The Gage quiz team put in a creditable performance in the quiz at the Dukes’s Head on 27th May. We were 3rd… 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 29th July.
Preparations are well in hand for the rehearsed reading of Knightsbridge , directed by Chris Slater, on 19th September. Audition is on 26th 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 6th 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, 19th 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, 2nd and Sunday, 30th 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, 6th and Sunday, 13th September at 3pm. There will be a further rehearsal at Riddell Hall on Friday, 18th September at 7.45pm, and at 3pm on the afternoon of Saturday, 19th 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 65th anniversary year, so you’d be joining a company with a fine tradition for putting on great entertainment.
Remember: audition on Monday, 27th 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
In July we shall be producing The Crucible by Arthur Miller, directed by Julie Cumbo, performed on Monday, 13th July to Saturday, 18th 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 65th 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, 26th November (evening), Friday, 27th November (evening), Saturday 28th 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 27th 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, 2nd and Sunday, 30th August, both at 3pm at Bookham, but Chris can be flexible on dates if the cast need him to be.
After 30th August rehearsals switch to the performance venue, The Riddell Hall in Walton on the Hill (Deans Lane), and will be held on Sunday, 6th and Sunday, 13th September at 3pm, plus two further rehearsals at Riddell Hall – on Friday, 18th September at 7.45pm, and at 3pm on the afternoon of Saturday, 19th September. The performance on 19th 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 21st-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, 15th July; Thursday, 16th July, Friday, 17th July; Sunday, 19th July (signed performance); Tuesday, 21st July; Wednesday, 22nd July, Thursday, 23rd July; Friday, 24th July and Saturday, 24th 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
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, 19th and Friday, 20th November, 2015.
Spring 2016 production dates will be Thursday, 28th and Friday, 29th April, 2016.
Autumn 2016 production dates will be Thursday, 24th and Friday, 25th 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 27th 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 29th, 30th and 31st October, 2015.
This is an open invitation to all who would like to act or work behind the scenes.
Merstham Amateur Dramatic Society (MADS)
In the autumn we shall be performing Wife After Death by Eric Chappell, directed by Toby Jones, playing on 21st, 22nd and 23rd October at Merstham Village Hall. There are six good parts; a reading of the play will take place 7.45 for 8pm on 1st June at the Church Room Church Hill, Merstham, with auditions to follow at the same time and venue on 8th 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.barntheatreoxted.co.uk
The Oxted Players are affiliated to NODA and are members of BRBAC.
Autumn 2015 production
Performances will be 14th – 17th 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
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, 25th and Friday, 26th 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
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
More information next time.
