Category Archives: Previous Productions

Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders – April 2023

The Gage Players present, in association with Stagescripts, Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders by Derek Webb.

Agatha Crusty (pronounced Croosty) is a crime novelist. She’s also pretty adept at solving crimes. And when her sister-in-law Alice invites her to spend a few days with her in the village of Chortelby, it’s not long before she gets caught up in a series of murders which seem directed at members of the All Saints Village Hall committee.

From Toby, the Vicar, and Eleanor, Chair of the committee, to Harry Knott the caretaker and identical twins Olivia and Oliver Truscott-Pratt, there are plenty of suspects. And with an investigating officer as incompetent as D.I. Twigg, there are plenty of laughs as the murders begin to pile up.

But, while packed full of wit and very funny scenes, this is also a genuine murder mystery with an ingenious plot which will tax the little grey cells of the audience at the same time!

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A Christmas Carol

In December 2022 The Gage Players presented a rehearsed reading of Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”, adapted and directed by Pip Rolls. A very pleasant evening was had by all, audience, cast and backstage crew alike. The Gage Players try to put on at least one rehearsed reading a year.

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Good Things – Winter 2019 Production

Our Winter 2019 production

Our play was Good Things by Liz Lochhead.

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.

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

 

Click on image to expand picture.

 

 

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Curtain Up On Murder – May 2019

Our spring 2019 play was Curtain up on Murder by Bettine Manktelow

An amateur drama group is rehearsing in a theatre at the end of a pier. A storm is building up and any thought of leaving the theatre is baulked by finding that somehow all the exit doors are locked from the outside. A ghostly presence flits across the stage and when the assistant stage manager falls to certain death through a trapdoor, the players begin to flap. Then one of the actresses is found poisoned, and it becomes clear that a murderer is in their midst . . .

 

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Previous Productions 1950-2023

THE GAGE PLAYERS
AMATEUR DRAMATIC SOCIETY, WALTON ON THE HILL
Year Production Author Director
1950 The Chiltern Hundreds William Douglas Home Ivor Buckley and Dorothy Rae
1951 Love in Idleness Terence Rattigan Dorothy Rae
  On Monday Next Phillip King Dorothy Rae
1952 The Goldfish Isabel Andrews Cyril Sawyer
  Fumed Oak Noel Coward Heather Rae
  The Rose and Crown J. B. Priestley Ivor Buckley
  Betchworth Festival entry    
  Queen Elizabeth Slept Here Talbot Rothwell Dorothy Rae
1953 G. I. Bride Rae Varran Dorothy Rae
Betchworth Festival entry
  Murder at the Vicarage Agatha Christie Ivor Buckley
  Little Lambs Eat Ivy Noel Langley Dorothy Rae
1954 Barbara’s Wedding J. M. Barrie Dorothy Rae
Betchworth Festival entry
  The Barton Mystery Walton Hacker Margaret Smith
  The Paragon Roland and Michael Pertwee David Clatworthy
1955 A Certain Man Leslie Walker Dorothy Rae
Betchworth Festival entry
  Love’s a Luxury Guy Paxton and E. V. Hoile Norman Clatworthy
  Pygmalion George Bernard Shaw Dorothy Rae
1956 The Skipper’s Entanglement F. Morton Howard Florence Culver
  Browne with an ‘E’ Leopold Montague Vivienne Hale
  An Hour’s Light Entertainment Lilian Tyers
  Still Life Noel Coward Dorothy Rae
Betchworth Festival entry
  Tons of Money Will Evans and Arthur Valentine Norman Clatworthy
  Rebecca Daphne du Maurier Dorothy Rae
1957 Sganarelle or The Imaginary Cuckold Moliere Dorothy Rae
Betchworth Festival entry
  Ring Round the Moon Jean Anouilh Vera Sweet
1958 The Laboratory David Campton Dorothy Rae
Betchworth Festival entry
  One Evening at Nero’s A. J. Talbot Ted Perrett
Betchworth Festival entry
  Master Dudley Phillip Johnson Vivienne Hale
  The White Sheep of the Family L. du Garde Peach and Ian Hay Dorothy Rae and Vivienne Hale
  Separate Tables Terence Rattigan Norman Clatworthy
1959 The Life of Hercules Thomas Cruden Norman Clatworthy
Stage Cup
  Book of the Month Basil Thomas Vera Sweet
  A Midsummer Night’s Dream William Shakespeare Dorothy Rae
1960 The Farce of the Devil’s Bridge Henri Gheoh Vera Sweet
Betchworth Festival entry
  Breath of Spring Peter Cook Cyril Sawyer
  A Murder has been Arranged Emlyn Williams Cyril Sawyer
1961 Mother Goose Dorothy Rae Dorothy Rae
  The Curious Savage John Patrick Dorothy Rae
1962 The Neighbours Yves Cabrol Dorothy Rae
Betchworth Festival entry
1962 Quiet Weekend Esther McCracken Mabel Alexander
Bell, Book and Candle John van Druten Mabel Alxander
1963 The Pen of My Aunt Gordon Daviot Ivor Buckley
Betchworth Festival entry
  The Late Miss Cordell Philip Johnson Vera Sweet
  April Dawn Philip Johnson Christopher Evans
  Dock Brief John Mortimer Mary Butler
  The Chalk Garden Enid Bagnold Mabel Alexander
1964 The Rats Agatha Christie Vera Sweet
Betchworth Festival entry
1965 The Heiress Ruth and Augustus Goetz Dorothy Rae
1966 The Pigeon with the Silver Foot Pam H. Johnson and C. P. Shaw Vera Sweet
Betchworth Festival entry
1967 She Stoops to Conquer Oliver Goldsmith Vera Sweet
  Hay Fever Noel Coward Dorothy Howard
1968 Public Eye Peter Shaffer Dorothy Howard
Betchworth Festival entry
  Private Ear Peter Shaffer Sheila Poole
1969 Flowering Cherry Robert Bolt Geoffrey Wright
  The Irregular Verb ‘to love’ Hugh and Margaret Williams Sheila Poole
1970 Boeing Boeing Marc Camelotti Ivor Buckley
  April Dawn Phillip Johnson Marion Darby
  The Real Inspector Hound Tom Stoppard Christopher Evans
1971 The Proposal Anton Chekhov Geoffrey Wright
Betchworth Festival entry
  Eighty in the Shade Clemence Dane Margaret Hunter
  Lady Audley’s Secret G. Hazelwood Christopher Evans
  Passion, Poison and Petrification George Bernard Shaw Christopher Evans
Betchworth Festival entry
1972 Our Town Thornton Wilder Pat Curtis
1973 The Happy Marriage John Clements Sheila Poole
  The Rape of the Belt Benn Levy Sheila Poole
1974 Knightsbridge John Mortimer Pat Curtis
  Gladly Otherwise N. F. Simpson Pat Curtis
  What Shall We Tell Caroline? John Mortimer Pat Curtis
  An Inspector Calls J. B. Priestley Geoffrey Wright
1975 Candlelight – a revue Pat Curtis
Silver How the Other Half Loves Alan Ayckbourn Geoffrey Curtis
1976 Cabaret Christopher Isherwood Pat Curtis
  Black Comedy Peter Shaffer Pat Curtis
  Lumken Bunkum Peter Bensted Peter Bensted
1977 Night Watch Lucille Fletcher Gill Lucas
  Vivat! Vivat, Regina! Robert Bolt Su Johnson
1978 The Pool by the Dragon Gate E. M. Andrews Margaret Hunter
Stage Cup
  A Phoenix Too Frequent Christopher Fry Gill Lucas
  Dear Charles Alan Melville Margaret Hunter
1979 The Orchestra Jean Anouilh Gill Lucas
Betchworth Festival entry
  The Man Most Likely To Joyce Rayburn Jean Smith
  For Better, For Worse Arthur Watkyn Robin Easther
1980 The Red Velvet Goat Josefina Niggli Jean Smith
  Sunday Costs Five Pesos Josefina Niggli Gill Lucas
  A Kind of Justice Margaret Wood Gill Lucas
Betchworth Festival entry
  The Curse of the Werewolf Ken Hill Margaret Hunter
1981 Gosforth’s Fete Alan Ayckbourn Gill Lucas
Betchworth Festival entry
  Confusions Alan Ayckbourn Gill Lucas
  Lock Up Your Daughters Henry Fielding Gill Lucas
1982 A Murder Has Been Arranged Emlyn Williams Jean Smith
  Dracula Ken Hill Margaret Hunter
1983 The Mayor of Torontal Gweneth Jones Doreen Perry
Betchworth Festival entry
  Habeus Corpus Alan Bennett Gill Lucas
  The Beaux’ Strategem George Farquhar Margaret Hunter
1984 Random Moments in a May Garden James Saunders Les Schroeder
Betchworth Festival entry
1984 Post Horn Gallop Tony Benfield Tony Burch
Ring Round the Moon Jean Anouilh Gill Lucas
1985 Bye Bye Blues James Saunders Les Schroeder
Betchworth Festival entry
  Trelawny of the Wells Arthur Pinero Margaret Hunter
1986 Bedroom Farce Alan Ayckbourn Les Schroeder
  Sweeney Todd Brian J. Burton Gill Lucas
1987 The Diary of Anne Frank Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett Steve Peacock
  Outside Edge Richard Harris Jean Smith
1988 One Plus One Makes Three Peter Colum Gill Lucas
Betchworth Festival entry
  Pack of Lies Hugh Whitemore Les Schroeder
  The Odd Couple Neil Simon Andrew Cottingham
1989 Epitaph for a Hard Man Evelyn Hood Gill Lucas
  A Chorus of Disapproval Alan Ayckbourn Gill Lucas
  Nightmare Norman Robbins Jean Smith
1990 A Respectable Funeral Jimmie Chinn Dave Baker
Ruby Betchworth Festival entry
  At the Changing of the Year Malcolm Young Dave Baker
  Hunchback of Notre Dame Ken Hill Margaret Hunter
1991 Come into the Garden, Maud Noel Coward Jean Smith
Betchworth Festival entry – best supporting actor: Robin Hunter
  An Engagement with Coward Noel Coward Jean Smith
  Dangerous Obsession N. J. Crisp Andrew Cottingham
1992 Teahouse of the August Moon John Patrick Gill Lucas
1993 The Creature Creeps Jack Sharkey Marq English
  When The Cat’s Away John Mortimer and Brian Cooke Sylvia Currie
1994 The Cherry Orchard Anton Chekhov Steve Trasler
1995 The Café Neville Watchurst Gill Lucas
Betchworth Festival entry
  White Sheep of the Family L. du Garde Peach Jean Smith
1996 Murder for the Asking Derek Benfield Gill Lucas
  The Slipper and the Rose Adapted by Pip Burley Margaret Hunter
with The Heath Players
1997 Second from Last in the Sack Race Michael Birch Gill Lucas
  Death and the Maiden Georgina Reid Jean Smith
1998 Clerical Errors Georgina Reid Gill Lucas
  Habeus Corpus Alan Bennett Gill Lucas
1999 Tiptoe Through the Tombstones Norman Robbins Gill Lucas
  Close to the Wind Richard Everett Shelagh Bliss
2000 Ladies Who Lunch Tudor Gates Gill Lucas
Gold Dear Octopus Dodie Smith Margaret Hunter
2001 I Remember Mama John van Druten Gill Lucas
  Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte Margaret Hunter
2002 The Hollow Agatha Christie Gill Padbury
  The Junipere Affair Pip Rolls Pip Rolls
2003 Local Affairs Richard Harris Gill Lucas
  A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens Margaret Hunter
2004 Situation Comedy John Mortimer and Brian Cooke Shelagh Bliss
  Daisy Pulls It Off Denise Deegan Gill Lucas
2005 The Railway Children E. Nesbitt Wendy Phillips
  The Unvarnished Truth Royce Ryton Margaret Hunter
2006 Last Tango in Walton on the Hill David Tristram Wendy Phillips
  The Casting Couch Sue Bradshaw and Wendy Phillips Sue Bradshaw
  Toad of Toad Hall
with The Heath Players
A.A. Milne Margaret Hunter
2007 Out of Order Ray Cooney Gill Lucas
  Racing Demon David Hare Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
2008 The Scottish Play Graham Holiday Wendy Phillips
  Vanity Fair Constance Cox Gill Lucas
2009 Ghost Train Arnold Ridley Yaz Leighton
2010 The Weekend Michael Palin Wendy Phillips
  Say Who You Are Keith Waterhouse Margret Hunter (rehearsed reading)
Diamond Come on, Jeeves P. G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton Gill Gibbins
2011 The Titfield Thunderbolt Philip Goulding Gill Lucas
  An Inspector Calls J.B. Priestley Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
  The Drunkard Brian J. Burton Margaret Hunter
with The Heath Players
2012 Dangerous Corner J. B. Priestley Gill Gibbins
  Relative Values Noel Coward Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
  Rumours Neil Simon Lesley Parker
2013 Take Away The Lady Jimmie Chinn Gill Lucas
  A Provincial Lady Ivan Turgenev Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
  Semi-Detached David Turner Gill Lucas
2014 Yes, Prime Minister Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn David Wilson
  Pastiche Nick Hall Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
  Our Man in Havana Clive Francis Gill Lucas
2015 Murder in Play Simon Brett Lesley Crowther-Smith
  Knightsbridge John Mortimer Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
  Teahouse of the August Moon John Patrick Gill Lucas
2016 Bedroom Farce Alan Ayckbourn Sharon Laws
  Mother Figure and Between Mouthfuls Alan Ayckbourn Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
  Over my Dead Body Derek Benfield Debbie Nichols
2017 A Touch of Danger Francis Durbridge Debbie Nichols
  I Spy John Mortimer Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
  Waiting for the Train Pip Rolls Pip Rolls
2018 Vintage Hitchcock – A Live Radio Play Joe Landry Lars Sawyer
Dear Diva Jan Harris Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
Ladies Who Lunch Tudor Gates Gill Lucas
2019 Curtain up on Murder Bettine Manktelow Gill Gibbins
The Music Lovers Reggie Oliver after Georges Feydeau Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
Good Things Liz Lockhead Debbie Nichols
2020-2021
Platinum
Break due to Covid
2022 What Really Happened Pip Rolls Pip Rolls (rehearsed reading)
Playgoers Sir Arthur Wing Pinero Christopher Slater (rehearsed reading)
Under Milkwood Dylan Thomas/Pip Rolls Pip Rolls (rehearsed reading)
A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens/Pip Rolls Pip Rolls (rehearsed reading)
2023 Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders Derek Webb Lesley Crowther-Smith
Molly’s Calling Pip Rolls Pip Rolls
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Vintage Hitchcock – A Live Radio Play

26th, 27th and 28th April, 2018

PLUS an extra date at the Banstead Arts Festival on 2nd May, 2018

directed by Lars Sawyer
An amateur production in association with Playscripts, Inc.

In a triple bill of one-act plays, three early films by Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, are brought to life on stage with live sound effects and a live broadcast from the studio of WBFR’s radio station.  The Lodger, a story of the London fog, a tale of mystery and murder; Sabotage, about a bomb plot in London; and The 39 Steps, a tale of spies, political intrigue and unlikely romance – all three  bear Hitchcock’s trademark ability to stretch an audience’s nerves almost to breaking point . . .

Performance dates: 26th, 27th and 28th April, 2018 at 8pm, The Riddell Hall, Dean’s Lane, Walton on the Hill.  Doors and bar open at 7.30pm.  Tickets £10, box office 01737 812 703.

An extra performance is being put on for the Banstead Arts Festival: 2nd May 2018 at 8pm. Banstead Community Hall, Park Road, SM7 3AJ. Tickets £10. 

 

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WINTER 2017 PRODUCTION – Waiting for the Train

This new play, being given its premiere by The Gage, is set on a railway platform on the rural outskirts of London. The timeframe stretches from the 1930s to the 1970s, and during this we learn of the lives of some of the people who pass through the station, many of whom are left to fill in time there while waiting for the train . . .

Jeanette, a motherly soul, looks after the station café and also looks after George, who hangs around the station hoping that his wife Jane will return on the next train . . . Tom is a musician whom we first meet worrying about an audition. In time he becomes the conductor of a major orchestra and marries Mary, whom he met at the station when she arrived as a teacher accompanying evacuee children.

The play also has its serious moments, when the repercussions of a terrorist bombing in London reach some of our characters; and again when a newspaper reporter tries to put together a scandalous obituary for another of them, but is foiled . . .

Many lifetimes pass before your eyes in Waiting for the Train.

Performances will be at 8pm on Thursday, 30th November, Friday, 1st December and Saturday, 2nd December, at the Riddell Hall, Walton on the Hill.
Tickets £10, box office 01737 812 703.

Patrons intending to dine before the show at The Blue Ball pub near The Riddell Hall will be offered a 15% discount on food if, when they come to pay the bill, they show their pre-bought tickets to the staff.

Put the play dates in your diary now!

The Following Pictures Courtesy of Andy Carter LRPS CPAGB

The Following Pictures Courtesy of Melanie Rolls

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