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Newsletter – March 2023

Dear Members and friends,

I hope you are well.  Although it is very cold the sun is shining as I write, bulbs are flowering and Spring is nearly here.

We are delighted that rehearsals are well under way for our Spring production.  Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders written by Derek Webb is directed by Lesley Crowther-Smith, and is due to play at 8pm on 27th, 28th and 29th April 2023 at the Riddell Hall in Walton on the Hill – our first full-length production since Covid arrived early in 2020.  This play had been fully cast to stage in Spring 2022 and after another Covid delay most of the cast were still available this year to play their roles.  But the search was on for new actors where they were not, and we are proud to welcome five new and experienced players to the Gage for this production.  This is an hilarious comedy thriller, with such interesting country-life characters!  You will be guessing ‘whodunnit’ right till the end, and then you’ll be in for a surprise!

We are desperately looking for a new secretary on our committee.  Gill Gibbins has wonderfully fulfilled this role with the Gage for many years, but last autumn said she wished to stand down from the end of March.  We most urgently need someone to take the minutes at our committee meetings, and then type them up and circulate them to the committee members.  The meetings are held via Zoom about once a month and last about an hour.  Please help us if you can and contact us at friends@thegageplayers.co.uk

Would you like to join our committee, to bring fresh ideas and interests to our team?  No theatrical experience is needed, just enthusiasm!  After all, there’s no business like show business!  We are a friendly group and would welcome new faces at our Zoom meetings, so again do contact us about trying out at friends@thegageplayers.co.uk

The Walton May Pageant, with the theme ‘Music’ will be held on Saturday, 20th May 2023 and the Gage will be running a bottle tombola stall.  We will be collecting bottles of every kind between now and 20th May, and would also be grateful for donations, so please buy an extra bottle of something when you do your weekly shop and save it for our stall.  You would also be welcome to drop bottle donations off at the home of our treasurer, Rod Lucas, so when you’re ready to deliver, please let us know by leaving your preferred contact information at our address friends@thegageplayers.co.uk

Our stall will also have a large jar filled with wrapped sweets for a children’s competition to guess the number of sweets it contains.  We aim to raise as much money as we can for the Pageant and for the Gage.

Each September we like to hold a rehearsed reading evening with supper for Members, family and friends and we will be having this at 7pm for 8pm curtain-up on Saturday, 16th September at the Riddell Hall.  These evenings are very sociable and popular – you bring your own drinks and snack supper, and we provide tea and coffee in the interval between readings; there’s also a raffle.  We already have a shortlist of plays to choose from, including one-acters by Noel Coward and Terrence Rattigan.  Chris Slater is scheduled to direct one of these,  as he has done for many a year, and there is also a very good chance that Pip Rolls will have written another of his mischievous sketches for us: he’s having a sneak peek at a committee meeting gathered to decide upon the future of evolution – that should be interesting!

The long-awaited production of Molly’s Calling by Pip Rolls is yet again under way and on course – we are determined that it’s going to happen at the fourth attempt, the previous three having been ‘kiboshed’ by Covid delays. The last time it was only a week from opening night and it was incredibly disappointing for us all.  Almost all the original cast are still available and willing to go ahead, and Pip will direct his play himself.  It is such a good play that it really does deserve to be seen – the première will be on 23rd November, and two more performances after that on 24th and 25th.  Please make a note of the dates in your diary.  Thank you.

Looking ahead to 2024, we aim to give a rehearsed reading with supper in February.  For our Spring play in April we are planning a play by Peter Quilter. Then there will be a September rehearsed reading with supper, and we are planning a play by Georgina Reid in November.

Please check your diary now for our 2023 attractions:

Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders by Derek Webb – at 8pm on 27th, 28th and 29th April 2023, at the Riddell Hall

The Walton May Pageant from around 2pm on Saturday, 20th May, 2023

16th September for an evening of rehearsed readings with supper at 7pm, at the Riddell Hall

Molly’s Calling by Pip Rolls – at 8pm on 23rd, 24th and 25th November, 2023, at the Riddell Hall

I look forward to greeting you at our very own village hall for Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders . . .

Best wishes,

Gay

Gay Weeden,
Chair, Gage Committee

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Newsletters

MINUTES OF THE 70th (72nd year) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – Tuesday 22nd March, 2022

The AGM was held via zoom.

MINUTES OF THE 70th (72nd year) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE GAGE PLAYERS, held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 22nd March, 2022 via Zoom.

  1. Present
    Gay Weeden (in the chair) and 10 members of the company
  1. Apologies for absence
    Received from Clive Elcome, Clare Smyl, Elayne Teague and Lorraine Wheeler-Smith.
  1. Minutes of the 2018 AGM
    The minutes of the 2019 AGM minutes were accepted as a correct record.
  1. Matters arising
    There were no matters arising.
  1. Chairman’s report
    Gay Weeden read out her report for the year:‘Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the Gage 2022 AGM, our first general meeting for two years.‘I took over the role of chairman in September 2020, after the end of our first, sunny, lockdown. Our spring 2020 production of Molly’s Calling written and directed by Pip Rolls had been postponed because of Covid – people were not allowed to mix freely in public or to visit loved ones in hospital and care homes, and it had become obvious that there would be no staged productions for The Gage. We should have been celebrating our 70th anniversary, a rare and remarkable milestone for any amateur drama society, with a gala production in November 2020 directed by Gill Gibbins, but Covid and lockdown meant that this wonderful landmark occasion had to be missed, to our great sadness.‘In order to keep interest and contact going, we turned in September to Zoom for informal weekly meetings – reading poems, prose or short plays, anything from Shakespeare to Monty Python and Pam Ayres! These evenings were very successful, full of variety, fun and were a good way of maintaining the enthusiasm of Gage members who wished to take part or to listen in.

    ‘The second lockdown came suddenly at Christmas 2020 and was very different, with cold, grey days, and disappointments. Our hoped-for spring 2021 production of Molly’s Calling continued to be on hold. However, as the original cast were still available, it was hoped that we could recommence rehearsals and aim for a November 2021 production. Our usual September supper with rehearsed reading, to be directed by Chris Slater, was also postponed until less worrying times.

    ‘In planning ahead, we learned from our regular rehearsal hall that not only had the hire charges tripled but that without notice our regular Wednesday evening slot would not be available to us at the times we needed – and had always had – despite giving them very early notice of our production dates. We really felt that we were not being fairly treated, after so many years as a loyal hall user. We searched for other venues, and learned that we would have to pay increased hire charges, but very happily found that Walton Primary School Hall was available when we needed it, with excellent facilities and administration, and car parking.

    ‘Optimistically, rehearsals had got under way in our new venue in September 2021 but, just a week away from opening night in November, we had to make the devastating decision once again to cancel the show. Tickets sales were very slow, with people still afraid to mix in enclosed spaces, despite ventilation and our meeting all the Covid regulations, and we knew that the show would run at a very substantial loss if we went ahead, to say nothing of tiny audiences being demoralising for the cast. The cast and crew were all hugely disappointed but understood the importance of containing losses as much as possible, with the Gage already having to write off the rehearsal and other preparation charges, though we were able to save some of the Riddell Hall charges and a few front of house costs. Our sympathy went out to our playwright and director, Pip Rolls, who patiently accepted the situation on this third attempt to put his play on the stage.

    ‘The use of Walton Primary School has opened up other opportunities for the Gage. As our poetry evenings have been so successful it was suggested to the school that the children of the top two classes could have a competition to write or read a favourite poem, and join us for a matinee performance. The six winning children would read their poems on stage, and six Gage members would read our choices, with an interval for afternoon tea and a raffle, and a gift bag plus commemorative Gage certificate being presented to each child on stage at the end. We hope this will draw a good audience of parents, grandparents, friends and teachers. Well, this event should already have happened this March, but unfortunately so many children were going down with this wretched Covid that it was thought wiser to wait until the autumn, when we hope the virus will be better controlled for young ones.

    ‘The highlight of our year so far in 2022 has been the staging of Pip Rolls’ five short comedies, What Really Happened, a funny and irreverent take on some key moments in our history, in a rehearsed reading performance with supper. It was so good to be treading the boards again! The audience were very appreciative and really enjoyed the whole evening. Thank you, Pip, for ‘making it happen’. Following that success, we hope to put o at least one further rehearsed reading play with supper later in the year.

    ‘The 2021 Walton May Pageant had also been postponed, to 21st May 2022, with its title ‘Our Precious Planet’. We shall have a Gage stall there, and will also run the bottle tombola stall, a reliable source of revenue, so we are looking forward to a popular, fun event – and good weather.

    ‘While it might seem as though nothing has been going on, behind the scenes many improvements were being made: the scenery storage shed had to be re-roofed, a new shed for wardrobe was paid for and installed, and all our wardrobe items were sorted (some discarded), washed, ironed and hung ready for future use – thank you to Eileen, Clare and Lorraine for their Trojan efforts.

    ‘In addition, two grant applications have been prepared and presented this month, to give our running costs a safety net until we have built up our reserves again – they are the monies we use to fund all the upfront expenditure for productions, and also to make improvements to the hall. Thanks go to Rod Lucas, our treasurer, and Gill Gibbins, our secretary, for putting together a bid direct to the National Lottery Community Fund, and to Pfizer, via the good offices of Walton Village Forum. We are awaiting their responses.

    ‘My personal thanks go to Gill Gibbins for all the work she quietly does in the background, and for the help and support she has given me. I couldn’t do this job without her, I just wouldn’t know where to start. So many people deserve mention and thanks for getting things done, but again, especially our treasurer, Rod Lucas, for working hard with our financial position – not an enviable task, with no opportunities to generate income for two years, but plenty of outgoings! I know you will explain our state of affairs in a moment.

    ‘Thank you to all who have kept enthusiasm for and belief in the Gage going in these dreadful times, and I look forward to being with you all again soon, in person.’

  1. Treasurer’s report
    Rod Lucas’s financial account for the past two years had been circulated ahead of the meeting, which demonstrated the losses caused to the Gage by two years of being unable to generate income from tickets sales while having to pay running and production costs of shows which had to be cancelled after incurring upfront charges. His treasurer’s report was as follows:‘During the last two years the Gage has suffered a huge financial loss, particularly by the cancellation of Molly’s Calling by Pip Rolls, where we made a loss of £590.95, plus the associated profits we would have made on productions.‘However, the recent play reading evening boosted our finances quite a bit, so did also generous donations made by many members when they renewed their last year’s subs, which support our high annual insurance premium.‘I invite members to renew their subscriptions (£20 for full membership, £10 for juniors) by bank transfer if that is convenient, if not by a cheque or even cash at some time. Please include a reference on the bank transaction. Donations would of course be very welcome.

    Bank details:-
    Account name ‘The Gage Players’
    Sort code 20-29-90
    Account number 00396907’

    It was agreed that Lars Sawyer would circulate a request for the payment of subscriptions to the Gage membership, and would include a note to the effect that any extra donations would be gratefully received, if members found that possible.

    The matter of paying for cast copies of Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders by Derek Webb was discussed. Chris Slater confirmed that he had handed copies to Elayne Teague, Eileen Debski, Val Anscombe, Moya Weeks, Lars Sawyer and Debbie Nichols; Rod Lucas reported that payment (£7 per copy) had been received from some of them. Chris still has four copies for future cast members, and Gill Gibbins has three for prompt, for stage managers/wardrobe, and for sound/light, (which three are paid for by the Gage). If, when the play comes again to audition/casting, those already holding a copy cannot take part, they will return their copy to Chris and be refunded, and those who do take part and had not previously paid for their copy would do so at that point.The matter of levying a show charge to those taking part in a production on stage (as is done by some other amdram companies) was briefly discussed and it was agreed that the Gage would not do this.

    The accounts were accepted by all present.

  1. Election of officers
    Gay Weeden, Rod Lucas and Gill Gibbins were willing to remain in their respective posts of chairman, treasurer and secretary, and were re-elected unanimously en bloc by those present.
  1. Election of committee
    Debbie Nichols had been obliged by circumstances to resign from the committee in December 2021, to everyone’s regret.The current membership of the committee were all willing to serve another term, and were re-elected unanimously en bloc by those present.The committee comprises Gay Weeden as chairman, Gill Gibbins, Jon Laws, Gill Lucas, Rod Lucas, Martin Saul, Lars Sawyer, Clare Smyl and Beryl White. There is also an effective (unelected) sub-committee comprising Eileen Debski, Pip Rolls, Chris Slater and Lorraine Wheeler-Smith.
  1. Election of auditor
    Rod Lucas undertook to contact Paul Spooner to verify that he would be willing to continue in his role as auditor.
  1. Forward planning
    10.1     Two grant applications are in progress for funding to tide the Gage over until we have been able to build up our reserves again to finance upfront costs on main productions. Rod Lucas had made a grant bid to the National Lottery Community Fund but their rules appear to have changed since we last did so, as they now require the names of more than one Gage trustee in the application, as well as two separate committee members. Rod will review everything and see what may need to be done in order to comply with their requirements as soon as possible.Gill Gibbins had sent a grant application to Pfizer through to the Walton Village Forum, who had offered to put this through to Pfizer. After several weeks of not hearing back, Gill had heard yesterday from Grant Webster at the WVF that it seems Pfizer have now handed the management of their community fund to Reigate and Banstead Borough Council. He is hoping to find out who at the council should be approached, and how, and is going to ask his contact at Pfizer the same thing, so we hope we may be able to make progress with this before long.10.2 The Gage will have a stall, and will run the bottle tombola stall at the Walton May Pageant on 21st May.We are also hoping to hold another rehearsed reading with supper on 24th September, 2022, of Playgoers by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, directed by Chris Slater.

    We were planning to hold the delayed Pop-up Poetry event with Walton Primary School also in September, but on the advice of Anne Henderson it was agreed that this should most likely be held later in the year if possible. The Covid situation is very fluid, particularly among children and their families and teachers, in addition to which those in the school’s top two classes would be different following the start of a new school year, and a September date would not allow sufficient time for preparation. There is also still the possibility of a main production starting rehearsal in September for end-November performances, which might place undue pressure on Gage personnel.

  1. Any other business
    There was no other business and the meeting was closed at 8.15pm, to be followed by a Gage committee meeting.
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Future Events, Newsletters

Newsletter January 2023

Dear members and friends,

I hope you managed to keep warm in the recent freezing frosty weather.

Have you made a note of the dates of our long-awaited spring production?  Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders written by Derek Webb will be directed by Lesley Crowther-Smith, due to play at 8pm on 27th, 28th and 29th April 2023 at the Riddell Hall in Walton on the Hill.  You will be intrigued by this comedy thriller which will keep you guessing ‘whodunnit’ right until the end!  Rehearsals will be starting very soon and we are excited to be back for a full-length production again, as Covid has prevented this for at least two years!

Our informal evenings of poetry and prose via Zoom, which started during lockdown, were reinstated on 18th January.  It was a fun time with a huge variety of poems, some of which were hilarious!  It was good to see everyone at this sociable little gathering, and a relief to be at home during the bitter weather.  These evenings will continue after our spring production.

We’re always looking to welcome anyone who is keen to act, or to help backstage or front of house.  Also, we are urgently needing someone who is willing to take the minutes at our committee meetings, which are held monthly via Zoom – please help us out!  We are a friendly group and would welcome new committee members who could bring fresh ideas, interest and enthusiasm to our team.  Do mention this to any friends you think might be interested and please get in touch via friends@thegageplayers.co.uk  We shall be holding our Annual General Meeting at 8pm via Zoom on Tuesday, 21st March – the link will be sent nearer the time.

It’s lovely to look ahead to May, when the Gage will be manning a bottle tombola at the Walton May Pageant on Saturday, 20th May.  So please save and donate a bottle(s) to help us make as much money as we can.  There will also be a guessing game to know how many sweeties are in the sweetie jar, which should be popular with the children!

We have now confirmed Saturday, 16th September for an evening of rehearsed readings.  This will begin at 7pm with a bring-your-own picnic supper plus drinks and snacks, followed by two one-act plays, with a coffee and raffle break between them.  It all makes for a friendly, relaxed evening which everyone enjoys.  These rehearsed readings are a good chance for anyone who’d like to get on-stage in a play, but is a bit nervous or shy about doing so, to take a small part with the script in their hand and see how they enjoy it.  I guarantee you will be hooked!  So keep an eye out for the auditions calls in the summer.

In November the Gage intends at last to produce Molly’s Calling written by Pip Rolls.  Covid has delayed it many times – on one occasion only a week before the first performance!  Many of the original cast are still keen to perform and I can confirm that the dates of the hoped-for production are 23rd, 24th and 25th November.  However, the play needs a caretaker director to refresh it and bring it back to performance level.  A first time for everything and a chance to direct a play – is there anyone out there who would like to take the plunge and direct Molly’s Calling?

Forward planning – we have two possible plays in mind as main productions in 2024: The Nightingales by Peter Quilter and Death and the Maiden by Georgina Reid.

Our respected and capable secretary, Gill Gibbins, is stepping down after many dedicated years and we are thankful for all she has done for us.  We need a successor as secretary as soon as possible.  You will find the outline job description on our web site: https://thegageplayers.co.uk – look in the banner headline at the top of the home page and click on ‘Wanted – secretary’.

I hope you’ve made a note of these dates:

Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders by Derek Webb – at 8pm on 27th, 28th and 29th April 2023

The Walton May Pageant from around 2pm on Saturday, 20th May, 2023

Molly’s Calling by Pip Rolls – at 8pm on 23rd, 24th and 25th November, 2023.

More news next month, but meanwhile keep warm and stay well.

Best wishes,

Gay

Gay Weeden,

Chair, Gage Committee

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Future Events, Newsletters

Newsletter – December 2022

Dear members and friends,

Seasons greetings to you all.  The snowy landscape has been beautiful, but back to rain is safer.  Maybe there will be no white Christmas, but we hope it will be less cold and easier to keep warm.

I’ll begin this newsletter with an important request.  We will be needing a secretary in April 2023 as our present much-respected secretary will be leaving us at the end of March after many years on the committee in this role.  The person we require would need good organisational and administrative skills and would be responsible for the agendas and minutes of our committee meetings.  We meet about once a month via Zoom.  It is not necessary to have a great deal of theatrical knowledge or experience, as committee members will be able to advise when needed.  The Gage committee are enthusiastic for our continued success and are a friendly group.  The Gage aim to put on two full-length plays and two rehearsed readings each year.  We would also like to add members to our committee, so that ideas and tasks can be efficiently shared.  If you are interested in joining, please email friends@thegageplayers.co.uk

Congratulations to all involved on a resounding success in our rehearsed play reading with supper on 10th December, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted and directed by Pip Rolls (also taking acting parts due to cast illness).  This play required many scene changes, costume changes and lighting and sound atmospherics for scene changes.  Altogether a huge challenge for cast, crew, front of house and all those involved in creating this performance.  The feedback from the audience was very satisfying – all thoroughly enjoyed the evening, with many wanting to know when the next event will be.  We made a good amount of much-needed money to add to our funds.  A heartfelt thank you to all involved!

It has been agreed to resume our very popular informal Zoom evenings for poetry and prose for Gage members, families and friends.  We choose to read poems, prose, extracts from plays, or one-act plays.  Anything that appeals at the time.  You are welcome to join in the meeting, bring something you would like to read or simply join the meeting and enjoy listening.  We cover a variety of comedy, drama or even short plays written by a member.  The next Zoom meeting will be on Wednesday, 18th January at 8pm.  Contact us via friends@thegageplayers.co.uk for the link.

Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders written by Derek Webb and directed by Lesley Crowther-Smith is our next planned Spring production, due to play on 27th, 28th and 29th April 2023, a comedy whodunit that will appeal to you all and keep you guessing until the end!  Please make a note of the dates in your diary, and we look forward to seeing you there.

Lesley Crowther-Smith will also be leading a drama lesson/theatre workshop in March with Walton School, where we hold our rehearsals.  It is also hoped that we can liaise with Walton School over a matinee performance some time next year to present poems written and read by the children, alongside some of our own members reading their own choices.

Looking ahead to our Winter production in November – due to Covid restrictions, this will be our fourth attempt to perform Molly’s Calling, written by Pip Rolls.  Please note the dates in your diaries – 23rd, 24th and 25th November 2023.  We are again looking for a caretaker director, with most of the cast willing to remain in their roles after this three-year delay.  As the play was originally to be directed by the author and was at performance level, a caretaker director would just need to oversee the performers and bring the play back to life again.  Is anyone amongst you keen to volunteer and try your hand at directing with us?

It is hoped that we will perform a rehearsed reading with supper in September 2023.  Chris Slater usually finds the play and directs it – however we ask whether anyone knows a one-act play that they have enjoyed watching or performing in to please let us know.  It would be useful to have a few to choose from for rehearsed readings and also to use for our informal Zoom poetry and prose evenings.

Forward planning for Spring 2024 – possibly The Nightingales by Peter Quilter.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year.

Best wishes,

Gay

Gay Weeden,

Chair, Gage Committee

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Newsletters

Newsletter – September 2022

Dear Friends and Members,

It is with sadness that we mourn the passing of our wonderful Queen Elizabeth II, a much-loved and respected Sovereign who throughout 70 years never failed in her duty.

Her radiant smile will be missed by all.  We send our condolences to the Royal Family.

The Gage Players are proud to present two one-act plays this coming on Saturday, 24th September.  Playgoers is a comedy by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, directed by Christopher Slater as a rehearsed reading.  Set before the First World War, this is a brief glimpse of the problems that arise for a newly married couple employing staff for their home, a situation perfect for showcasing a collection of interesting, and amusing, characters.  

The second rehearsed reading is an abridged adaptation by Pip Rolls of Under Milk Wood, a play by Dylan Thomas originally performed as a radio play in America.  This is written with a lot of sly humour, and our presentation reading is also played as if in a radio studio, jointly directed by Pip and Chris.

I hope you have booked your table, or places at a table, for 7pm on Saturday, bringing your supper and wine, beer or soft drinks to enjoy before the curtain goes up – coffee and tea will be served during the interval.  If you haven’t already booked your places, £10 a head, please ring the box office on 01737 812 703.  As we have tables, not rows of chairs, seating is limited, so do ring as soon as possible to secure your seat.

We are grateful to the Tadworth and Walton Residents’ Association for their contribution of £300 to help cover the cost of the annual insurance necessary to any production. We are constantly trying to raise money for our plays, and any contributions or ideas towards fund-raising are very much appreciated.

To put us all into the Christmas spirit, on Saturday, 10th December we shall be performing scenes from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted and directed by Pp Rolls – another rehearsed reading with your supper and drinks to start the festive evening.  

Audition invitations will be emailed on Monday, 10th October, with audition slots notified between 11th to 14th October – the auditions themselves will be held by Zoom at pre-arranged times between 31st October and 4th November.  There are many parts, of different sizes, so do try an audition with us – if you’ve never acted before but have a yearning to do so, now is your opportunity to take a small part.   The Gage are a friendly crowd, and give each other lots of support.

We intend to reinstate our regular Zoom evenings of poetry-prose-short play readings, all your own choices, as they were so popular during lockdowns.   If you’d rather just listen in, that’s fine, too.  Dates will be sent out in due course.

The Gage Invitational Trophy Quiz is due to be hosted by St Mark’s Players on a Saturday evening in September 2023, at St Katherine’s Hall, Merstham.  There will be more news about this later, but do pencil the notion in your diary.    

2023.  At last we hope to be able to perform a full-length play for our Spring production, a village whodunit that combines laughs within its twists and turns, to be directed by Chris Slater.  It is over two years since we have put on a full play, due to Covid lockdowns, which forced cancellations and financial losses on us.  So we are happily looking forward with confidence to our Spring play being performed.  The dates for your diary are 27th, 28th and 29th Aril, 2023.

Our planned Winter 2023 production, Molly’s Calling by Pip Rolls, will be on 23rd, 24th and 25th November.  This will be our fourth attempt to stage the clever, funny play as it repeatedly fell victim to the lockdowns and our resultant financial shortfall – one blow after another for our writer/director, cast and crew.   This time it must happen!   

So, plenty of exciting events to come, and we look forward to seeing you next Saturday, 24th September, for Playgoers and Under Milk Wood at the Riddell Hall – 7pm with your supper, drinks, family and friends.

Best wishes,

Gay

Gay Weeden, Chair, The Gage Players

    

 

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Newsletters

Newsletter August 2022

Dear Friends and Members,

How are you all? We won’t forget the summer of 2022, with the intense heatwave and now a probable drought. Isn’t it good to feel cool air again, and mustn’t grumble when it rains!

The Gage are delighted and grateful to have received a donation of £450 from the Pageant Committee following the Walton May Pageant, where we had the Gage Bottle Tombola stall. This has eased our finances and will help to enable us to put on a full-length play in April 2023.

After a short summer break, the Gage are looking towards the September rehearsed play reading to be directed by Christopher Slater. Talented Chris has recently celebrated his forthcoming birthday with his concert of choral and organ music at St Peter’s Church, Walton on the Hill. Sadly I was unable to attend but have heard how the concert was enjoyed, appreciated and very much praised by those who went.

So, on 24th September from 7pm at the Riddell Hall, Walton on the Hill, our rehearsed play reading (when you bring your own supper and drinks) will be Playgoers, a comedy by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero. Set before the First World War, enjoy a ‘what the butler saw’ glimpse into the domestic life of a newly wed couple when the wife wishes to give her staff the rare treat of a night off to go to the theatre. Unexpected reactions from these ill-assorted characters – not quite Downton Abbey!

Seating is at pre-booked table places only. £10 a head. Box office number is 01737 812 703. Do book early as table seating places are in more limited numbers than with conventional hall seating.

At our committee meeting this month we discussed how popular our Zoom poetry/play readings had become during Lockdowns, and we would like to reinstate these evenings for all to enjoy, especially those who, for various reasons, can’t easily go out. More about this in our next newsletter.

As you are aware, we are looking for ways to raise funds. If you have any used printer ink cartridges please save them for us. If enough can regularly be collected they would raise a small income for us. These can be sent or delivered to our treasurer’s address (Rod Lucas, Heatherview, Dorking Road, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 5SA).

Looking ahead to 10th December this year, the Gage Players will perform another rehearsed reading with bring your own supper and drinks – Scenes from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted and directed by Pip Rolls. Audition invitations will be emailed on 10th October, with audition times and scripts sent between 11th to 14th October, to be followed by auditions via Zoom at pre-arranged times between 31st October and 4th November. Please note these dates on your calendar if you wish to take part.

2023
In March we are presenting a matinee (with tea) deferred for more than a year by Covid. Children from the top two classes at Walton School will compete to take part by writing or reading their own favourite poem. The successful ones chosen by their teachers will perform on stage at the Riddell Hall, alternating with members of the Gage reading their own choice. This will be varied and fun – more news of this in the New Year.

Planned spring production! On 27th, 28th and 29th April we expect to stage Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders, written by Derek Webb and directed by Chris Slater, a comedy ‘whodunnit’ keeping you guessing with its twists and turns until the end! Partially cast a while ago, but Covid curtailed, we are happy and relieved to be able to take this further. Now that we have confidence that it will be staged, the audition notice for the remaining roles will be circulated in the New Year, when we expect to apply for the performance licence.

Molly’s Calling by Pip Rolls is waiting in the wings to be our November 2023 production on 23rd, 24th and 25th November. Fourth time lucky?!

We celebrate that The Gage Players are back and have exciting times ahead. We look forward to seeing you at Playgoers on 24th September.

Best wishes to you all.

Gay

Gay Weeden, Chair, The Gage Players

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Newsletters

NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2022

The Gage Players newsletter, April, 2022

 

Dear Members and Friends,

 

What a lovely Easter we’ve had and I do hope you enjoyed the weekend in the sun.

 

Whilst we have been unable to perform a spring production this year, due to Covid and our dwindling funds, applications have been made for grants, but they unfortunately take time.  It is a waiting game.  However, there are many interesting events in the pipeline, one or two of them by fellow local community groups:

 

Gala Organ Recital at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Tadworth

Saturday, 14th May, 2022 at 6.30pm

By Simon Johnson, one of the world’s leading organists, including music by Bach, Liszt, Vaughan Williams and Franck.

Wine and soft drinks at 6.30, concert at 7.00pm, and at 8.15pm adjourn to the Church Hall for a finger buffet, wine and soft drinks.

Admission is by pre-purchased tickets at £15 per person, which includes refreshments, but there is no charge to accompanied children under 18.

On-line: www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodshepherdtadworth

By phone: 01737 556 219

 

The Walton May Pageant, 21st May, 2022

The procession from Walton Pond starts at 2pm.  We are running the Gage Players/bottle tombola stall and would be grateful for help and donations, not only of alcohol but bottles or jars of anything from ketchup, jam, marmalade and lemonade to gin and fizz, so that there is something for all winners.  This promises to be a very popular and busy stall, so if any of you members, friends and family can join in, please let us know, then we can set up a rota of helpers to set up the stall, run it throughout the day, and dismantle it at the end.  Please help – thank you. If you can help, please email us at  friends@thegageplayers.co.uk

 

 

Platinum Jubilee Tea Party, 3rd June 2022

Friday, 3rd June, 2022 at 2.30pm in Jubilee Wood, Tadworth (Tadworth Street next to the railway bridge)

All users of the woodland are welcome.

Bring along your own rugs or seating and any additional food you may require.

Sadly no dogs except guide dogs.

gbockmeulen@hotmail.com

Tadworth and Walton Residents’ Association

 

The Gage midsummer lunch out of doors

We would like to hold a midsummer lunch, probably in a pub garden, either a barbecue or from the pub’s main menu.  We will let you know the venue, date and time as soon as possible.  It would be good to meet up.

 

A 90th birthday celebration, 14th August, 2022, St Peter’s Church, Walton

Our active Gage member, Chris Slater, who directs for us, has also had a very successful career as a professional musician – he is an accomplished organist, pianist, choirmaster and conductor, as well as having taught at the Royal College of Music.  His most recent distinctions include a master’s degree in conducting from Chichester University, achieving a 2021 sponsored play-through on the organ at home of hymn music in Hymns Ancient and Modern (completed by Whitsun 2021, raising over £1,200 for his local organ fund), and in October last year being made an honorary Associate of the Royal School of Church Music at a ceremony in Durham Cathedral.

 

Chris is planning to hold a concert to celebrate his 90th birthday on 14th August, 2022 (though the actual day is in December).  This will be held at 3.15pm at St Peter’s Church, Walton on the Hill, followed by tea at 4.15pm at Breech Lane Community Hall in Walton.  There will be no charge for concert or tea, though a retiring collection will be made after the concert to benefit St Peter’s.  Although this is an event personally organised by Chris, the Gage Players will be supporting him wholeheartedly in the audience, and we hope you may join us.

 

Gage Players rehearsed reading with supper, 24th September 2022

This will be Playgoers by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, directed by Chris Slater.  This has been deferred since lockdown, so we are delighted to be staging it.  We hope the original cast are still available, but if not everyone is, a call for auditions/read-throughs will go out a bit later on, dates to be during September at Chris’s home, with a couple of rehearsals there as well, before transferring to the Riddell Hall.    Please put the date in your diary now.

 

Gage Players rehearsed reading with supper, 3rd or 10th December 2022

Christmas may seem a long way off, but we are looking forward to early December when we will present scenes from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, which should put everyone into the true Christmas spirit (some of you may remember The Gage’s full production of this, back in 2003!).  A firm performance date, as well as audition and rehearsal dates, will be notified nearer the time, so please keep some space in your December diary

 

Joint event with Walton School, March 2023

It has been agreed with the school that our first planned joint event – a pop-up poetry matinee with interval tea – should be delayed from this March to March 2023.  I sincerely hope that this dreaded Covid virus is over by then, or at least that life will be much more manageable.  More information on this show later in the year.

 

Gage Players spring play, April 2023

Hoping that we receive some grant monies and that we ourselves have raised funds throughout this year, we are planning to perform Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders by Derek Webb, directed by Chris Slater.  This play was already partially cast before Covid problems hit us again, but a call for auditions will go out once we know we can safely fund the production and that we have put all the practicalities in hand.

 

We hope to have some interim activities during 2023, but then we look forward to:

 

Gage Players winter play, November 2023

We are determined to make a fourth attempt to perform Molly’s Calling written by Pip Rolls.  This clever, funny play so deserves to be seen.  Anyone who saw our performance of Pip’s What Really Happened in February will share our enthusiasm for his work, I’m sure.

 

Enjoy our lovely spring.

 

Best wishes,

Gay

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Newsletters

Newsletter – March 2022

Dear Friends and Members,

While enjoying this sunny spring day, I’m reflecting on our first Annual General Meeting in two years, held on 22nd March via Zoom. We now enjoy freedom from lockdown, and the Gage is looking forward to summer events, when we hope you will be there with us.

The Walton May Pageant, on 21st May, is an interesting and deservedly popular event, where we look forward to running our Gage stall and the bottle tombola stall next door to it. Donations of bottles would be appreciated, please, as the tombola is a great draw for people, so the more, the merrier!

However, the Pop-up Poetry matinee performance with Walton on the Hill Primary School has been deferred to March 2023. So many Surrey school children are now unwell with Covid, plus their families and teachers in many cases, that a September date would have been the earliest feasible one – but then the children in the top two classes would have changed at the start of the school year, leaving little time for all the preparation involved, and then closely followed by a very busy November/December getting ready for the school’s Christmas events. So they have agreed that next March would be best, and we look forward to that.

Our active member, Chris Slater, an accomplished organist, pianist, choirmaster and conductor, is planning a concert to celebrate his 90th birthday. His proposed date is 14th August at 3.15pm at St Peter’s Church, Walton on the Hill, followed by tea at 4.15pm at Breech Lane Community Hall. The programme is chosen but Chris is looking for more tenors and basses. The music would be rehearsed at 2pm ahead of the concert, so singers would need to be good sight-readers. Please contact the Gage if you can help. Although this is an event personally organised by Chris, the Gage will wholeheartedly be supporting him in the audience.

A rehearsed reading with supper is planned for 24th September – Playgoers by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, directed by Chris Slater. Audition dates at Chris’s home will be set nearer the time.

Once again, our hoped-for winter production is going to be Molly’s Calling by Pip Rolls, performance dates planned as 24th, 25th and 26th November. Due to Covid and lockdowns, this would be our fourth attempt to stage this wonderful comedy and we will be so happy to see it performed on stage at last.

Two grant applications are in progress for funding to tide us over until we have built up our reserves to pay the very considerable up-front costs for a main production, and our winter play this year is partly contingent on our receiving at least one of these grants, so we eagerly await news .

Looking ahead to 2023, we hope to put on another main production in April, directed by Chris Slater, audition, rehearsal and production dates to advised at a later date.

Wishing you all a happy Easter when it comes, and looking forward to seeing you soon.

Best wishes,

Gay

Gay Weeden
Chair, The Gage Players

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Newsletters

Newsletter – February 2022

Dear Friends and Members,

I hope you are keeping well and are enjoying a bit more freedom now that most Covid restrictions have ended. I am writing this on a bright, crisp day, looking forward to the coming of Spring, with longer and warmer days ahead.

The Gage were delighted to tread the boards last Saturday with our first stage event in two years, an informal occasion for Gage members, their families and friends. Five short, historical comedies written and directed by Pip Rolls made up an evening of rehearsed readings, and they were hugely enjoyed by everyone – Pip, cast and crew, and visitors. The audience were amazed by the quirky twists and turns, altering the outcomes of history, and said what a clever concept it was and how much they’d relished it all. We were pleased that in the end more people came to enjoy the fun than was initially anticipated, and also that we were able to recoup a small part of the losses made in March 2020 when we were obliged to cancel a full show days ahead of opening.

The show that never opened was Molly’s Calling, also written and directed by Pip Rolls. In fact Pip brought the play to the point of performance twice more during 2020-2021, but two lockdowns and the continued risk of low audience numbers made it impossible to risk. Pip has now chosen a caretaker director, Val Anscombe, to lead on what we all hope will be a triumphant staging later on this year – we will keep you posted on dates, of course, and trust that all our stalwart supporters will return to enjoy a good story and a lot of laughs.

Unfortunately, due to the rising numbers of Covid cases among pupils and teachers in schools locally, we have had to postpone our planned March Saturday matinee, Pop-up Poetry. This is a joint Gage Players/Walton on the Hill Primary School event, for which children have a competition to write their own, or choose a favourite poem, and the best three from the top two classes will join the Gage on stage to read them out. A number of Gage members will also take part on stage, and currently we are hoping to put this event back in the calendar for September.

We are greatly looking forward to taking part in the Walton May Pageant on Saturday, 21st May. The pageant theme is ‘Our precious planet’ and as usual will begin with a costumed procession starting opposite the Blue Ball pub, up to the Pageant Green Arena in Howard Close, Walton on the Hill. The Gage will have its own stall and will also be running the tombola, so we look forward to welcoming old friends and making new ones at what is always a very popular day out for people, with or without their dogs, but generally with.

For now, we are hoping to stage some more one-off events, with people bringing their own choice of supper and enjoying the Gage’s additional catering. As we found on Saturday, these are very popular, and make a light-hearted and sociable evening out. We also have another full play in the planning, and one which we believe will be an instant draw for audiences, but more of that another time.

On 22nd March at 7.30pm we shall be holding the Gage AGM via Zoom, to review the period
gone by since the last one, and to outline forward plans. That is also the time when we ask members, old and new, to pay their subscriptions – £20 for full membership and £10 for juniors. The Zoom link will be sent round nearer the time, and if you are not already a member and would like to sign up to receive this, please visit our website:

www.thegageplayers.co.uk

I hope to welcome many of you to the AGM. Meanwhile, keep safe and stay well.

Very best wishes,

Gay

Gay Weeden, Chair, The Gage Players

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Newsletters

Newsletter – December 2021

Dear Members and Friends,

Season’s greetings to you all. Hoping Christmas will be happy and that 2022 will be a much better year than the last!

It was with great disappointment that we had to cancel our November play, Molly’s Calling by Pip Rolls. We found that with the possible Covid risk, our ticket sales were too low to enable us to cover the cost of the production. It was a tough decision to make. In order to keep The Gage alive we need our performances need to do a bit better than break even – and of course to enjoy large audiences – but we couldn’t do anything like that this time.

However, undaunted and with increased enthusiasm, we plan to go ahead with a February 2022 evening of rehearsed play readings, a collection of short comedies written by Pip Rolls entitled What Really Happened. These are hilarious tales re-arranging the course of historical events with amazing outcomes! A fun evening to be enjoyed when all the Christmas and New Year festivities are over. There is nothing like live theatre to lift the spirits and we are looking forward to entertaining you during the drab winter days.

The evening will begin at 7.00 pm with a fish and chip supper (and vegetarian option), followed by three short plays – The Pyramids of Giza, The Battle of Hastings and The Reformation – then an interval when coffee/tea and cakes will be served, followed by two more short plays (The Battle of Waterloo and Giants of Science), with the evening finishing at about 10.00 pm. Please bring your own wine or beer or drinks of choice and glasses will be provided. The date is 5th February, the time 7.00pm and the place The Riddell Hall in Walton on the Hill. Food booking information will be circulated nearer the time. Do come along to support us and to enjoy laughing and rolling in the aisles!

In common with professional theatres and other indoor venues, following current Covid regulations, we will ask our audience members to wear a mask when not eating or drinking, unless they are exempt.

Because our social Zoom evenings of poems and short plays were so successful we thought it would be a good idea to make a programme of them for a matinee – a completely new and different kind of event for us, and one which will involve children too. The head of the junior school where we now rehearse has agreed to hold a poetry ‘competition’ for the children of the top two classes, to present a reading of their chosen poem and even perhaps to write their own. Those who do really well will perform on stage with The Gage Players company, in between our members reading poems or presenting short sketches. The matinee will take place on the afternoon of Saturday, 12th March. There will be an interval for afternoon tea, and a presentation of small gifts with a certificate for all those children taking part. If this proves a success, matinees may become a regular feature for us, so please come along and give all of us your support – do put the date in your diary now.

Our planned spring 2022 production in April is Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders by Derek Webb, directed by Christopher Slater. The performance dates for your diary are 28th, 29th and 30th April. The audition notice has gone out and is also on our web site, with audition dates in January plus contact information for Chris; rehearsals will start on Monday, 7th February, with Wednesdays and Mondays thereafter. This is a comedy thriller with a twist in its tale, so do step forward to audition for one of the great characters on offer, and put the playdates in your diary.

Looking further ahead, we will take part in the Walton May Pageant, but will send more details on that nearer the time, as well as for other social events during the late spring/early summer, and early autumn.

We plan to have our winter production next year on 24th, 25th and 26th November, 2022. The choice of play has yet to be decided, but please make a note of the performance dates in your diary.

We are looking forward with optimism to all the events planned for 2022, and won’t allow this variant of Covid to get us down!

I look forward to seeing you at our supper evening production on 5th February and wish you all a Happy Christmas and a healthy New Year!

Merry Christmas and good wishes,

Gay

Gay Weeden
Chair, The Gage Players

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