Dear Friends and Members,

I hope you are well and have avoided any problems that Storm Ciaran may have brought.  I am relieved that this part of Surrey seems to have come off lightly compared with the terrible flooding on the coast.

I’ll start with the really good news that Molly’s Calling, written and directed by Pip Rolls, is to be performed at last. You may recall that it was due to make its debut before Covid lockdown three years ago, and despite other attempts to stage this funny but thought-provoking play, obstacles have prevented us from going ahead.  At last we shall be presenting the world première of Pip’s new play on Thursday, 23^rd, Friday, 24^th and Saturday, 25^th November, at 8pm at The Riddell Hall, Walton on the Hill.  Tickets are £12.50, box office number 01737 812 703.

This clever comedy takes place in a retirement home, with wonderfully resourceful residents who, despite their age, are surprisingly devious in their use of a phone and a computer – with unexpected results!  Please come along and enjoy an intriguing evening which will give you much to smile about, think about, and dwell upon afterwards.   The doors open at 7.30pm for the bar and raffle, with curtain-up at 8pm. 

Are you able to take minutes and type them up for circulation to the Gage committee?  If so, we would love to hear from you, as we really do need your help.  We are also looking for an unflappable person to be secretary, for general admin support, who need not be ‘theatrical’ or experienced in this field.  Help will be available from committee members to help you settle into the role – the Gage committee is very friendly, relaxed and supportive.  Please contact us on friends@thegageplayers.co.uk

Many folk have asked when we will be having our next Poetry and Prose evening – this has become a particularly popular event during winter when people are comfortably settled t home for the evening, but can tune into us via Zoom – there is no cost involved.  We will resume these regular meetings after Christmas, so please look for poems, short one-act plays, or snippets from a book that you have enjoyed.  The more variety we have the better our evening will be, and I promise it won’t be a dull one.  The date and time for this event will be given in our Christmas newsletter, so do make a diary note of it then.

Chris Slater is eager to direct our spring play next year – performance dates will be 25^th, 26^th and 27^th April, 2024.  Read-throughs/auditions will take place at Chris’s home in Bookham at 8pm on Thursday,11^th, Monday, 15^th and Wednesday, 17^th January 2024 – more details in the next newsletter.

Our regular September event is one that is always enjoyed – you bring your own picnic supper and drinks and after that we give a rehearsed reading of one or two short plays.  This is an informal evening for family and friends when you can relax over a bite to eat, a glass of something and a chat before the curtain goes up.  Probable date for 2024: 14^th September.   If you have a favourite short play with no scene changes that you’d like to see again, do let us know on friends@thegageplayers.co.uk

Looking further ahead, we are scheduling our 2024 winter play for 28^th, 29^th and 30^th November.  We have a play in mind, but are still looking for a director.  If you think you might like to direct with us, or perhaps already have a play in mind that you especially like, do get in touch with us on the link above. 

I hope you’ve all made a note of our up and coming play, Molly’s Calling, and I look forward to seeing you at the performance.

Diary dates

23^rd, 24^th and 25^th November 2023 – Molly’s Calling, 8pm at The Riddell Hall, Walton on the Hill.  Box office 01737 812 703, tickets £12.50.

After Christmas our next Prose and Poetry event, 8pm Zoom.

25^th, 26^th and 27^th April, 2024 – our spring play.

14^th September, 2024 – our rehearsed reading with supper 

28^th, 29^th and 30^th November, 2024 – our winter play. 

With best wishes to you all.

Gay

Gay Weeden, Chair

Gage Players Committee