women.

Feedback requires a light touch, says 31-year-old Jo Combes, an associate director at the Royal Exchange. “When plays go through many drafts, it’s easy to lose sight of what the original seed was, the thing that really excited you. Writers should be able to listen to notes, but also write what they want. It has to be their play.” Your own taste evolves, she adds.

“I cringe at some of the notes I gave even three years ago, some of the plays I really believed in. Your ability to develop plays really shifts.” At the National, Born agrees. “Some people feel that a play isn’t worthwhile unless it’s been through 12 drafts. I completely disagree. The best situation is when someone sends you something that is good, and you do it. Plays die if they’re handled too much.

Working with writers is a subtle, delicate and slightly unquantifiable business.”

Bushgreen users can let others comment on their scripts. You can see the appeal: it’s more collaborative and transparent. But, however well meant, is amateur criticism the most useful feedback for a budding playwright?

“There’s a quantity of self-knowledge required,” Rourke says. “You have to think: are comments going to help me at

this stage?”

THE WRITING PROCESS DEMYSTIFIED The newly launched National Theatre of Wales’s online community is integral to everything it does, and even longestablished theatres are experimenting online. Still, it seems unlikely that websites will replace literary departments any time soon; as in book publishing, they offer an alternative means of reading and discussing work, not a substitute.

And the Bush has no plans to stop reading manuscripts, nor to reduce feedback from its readers. Rourke is deservedly proud of her theatre’s record for putting unsolicited scripts on stage: no fewer than three plays in the current season were submitted rather than commissioned. And she believes that high-quality feedback remains the best way to develop writers, as well as encouraging them to stay in theatre rather than being forced to make a living elsewhere (something the arts council report regards as a particular challenge).

If successful, Bushgreen could transform the way theatres handle new plays. Its hopes to demystify the writing process, nourish new and established talent, open up the submission process and, perhaps most crucially of all, make playwrights feel less alone, whether they’re in Melbourne or Milton Keynes.

It won’t be long before we see our first script developed not on paper, nor in the rehearsal room, but online. Who knows – it might even make it on to those shelves at the National.

Andrew Dickson’s article is reprinted by kind permission of The Guardian.

The Bush in London thinks it may have found a solution to the slush pile. It has launched a bold experiment that has taken two years and £60,000 of Jerwood Foundation funding to create: a website

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

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FEATURE

PLAYS & PLAYWRIGHTS

What is the secret that makes a play popular?

Tamara Von Wethern is the Performing Rights Manager at Nick Hern Books. In this article she talks about some of their prolific playwrights, what’s hot and how to get more information about their catalogue of plays.

Here at Nick Hern Books, our bookshelves are groaning under the weight of exciting plays by new and established writers, for most of which we also hold the amateur performing rights. We try to nurture talent at an early stage and hope to discover writers who are original and intriguing, but also have staying power, to develop their work and rise through the ranks in the theatre world.

It is a tough task, but we have been very lucky to attract a host of wonderful writers, and we thoroughly enjoy following their successes.

In this article I will look at those playwrights who have done exceptionally well with the amateur market, and ask why their plays have proved so popular.

Amanda Whittington has long been a popular choice for amateur groups across the country. Her plays include Be My Baby, a simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting story about a young unmarried mother who is forced to give her child up for adoption. The play is set in the Sixties and features songs from the period, such as Be My Baby and Chapel of Love. Her most popular plays at the moment are Ladies’ Day and the sequel Ladies Down Under, which follow the fate of four women who work in a fish-filleting factory in Hull and win tickets to a day at the Ascot races in the year they took place in York. In the sequel they use their winnings for a trip of a lifetime to Australia.

Liz Lochhead is often described as Scotland’s national treasure, and her plays are extremely popular with the amateur market as well. Perfect Days and Good Things examine the lives of ordinary women on the brink of their next decade. Perfect Days is about a celebrity hairdresser just about to turn forty, and having to decide if she is going to have children, while Good Things is about a volunteer in a charity shop about to turn fifty, and her ageing father, annoying ex-husband and precocious teenage daughter. Both plays, with Amanda Whittington’s Ladies series, are about ordinary people’s lives, their ambitions, dreams and hopes, which ring true to most of us. Sometimes keeping it simple

30 playwriting2.indd 2

works best on stage. Everybody can identify with these situations: having to take big momentous decisions, while also cutting someone’s hair, making a cuppa or taking some clothes out to the charity shop. And what is more enjoyable than watching a gaggle of girls getting ready for a rare night out in big hats, when their everyday life is a familiar drudge?

Liz Lochhead’s latest offering to the amateur market is Dracula, a thrilling and very theatrical take on the original

by Bram Stoker, which has already generated a lot of interest. This is a rare chance to scare your audiences witless with wonderful imagery such as a wedding dress slowly being soaked with blood.

Other great adaptations on our list are Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol adapted by Karen Louise Hebden, which is a seasonal favourite (although you’d be surprised how often it is performed out of season, it’s that good!), his Great Expectations, adapted by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod, and Thomas Hardy’s Far From The Madding Crowd, adapted by Mark Healy.

A filmed record of the original English Touring Theatre production of Far From The Madding Crowd is now also available through Digital Theatre www. digitaltheatre.com, should you wish to catch up on that.

Diane Samuels’s Kindertransport is, somewhat similar to Be My Baby, but is a darker story about the transport of Jewish children out of Nazi-Germany to live with families in England. Against this backdrop, the play looks at the relationship of one of these survivors with her own daughter. The play doesn’t shirk away from difficult questions and addresses survivor guilt, family secrets and what it means when the bond between parent and child is violently broken. It seems to fit into a genre of historical, yet deeply personal plays, which explore the emotional impact of situations beyond our control and what these occurrences teach us about our own lives today.

Adaptations of novels are always very popular, because the audience will already be familiar with the story in

question, but the original works that are being produced most often by amateur groups tend to be those that find the extraordinary in ordinary settings. The success of plays such as Kindertransport and Be My Baby suggest that there is also great interest in personal stories in historical settings, but above everything, it is the personal angle that makes one play stand out from other candidates.

If you are interested in having a closer look at any of the above mentioned plays, I’d be happy to send you up to three titles on approval basis (if you return them to us within 30 days in mint condition, you don’t have to pay for them). Our free Guide to Plays for Performance is also available, if you would like to have a closer look at the entirety of our list of plays and playwrights. You can order both the scripts and the Guide by sending me an email on tamara@nickhernbooks. demon.co.uk.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Tamara von Werthern, Performing Rights Manager, Nick Hern Books

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010 13/01/2010 22:11:11

www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk

FEATURE

A Candid Chat With

AMANDA WHITTINGTON 2009 was a phenomenally successful year for you with a huge number of amateur productions of your plays across the UK - what do you think is the reason that plays such as Ladies’ Day are so popular?

Fifty amateur productions in 2009, it’s incredible. I genuinely didn’t expect the plays to be as popular as this and it’s hard to say quite why they are. It never ceases to amaze me how well Ladies’ Day is received around the country and beyond. Its success is a happy accident but I think perhaps it’s done well because it’s about ordinary women the audience can relate to. The characters are both familiar and surprising, which has proved to be a winning combination.

Staying with Ladies’ Day, what was your inspiration for the play? And did you enjoy writing it?

The play was commissioned by Hull Truck Theatre Company and was inspired by the fact that Royal Ascot relocated to York Racecourse for a year in 2005.

Hull Truck saw it as an opportunity for a Yorkshire-based comedy drama and we liked the idea of taking four workingclass women to a high society event.

The director and I went to York Races, where we saw a gang of well-dressed women in the beer tent, with quarterbottles of vodka in their handbags they were slipping into their Cokes. That was my starting point for the characters. In a way, it was quite nerve-wracking to write because it was the most comedic play I’d done and I wasn’t at all sure it was actually funny. When the laughs came on the first night, it was a big relief.

Why did you decide to write a sequel, Ladies Down Under?

Largely because so many people who came to see Ladies’ Day wanted to know what happened next. The end of the play felt like a beginning and I was curious to know how winning the money would change the characters’ lives. [editorial note: They spend some of their winnings on a once-in-a-lifetime trip around Australia] We also had the most fantastic cast for the first production and I was interested in writing specifically for them and explore what they’d brought to the characters in a new story. The original cast all came back to do the second play.

To be honest, we were all having such a good time, we didn’t want to stop.

Were there any surprises during the writing process?

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the way the story grew to match its setting.

In Ladies’ Day, we spend twenty-four hours with the characters but in Ladies Down Under we’re with them for a month.

They’re travelling across Australia so they need big emotional journeys to reflect the physical journey they’re taking. I wanted them all to be transformed by the experience but in a credible way.

The comedy is still there in Ladies Down Under but I think there’s a bit more depth to the play, which I enjoyed discovering.

What makes the “Ladies” so lively and such fun to perform?

Both plays celebrate friendship but in a pretty down-to-earth way. The banter between the women is a lot of fun to play; plus they’re all so different and quite eccentric in their own way. There’s a great deal of warmth between the women but despite the camaraderie, they’re pretty unsentimental with each other, which is where much of the humour comes from, I think.

Did you know that some groups have invited their audiences to come dressed up wearing Ascot-style hats, and serving strawberries and champagne in the interval – it seems to me that the play really brings out a playful side in its audiences, would you agree?

Yes, it’s like the Rocky Horror Show with hats! It’s great fun and I’m all for it. As far as I’m concerned, anything that breaks down the fourth wall is a good thing. I try to write plays which are inclusive, accessible and hold up a mirror to the audience, so when they actually participate in the world of the play, I feel I’ve done my job.

What is the darker side to these two plays? What do you give the actors to work with?

I’d say all the women are trapped by their circumstances and need to break free of their roles and responsibilities. We meet them as wives, mothers, daughters and workers but as Pearl says, “That’s not all I am.” Hopefully I’ve given each actor a three-dimensional character with their own obstacles to overcome. At the end of Ladies’ Day, it seems the win will set them free but Ladies Down Under shows how life rarely offers those simple solutions.

Your earlier play Be My Baby has been successful on the amateur circuit for years and is still going strong today.

It is set in the Sixties, about a young unmarried mother who has to give up her baby for adoption. Are you surprised by its ongoing appeal?

Why is it still relevant today, when the social norms have changed so much since then?

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FEATURE Yes, it’s over ten years since Be My Baby was first produced and I never expected it to be around as long as this.

It’s a GCSE and A level Theatre Studies text, so it’s widely studied in schools and I get emails every week from teenage girls saying how much they love it. I find it fascinating the play speaks so directly to them. I think perhaps it’s because it articulates young women’s hopes, desires, dreams, frustrations and fears, which really haven’t changed over the years. The play takes those feelings seriously, gives voice to them and makes them count for something. I think girls find that empowering.

Is there a lighter side to Be My Baby, given that the storyline is not necessarily cheerful?

There is. The ‘girl group’ music in the play is so optimistic and joyful it’s really lifting the mood. Again, it’s a story about friendship and the way humour can help you through the hardest of times. Mary gives up her baby but she’s awakened and politicised by her experience. She’s a survivor not a victim of the system and the play definitely ends with a sense of hope, as Mary leaves the mother and baby home a wiser, stronger woman.

I have noticed that you’ve set up a Facebook page for Be My Baby – is this a good way to interact with amateur groups who have questions about how to perform the play?

It’s worked really well with Be My Baby as most students are already on Facebook. I try to reply to all the emails I get but I found I was answering the same questions many times over and felt the students would benefit by sharing information on characters, set, costume and music with each other. I don’t get as many direct questions about Ladies Day but if the need was there, I’d definitely set up a group.

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Are you generally this interactive with the groups who are interested in staging your work?

I’ve got a website [www.amandawhittington.com] and I like the fact that groups and individuals can Google it and contact me directly. The amateur market is an important part of my career and I have a genuine interest in how the plays are being received. My publisher Nick Hern Books, who license the amateur productions of all my plays, also let me know where the plays are on, so I do like to keep tabs on it all.

Have you seen any amateur performances of your plays, and if so, did you enjoy the experience?

I do go to amateur performances if I’m asked, particularly if they’re close to home, and I go into schools to talk about Be My Baby. One of the best experiences I had was at a girls school in East London which was almost exclusively Muslim. It was really interesting to see how strongly those particular girls related to the play and how it resonated with their lives. And I recently saw an amateur production of my play Player’s Angels (aka The Wills’s Girls) by The Dilys Guite Players in Sheffield. The play hasn’t been staged for years and it was great to see it revived so well by an amateur company.

Do you find that groups are ‘coming back for more’ – once they’ve done one of your plays?

Yes, The Dilys Guite Players are a good example. They’d done Ladies Day and Be My Baby, and had been back to my website to see if I had anything similar. I’m also finding many of the groups who did Ladies Day are coming back to do Ladies Down Under, which is great. And none of this would have happened without Nick Hern Books, who do a fantastic job of promoting my plays to new and returning companies. My

success on the amateur circuit is entirely due to the faith they showed in my work and their commitment to getting it out there.

When did you begin writing for the stage and what do you like about it?

I did Theatre Studies at school and loved everything about it but as a teenager, the idea of being a professional playwright was an impossible dream. So I started out as a freelance journalist, as that was the only way I could think of to make a living from writing. I wrote my first play in my early twenties but it took years to break through. What I like about writing for the stage is the relationship a playwright has with actors, directors, designers and audience. Writing is a solitary activity which I don’t mind at all, but it’s great to see your words come to life in a rehearsal room and to sit in a theatre audience as they react. The fact that theatre exists purely ‘in the moment’ can be a unique and magical thing.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

I’ve usually got three or four plays on the go at any one time in various stages of development – not because I’m a workaholic, I’m just earning a living! At the moment, I’m working on commissions for Splice Productions, Theatre Writing Partnership, Nottingham Playhouse and talking to producers about a new play on women’s boxing. I’ve also adapted Tipping the Velvet, the novel by Sarah Waters, for the stage. It was showcased at Guildhall School of Speech and Drama last year and we’re now looking for a producer to give it a full professional production. And let’s hope it won’t be too long before the new work starts being performed by amateur companies.

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010 13/01/2010 22:11:55

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PLAYSCRIPTS

ONE ACT PLAYS THE RED CARPET

By Geoff Bamber ISBN 9781907307027 Published by Spotlight Publications Cast 19 - Various with flexible casting.

Although it retains a skeleton staff, Bungley Railway Station has not seen a train for several years - something of a suprise for the newly-appointed stationmaster. the Stationmaster determines to rectify matters but even the sabotaging of the track the railway company prefer to use is of little benefit. It is only with the proposed arrival of some very special visitors that things look up. Unfortunately, and crucially, a train is not the only thing that Bungley is short of.

KEVINS ABOVE

By Claire Scott ISBN 9781907307010 Published by Spotlight Publications Cast 3M 1W 1M/F Suddenly and without warning, two men named Kevin find themselves dead and in the waiting room of the Afterlife Relocation Services (Earth Division). The problem is only one of them should be dead, but no-one seems to know which one. And as if death wasn’t hard enough, there’s no way back and it seems no practical way forward either. Faced with a harassed afterlife supervisor and an incompetent office trainee, the two Kevins have to find their way through the bureaucratic nightmare of sudden death and find a way to live (or die) together.

PIG TALE

By Rob Nicol ISBN 97809560209058 Published by Spotlight Publications Cast 12 (Mixed) An updated re-telling of the tale of the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs.

Mummy Pig throws the Three Little Pigs out into the big wide world to seek their fortunes. They have to cope with the demands of relating to others, gathering materials, building houses, and keeping the wolf from the door. The Narrator of the story finds he has his own problems to deal with in the shape of an insufferable Prompter and a wily and wilful Sheep. The play was written with youth groups in mind, but can equally well be played by more ‘mature’ companies.

CLOUD HOPPING

By Jonathan Whiteside ISBN 9781907307003 Published by Spotlight Publications Cast M4 F3 Eleanor has been in love with Tom since they were children. At least that’s what she remembers today, but tomorrow she might not be so sure. We try and follow Eleanor’s story of her first love but her memories

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www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk

PLAYSCRIPTS

have a way of blurring until all we can do is fall through them with her. The play looks at how tragedy and love can tear someone apart.

THE DOOR

By Tony Earnshaw ISBN 97809560209065 Published by Spotlight Publications Cast M2 Winner of the Sir Michael Caine Award for Best New Writing, at the Leatherhead Drama Festival. Boyd and Ryan are discovered seated, apparently waiting for something. Boyd is reading a tabloid, dressed in jeans and bomber jacket.

Ryan is in chinos and blazer, reading a novel. They ignore each other until the banging of a door (off) provides a trigger for conversation. Over the course of the next fifty minutes they squabble about who should shut the door, argue about politics, religion and lifestyles and gradually reveal their shared history.

Ryan was the officer in charge of an army unit which saw service in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and Boyd served in the unit. Ryan had a crisis of conscience, Boyd blames him for the impact on morale. They are waiting to explain themselves to a board of enquiry. Ryan is nervous about being underprepared and Boyd takes on the role of prosecuting officer to help him. In a final twist, the roles are reversed and it is Boyd who ends up giving himself up to the military police. Throughout the play the banging of the door acts as punctuation, heightens the tension and provokes changes in the direction of the conversation.

WAITING FOR A WHALE

By Ron Nicol ISBN 97809560209072 Published by Spotlight Publications Cast - Mixed Jonah feels that life is treating him harshly and decides to speak out. He acquires a gun and makes a stand in his local jobcentre, hoping to attract attention and somehow change his life. His attempt is a total disaster, simply confirming that Jonah is condemned to be one of life’s perpetual losers.

FULL LENGTH PLAYS THE LAST WITCH

By Rona Munro ISBN 9781848420724 Published by Nick Hern Books Cast M5 F3 Dornoch, northern Scotland, 1727. In the claustrophobic heat of summer, a woman’s apparent ability to manipulate the power of the land and sea stirs suspicion. Janet Horne can cure beasts, call the wind and charm fish out of the sea. Or can she? Her refusal to deny the charge of witchcraft puts her in dangerous opposition to the new sheriff. Her defiance threatens not only her own life but that of her daughter. The Last Witch is based on the historical account of Janet Horne, the last woman to be executed for witchcraft in Scotland.

Samuel French Ltd The play publisher

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Cast M8 F7, 1 boy. May be played by M6 F4 with doubling. sCene Various simple settings. Period Victorian.

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Curtain up on our new website! samuelfrench-london.co.uk Just the Two of Us a one-act comedy by Ros Moruzzi Cast M1 F6. SCene A living room.

Matt and Ruth are looking foward to a quiet evening at home when their lives are turned upside-down by a visit from eighteenyear-old Freya and her mother, Karen. Freya has discovered that Matt is her biological father, having traced his “donation” to a clinic as an impoverished student. As Ruth and Matt struggle to come to terms with this revelation, more visitors arrive, including Matt’s mother, who’s now a granny, and “Aunty” Bev, who adds to the chaos by revealing herself as Freya’s birth mother.

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Spygame a comedy-thriller by Bettine Manktelow Cast M3 F4. SCene A lounge.

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Prospective contestants for a TV reality show gather in a country house, aiming to win a large cash prize, but only if they survive the rigours of the ultimate Spygame. This excellent play offers seven good acting roles and will grip your audience until the totally unexpected ending.

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French’s Theatre Bookshop 52 Fitzroy St London W1T 5JR Tel: 020 7255 4300 Fax: 020 7387 2161 Email: theatre@samuelfrench-london.co.uk

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

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PLAYSCRIPTS

LIFE IS A DREAM

By Pedro Calderon D La Barca ISBN 9781848420601 Published by Nick Hern Books Cast M7 F2 To protect the country from the horrors prophesied, the young Prince Segismundo is condemned for all eternity to be shut away from his country and his birthright.

Banished to a secret world high in the mountains and cut off from the sun, he can only dream of a life reversed: of palaces, empires, freedom and revenge. A classic from the Spanish Golden Age, Calderon’s richly poetic, epic masterpiece explores illusion, reality, fate and destiny against the backdrop of a mythical Polish kingdom.

Helen Edmundson’s exhilirating new version premiered at London’s Donmar Warehouse in 2009.

THE GRAIN STORE

by Natal’ia Vorozhbit. Translated by Sasha Dugdale.

ISBN 9781848420458 Published by Nick Hern Books Cast M14 F9 Ukraine 1929. As Stalin launches the first of his Five-Year Plans, a close-knit rural community stands unwittingly in the path of his drive to create a thriving socialist Soviet Union. The outcome is catastrophic. What begins for the people of the village as an amusingly alien concept rapidly becomes an unstoppable force for change. Robbed first of their land, then their religion and independence, the whole country soon becomes engulfed by a tragedy that will scare a nation for generations.

THE DRUNKS

By Mikhail and Vyacheslav Durnenkov.

Translated by Nina Raine.

ISBN 9781848420571 Published by Nick Hern Books Cast M16 F4 A provincial town is in search of a hero.

A shell-shocked soldier downs vodka on his return from the frontline in Chechnya.

As Ilya arrives home he stumbles into the epicentre of an extraordinary power struggle that threatens to tear the town apart. In this darkly comic and free wheeling epic, the Durnenkov Brothers get to the heart of small-town politics and what it means to please all of the people all of the time.

THE POWERS THAT BE

By Melville Lovatt ISBN 9781840947427 Published by New Theatre Publications Cast M3 F3 + Boy Matt & Gary are ‘minding’ a man and awaiting instructions from the powers that be. Instructions which will decide the man’s fate, and also, unbeknownst to Gary, his own. For Gary, the time has finally come to prove himself to the powers that be. “It’s a aptitude test of some kind, that’s all”. The Powers That Be is a claustrophobic thriller which grips by the throat and never lets go. But turns,

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www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk very funny, moving and chilling. It is also a very timely reminder of what can happen when humanity is brutalised and manipulated.

The Powers That Be was a prize winner at the Sussex Playwrights Club Full Length Playwriting Competiton.

A TASTE FOR MURDER

By Angela Lanyon ISBN 1852052694 Published by Hanbury Plays Cast M3 F4

This is the second title in Hanbury’s new Audience Participation Murder Mystery series.

The entertainment is in two parts. The first part tells the story leading up to the murder.

During the interval, members of the audience are given slips on which they register their guesses - the name of the victim, the murderer, the motive and the method. After the slips have been collected, the second part of the story is performed. This reveals the answers. A prize is given to the audience member, or the team, with the most correct guesses. The rules, of course, could be exchanged by the company. In this mystery, members of the Banks Family are gathered together to celebrate the return of the plant hunter Fiona. But there is dirty work afoot in the nursery garden. Deep seated resentments bubble to the surface and, after plenty of hints and innuendos, a murder is committed. The total running time, excluding interval is about 90 minutes. The ages of the cast are very flexible.

NEW PLACE AND TIME

By Richard Macaulay ISBN 1898740852 Published by Drama Association Of Wales Cast M4 F2 The play supposes a fold or overlap in time between a spring afternoon in our present world and Will Shakespeare’s last days in his garden at New Place. Bartholemew Green and Thomas Kemp are two aged actors, earning a pittance as fringe performers in a Shakespeare birthday festival. They are joined by Ann Barker, a journalist with ambitions, and her photographer fiance Nick Cooper. Their present-day concerns are interwoven with those of a past age, when Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton arrive from London to visit an ailing Shakespeare, cared for by Anne his wife. Thus we have a playwright at the end of his journey, his work done but questions still unanswered, and a young woman at the beginning of hers, with her own doubts, looking for guidance. Green and Kemp find themselves acting as links between the two worlds, and as voices of resolution in both.

Their afternoon is a gentle comedy of frustrations, puzzelment within time’s overlap, and finally a decision at their own journey’s end.

THE BEGINNERS GUIDE TO MURDERING YOUR HUSBAND

By David Muncaster Contact the playwright direct - david@davidmuncaster.com Cast M2 W3

This play is presented as though it is an instructional video that the audience are watching being filmed. Maddy will present a variety of methods for disposing of an unwated husband, aided by Jim, her real life husband, and her faithful employees. But is she really trying to get rid of her husband? Is the video just a ruse to lull him into a false sense of security? The parallels with their real life relationships give Jim plenty to worry about, as the play reaches its climax, we realise that nothing is what it seems.

AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

14/01/2010 10:08:43

www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk

PLAYSCRIPTS

METHUEN DRAMA MODERN CLASSICS Featuring 50 of the best plays from the modern repertoire by some of the leading British and international playwrights

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An award - winning comedy set in a dodgy introduction agency

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www.playsbyalanrichardson.co.uk AMATEUR STAGE | JANUARY 2010

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THE LAST WORD

Wisteria Cottage Garrick Road Campton Royal

Salutations!

May I take this opportunity to wish you a fulfilling year on the boards and may your parts grow in size to the satisfaction of your audience.

I personally, am already engaged on an exciting theatrical venture. New Year’s Eve saw me at something of a loose end. I considered staying up to midnight with a small sherry, but found the proffered televisual entertainment sadly lacking. Gone are the days of Andy Stewart and The White Heather Club. There is something very gratifying about a man in a kilt don’t you think? Instead there was some jazz type with a bizarre name, who kept shouting ‘Shoot a granny!’ at every opportunity.

It is possible that I could have misheard because I did indulge in more than one amontillado.

Still, be that as it may, the very next morning I received a phone call from Reverend Wilson. My first thought was that he had called to congratulate me on ‘Blithe Spirit’ and beg to be involved in my next production. I was nearly right. It seems he had indeed missed the smell of the greasepaint and had a little project in mind. Would I like to be involved in ‘Murder in the Cathedral’ to be performed in the local church? Naturally, I jumped at the chance.

For the uninitiated, ‘Murder in the Cathedral’ is not a whodunnit, but the dramatic rendering of the martyrdom of Thomas a Becket. In my view, somewhat overwritten, particularly the Christmas sermon and those townswomen do repeat themselves a great deal. I was mentally reaching for a blue pencil to remove the dross, when the reverend announced that he wanted me to perform not produce.

The words ‘Good Lord!’ were out of my mouth before I could stop them. He said he understood my delight at the prospect of acting without the stress of doing everything else and went on to inform me that he would not only be directing, but that his congregation were set on having him as the sainted Thomas.

In the long silence that followed this announcement, he said that rehearsals would start in a week or so and that he was sure I would make a wonderful peasant. I was still staring at the phone a good five minutes after he had hung up. My first thought, somewhat uncharitable I confess, was that given his penchant for delivering speeches at breakneck speed the whole debacle would be mercifully short. On reflection, my good nature got the better of me and I decided to accept the role. At least then I could have some positive influence. I will allow him to retain his illusion of authority but make it my business to pass the benefit of my experience to the cast when the opportunity presents itself. Having decided on this satisfactory course of action, I proceeded to the recycling centre with the sherry bottle in an old plastic bag, thus killing two birds with one stone.

Rest assured, I will keep you abreast of developments.

Yours

Doris Richardson-Hall

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