PUBLIC FORUM MAY 2019

As we are passionate about local, affordable theatre, we have set up this newsletter feature providing information about shows by other amdram groups in our area – with their agreement, of course.  There will also be web links on The Gage Players’ website.

THE NEW SURREY PERFORMING ARTS LIBRARY
As most of you will know, at the meeting of the Surrey County Council on 26^th February, 2019 agreement was given to transferring the management and eventual ownership of the library (currently within Ewell Library in Bourne Hall) to the new charity set up to take this on.  The charity’s managing committee acknowledge gratefully that this decision is due in large measure to the generous and vocal support given by the library’s users and supporters over a 15-month campaign.

They are now busy on agreeing a lease on a new library building in Woking, and setting it up; raising the remainder of the funds needed to finance the transition and provide a financial cushion; appointing library staff; buying and setting up the new custom-built IT system; and re-entering the stock catalogue in this.

The new library will have to be entirely self-financing as the SCC will not be providing any financial support, so there will be direct consultation with users about appropriate subscription levels and hire charges.

In the meantime, groups are being encouraged to renew their PAL membership whenever it falls due – income for any remaining period will be transferred pro rata to the new organisation when the transition from SCC is complete.

The new library committee would welcome questions from users at an early stage about any aspect of the library and its facilities, as this will help them to tailor-make their service.  If you have questions, please would you email the charity trustees at: nsperformingartslibrary@gmail.com

STOP PRESS
An appeal from NewSPAL’s trustees:

Exciting times!

The new charity trustees have already raised more than half of the £125,000 needed by the time the new library opens its doors, expected to be late this year.

As well as hoping for more donations, particularly those pledged in the early stages of the campaign to take over the library, NewSPAL are now also looking for help from volunteers in setting up and operating the service.  They have already appointed a project manager to oversee this stage in the library’s development, who will be starting work in early June.

They would be very grateful if you could spare just a few minutes to tell them, via the questionnaire link below, what interests and experience you have that you would be willing to share.

They are looking for professional skills and knowledge around acquiring and fitting out new premises (legal, financial, practical, fund-raising); also library experience, and a whole host of willing clerical volunteers who would be trained and led by these experts.

The questionnaire will genuinely take only a few minutes of your time [speaking as one who’s done it], but those few minutes could make an enormous difference to the work of the new PAL.  Please also ask your family and friends if they would be interested to take part in this new community undertaking: it could be an opportunity for them to develop an interest and to make new friends.

You, or they, may also know someone who would be prepared to make a donation if they cannot offer practical help.  The NewSPAL website is clear, informative and easy to navigate, so please go to www.newspal.org.uk  before you forget about it, click on the ‘support us’ heading and scroll to the foot of the page to click on the icons for volunteering and/or donating:

www.newspal.org.uk

The Chipstead Players

www.chipsteadplayers.org

Member of The Little Theatre Guild and BRBAC

More information next time.

The Gage Players

www.thegageplayers.co.uk; friends@thegageplayers.com

Open auditions for our Winter 2019 production

Our play will be Good Things by Liz Lochhead, written with one main male and one main female role. The remaining roles will be split between 2-4 actors.  One or two men and one or two ladies, giving at least 2 cast members the opportunity to double up in various roles. The play will be directed by Debbie Nichols.

Auditions will take place at 8pm on Monday 8^th and Wednesday, 10^th July, 2019 at  Christchurch Hall in Walton Street, Walton on the Hill, Surrey KT20 7RT, with rehearsals to start there from September.
*
Set in a charity shop on three different days in one year – Twelfth Night in January, Valentine’s Day in February and Christmas Eve in December – Good Things is a poignant and funny play with a lot to say about finding love later in life.
*
Characters:
Susan: a shop volunteer, nearing fifty and divorced, is kept busy by relationship difficulties with her daughter, her father – and her ex
David: in his fifties, widowed, is parting with some of his late wife’s possessions – and keeps coming back with more

Frazer : a dapper man in early middle age
Marjorie : a middle class matron type
Five other gents
Six other ladies

Rehearsals will start on Monday, 16^th September at 8pm at Christchurch Hall, and every Monday and Wednesday thereafter until the production transfers to The Lord Riddell Memorial Hall in Deans Lane, Walton on the Hill, Surrey KT20 7UA for performance week from Sunday, 24^th November.  There will be extra Sunday afternoon rehearsals at the Riddell on 3^rd and 17^th November.

Performance dates at The Riddell Hall are 28^th, 29^th and 30^th November, 2019. 

For any further information please contact the director, Debbie Nichols, on debbiemaynichols@hotmail.com

Gatton Community Theatre
www.gattoncommunitytheatre.org.uk
GCT operates as a fully inclusive organisation – anyone who would like to take part may join the cast or crew regardless of experience or age, although children must be over the age of eight.  There is no membership or production fee.

More information next time or on our web site.

The Heath Players

www.heathplayers.co.uk

Dear Players, Patrons and Friends: The Heath Players Need Your Continuing Support if they are to keep entertaining you.

Following the success of our last production, Inspector Drake and the Perfekt Crime by David Tristram, for which we were awarded a Certificate of Excellence by NODA (the National Operatic and Dramatic Association), The Heath Players are now facing a difficult and uncertain future.

The Heath Players came to Box Hill Village Hall in 1972 and have been performing to audiences from the local area ever since. The Players formed in 1963 when a group of Box Hill people joined the then drama group of Headley WI, and performed initially at Headley Village Hall, moving to Box Hill shortly after the new village hall was opened.

With the passage of time our number of members has sadly decreased to a level where it is now difficult, if not impossible to continue. We would very much like to keep going, but now we have so few regular members that our subscriptions and takings from shows do not cover our costs, even for the modestly budgeted productions.

If you would like to see more shows from The Heath Players, please get in touch and become a member. You could act or sing in our shows. You could help to build scenery or organise costumes or props. Help out ‘front of house’ assisting with: taking tickets at the door, selling programmes and raffle tickets, serving interval refreshments, and just generally helping us to put on a show. It would be great if you could get involved, and we think you will enjoy it.

We really do need some new members, and would welcome you to our regular Tuesday evening meetings at 8.00pm.  So please send your ideas to us or come to our AGM; we would love to hear your views.  Our AGM will be held on Tuesday, 28^th May at 7.30pm in St Andrew’s Church, Boxhill Road, Boxhill, near Tadworth, Surrey KT20 7JT.  However, only fully paid-up HP members may vote at the AGM.

Please phone or e-mail first, as we are taking our summer break:
send an e-mail to:  contacts@heathplayers.co.uk
telephone our Treasurer, Caroline Mellis, on 01737 218241,
telephone our Chairman, Ed Stonard, on 01737 762751.

We look forward to hearing from you.
If we do not get a sufficient response, we shall have little alternative but to close the group, and Box Hill Village Hall will ‘Go Dark’.

AND

The Heath Players are considering our next production, Haunted, by Eric Chappell.  A tale of intrigue and ghostly apparitions, part thriller, part comedy!  But we need your help – there is a cast of 6 (4 gents and 2 ladies) and we would like to audition aspiring cast members to join The Team.

To produce the show this year would mean performance dates of Thursday, 24^th and Friday, 25^th  October.   The cast would need to be available for that week from Sunday, 20^th October for technical and dress rehearsals.

The Heath Players meet on Tuesday evenings at Box Hill Village Hall, with extra read-through rehearsals as required.  Preparation script reading and rehearsals would commence in August.

If you are interested in taking part in this play, and are available on the dates suggested, please let us know.  If you are not available this year but would be interested in participating in Spring next year please let us know, so that we can consider alternative dates.

We would love to hear from you, so please contact Caroline Mellis to discuss by phone or email.

Email: cdsiggins39@outlook.com
Mobile: 07356 483808
Home:   01737 218241

Kingswood Amateur Drama and Dance Association (KADDS)
www.kingswoodvillage.org/kvca-amateur-drama-dance/

Our next production will be Rumours by Neil Simon, playing at 8pm on 30^th, 31^st May and 1^st June at Kingwood Village Hall, Waterhouse Lane, Kingswood, Surrey KT20 6EB.

A fast-moving comedy, frenetic from start to finish.  A house-owner is about to celebrate his tenth wedding anniversary – guests begin to arrive, and found he has been shot.  Mayhem!

Tickets £10, children £5, available from Village Stores, Waterhouse Lane, Kingswood; or from www.ticketsource.co.uk/kadds

Merstham Amateur Dramatic Society (MADS)
www.mersthamdrama.org.uk
More information next time.

The Oxted Players
www.oxtedplayers.co.uk
www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk

The Oxted Players are affiliated to NODA and are members of BRBAC.
Booking office telephone number 01883 724 852 for cheque and cash payments, and online at www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk or www.oxtedplayers.co.uk for all card payments.  Tickets £10.00 adults and £9.00 students.
Our autumn production will be The Safari Party by Tim Firth.

Auditions will be held at The Barn Theatre from 7.30pm on Thursday, 23^rd May.  If you would like to have the audition pieces or borrow a script, please contact the director, Peter Shore, on either of the contacts below.  Anyone who has already borrowed a script but is not going to be at the auditions is asked to contact Peter to arrange the return of the script before then.  If you are interested in auditioning but cannot come on 23^rd May, please let Peter know, as it is likely that we will be arranging an additional date:

peter.shore01@gmail.com  or 07712 315 406.

The play is set in rural Cheshire around the early part of the 21^st century.  Three households have agreed to hold a ‘safari party’ – a dinner party where each course is served in a different house and the participants move from one to another.

Brothers Daniel and Adam (both mid-20s to mid-30s), struggling to make a living on the dilapidated farm they have inherited from their recently deceased father, have undertaken to do the first course, but are entirely lacking in any culinary skills or, indeed, in any suitable furniture.  Both Adam and Daniel have grown up on the family farm and will have ‘uneducated’ accents and modes of speech, but there is no necessity for them to have a Cheshire accent.

Lol and Esther (both mid-40s to mid-50s), a vulgar, pretentious and snobbish upwardly mobile couple, recently moved to the countryside, will provide the main course in their converted barn, reluctantly assisted by their rebellious adult daughter, Bridget (early 20s).

Inga (early 60s, but could be older or younger), an antiques dealer of dubious integrity, specialising in ‘authentic’ rural artefacts, is to do the dessert.

The dinner party is a disaster.  Misunderstandings and conflicts mount as we move from location to location until this black comedy culminates in violent destruction, both of apparently valuable objects and of the pretensions and secrets that the characters carry with them.

Audition pieces
Daniel – from p.57 ‘We didn’t have time . . .’ to p.58 ‘ . . .North Cheshire.’

Adam – from p.62 ‘He didn’t.’ to p.63 ‘But his last words were “Hahargh.  Dirty Harry”.’

Lol – from p.39 ‘Right!  Buttyball!’ to p.40 ‘Why the hell’s that come on now?’

Esther – from p.54 ‘I thought we’d be on coffee and mints.’ to p.55 ‘I’m in Almaney.’

Bridget – from p.70 ‘No, no, no.’ to p.71 ‘ . . . into that hole to score a point.’

Inga – from p.66 ‘Look inside.’ to p.66 ‘I liked Esther.’

Polesden Lacey Shakespeare
www.polesdenlaceyshakespeare.co.uk

Pop-up Shakespeare (in collaboration with The Cat’s Grin Theatre Company) continues this year from 1.30pm on 15^th June and 22^nd June, 2019 – short, family-friendly scenes from well-loved Shakespeare plays, performed at different places around the gardens, accompanied by strolling musicians playing authentic period music on authentic period instruments.  Free to all visitors to Polesden Lacey.

AND the main production is:

Love’s Labour’s Lost by William Shakespeare at Polesden Lacey Open Air Theatre on Saturday, 29^th and Sunday, 30^th June and again on Saturday, 6^th and Sunday, 7^th July, 2019.

Love’s Labour’s Lost, a joyous comic masterpiece written early in Shakespeare’s career, is filled with romance, riotous fun, wit and humour.  Ferdinand, the young King of Navarre, and his three companions, have sworn an oath to dedicate themselves to study for three years, during which time no woman shall come within a mile of them.  They sign the oath, but almost immediately the Princess of France and her three ladies-in-waiting arrive to discuss her father’s debits to the King.  The men fall instantly in love, break the oath – and the fun begins.

Our production is set just before the outbreak of the First World War in the wisteria-clad gardens of a grand Edwardian country house – in fact, not unlike Polesden Lacey itself!  In this idyllic setting, the aristocratic lovers play out their romances, helped, but more often than not hindered, by flamboyant courtiers, eccentric village constables, schoolteachers, vicars, household and estate staff.  So why not come and join us for a sunny afternoon of Edwardian fun and frolics?

Tickets £12 per head, under-16s free and 10% discount on bookings of 10 or more people.  Box office 01306 881 717 or via website www.polesdenlaceyshakespeare.co.uk

Gates open 1.00pm, performance at 2.30pm, so why not bring a picnic lunch? Free parking with ticket.  For all further information, visit our website.

STOP PRESS
We are looking for maybe four to six people for walk-on parts, as members of the household of the King of Navarre.  These are non-speaking parts, but they are real characters, with plenty of important action on-stage.  There are roles for males and females.  You will need to attend some rehearsals, but not all.  A reminder that the production is set just before the First World War, so you will be costumed accordingly.

If you are interested in this lovely voluntary opportunity, in particular in taking part in open-air theatre in a truly beautiful setting, please look at our website: www.polesdenlaceyshakespeare.co.uk and get in touch, using the press table on the website.  We look forward to hearing from you!

St Mark’s Players
www.stmarksplayers.co.uk

Our next production, Midsummer Mirth, will take place at St Mark’s Church Centre, Alma Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0DA on Thursday, 20^th and Friday, 21^st June.

It will be an evening of light-hearted entertainment comprising a number of short plays or sketches with a fish and chip supper (or other choice of food) served during the interval.  The ticket price of £16 includes supper, which needs to be booked in advance, or you can just pay £10 for a ticket without supper.  Please bring your own drinks, nibbles and also glasses, plates, cutlery (if required).

Tickets can be obtained from TicketSource.  Use the ‘contact box office’ tab on our website, www.stmarksplayers.co.uk and click on the ‘book now’ button.

Sutton Amateur Dramatic Club (SADC)
www.sadc.co.uk

Our next production is Hamlet by William Shakespeare, an abridged, modern-dress version directed by Dave Thompson, playing from Thursday, 27^th to Saturday, 29^th June, 2019 at St Mary’s Church, Beddington, Surrey SM6 7NJ.  Hamlet, the most famous play in all theatre.  Hamlet in a church? Ideal!

‘No place indeed should murder sanctuarise; revenge should have no bounds.’

Thus the unscrupulous King Claudius approves a young man’s reckless disregard of the time-honoured protection of a church against violence.

This opportunity of staging the tragedy in St Mary’s has been grasped with excited enthusiasm by its director, Dave Thompson, secure in the knowledge that theatrical killings in this sanctified and beautiful setting have met with fine and popular success over the past two years, as those who saw Murder in the Cathedral or Macbeth will verify.  Hamlet is not a religious play, but it asks ethical questions of the audience as much as the actors and the director.  What would we feel about being asked to kill someone?  Someone who deserves, it appears, to be killed?  Where do our sympathies lie? And, in both this question of vengeance and in the matter of love, all have serious choices to make, in which their very lives are at stake.

Tickets are available at www.ticketsource.co.uk/sadc

West Horsley Independent Players (WHIPS)
www.horsleyamdram.org
More information next time.

Woodmansterne Operatic and Dramatic Society (WODS) and Junior WODS
www.wods.org.uk
More information next time.

 

Dear All,
I hope you are managing to enjoy the Summer and to take a break from your usual routines. As I type the weather has become more unsettled but I am sure the gardens are grateful for the rain we have experienced recently.

Performing Arts Library
The library for the performing arts, which keeps the many sets of play scripts and music scores as well as literature on drama, dance and music, has now left its base at Denbies Vineyard and is in the process of moving to Bourne Hall in Ewell. I understand that it will take some time to transfer such a vast stock and to familiarise staff at Bourne Hall. We hope to see this valuable facility up and running again in mid-September.

Well Done, Gage!
Following the evening of The Gage production of the Vintage Hitchcock: a live radio play by Joe Landry at the Banstead Arts Festival, the Banstead U3A gave The Gage a £50 donation in recognition of their audience’s appreciation of the play and the enjoyable visible work done with props and sound effects.

Preparations for our 70th Anniversary Celebrations
We will celebrate our 70th Anniversary in 2020 and we have already started to discuss plans and ideas. The performance dates will be 26th , 27th and 28th of November.
The committee are keen to ensure this is a full Gala production and are hoping to have a special evening performance on the Saturday, with a meal and drinks.
This will of course need a lot of planning, preparation and support to ensure things run smoothly.
The committee are keen to hear from those of you who are able to offer your ideas, time and commitment to ensuring this is a production to remember.

Social Events
The Gage continue to put together a Quiz Team and regularly meet on Wednesdays at The Duke’s Head Pub in Dorking Road, Tadworth. We are always welcoming to any members who want to join us. Please keep a look out for emails with future Quiz dates if you are interested, or contact us through our website.

Winter 2018 production
This is in the final stages of planning, so please put the performance dates in your diary now: 29th and 30th November and 1st December. More information on our website soon.

Anne Vine
It is with great sadness that I have to report the recent death of Anne Vine. Many of you will have known Anne from the amazing backstage support she gave us as a prompt. She was also a member of Heath Players and joined them after chatting to someone at a stall at one of the Village Fetes, many years ago.
Anne rarely missed a Heath Players or Gage production and played her part to the full, making a valuable contribution, whether that was on stage as a well observed and performed character part, such as a housemaid or cook, or more frequently at the side of the stage, during rehearsals and performances, as prompt.
Anne served on the Heath Players committee for many years as secretary, only standing down at their last AGM, earlier this year, because of her failing eyesight. She was regularly involved in the social life of both Gage and Heath Players and was always keen to join in on trips to see plays by other local drama groups. Anne was warm hearted and generous and will be sincerely missed.

Don White
I would also like to express our deepest condolences to Committee member Beryl White. Beryl’s husband Don died quite recently.
I know that we all send our thoughts and best wishes to Beryl at this difficult time.

Anne Henderson
Chairman

From our New Chairman – Anne Henderson

Dear All,

I would like to thank you for welcoming me to my new role as Chair of The Gage Players, and I am looking forward to the year ahead.

Vintage Hitchcock: a live radio play – a resounding success
I am sure that those who attended our spring play, ably directed by Lars Sawyer, will agree that it was an excellent production and the write-up in the Surrey Mirror reinforced this. So, well done to all on stage and back stage, and also grateful thanks to those who supported front of house.  We wrapped the play with an extra, very well received, performance at the Banstead Arts Festival, the first time the Gage has been asked to take part in this.

Performing Arts Library, Dorking
As you may be aware, PAL has been under threat of closure and dispersal by Surrey County Council as a savings exercise.  The Gage committee has now heard that its current residence at Denbies Vineyard may also be under threat. The Gage has done a lot to garner support for PAL to prevent either its closure or the dispersal of the collection, and has also pledged some financial help and practical help; we have also recently written to the Surrey Country Council councillors most closely involved, urging them to work with the new charity, Newspal, and its board of trustees, to enable a sensible transfer of the library to new ownership.

Please may we ask you, if you have not already done so, to write in support of Newspal, by going to their website newSPAL.org.uk and completing a few minutes’ worth of input on their appeal site?  Thank you.

Quiz night
Our next social event will be the quiz at The Duke’s Head pub in Tadworth on Wednesday, 23rd May.  Timing is 7.30 sit down for an 8pm start; cost per head, £2.  Please let our social secretary, Jon Laws, know that you will be taking part, especially if you would like to eat at the pub before the quiz starts, so that he can book enough tables for us.  Everyone is welcome, especially those who can boost our general and modern music knowledge!!

Our winter production – open auditions
Our winter play will be a roaring comedy, Party Piece by Richard Harris, directed by Gill Lucas.  Gill will be holding auditions (3M, 4F) at 8pm on 2nd and 4th July at Christchurch Hall in Walton on the Hill, so do please come along to try out for this.

Rehearsals will begin on 17th September, every Monday and Wednesday evening at 8pm, also at Christchurch Hall, with performances at the Riddell Hall in Walton on 29th and 30th November and 1st December.

Please put all these dates in your diary now, and do come to the auditions – this will be a fun production!
You can keep up to date and see production photographs by visiting the Gage website (thegageplayers.co.uk) and our Facebook page.

I look forward to seeing you at the quiz, and at Gage and other local amdram productions.

Best wishes,

Anne

Anne Henderson

Hi, I am Jon Laws and am delighted to have been elected as chairman of the Gage at the March AGM. I have been a member of The Gage Players since 2003, when I was a “portly gentleman” in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, directed by the late Margaret Hunter.

For your records, here are my contact details should you need to be in touch with me: 20 Lyndhurst Avenue, Surbiton, Surrey KT5 9LL. Mobile 07565 962 453, Skype  jontlaws  and email  jon@cctvwithtlc.co.uk

My first task as chairman is to say a great big thank you to Franki Gray for all her work and for leaving The Gage Players in a great situation.

The highlights of Franki’s year in charge were Murder in Play by Simon Brett and Teahouse of the August Moon by John Patrick, based on the novel by Vern Sneider.  We also made three appearances at The Duke’s Head as a pub quiz team.  These have been enjoyable and have even netted £10 in prize money, which went to the Gage fund.  We have another date planned for Wednesday 11^th May. Please do see if you can come along to join the fun (especially if you are an expert at pop music) and have a meal there before we start.   I have booked a table for us for 19.15 (the quiz starts at 20.00), so if you are interested, please let me know and I shall book you in.

Bedroom Farce by Alan Ayckbourn was a success and we had good audiences, but the Saturday audience was exceptionally warm with their response.  We managed to start to take down the set on the Saturday evening and with all the people that turned up on the Sunday, we were completely finished by 11.00, an almost record time.  Many thanks to all of you who were involved in any way and especially those who helped with the “get-out”.  We were also happy to welcome some new faces with our front of house and backstage crew as well as one of the cast, we hope to see you all again for the next production (details below)

For the summer, the committee has been thinking of not proposing a barbeque this year, but to try a “get together” for a Sunday lunch at The Blue Anchor, Dorking Road, Tadworth, KT20 5SL on Sunday 26^th June.  If you would like to join in for this and get to know people in the Gage, please contact me as soon as possible (jon@cctvwithtlc.co.uk ) so that we can gauge numbers for a group booking.

We shall also be staging a rehearsed reading with supper in September at The Riddell Hall  – the arrangement is not to have a ticket price, but just charge the cost of food (and bring your own drinks).  Please let me know if you would like to come along to think – either as a possible actor (no learning of lines for this!) or as a member of our audience.

The play chosen for the autumn (24^th, 25^th and 26^th November) is Over My Dead Body by Derek Benfield, and it will be directed by Debbie Nichols with auditions in July – more details in the next newsletter and on our web site.

Don’t forget that we now have an agreement with the Manager of the Blue Ball, for anyone who books a meal on a show night who is coming to see the show can get a 15% discount on food, that night

In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you at the Dukes Head for the Quiz Night.

We are just into February, so still early enough to wish all our members and friends a very Happy New Year !   At the start of a new season, we also think back on recent productions and look forward to this year’s productions and activities.

Our Autumn production of The Teahouse of the August Moon took place the last weekend in November. This  was an affectionate glimpse of post war occupation by US troops in Japan.  There was much amusing yet insightful humour, contrasting US Western behaviour with the gentle, yet often humourous observations from the Eastern perspective.  Gill Lucas is to be much congratulated for achieving her vision.   Our audiences marvelled at the amazing construction of our teahouse and the ability of our cast to learn Japanese! We were so pleased to welcome some new performers to this production, especially young people… our future!  Actors often say “ Never work with children or animals”… The Gage proved them wrong on both counts…and this must be a first: some passers by when the set was being worked on, poking their noses in and asking, “ Is this the play with the dog in it?”  It certainly was and Archie  ( or should that be “Aaa-chee” in true Japanese style?) was the undoubted star. Our wonderful crew working hard on an ingenious set construction, props, lighting and sound are particularly to be congratulated for the beautiful visuals created onstage.

As our calendars are usually so crowded in the run up to Christmas, instead of the traditional “ pre-Christmas meal”, it was decided to book a “ Twelfth Night Dinner” on 6^th January 2016, held, once again,  at the Grumpy Mole, Dorking Road, Tadworth.

The food quality was excellent, as always,  but, unfortunately, due to a very large business party, who had commandeered the whole extension area we have used on the past, our party was divided between different tables and not quite as convivial as usual, although, perhaps, easier to talk on smaller tables than down the length of a big one!. It was decided to try the Blue Ball in Walton on the Hill next time and, possibly to hold a Summer social evening too.

Our next appearance in the Dukes Head pub quiz ( Dorking Road, Tadworth) is to be on February 17^th. We’re always happy to see new faces, so come along about 19.45 ( or before), enjoy a drink/ snack/ meal and a catch up and put your quizzing brain to use with us!  It costs just £1 to take part and, who knows, we might win some more funds for use in the Gage?!

 Auditions were held on January 10th & 13th for the Spring production of Alan Ayckbourn’s, Bedroom Farce directed by Sharon Laws. Performance dates : 28^th, 29^th & 30^th April.

This production is now fully cast and rehearsals have begun; cast as follows:

Ernest                                                             Paul Brown

Delia                                                               Gillian Lucas

Malcolm                                                        Glen Nixon

Kate                                                                Elayne Teague

Nick                                                                Jon Laws

Jan                                                                 Eileen Debski

Trevor                                                           Lars Sawyer

Susannah                                                     Debbie Nichols

 

Sharon Laws’ view of the play:

“Four into three won’t go; except, in Ayckbourn’s 1977 play, it miraculously does. A pair of roving neurotics hawk their problems around the bedrooms of three other couples; and what emerges  is Ayckbourn’s hilariously bleak view of middle-class marriage. “Alone together, so much shared” as Beckett once wrote.”

There have been potential casting difficulties for the proposed production of “ Allo Allo” in the Autumn. So, we are looking at some brand new scripts for a possible debut performance, which will be very exciting! If you have read or heard of any new plays, with not too large a cast, which you think might be suitable, please contact us!

A review of Gage archives is being conducted, with a view to a possible exhibition. If you have any photos, film, press cuttings etc of past productions or activities, or know anyone who does, please contact Rod Lucas on 01737 812703.

The AGM will be hald at Christchurch Hall, Walton on the Hill ( next to Walton Primary school in the village) on Wednesday, March 16^th8pm. Do come along and join in discussions on future activities etc. Subscriptions ( £15 adults/ £8 under 18s & full time students) are due on or before that date – contact Rod Lucas ( heather.view@virginmedia.com or 01737 812703).

Don’t forget you can find us on Facebook and Twitter… please “ like”/ “follow” us there, so that your family and friends can do the same and share your posts and pass on your enthusiasm for your local drama group… and also expand our audiences and our presence in social media.

We hope to see many of you enjoying Bedroom Farce at the end of April- a reminder to book tickets by contacting the box office by calling 01737 812703  or sending an e-mail request to: friends@thegageplayers.co.uk  We have been delighted to welcome some new members during the year, some performing, some backstage and front of house. Looking forward to seeing many of you at the quiz night at the Dukes Head on 17^th February… it’s a lot of fun!

Franki Gray

Chair, the Gage Players

As the leaves turn colour, we think back on recent productions and look forward to our late Autumn production and seasonal festivities.

Chris Slater’s production of a rehearsed reading of Knightsbridge and supper on Sept 19^th was very well received by an enthusiastic invited audience of members and their families. A simple set was lifted by excellent performances from all the cast. This production was a wonderful example of how the whole group comes together and pulls out all the stops to put on a production. Members suggested, then lent various pieces of furniture, props and costume to help create just the right atmosphere … enhanced by the simple, yet inspirational curtain tie backs added by Gill Lucas… demonstrating, yet again, what years of experience and a creative eye can add to a production.  It is not always easy to keep up the pace when still “on the book”, but our cast took up the challenge with relish and great success. Congratulations to Chris and to all the cast members on a most enjoyable and polished evening! We hope very much to continue the tradition of offering a social evening to our members in this format.

Our Autumn production of The Teahouse of the August Moon takes place the last weekend in November. Please come along, invite your friends and family to see this  affectionate glimpse of post war occupation by US troops in Japan; witness some amusing yet insightful cultural misunderstandings and marvel at the amazing construction of our teahouse and the ability of our cast to learn Japanese! We are so pleased to welcome some new performers to this production, especially a number of young people… our future! Actors often say “ Never work with children or animals”… to prove them wrong… come along on 26^th, 27^th or 28^th November!  Tickets:

01737 812703  or send an e-mail request to friends@thegageplayers.co.uk

If you feel you might like to make a personal contribution to this production and happen to have any large bonsai or palm tree-like plants or any Japanese type figures/ statues of approx. .75cm – 1m high, please do get in touch with Gill Lucas: 01737 812703.  For any members of the cast reading this… if you have not already sent in your biographies for the programme, please get them to Gill Gibbins straight away, if you want to be credited in the programme: gillgibbins@btinternet.com

As our calendars are usually so crowded in the run up to Christmas, instead of the traditional “ pre-Christmas meal”, we shall be offering a “ Twelfth Night Dinner” on 6^th January 2016, probably held, once again,  at the Grumpy Mole, Dorking Road, Tadworth.  We will be in touch to confirm details.

Our next appearance in the Dukes Head pub quiz is likely to be in February 2016… dates tbc… come and put your quizzing brain to use with us!

Auditions will be held in January for the Spring production of Alan Ayckbourn’s, Bedroom Farce directed by Sharon Laws. Performance dates : 21^st, 22^nd & 23^rd April. Audition dates will be confirmed in the next newsletter, before Christmas.

Don’t forget you can find us on Facebook and Twitter… please “ like”/ “follow” us there!

We hope to see as many of you as possible visiting The Teahouse of the August Moon at the end of November- another reminder to book tickets by contacting the box office by calling 01737 812703  or sending an e-mail request to: friends@thegageplayers.co.uk     … Mata chikaiuchini o ai shimashou!

 

 

 

 

Franki Gray

 

Chair, the Gage Players

The Gage quiz team put in a creditable performance in the quiz at the Dukes’s Head on 27^th May. We were 3^rd… until the last music rounds, where we depended very heavily on the younger members of the team… the BBC Top 100 will come out on Fridays now, instead of Sundays… so, ears glued to Radio 1, please!  We’re now looking forward to another appearance at the Dukes Head on 29^th July.

Preparations are well in hand for the rehearsed reading of Knightsbridge , directed by Chris Slater,  on 19^th September. Audition is on 26^th July, for which there has been quite a good response and Chris believes he will be able to cast from those responding. We look forward to hearing all the news from the audition. If you have not yet responded to Chris’s email to you, inviting you to audition, please would you do so, so he knows who to expect!

Auditions for The Teahouse of the August Moon were held at Christchurch Hall on 6^th July, with a good turnout. We could still do with more men (as always!). The evening was very promising, with some new young people taking part and we now await Gill’s casting decisions.

Plans are going ahead for a special exhibition about the Gage at Tattenhams Library, organised by our redoubtable secretary, Gill Gibbins. If you have any memorabilia, photos, programmes or press cuttings from past Gage Productions, no matter how long ago- in fact we should like some older ones- please do get in touch with Gill as soon as possible.  gillgibbins@btinternet.com   01737 813245.

We’re always looking for new ways to expand our audience and our membership and particularly to draw in younger people.  If you have a Facebook page, do think of “ liking” the Gage page: “ The Gage Players”- or asking to be a friend and share our posts, please!  The same goes for our Twitter feed  : @TheGagePlayers. Please “follow” us & re-tweet from our page!

Looking forward to all our Autumn activites and wishing you a very happy Summer!

Franki Gray

 

September Rehearsed Performed Reading

On Monday, 27th July 2015 we shall be holding an audition at 7.45pm for our September rehearsed reading play, Knightsbridge by John Mortimer, famous for his television series, Rumpole of the Bailey, the film script for Tea with Mussolini, plays like Dock Brief and A Voyage Round My Father, and numerous books and radio programmes.  Performance date is Saturday, 19^th September.

There are three main roles, two ladies and one gent, and a smaller role for another man.

The play is a comedy set in the home of widowed Muriel Stokes ad her daughter Francesca, situated just behind Harrods.  Francesca brings her intended, Henry Bulstrode, a well-known television interviewer, home to meet Mother, who is not at home to begin with.  In the course of the visit Henry comes to the astounding conclusion that Mother is a member of the oldest profession and becomes wildly keen to interview her, to Francesca’s understandable consternation.  Through a wonderful series of double entendres and blunders Henry decides in fact that Mother is simply dealing in antique furniture to make ends meet, and he and Francesca depart, leaving Mother to take another of the mystifying telephone calls that led to Henry’s suspicions  in the first place . . .

The audition and early rehearsals will be held at the home of the director, Christopher Slater, in Bookham: 12 Crabtree Lane, Great Bookham, Surrey KT23 4PF.  Please contact Chris if you would like to audition: christopherslater@ntlworld.com or 01372 454 963.  Dates of early rehearsals will be: Sunday, 2^nd and Sunday, 30^th August, both at 3pm at Bookham, but Chris can be flexible on dates if the cast need him to be.

After that rehearsals switch to the performance venue, The Riddell Hall in Walton on the Hill (Deans Lane), and will be held on Sunday, 6^th and Sunday, 13^th September at 3pm.  There will be a further rehearsal at Riddell Hall on Friday, 18^th September at 7.45pm, and at 3pm on the afternoon of Saturday, 19^th September.  The performance will be preceded by supper at 7.30pm for audience and cast, with the play going up at 8.15pm.

So, please come along to the audition and try out for the Gage.  This is our 65^th anniversary year, so you’d be joining a company with a fine tradition for putting on great entertainment.

Remember: audition on Monday, 27^th July at 7.45pm, 12 Crabtree Lane, Great Bookham, Surrey KT23 4PF.  For further information contact the director, Chris Slater, on 01372 454 963, or christopherslater@ntlworld.com

PUBLIC FORUM

As we are passionate about local, affordable theatre, we have set up this newsletter feature providing information about shows by other amdram groups in our area – with their agreement, of course.  There will also be web links on the Gage Players’ website.

The Chipstead Players

www.chipsteadplayers.org

In July we shall be producing The Crucible by Arthur Miller, directed by Julie Cumbo, performed on Monday, 13^th July to Saturday, 18^th July.

All performances at the Courtyard Theatre.  For tickets, please go to the website and click on ‘how to book’.  Evening performances at 8pm, matinees at 2.15pm.  Tickets are £8.00 for Monday and Tuesday evenings, and the Saturday matinees; £10.00 for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings.  Doors open 45 minutes before curtain-up.

The Gage Players

www.thegageplayers.co.uk; member of BRBAC; friends@thegageplayers.com

2015 is our 65^th anniversary year!

Autumn 2015 Production

Our November play will be The Teahouse of the August Moon by John Patrick, based on the novel by Vern Sneider.

The play is a comedy about the American occupation of Japanese islands after the Second World War; it features a misfit captain sent to ‘Americanise’ a village and the wily village head man assigned to him as interpreter, who runs rings round him.  Instead of building a pentagon-shaped school, the villagers inveigle the captain into building a teahouse, and instead of touristic merchandising, the captain happily comes up with a plan to mass-produce the local hooch, and sell it to the American bases.  Fun and games ensue, amid the attentions of a graceful Geisha, and it is an open bet how the ‘Americanisation’ pans out.

Performances will be on Thursday, 26^th November (evening), Friday, 27^th November (evening), Saturday 28^th November (a possible matinee if there is enough demand, and evening) at the Riddell Hall, Walton on the Hill.  Cast and crew would normally have a pub meal between the Saturday performances if there is a matinee.

For further information contact the director, Gill Lucas, on 01737 812 703 or heatherview@virginmedia.com

 September 2015 Rehearsed Reading with Supper

The audition on 27^th July and early rehearsals will be held at the home of the director, Christopher Slater, in Bookham: 12 Crabtree Lane, Great Bookham, Surrey KT23 4PF.  Please contact Chris if you would like to audition: christopherslater@ntlworld.com or 01372 454 963.  Dates of early rehearsals will be: Sunday, 2^nd and Sunday, 30^th August, both at 3pm at Bookham, but Chris can be flexible on dates if the cast need him to be.

After 30^th August rehearsals switch to the performance venue, The Riddell Hall in Walton on the Hill (Deans Lane), and will be held on Sunday, 6^th and Sunday, 13^th September at 3pm, plus two further rehearsals at Riddell Hall – on Friday, 18^th September at 7.45pm, and at 3pm on the afternoon of Saturday, 19^th September.  The performance on 19^th September will be preceded by supper at 7.30pm for audience and cast, with the play going up at 8.15pm.

This is not a ticketed event; cost will be for food, bring your own drinks and nibbles.  Box office 01737 812 703.

Gatton Community Theatre

www.gattoncommunitytheatre.org.uk

GCT operates as a fully inclusive organisation – anyone who would like to take part may join the cast or crew regardless of experience or age, although children must be over the age of eight, as all the performances are in the evening.  There is no membership or production fee.

 July production

Times have changed since John Bunyan wrote his classic Pilgrim’s Progress, telling of Pilgrim’s journey up Hill Difficult and through the Slough of Despond to the Celestial City.  Adapted by Anna Thompson from the book by Simon Parke, Pippa’s Progress will follow the journey of Pippa, a 21^st-century Pilgrim.  This moving and modern-day story follows the original’s premise of a pilgrim’s journey to heaven, but this time through the trials and temptations of our secularised, multi-cultural society.

There will be nine open-air performances at Gatton Park, Reigate at 7.30pm on Wednesday, 15^th July; Thursday, 16^th July, Friday, 17^th July; Sunday, 19^th July (signed performance); Tuesday, 21^st July; Wednesday, 22^nd July, Thursday, 23^rd July; Friday, 24^th July and Saturday, 24^th July.

Adults £12, children £8, family ticket £30, group discounts for 10+ available.  Tickets from www.gattoncommunitytheatre.org.uk/tickets from the beginning of May.

The ground at Gatton Park may be uneven; appropriate footwear is advised.

The Heath Players

www.heathplayers.co.uk

The Heath Players Drama Group is looking for actors and actresses to join them for the Autumn 2015, and Spring and Autumn 2016 performances, and would like to invite anyone interested to contact Caroline Siggins (destination.caroline@btinternet.com) or via the Heath Players’ web site (www.heathplayers.co.uk) to discuss their involvement.  We will be holding reading sessions as we prepare for Autumn 2015 and Spring 2016.  Their input would be most welcome, as we consider possible scripts, and we look forward to meeting them as guest members.

Autumn 2015 production dates will be Thursday, 19^th and Friday, 20^th November, 2015.

Spring 2016 production dates will be Thursday, 28^th and Friday, 29^th April, 2016.

Autumn 2016 production dates will be Thursday, 24^th and Friday, 25^th November, 2016.

 Kingswood Amateur Drama and Dance Association (KADDS)

www.kingswoodvillage.org/kvca-amateur-drama-dance/

William Mckee will be directing our autumn play, Curtain Call, a comedy by Bettine Manktelow.  The play depicts an amusingly chaotic day in the life of Alec Partridge, manager of the Thurlow Playhouse.  He has a lot to deal with.  Doreta Mason, director of the playhouse’s an amateur production of Oklahoma!, upsets the stage crew with her demands for real horses in the show.  Ms Murdstone, the far from genial agent from the Arts Council, arrives to assess the theatre’s eligibility for a grant.  The front of house manager’s flirty ways upset Alec’s secretary, Val.  And worst of all is Doreta’s husband Clarence, bringing negotiation skills reminiscent of Attila the Hun to bear on the ever-worsening situation. And yet, all ends happily (for most of them), but not before a few home truths have been uttered.

The cast is 5 female and 3 male roles.

Auditions for the play will take place on 27^th June, 2015 at 2.30pm at Kingswood Village Hall, Waterhouse Lane, Kingswood.  Rehearsals will mostly take place on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons.   Performance dates are 29^th, 30^th and 31^st October, 2015.

This is an open invitation to all who would like to act or work behind the scenes.

Merstham Amateur Dramatic Society (MADS)

www.mersthamdrama.org.uk

In the autumn we shall be performing Wife After Death by Eric Chappell, directed by Toby Jones, playing on 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd October at Merstham Village Hall.  There are six good parts; a reading of the play will take place 7.45 for 8pm on 1^st June at the Church Room Church Hill, Merstham, with auditions to follow at the same time and venue on 8^th June.  Scripts can be requested in advance on 01883 742 708; other information from Tony Jones on tobyjones5@hotmail.com.

Mirror Image Theatre Company

www.mirror-image.org.uk

More information next time.

The Oxted Players

www.oxtedplayers.co.uk

www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk

The Oxted Players are affiliated to NODA and are members of BRBAC.

Autumn 2015 production

Performances will be 14^th – 17^th October at the Barn Theatre.

Lord Arthur Savile is engaged to the lovely Sybil Merton.  However, her chiromantist, Podgers, has read Lord Arthur’s palm and foretold that he will commit a murder.  Lord Arthur’s only wish is for a peaceful and blissful marriage.  He feels it is his duty to get the murder over with before the wedding.  But, despite help from his butler, Baines, and the anarchist, Winkelkopf, every attempt to do the deed fails.  Then, news arrives that Podgers is, in fact, a charlatan so Lord Arthur is free and the carriage awaits to take him to the wedding rehearsal.  Unfortunately, the coach contains Winkelkopf’s most recent bomb.  Lord Arthur saves himself by throwing it into a horse trough.  As the dust settles, two policemen appear and march the unhappy young man away and another postponement notice has to be sent to The Times.

Further details from secretary@oxtedplayers.couk or 01342 893 217.

Polesden Lacey Shakespeare

www.polesdenlaceyshakespeare.co.uk

Our summer 2015 production will be Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Helen Hardwick.

For more information, please email: communicando@hotmail.com

St Marks Players

www.stmarksplayers.co.uk

In June we shall be putting on two comedies: Little Grimley presents Strictly Sex Factor (on ice) by David Tristram and The Luvvies by Lynn Brittney.

Performance dates are Thursday, 25^th and Friday, 26^th June, 2015, at St Mark’s Church Centre, Alma Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0DA.  Doors open at 7.30pm for 8.00pm start.  Tickets cost £14 to include a fish and chip supper or £9 for a non-food ticket.  Box office 01737 764 504 (Val Haddon).

Sutton Amateur Dramatic Club

www.sadc.co.uk

More information next time.

 West Horsley Independent Players (WHIPS)

Website: www.horsleyamdram.org

Autumn audition

The autumn production will be We’ll Always Have Paris by Jill Hyem, a reunion in Paris of three school friends now in their sixties.  More information next time.

Woodmansterne Operatic and Dramatic Society (WODS) and Junior WODS

www.wods.org.uk

More information next time.

Welcome to the New Year.

It’s now 2 months since “Our Man in Havana”, which was a great production to be involved with, and from the feedback that we have received, it went down very well with the audiences as well. Many thanks go to everyone involved as always, but especially to our director Gill Lucas, whose vision it was.

Christmas dinner at “The Grumpy Mole” in Tadworth went down very well again this year. If you missed it, then you really missed out and we hope you can join us next year.

April’s production will be “Murder in Play” by Simon Brett, which will be directed by Lesley Crowther-Smith. Auditions will be held very shortly on Wednesday 4^th and Monday 9^th February. The play itself is a contemporary Mystery/Comedy/Thriller and looks like it will be as much fun to be in as to watch.

Later in the year, we a thinking of organising a trip to the close up show at the Epsom playhouse, an evening of close up magic performed by 3 magicians. Dates are not available yet but it will probably be planned for some time between June and August.

We are always on the lookout for people to help, whether it is behind the scenes, front of house or on stage. If you can spare an evening on any of the performance dates to help with tickets or refreshments, please contact Beryl White on 01737 217565 or by email on ber.white@ukgateway.net

To help with set construction, please contact David Wilson by email david.j.s.wilson@btinternet.com

If you are interested in helping and/or learning about lighting and sound, then Rod Lucas is your man and he can be contacted on 01737 812703 or by email heather.view@virginmedia.com

 

PUBLIC FORUM

As we are passionate about local, affordable theatre, we have set up this newsletter feature showing information about shows by some other amdram groups in our area – with their agreement, of course, and we expect others to join in later.  There will also be web links on the Gage Players’ website.

 

The Chipstead Players

www.chipsteadplayers.org

In February 2015 we shall be performing Wife after Death by Eric Chappell.

More information online.

  

The Gage Players

www.thegageplayers.co.uk; member of BRBAC

Our spring production will be Murder in Play by Simon Brett. Dates are: 23^rd to 25^th April 2015.  An auditions are Monday 4^th and Wednesday 9^th February.

 

Gatton Community Theatre

www.gattoncommunitytheatre.org.uk

GCT operates as a fully inclusive organisation – anyone who would kike to take part may join the cast or crew regardless of experience or age, although children must be over the age of eight, as all the performances are in the evening.  There is no membership or production fee.

 

We are looking for adults and children to take part in an open-air promenade production of Pippa’s Progress: a Pilgrim’s Journey to Heaven.  This is an adaptation by Anna Thompson from the book by Simon Parke, updating John Bunyan’s classic A Pilgrim’s Progress. This moving an modern-day story of Pippa, a 21^st-century pilgrim on a journey to heaven, but this time through the trials and temptations of our secularised, multi-cultural society.  Pippa’s challenges along the way include the Rock of Subconscious, the Cliff of Hopelessness Headspin’s Hallucinatory Mental Circus, the Garden of Sadness, the City ofSocialmeja, the Fabulous Fame Game, the Sea of Identity and, of course, Heaven – all brought to life in true GCT style in the dramatic setting of Gatton Park.

If you would like to join us on this journey, whether as an actor or backstage help in any way, come along to our drama workshops at Gatton Hall on Saturday, 21^st and Sunday, 22^nd March, 2015 at 2.30pm.  There are no formal auditions.

 

There will be nine performances during the weeks of 13^th to 26^th July, with further information on them, and ticket prices, to follow.

 

The Heath Players

www.heathplayers.co.uk

Our next performances will be on 26^th and 27^th March, 2015 – production details to follow soon.

 

Kingswood Amateur Drama and Dance Association (KADDS)

www.kingswoodvillage.org/kvca-amateur-drama-dance/

Our February 2015 production will be two one-act plays: Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations with a young cast; and Hands Across the Sea with an adult cast, produced/directed by Eileen Hannah and Jill Gunn.  Performance dates will be 19^th, 20^th and 21^st February, 2015.

 

Merstham Amateur Dramatic Society (MADS)

www.mersthamdrama.org.uk

On 6^th March, 2015 at Merstham Village Hall we shall be performing Intruder by Barry Lambert and What Shall We Do With The Body? by Rae Shirley, both directed by Barry Lambert.

 

Information on ticket prices, performance time and contact details will follow.

 

Mirror Image Theatre Company

www.mirror-image.org.uk

Our spring play will be September in the Rain by John Godber, directed by Sheila Carr, at The Meyers Studio, Epsom Playhouse from 18^th to 21^st March, 2015.

 

This heart-warming comedy tells the story of Jack and Liz (played by Chris Butler and Sara Watkins), as they recall their annual holidays in Blackpool, from their first trip as newlyweds to their final visit in old age.  Come and share their memories, filled with tears and laughter, in a golden age of donkey rides, talent contests, ice creams, rolled-up trouser legs and stripey deck chairs along the wet and windy promenades during September in the rain.

 

Tickets available on line from www.epsomplayhouse.co.uk or from the Playhouse box office on 01372 742 555.

 

The Oxted Players

www.oxtedplayers.co.uk

www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk

The Oxted Players are affiliated to NODA and are members of BRBAC.

 

In January we are performing Babes in the Wood at the Barn Theatre, directed by Chris Bassett with music from Jamie Cordell and choreography by Aimee Marie Bow; playdates 9^th – 17^th January.

 

With their parents away at the Crusades, Jack and Jill must rely on their uncle, Sir Guy of Gisbourne, to look after them.  But Sir Guy is more interested in the children’s money.  Protecting Jack and Jill from their wicked uncle and getting them home safely is obviously a job for a hero, but the only local hero has not been seen for many years.  If they can find him, will Jack and Jill be able to persuade Robin Hood and his Merry Men to come out of retirement for one last adventure?

 

Matinees are full but tickets are still available for 7.30pm evening performances except 10^th, 12^th and 13^th.  Tickets are £8 children, £10 adults, available on 01883 724 852 for cheque/cash payments or book online at www.oxtedplayers.co.uk or www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk for all card payments (a booking fee will apply).

  

Polesden Lacey Shakespeare

www.polesdenlaceyshakespeare.co.uk

Our summer 2015 production will be Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Helen Hardwick.

 

Auditions will be held on Sunday, 11^th and Sunday, 18^th January from 2.00 to 5.00pm at Follett Hall, Behind the United Reformed Church in West Street, Dorking, Surrey RH4 1BS (the entrance is on Church Street).  For more information, please email: communicando@hotmail.com

 

St Marks Players

www.stmarksplayers.co.uk

More information next time.

 

Sutton Amateur Dramatic Club

www.sadc.co.uk

More information next time.

 

West Horsley Independent Players (WHIPS)

Website: www.horsleyamdram.org

More information next time.

 

Woodmansterne Operatic and Dramatic Society (WODS) and Junior WODS

www.wods.org.uk

More information next time.

 

 

Firstly, thank you to all who came to see our Spring presentation, “Yes, Prime Minister”. We were starting to wonder if there would be an audience at one point, but it was very well attended in the end.

Thanks go to David Wilson in his first role as director and all the cast. I would like to make a special mention of Yasmine (‘Yaz’) Nixon, who stepped in to take the place of Sharon Laws who was taken ill a week before the performance.  She did a great job. I would also like to send Sharon our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

I would like to have been able to put a review into the newsletter, but as I am usually a member of the cast, it is rather difficult for me to write. If anyone else would like to submit reviews of our future productions, then please feel free to do so and send me a copy for inclusion in the newsletter, on our website and on our Facebook page .

I am told that our murder mystery evening went off very well indeed. Thank you to Pip Rolls for organising the event and to all of you who helped as actors and with the preparation and clear up.

July is starting to look a little busy. There are auditions for both our November play “Our Man in Havana” as well as our September rehearsed, performed play reading.

Auditions for the September rehearsed reading with supper, Pastiche by Nick Hall, directed by Christopher Slater will be 16^th and 28^th July at Chris’s home. If you are interested in attending, please contact Chris directly on 01372454963 or by email christopherslater@ntlworld.com.

Rehearsals will be on 25^th and 27^th August at Chris’s home and on 1^st and 3^rd September, 8pm at Christchurch Hall, Walton on the Hill.

The performance itself will be 6^th September, 8pm, Riddell Hall, Walton on the Hill.

To book your ticket for the event, please call the usual ticket office number 01737812703 or by email friends@thegageplayers.co.uk.

Auditions for the November play, Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene, adapted by Clive Francis and directed by Gill Lucas will be held on 9^th and 14^th July, 8pm at Christchurch Hall, Walton on the Hill.

Rehearsals will be on Mondays and Wednesdays as usual, at 8pm in Christchurch Hall, starting from 8^th September.

The Performances will be 28^th, 29^th and 30^th November.

On Sunday, July 13^th, Jon and Sharon Laws will be hosting a Gage Barbeque at their home in Tolworth. The price is just £5 which will include hot dog, burger and salads. Please feel free to bring along anything else that you might like to stick on the BBQ as well as a bottle or two. If you would like to come along, please call the usual ticket office number 01737812703 or by email friends@thegageplayers.co.uk

Click here for a map to Sharon and Jon’s