This summer is producing such an exciting time for the Gage Players. Auditions are taking place this month for the three September play readings From Here to the Library by Jimmie Chinn and Alfred the Great and The Spanish Armanda both written by Pip Rolls. We have additional production news with the unveiling of our planned winter production, ‘Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh.
We are also busy working on an ambitious project for Gage’s 75th anniversary year, 2025, but for this to happen we need to increase our funds. This poses quite a challenge, but knowing how passionate our members, friends and our audiences feel about this extraordinarily special place, it’s a challenge we’re more than equal to. Over the next few months, you’ll notice our fundraising messaging starts to appear on more social media outlets. We are never going to stop talking to our supporters in person, but we need you – our members and friends – to share with others what is happening at the Gage, whether it be auditions or productions, to spread the news. Remember word of mouth is of equal importance!
We are very fortunate to be part of the Walton on the Hill community and want to say an especial big thank you to the May Pageant committee, including three of their wonderful ladies, Lorraine, Claire and Eileen, for their generous donation of £450 to the Gage. What a great start for our 75th Anniversary funds!
Key Updates July
The Gage Midsummer lunch Only a few days left until our midsummer lunch! Table is booked for Saturday 6th July at 1pm at The White Hart in Chipstead. A wonderful opportunity to catch up and relax. Keeping fingers crossed the weather is going to be good to us.
September – Rehearsed play readings On Saturday 7th September there will be three rehearsed play readings to be held at 7pm at the Riddell Hall. This informal evening is an opportunity for family, friends and members to come together. Bring your own drinks and snacks, to have before curtain up and after the interval.
Audition reminder dates From Here to the Library by Jimmie Chinn, directed by Anne Henderson.
A touching and humorous account of Beryl, whose home life is dominated by her father. Her only escape is her work at the library. When she storms out of work after a fit of temper, her boss visits her to find out why.
The read-through audition will take place at director Anne Henderson’s house near Dorking on Wednesday 17th July at 8pm.
If you are interested in taking part, please contact Anne on annehenderson@hotmail.com by 15th July.
Alfred the Great and The Spanish Armanda both written and directed by Pip Rolls.
Two historical comedies that offer a quirky view of how well-known events from history could have played out differently.
For these two plays the read-through audition will be held via Zoom on Wednesday 31st July at 8pm. If you are interested in taking part, please contact Pip on pip.rolls@yahoo.co.uk
For those who cannot take part on these dates, please contact the directors to arrange a date that suits. There are parts of different sizes and no lines to learn! If you’ve never acted before or it’s been a while, we would love to see you.
November Our planned winter production will be the comedy Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh, directed by Anne Henderson. Performing on 28, 29 & 30th November.
Audition notice will be going out separately with audition dates. If you are interested, please contact Anne on annehenderson@hotmail.com by Monday 12th August.
Poetry and Prose – summer pause We are going to have a summer pause from our poetry evenings and will return when the nights draw in. Think of poetry as a friend who is happy to wait for us to return to those cosy autumn evenings. Also giving us the summer to find new poems to share.
My starter for our poetry enthusiasts is from a sonnet by William Shakespeare: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date. I throw the gauntlet down for someone in the Gage to recite on our return in the autumn!
Dates for your diary
Saturday 6th July at 1pm for a Midsummer lunch held at the White Hart, Chipstead
Saturday 7th September for an evening of rehearsed play readings, with supper at 7pm, at the Riddell Hall
Winter production 28th, 29th and 30th November – Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh.
We look forward to seeing you at the Midsummer lunch and in September for the rehearsed play readings.
Best wishes,
Bernie Chair, Gage Committee
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I can’t believe we have nearly made our way to the mid-point of 2024, and just hope the weather will soon recognise that. I hope you all had a lovely Bank holiday and managed to enjoy some sunshine.
May Pageant
What a fabulous time we had at the Walton May Pageant, which was a big hit and attracted many visitors. A special thank you to Lorraine with her superb organisational skills aided by excellent marketing from Claire and Eileen – not forgetting Pip as the wonderful compere. How this fab four, found the time to do props, stage design, publicity, costumes for the Gage’s spring production and then work on this amazing event, beats me!
Amongst the stalls was the Gage Player’s Tombola stall, proving a huge draw from all ages. The stall raised £193, even more than last year and we thank all of you who donated bottles for making this amount possible. Also, thanks go to those who helped set up the gazebo and bottles on the tables, and to man the stall. It soon became a popular stall, with many folks returning to try their luck again – thank you, Anne, Franki and Emma for such great engagement with the visitors.
Key Updates
July
The Gage midsummer lunch – will be held at the ‘White Hart’ in Chipstead on Saturday 6th July at 1pm. If you would like to join us for this ‘get together’ or if you are new and would like to get to know people in the Gage, please RSVP to our Social Secretary, Jon Laws, before 10th June, friends@thegageplayers.co.uk
Poetry and Prose evening
I am told that the evening went off very well and Pip sang a ditty of his own – wish I had been there to hear!
We are looking to hold more evenings over the summer, next date to be confirmed.
September
We have confirmed Saturday 7th September for an evening of rehearsed play readings for friends and members starting with your own picnic supper and drinks at 7pm.
An Audition Notice with read-through dates, will be going out very shortly for:
Alfred the Great and The Spanish Armanda both written and directed by Pip Rolls.
From Here to the Library by Jimmie Chinn, directed by Anne Henderson.
There are parts of different sizes and no lines to learn so do try an audition with us – if you’ve never acted before or it’s been a while, we would love to see you.
November
Winter production will be 28th, 29th & 30th November. More news in the next newsletter.
Voluntary vacancy
Do you have a bit of spare time? Would you like to be a secretary in a voluntary capacity?We would love to hear from you if you do. Get in touch atfriends@thegageplayers.co.uk
Dates for your diary
Poetry & Prose evening, 8pm via Zoom – date TBC
Saturday 6th July at 1pm for a Midsummer lunch held at the White Hart, Chipstead
Saturday 7th September for an evening of rehearsed play readings, with supper at 7pm, at the Riddell Hall
Winter production 28th, 29th and 30th November – play to be finalised.
We look forward to seeing you at the Midsummer lunch and in September for the rehearsed play readings.
Best wishes,
Bernie
Chair, Gage Committee
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At last, the clocks have gone forward, the winter is over, and spring is here with the bluebells. Just back from a wonderful weekend in Paris which put me in the perfect mood to see our spring production with its delightful links to France.
My personal review
I was lucky enough to see The Nightingales, written by Peter Quilter and directed by Lesley Crowther-Smith, performed last week at Riddell Hall. The first thing that stands out is the look crafted by the director. As the curtain rose, I was immediately struck by the stage design, costumes and music which captured the essence of the 1950s. The stage crew did an amazing job to create this authenticity and set the mood for the audience. The second thing was the wonderful casting of the actors who brought the characters to life. It very much felt an ensemble piece, and as everyone played their part so well it would be unfair to single anyone out. The chemistry from the two couples was perfect, and they kept the audience hanging on until the last moment for Charlie and Beatrice to make up and Maggie and Jack to kiss and live happily ever after. It is a feel-good play, and, thanks to the superb direction, there was a warm glow in the theatre as the curtain went down. Lesley, the cast, and the crew are to be warmly congratulated for creating a tremendous success!
A big thank you to Rod, Gillie and Ian for the new display boards and wonderful photographic record of the players productions. We had a good deal of positive comment.
We’re looking for a Secretary
Do you know of anyone who would like to be a secretary in a voluntary capacity? We would love to hear from you if you do. Get in touch atfriends@thegageplayers.co.uk
Updates
May
STOP PRESS – bottle donation deliveries 11-15 May
The Gage will be manning a bottle tombola stall at the Walton May Pageant held on Saturday 18th. May. Please save and donate a bottle (s) – the more money we make the more wonderful productions we can put on. We are collecting all kinds of bottles from alcohol to cooking oil, fizzy drinks, and squash to bubble bath or shampoo – anything you can think of that comes in a bottle.
You can deliver to Gill and Rod Lucas, from 11 -15 Maybut please ring first on
01737 812 703.
The Pageant is a great day out, with amusements, various stalls, a May Queen, refreshments, and entertainment for all the family, so please make a note of the date. The Pageant Procession starts at Walton Pond at 2pm and walks through the village to the grounds at Howard Close. See attached flyer and spread the word!
Poetry and Proseevening
Our next sparkling Poetry and Prose evening will be held on Wednesday22nd May at 8pm. Everyone is welcome whether reading, reciting or just sitting back listening and enjoying as they are both achieved in the comfort of your own home.
If you would like to join us, please contact us at friends@thegageplayers.co.uk for the link to join our Zoom get together.
July/August
The Gage midsummer lunch
We would like to hold a midsummer lunch, probably in a pub garden. We will let you know the venue, date, and time as soon as possible. It would be good to have another opportunity to mingle and chat.
September
STOP PRESS: Our new date for an evening of rehearsed play readings, will be on Saturday 7th September. Don’t panic! Pip Rolls is still returning with his new play ‘Snapshots of History’ series. Whilst he is scribbling away, our play reader group are in the final throes of finalising our second play.
November
Winter production (dates 28th, 29th & 30th November). Details to be finalised – more news later.
Dates for your diary
The Walton May Pageant on Saturday, 18th May
Poetry & Prose evening, 8pm via Zoom on Wednesday 22nd May
Saturday 7th September for an evening of rehearsed play readings with supper at 7pm, at the Riddell Hall
Winter production 28th, 29th and 30th November – play to be finalised.
2024 has made a flying start with our spring play, and we look forward to seeing you at the May Pageant!
Best wishes,
Bernie
Chair, Gage Committee
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The Gage Players? So – what’s in the name? You could say that sexual equality is at the root of it all! In 1950 the local Women’s Institute, with their usual radical fervour, got into all sorts of trouble when they dared to cast MEN into the men’s parts of a play production they entered for a competition! It was none-so-tactfully suggested that these reforming spirits might like to set up a separate amateur drama group in Walton on the Hill, and then were told: ‘You’ll never succeed – there’s not room for two drama groups in the same area.’
That was the challenge – the gage, or gauntlet, had been thrown down – and that gage has remained our symbol ever since. All these years later, here we still are, putting on shows three times a year. We’re very proud of our roll of past productions listing plays, authors and directors, which takes centre stage on our website home page, and proud of our reviews, too.
Our theatre venue, The Riddell Hall, Dean’s Lane, Walton on the Hill
In 1911 the late Lord Riddell transformed a gravel pit into a drill hall for the Territorial Army, complete with miniature rifle range and a Mess, which later became Walton’s Men’s Social Club. The hall was used for training during The Great War but on Lord Riddell’s death it was put up for sale – and then generously offered by Lady Riddell to the village as a memorial to her husband.
Local fundraising ensured that the hall could be restored for public use, and it was officially opened in October 1936. However, it was taken over by the War Office in 1940 and used by the Canadian Army troops until 1946. Once again the hall had to be restored – a teak floor was laid in 1940, a new boiler installed, kitchen and stage facilities improved and a false ceiling introduced to aid acoustics – and The Young Vic Company performed here in 1950 to celebrate the fact. Aspects of the hall are upgraded regularly, and many local clubs, organisations and private hirings make use of it for daytime and evening events.
Early days – the 1950s and 1960s
In our first years it was not common for everyone to have television for entertainment or to think of travelling up to London to a play. So from the start we aimed to give our audiences the opportunity to see a wide range of productions – classic plays, whodunnits, thrillers, comedies, even musicals – we do them all.
Our first review for our first production in 1950, The Chiltern Hundreds by William Douglas Home was uplifting, to say the least: ‘The Riddell Hall was filled to capacity. Encouraged by a receptive audience, the cast, some of whom were making their first stage appearance, gave a performance which fully justified the entry of these newcomers to the field of amateur theatricals.’
In our first two decades, our productions included:
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare (‘The most spectacular success achieved by this comparatively young society in the post-war years of its happy existence . . . a production of almost professional level in presentation and performance.’); The Chalk Garden by Edith Bagnold; She Stoops to Conquer, by Oliver Goldsmith (‘achieved just the light, scintillating touch needed . . . an enjoyable and fast-moving production.’); Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie; Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier; Separate Tables by Terence Rattigan; and Hay Fever by Noel Coward
The 1970s and 1980s highlights
Boeing-Boeing by Marc Camelotti (, . . nothing but high praise can be meted out for the polished end-product . . . The Gage may well be proud of this outstanding production.’); How the Other Half Loves by Alan Ayckbourn; Dracula by Ken Hill (‘The cast really sank their teeth into the parts they played . . . superb lighting and sound effects . . . the whole thing was splendidly done.’); The Beaux’ Stratagem by George Farquhar; The Diary of Anne Frank, dramatised by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett (‘The Gage Players performed with such powerful immediacy . . . People come from long distances to see The Gage Players, and for this they were well rewarded.’); Sweeney Todd by Brian J. Burton; The Odd Couple by Neil Simon (‘The Gage . . .presented a powerful production with forceful, well-rounded and marvellously funny performances.’); A Murder has been Announced by Agatha Christie; An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley; Cabaret by Christopher Isherwood; Habeus Corpus by Alan Bennett; Trelawny of the Wells by Arthur Pinero; Pack of Lies by Hugh Whitemore; and A Chorus of Disapproval by Alan Ayckbourne.
The 1990s and the Noughties
1990 was our Ruby Anniversary and that year we celebrated with, among other things, The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Ken Hill; The Slipper and the Rose adapted by Pip Burley; Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte; and Vanity Fair by William Thackeray, adapted by Constance Cox; Dangerous Obsession by N. J. Crisp. From 2000, our Gold Anniversary, the next decade included Dear Octopus by Dodie Smith; The Hollow by Agatha Christie; A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, dramatised by John Mortimer (with The Heath Players) – ‘All the ingredients for success – and full houses proved it was . . . a brilliant production.’; Daisy Pulls It Off by Denise Deegan; The Railway Children by E. Nesbitt; Toad of Toad Hall (with the Heath Players), 2006: ‘ . . . gave young members the chance to show their stagecraft . . .’
Up to the present day
2010 was our Diamond Anniversary, and we produced two winners that year: The Weekend by Michael Palin and Come on, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton. Then we went on include The Titfield Thunderbolt by Philip Goulding; The Drunkard by Brian J. Burton (with The Heath Players); Dangerous Corner by J. B. Priestley; Yes, Prime Minister by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn; Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene; The Teahouse of the August Moon by John Patrick and Vern Sneider (in which we famously cast a dog, and had people turning up on the night for tickets asking ‘Is this the play with the dog in it?’); Murder in Play by Simon Brett (‘The cast interplayed with one another exceptionally well, a true ensemble, and the effects and pace of the play were admirable . . . the audience clearly relished the fun, and the buzz in the interval and at the end of the evening showed how much they had got into the spirit of the occasion.’); Bedroom Farce by Alan Acykbourn; and Over My Dead Body by Derek Benfield.
More recently, our hits include A Touch of Danger by Francis Durbridge; Waiting for the Train by Pip Rolls; Vintage Hitchcock: a live radio play by Joe Landry (‘. . . an interesting and innovative production that includes three classic stories from Hitchcock films . . . I would have to rate this as one of the slickest productions I have seen from the Gage’); and Ladies Who Lunch by Tudor Gates.
We like to challenge ourselves . . .
Over the years we’ve supported numerous theatre festivals, with all the extra commitment that involves for casts and crews. So we’ve supported the Tadworth and District Arts Festival, the British Drama League Festival, the National Festival of Community Theatre, the Banstead Arts Festival, and done rather well at some others:
At the 1954 Betchworth Drama Festival, The Gage won the Festival cup for Barbara’s Wedding Day by J. M Barrie, and in 1988 won the Committee’s Cup for stage presentation (The Pool by the Dragon Gate by E. G. Andrews). And in the 1991 All-England Theatre Festival, Robin Sebastian Hunter, in our production of Come into the Garden, Maud by Noel Coward, won Best Supporting Actor. Robin has gone on to make a successful career in theatre, television and radio.
On the social side . . .
Theatre people are sociable people, and we like to enjoy ourselves off the stage as well. So we have a range of things to appeal to one and all – it could be a murder mystery evening, a Mid-Summer Day lunch, a pub quiz night, taking part in the Walton May Pageant, a rehearsed play reading with supper, or a Twelfth Night Supper – at which Gage members, their family and friends are all welcome. So when you see something you fancy joining in with on our website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram – just contact us.
Our charitable work
As well as regularly contributing the upgrading of The Riddell Hall, The Gage has given donations to organisations like the local air ambulance service, and our production of The Drunkard in 2011 enabled us to donate £1,500 to Help for Heroes.
In September 2016 we launched The Gage Invitational Trophy, a charity quiz championship held between a local grouping of a dozen amateur drama societies, known as The Public Forum (which we also started up). The Forum helps to publicise each other’s events, enlarge our audiences and even share actors from time to time.
Gatton Community Theatre were the 2016 trophy winners, and together the groups’ teams raised £150.00 for our chosen charity, The Invictus Games Choir. Gatton held the trophy until 2018, when it was won by St Mark’s Players of Reigate and a cheque for £230 was sent to Combat Stress. St Mark’s Players will host the next quiz competition in 2020 – watch our website for updates. If you want to join the quiz but don’t belong to one of the drama groups, don’t worry – just get in touch with the contact person to see about fielding a team, or joining one.
The unsung heroes
It is a truth universally acknowledged that you cannot put on a great show without a great crew of backstagers, the people who do sets, lighting, sound, wardrobe, makeup, props and ‘front of house’ – oh, and make the tea at rehearsals, of course! We hold three open auditions each year, not just for actors and actresses but for people who’d like to learn and try out new skills, or offer existing ones, to help each production work – see our website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for details through the year, and get in touch.
And into the future
Just think how far technology has changed entertainment options since we started in 1950; these days you can watch what you choose more or less when and where you like on any number of platforms.
BUT – actually being at live entertainment gives a buzz like nothing else, so come and enjoy the fun of living theatre for two or three evenings a year! Not too much to ask, we hope, to help keep The Gage Players on-stage in your community. We look forward to welcoming you.
Our Spring 2023 play is the comedy Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders by Derek Webb, playing on 27th, 28th and 29th April at 8pm. Tickets £10, box office 01737 812 703, doors and bars open at 7.30pm.
This is the Riddell Memorial Hall, there is no real car park so please park in the streets paying respect to the neighbours drives and cars.
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