Newsletter May 2021

Dear Everyone,
I hope you have all kept well during this worrying pandemic and lockdowns.
This has been a year like no other for The Gage, with all plans put on hold until we can mingle safely again. As a team, we have been inventive, determined to keep The Gage interesting and alive. Since mid-September we have held weekly 8pm Zoom sessions for all our members, with poetry, prose and play-readings. The variety has been great fun and our evenings very entertaining, sometimes with limericks and poems written by our own members, at other times listening to well-loved favourites, which so often could be new to others.
Recently we have begun to do one-act play readings – if they’re short we can often fit two into one Zoom session, so everyone can read/take a part. We are lucky to have our own playwright, Pip Rolls, who has provided some brand new hilarious shorties on topics we can all relate to. Even after lockdowns and restrictions have ended we plan to keep our Zoom sessions going, as they make such an entertaining break and are a fun way of keeping in touch.
As I write, theatres and halls are beginning to open their doors for plays and concerts – oh, how we have missed them and will appreciate their performances more than ever.
The Gage at recent Zoom committee meeting began to make tentative plans for its own events this year and next at The Riddell Hall, scheduling hall bookings, auditions, rehearsals and performances. We shall obviously be guided by any rulings or restrictions in place at the time.
So, diaries to the fore and please pencil in the following productions in the hope that we can all share enjoyable evenings together again soon.
On Saturday, 11 th September, 2021 we plan a rehearsed reading with supper at The Riddell Hall of Playgoers by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, directed by Christopher Slater, with supper after the performance. Curtain up at 7pm with supper at 8pm. Auditions and booking information will follow.

Our winter 2021 production will be Molly’s Calling, written and directed by Pip Rolls, to be performed at 8pm at The Riddell Hall on Thursday 25th, Friday 26th and Saturday 27th November.
We are also planning a Saturday evening event in February 2022, ahead of our spring production in late April.
We so look forward to seeing you all again.

******

Our renewed condolences to Clare Smyl, whose husband Ned died in February. Clare is one of our invaluable stage managers, and Ned was a stalwart backstager, always ready to lend a hand.
Many of you will have known Paul Brown, who died last year. Paul’s wife Jo will be holding a memorial celebration at Mickleham Church on Friday 30th July at 2.30pm, with refreshments afterwards in the village hall, and would be delighted to see many of you there.
Perhaps some of you are looking forward to a much needed holiday, so I hope the sun will shine for you after so much rain. Keep well and enjoy the summer with its gradually growing freedoms.
Very best wishes to you all,

Gay Weeden
Chair