spotlight march 2013 - somersetdrama.org.uk · spotlight tauntonʼs brewhouse closes major impact...
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spotlight
Tauntonʼs Brewhouse Closes Major impact on local amateur societies
The Brewhouse Theatre, which has provided entertainment for the people of Taunton and beyond for over thirty-‐five years, closed its doors for the last time on Wednesday 20th February. The venue was a favourite with local amateur societies but in 2009 Taunton Thespians relocated its productions to the nearby Tacchi-‐Morris Arts Centre. Mark Dawson explores the reasons for this on page 5. Taunton Amateur Operatic Society still performed at the Brewhouse as did SFD members Wayfarers Pantomime Society whose annual Christmas pantomimes have been a firm favourite at the theatre since 1978. The Operatic Society will be performing their next show, The Sound of Music, at the Tacchi-‐Morris Arts Centre. Any tickets already purchased will be honoured. Details are on their website. Wayfarers are confident that, despite this major setback, the show will go on, as Terry Wood explains on page 4. Fortunately, they have sufficient reserves to cover their immediate financial losses. If the Brewhouse remains closed their longer-‐term problem will be finding another venue with facilities similar to the Brewhouse. One other amateur casualty is the Taunton Scout and Guide Gang Show, which was scheduled for April. Efforts are now being made to reopen the Brewhouse – see page 4.
The magazine of the Somerset Fellowship
of Drama
Charity No.1084863
In this month’s Spotliight
In Brief 2 Committee Cuttings 2 Letters 2 Wayfarers still in the Game 3 Why Taunton Thespians left the Brewhouse 4 The future of the Brewhouse 4 County Drama Festival 5 Unsung Heroes: Annette Scott 7 What’s On 8 Ron Robert’s panto reviews 10 Jane Leakey’s Fat Cat Theatre 19
March 2013
February is a bumper month for pantomimes. Ron Robertsʼ reviews start on page 10
Photo: © Copyright Nick Chipchase
The cast of Somerton's Pantomime Adventures of Robin Hood.
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In Brief… Fees for Phoebe Anna Bowerman reports that she is still receiving £20 cheques for entries in the Phoebe Rees Competition. Please note that the fees are now £25 per entry, still a very reasonable charge for this popular and important competition. The entry fee for all the major competitions is now £25 and entry is only open to societies that are members of the Somerset Fellowship of Drama.
Stop Press! The 2013 Phoebe Rees awards night will now be on Saturday October 12th at The Shrubbery Hotel, Ilminster not on the 19th. All details nearer the time.
Committee Cuttings… A selection of notes from the SFD committee meeting on 19th February
The SFD committee met on Tuesday evening 19th February at Ruishton Village Hall. Unsurprisingly, the meeting was dominated by discussions about the forthcoming County Drama Festival and the David Beach Awards ceremony, both of which take place in March. Stage Decorations The committee agreed to fund runners with logos and a banner to decorate the stage and lecterns at the various awards ceremony. Sherry Briggs and Ron Roberts are organising these. County Drama Festival There are eight entries in this year’s festival including three entries in the Original One Act Playwriting Competition. The committee agreed to introduce a new award chosen by the audience. David Beach Competition All the trophies have been returned with the exception of one which has been lost and one which has been squashed! Training The committee is hopeful that a volunteer will be appointed as Training Coordinator in the near future.
Sam Allen
Letters No Room for a Review? I have been asked by the Civic Players committee to contact you regarding recent issues of the magazine. One of our members is a regular reader of Spotlight and she was disappointed to note that although we had an adjudication for our December production of Unoriginal Sin, a review has not been featured in either of the last two editions. Would it be possible please for you to look into this with your SFD colleagues and perhaps print a belated item in the next magazine?
Kathryn Steele Civic Players Secretary
Adrian Harding of Civic Players wrote to Spotlight about exactly the same issue in a letter that was published last June. As editor of Spotlight I would love to receive reviews for all productions entered into SFD competitions because I know how much readers enjoy them. In this month’s edition we have no fewer than eleven reviews from Ron Roberts, moderator for the Cinderella Trophy competition but, alas, no reviews for any of the other competitions. Perhaps your letter will spur other adjudicators and moderators to put pen to paper and write a review for Spotlight. In next month’s magazine there will be reviews of all the entries in the County Drama Festival as well as the remaining pantomimes. Please remember that societies are invited to commission and submit their own reviews for Spotlight but reviews written for local papers cannot be used without permission, as they will be subject to copyright.
Sam Allen Editor
What did they say…? "Acting is not a state of being ... but a state of appearing to be." - Noel Coward
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Wayfarers still in the game The Closure of the Brewhouse is not going to stop the Wayfarers Pantomime Society By Terry WoodThe Wayfarers are now creditors of the Brewhouse as many others will now be. The costs to put on a pantomime, of the standard that The Wayfarers have grown to, is very large and over £40,000. The seating capacity of The Brewhouse means that you cannot recover all of that cost by tickets sales if you have a one week run of 10 shows. Therefore before putting on a pantomime the society has to organise its finances so that other income (advertising, programme sales, sponsorship etc) make up the shortfall, assuming a level of ticket sales, as it is unlikely that any production will sell out 100%. The Wayfarers of course did that and achieved just under its projected ticket sales figures, which in view of the economic climate was acceptable. Tickets are initially sold by Priority Booking to members and Associate Members and that gave us approximately 30% of our income and the money is immediately available to the Society and used as a working capital. As anyone who has done a show at The Brewhouse will know the procedure is that the tickets then go on open sale at the Box Office. The income from those sales is retained by the theatre until after the event when a settlement is agreed, effectively ticket sales minus hire charges and any other Brewhouse charges. The settlement usually works out at about 50% of ticket sales at the Box Office. Unfortunately we are now still owed the
settlement payment. Although we know how much was due, the Brewhouse were unable to pay us. Basic maths will tell you that this is a reasonably large amount. Fortunately, over the years The Wayfarers have built up a reserve and some of this reserve is invested in long term charity-‐approved saving schemes. One of these schemes was due to be re-‐invested before the show but the Treasurer, wisely decided not to re-‐invest the money until after the show and that money allowed us to pay our bills on time. The Wayfarers, therefore are still a viable Society and are committed to putting on Jack in the Beanstalk over the 2013/2014 holiday period. As yet we do not know where or when and to how large a scale we can go. Pantomimes with traditional sets and technical support require full theatre rigs so if the Brewhouse was to be available that would be our first choice, perhaps instead of their usual Christmas Show, who knows. If we have to go elsewhere then we will need to cut the size of our ambitions and as seating capacities at all the known alternatives are lower than the Brewhouse, income is likely to be reduced. Rest assured The Wayfarers are still in the game. We will be back. Watch our Website: www.wayfarers-‐pantomime.co.uk when we know we will let you all know.
Terry Wood, Publicity Manager for the Wayfarers Pantomime Society, explains that the closure of the Brewhouse is not going to stop this forty-year-old society
Wayfarers on the Brewhouse stage this year with their production of Dick Whittington
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Why Taunton Thespians left the Brewhouse Drama Group relocated to Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre in 2009 By Mark Dawson Leaving the Brewhouse was one of those decisions that you displace and displace until the reasons stacking up to make the move are so insurmountable that you can't ignore them any more. The truth is that we just didn't want to go, it felt like home. But you can't ignore a weekly hire charge that goes from less than £4k to more than £9k in just a few years, and which you know is going to rise again by almost a further £3k in another year. You can't ignore a booking system that refuses to allow you to book a vacant week, just in case an as-‐yet-‐unknown professional act may come along. And you can't ignore the lack of respect that allows a noisy comedy act to play in the bar area immediately adjacent to the auditorium where you are playing serious drama. Ultimately I've never felt that moving away from the Brewhouse was anything but the right decision, albeit a difficult one. The philosophy at the Tacchi Morris seems to be almost diametrically opposite; they are helpful and far more engaging. The lower hire charge has meant that we have been more able to
produce shows that we want to do, rather than always have the "we must get bums on seats at all costs" mentality. There is some of our previous audience, I'm sure, who have not followed us the few miles out of town but, all in all, it has been a much better experience than that at the venue we left behind. You should not think that we had given up on the Brewhouse though. There was a regular meeting, under the name BUG, which stood for 'Brewhouse User Group', which I continued to attend. Ironically, at one point, there were more representatives of groups no longer playing at the Brewhouse attending than those who were but, like I said, we persisted. I have just the vaguest feeling that we might even have started to make some progress, but then events overtook all that and the rest is history. Was the suddenness of the closure a shock? Quite a considerable one. Am I sad that it closed? Yes, of course. Am I surprised? Not in the slightest. But the theatre is still there. All we have to do now is capture just some of the drive that saw it built in the first place.
The Future of the Brewhouse So what now for the future of the Brewhouse Theatre? Balancing the books had become increasingly difficult in the last few years as external funding dried up. The Arts Council withdrew regular funding in 2005 and Somerset County Council stopped in 2010. Taunton Deane Borough Council continued to support the Brewhouse with an annual grant of £152,000 although according to theatre director Robert Miles that was not enough. In his blog he wrote, “If Taunton Deane Borough Council had invested in The Brewhouse at the same level as South Somerset District Council invested in the Octagon over the past five years we would still be open.” Meanwhile, Taunton Deane Council has allocated a one-‐off sum of £35,000, to help protect the property and facilitate the development of a sustainable way forward for the venue. Councillor John Williams said, “I believe this demonstrates the Council's
continuing commitment to high quality arts provision in Taunton and we will work with Arts Council England and others in the cultural and creative sector, to try to find ways forward for the Brewhouse as a financially viable hub for arts and culture locally.” There has been some criticism about the staffing levels at the Brewhouse, which employed 35 part time workers, and 19 full time staff. It has been suggested that the use of more voluntary workers would have made the theatre financial secure. Nevertheless, the employees and their families are the people hit hardest by the closure. A group called Save our Brewhouse has been set up and you can find out more about them on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/saveOURbrewhouse
Mark Dawson, Chairman of Taunton Thespians, explains their reasons for leaving the Brewhouse in 2009 and relocate to the Tacchi-Morris Arts centre on the outskirts of Taunton
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County Drama Festival Eight entries in this yearʼs festival By Philip de GlanvilleThere’s something for everyone in this year’s County Drama Festival at the Edgar Hall in Somerton, where eight teams from all over Somerset will be competing for the County Shield and for the honour of going forward to represent us at the next round of the AETF in April. The Festival takes place over the weekend 23rd/24th March. There will be two sessions on the Saturday and one on Sunday afternoon, to be followed by the Award Ceremony at which the winner of this year’s Best Original One Act Script will also be announced. Jane Levan, GODA, will be adjudicating and will present her thoughts about the productions she has seen, at the end of each session. Amongst the teams are several of the County’s most experienced; St Gregory Players, who were last year’s winners, will be back again to have another shot at the County Shield, along with CDF regulars Taunton Thespians, who have two original play entries this year, and Troupers
from Frome. We are also delighted to welcome back Swan Theatre Co, whom we haven’t seen on the Festival circuit for several years. Joining them will be two youth teams – Taunton School and newcomers Wemo Theatre from N. Somerset, and we have a new group from Street called Streetwise, put together by John McGrouther and Di Dean to perform another short-‐listed play from the SFD’s Original Playwriting Competition. As usual the winning Youth team will also have a chance to represent Somerset in the Four Counties Youth Festival which will take place a month later. The running order for all three sessions is as below, along with a brief synopsis of each play. Tickets will be available on the door @ £7 per session, but it will be possible to buy tickets for two sessions @ £12 and for all three sessions @ £15. At less than £2 a play this is surely great value, and a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in a weekend of amateur theatre!
About the County Drama Festival The County Drama Festival is the longest established of all the SFD's competitive drama festivals. It is for one act plays of at least 20 minutes (but no more than 55 minutes) duration, which are adjudicated publically, usually by a member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators (GODA). It is open to any group in Somerset. Original writing is very welcome, and Youth groups are encouraged to take part. The winning Youth Group goes on to represent us in the Four Counties Youth Festival in April, which
is held in one of the participating counties. The winning team overall will go on to represent Somerset in the next round of the All England Theatre Festival -‐ the Central Division Final -‐ which this year will be held on Saturday 13th April at the Merlin Theatre in Frome. The next round is expected to be at the Athenaeum in Warminster, just over the border in Wiltshire. This could be a really good year to do well... You can find out more about it by visiting our website: www.somersetdrama.org.uk
County Drama Festival coordinator Philip de Glanville sets the scene for this yearʼs festival which takes place on 23rd and 24th March
New This Year! We are introducing, for the first time, an Audience Award which can be judged by anyone who has bought tickets for all three sessions, and will be awarded to the team whose work those members of the audience have enjoyed most. Experience from other Festivals where this sort of thing has become a popular feature suggests that quite often the audience choose a play which doesnʼt turn out to be the Adjudicatorʼs overall winner, because of course they are using different criteria to judge by. If youʼd like to be on the audience panel, all you need to do is to come to all three sessions, and ask for a voting form when you buy your tickets.
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County Drama Festival Sessions
SATURDAY at 2pm Streetwise MOVING ON by Austin Hawkins Original Play (shortlisted) At last, after three years of walk-‐on parts with her local amateur drama group, Helen has got the big break she hoped for and is playing the lead in a major production, but it all starts to unravel… Director: John McGrouther Swan Theatre Company WHITE LIES by Richard James 30 years post-‐graduation, four women gather for a reunion, allegiances are rekindled and very old scores are settled in spectacular fashion in this delightful comedy. Director: Shirley Bowler Taunton Thespians BELONGING by Lyssa Gill Original Play (shortlisted) City-‐boy Dave Townsend has taken on a job as grave-‐digger at St Mary’s but is finding it difficult to fit into this tight-‐knit rural community. Then there are two deaths in quick succession and it seems he has no alibi – yet. Director: Rachel Buttell
SATURDAY at 7pm Taunton School BURN UP by Derek Bowskill Youth Theatre A highly physical exciting play full of rhythms and chants, and making reference to racist attitudes, tribes, myths and much more. Director: Jane Harris Troupers A DAY IN THE DEATH OF JOE EGG (1st Act) by Peter Nichols Bri and Sheila find the only way they can cope with the pain of bringing up their brain damaged 10-‐year-‐old daughter Jo is to explore the funny side of their experiences, but despite all the laughter the cracks in their relationship are becoming increasingly difficult to paper over, in this bleakest of black comedies. Director: Philip de Glanville Taunton Thespians OFFICE ANTICS by Nicola Breeze Original Play (shortlisted) It’s Cindy Potts’ first day in the office of EFG Enterprises and nothing is going to plan in this fast-‐moving, pacy farce. Director: Michael Gilbert SUNDAY at 3pm Wemo Theatre ONCE UPON A CRIME by Mel Tomo Youth Theatre We find ourselves in a mystical world, peopled by characters from our fairytales, where time has stood still for 200 years, and now the city of Fable has been blighted by the discovery of its first-‐ever murder. But… why would anyone want to kill off the hero? Director: Mel Tomo and Lisa Weir St Gregory Players A LIMB OF SNOW by Anna Marie Barlow Set in the gold rush days of 1890s America: a couple who have had nothing but bad luck and trouble are now facing disaster. She is heavily pregnant and longs for some stability in their lives, but he still clings to his dreams of a change in their fortunes. Director: Liz Gregory
The Edgar Hall in Somerton, which is owned by Somerton Town Council, was opened in 2009. The hall is located in the Somerton Business Park, Somerton, Somerset, TA11 6SB
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Annette Scott has been prompting for Puriton Players’ pantomimes for eighteen years without a break. She was roped in when the society was struggling to find somebody to fill this key role. Her brother, Alan, is the mainstay of the group and he led the others in persuading Annette to take it on. She told me, “They sold me the line that it was easy, nothing to it and this was literally either on the day or the day before the panto, I can’t quite remember which!” Seeing that they were desperate, Annette agreed to help out and she has been doing it ever since. Despite her baptism of fire, Annette discovered that she enjoys it, which brings her back year after year. She said, “I do enjoy it, although it can be quite daunting as I worry I might get it wrong. I enjoy being part of the group. I have seen many changes over the years as people come and go so you always have a good mix of people.” So where is the best place for the prompt to be during the show? “I stand on the side, basically on the good side of Alan so that he can hear – he usually needs the most prompts! I tend to stand and not sit as I’m in the wings because I need to see what is going on and people are always coming on and off stage around me.” Prompting can be a thankless task. People generally only notice the prompt when something has gone wrong! So I asked Annette if she had had any embarrassing moments over the years. She answers with a certain amount of discretion. “I can’t think of any although I’m sure there must have been! A couple of people have told me they didn’t need prompting; they were acting (the famous dramatic pause)” She laughs and decides to be slightly less discreet. “I’ve never known Puriton Players to ‘act’!” Fortunately, as well as those slightly awkward occasions, being prompt has its funny side too. Annette tells a story worthy of our ‘And then there was the time…’ column. “The lens fell out of my glasses once, so I had to close that eye as I couldn’t see the page clearly. I also pushed my finger out through the lens, which made the person on stage laugh.” She chuckles at the thought of it. “And Kevin singing The Pirate King
still makes me laugh. It was so awful but people didn’t know whether it was meant to be funny or serious. It was actually meant to be serious! It really was bad: I needed the loo after that performance!” Despite all the fun she gets from being the panto prompt, there are aspects that still get Annette’s goat. “It really annoys me when people don’t learn their words and it’s frustrating if people don’t turn up for rehearsals; it makes it very difficult to rehearse without them. I attend most rehearsals,” she told me, “especially in the run up to the panto as I need to know all the pauses, running around and other moves on stage. I find it essential to attend to get a good idea of the direction.” And in the end it is all worth it. “It really pleases me when a show all comes together (which you never think it will). And I love the reaction of the audiences especially if they have enjoyed it! It makes all the effort worthwhile. Also, I think it brings the village together as it involves the younger element. I have made some very good friends from being involved with the group.” It is clear that Annette is hugely enthusiastic about Puriton Players and the role it plays in the life of the village. I wondered if she had ever been tempted to go on stage herself. “I used to be in the carnival taking part in the concerts and the road. I only did it for a couple of years. I ’ve never fancied going on the stage since basically I can’t sing or act “ That laugh again. “I suppose that means I’d fit in well with Puriton Players!” It is clear that, despite her friendly jibes, it is clear that Annette is hugely impressed by the people around her and loves every aspect of village pantomime life. Surprisingly, panto is not her favourite form of entertainment. “My favourite shows are West Side Story and Carousel but I like most musicals.” So it is truly a labour of love taking part in pantomime year after year. And that is why Annette is this month’s Unsung Hero.
Unsung Heroes
Prompting can be a thankless task and yet a good prompt is worth her weight in gold. Annette Scott has been prompting for Puriton Players for nearly two decades and shares her experiences with us. She spoke to Sam Allen
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What’s On… February Feb 28th – March 2nd GEORGIE PORGIE by Paul Reakes Chardstock Amateur Dramatic Society Chardstock Community Hall at7.30pm with 3pm matinee on 2nd March Georgie Porgie, pudding and pie, kissed the girls and made them cry -‐ Come and see the true story. Warning: contains kissing! Directed by John Williamson & Nicola Boxell BOX OFFICE: Chardstock Post Office or 01460 221067 Cinderella Trophy entry March March 6th – 9th CALENDAR GIRLS By Tim Firth Street Theatre Strode Theatre, Street at 7.30pm Tim Firth’s remarkable stage adaption of his now famous true tale of a group of brave WI women who bare all for a charity calendar following the death of a much-‐loved local man. Directed by Lois Robinson BOX OFFICE: 01458 841552 www.strodetheatre.co.uk SFD concessions 6th March only Phoebe Rees entry
March 12th –16th SNAKE IN THE GRASS By Alan Ayckbourn Taunton Thespians Tacchi-‐Morris Arts Centre Theatre, Taunton. Evenings 7.30pm. Saturday matinee 2.30pm. A sunlit garden, sisters reunited after many years’ separation, a former nurse with a grievance and questions surrounding a recent death. From these ingredients the playwright stirs up a gripping thriller. The mystery and suspense is leavened by his characteristic humour. Long-‐buried family secrets come to the surface in this story of relationships and revenge. As night begins to fall, is it only the past which comes back to haunt them? Or is there something else hiding in the shadows? Directed by Mike Linham BOX OFFICEs 01823 414141 or 01823 336344. Bookings on-‐line available at www.tacchi-‐morris.com Phoebe Rees entry. SFD Concessions March 12th –16th ME AND MY GIRL By L. Arthur Rose/Douglas Furber, Noel Gay, Stephen Fry (revisions) Clevedon Light Opera Club The Princess Hall, Clevedon at 7.30pm Costermonger Bill Snibson is left to use his wit and humour to break down class divisions between his London roots and noble relatives. Can he fulfil his new role and keep ‘his girl’…? Directed by Jeff Prescott BOX OFFICE: 07971 553911 David Beach entry March 13th -‐16th CALENDAR GIRLS By Tim Firth Failand Drama Circle Failand Village Hall, at 7.30 pm Like hundreds of UK amateur groups, we want to share this extraordinary story inspired by the real life unlikely "Calendar Girls" of the Cracoe WI, for everyone affected by cancer.
Directed by: Barry Wiles BOX OFFICE: 01275 393302/219363 Phoebe Rees entry. SFD Concessions March 14th – 16th DANGEROUS CORNER By J.B.Priestley Barnstormers Regal Theatre, Minehead at 7.30pm “I think telling the truth is about as healthy as skidding round a corner at sixty.” Written 10 years before his more famous play An Inspector Calls, this is the first of J.B. Priestley’s Time plays and is set in the 1930’s. It explores the way that an insistence on knowing the truth, or simply an unguarded chance remark, may have on the future. We watch as a group of high-‐flying friends, spend an evening together and are jolted into revelations of deception and betrayal by just such a remark. Barnstormers look forward to bringing this play to you. Its theme is timeless! BOX OFFICE: 01643 706430 Online ticket purchase www.regaltheatre.co.uk
March 18th – 23rd PLAY ON By Rick Abbot Swan Theatre Company Swan Theatre, Yeovil at 7.30pm The "Last Chance" amateur theatre group are putting on a play written by one of their members. Inter-‐cast rivalries and relationships together with an inept stage manager and a wobbly set etc. What could possibly go wrong? Director: Roger Chadbourne BOX OFFICE: 01935 462781/462/782
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March 20th -‐ 23rd THE GOD OF CARNAGE Written by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton Ilminster Entertainments Society The Warehouse Theatre, Brewery Lane, Ilminster at 7.30pm Before the play begins, two children get involved in an argument. That night the parents of both children meet to discuss the matter in a civilised way. As the evening goes on the meeting degenerates into the four getting into childish irrational arguments, resulting in the evening degenerating into chaos. Set in the modern day this play was a huge success in its original language, French, and has been equally acclaimed in its English-‐translated productions in both London and New York. Directed by Philip Wells. BOX OFFICE: Lanes Garden Shop, 17 Silver Street, Ilminster or phone 07943 779 880.
April April 3rd – 6th IOLANTHE By Gilbert and Sullivan Milborne Port Opera Milborne Port Village Hall at 7.30pm Gilbert and Sullivan’s ever-‐topical take on House of Lords reform with fairies, set in pastoral arcadia and the Palace of Westminster. Directed by Chris Bailward and Naomi Booth BOX OFFICE: 07926 983585 David Beach entry April 3rd – 6th HELLO DOLLY By Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart Weston-‐super-‐Mare Operatic Society The Playhouse Theatre, High Street, Weston-‐super-‐Mare Time: 3rd – 5th April at 7.30 pm, 6th April at 2.00 pm & 6.30 pm Dolly Levi is a widow who loves to match make and bring romance into the lives of others
but primarily her own! Many memorable song & dance routines not to be missed. Directed by: Ian Doswell BOX OFFICE: 01934 645544 David Beach entry April 30th – May 4th ANYTHING GOES By Cole Porter Tickenham Drama Group Tickenham Village Hall at 7.45pm A tale of romance on the high seas with music by Cole Porter including hit songs ‘You’re at the top’ and ‘I get a kick out of you’. It’s not a show to miss! Directed by Alexander Turasiewicz BOX OFFICE: TO FOLLOW www.tickenhamdrama.org.uk David Beach entry SFD concessions
Keep your What’s On notices coming. It would be great to keep publishing what is happening three months in advance to give SFD members a chance to buy tickets before they are all sold out! Send your details to: editor@somersetdrama.org.uk
Auditions Taunton THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR The audition dates for Taunton Thespians’ outdoor touring production of Merry Wives of Windsor are: Tuesday 2nd, Thursday 4th and Monday 8th April, 7.30pm at the Thespians’ studio theatre – The Place, Wilfred Road, Taunton, TA1 1TB. Jane Edwards is directing.
What did they say…? "My only regret in the theatre is that I could never sit out front and watch me." - John Barrymore
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Reviews ALICE IN WONDERLAND By Limelight Scripts WELLINGTON PANTOMIME GROUP. Saturday 26th January
We know what to expect when we go to Welly panto. We have to park in a (secret) corner because there’s rarely a space on the street. We have to weave through a throng of smokers or queuing punters on the pavement. In that tiny, crowded foyer we have to chose out of an army of helpers the one who has our tickets. We have to do all that in good time because the panto is usually worth all that effort. Seen in front of the tabs was poised a ‘rabbit hole’, director Emma Vicarage whetting our appetites. It ‘magically’ re-‐appeared UpStageRight for heroine and rabbit to emerge into ‘Wonderland’. This production retained the wonder and added graphic storytelling touches. We delighted in the juniors as animals dancing with Alice, in flowers reversed and thus instantly ‘painted’, in a Cheshire Cat projected upside down onto a tree and in a hookah puffing ‘real’ smoke. We had a running gag of a variety of funny walks, including by the Army coming through the auditorium (there were five of them!) and UV to transform the caterpillar into a butterfly. We even had a Romantic Duet comically turned into a Romantic Quartet by two ‘playing cards’. The zaniness was topped by the stage manager coming onstage only to be slap-‐sticked by two pies! Alice was called Alice! A. Cambridge was the bright and believable centrepiece of this magical tale, a sense of her wonder well to the fore and she sang well, too boot. Mary Lewis was the agitated White Rabbit, voice and actions radiating nervous energy. Dame Millicent appeared – in Wonderland! Paul Smith ‘took on’ the audience with confident comedy, pointed punch-‐lines and sang with Music Hall attack! Also exacting audience laughter was Sam Shepherd as the very bouncy Joker, with confidence squared, manic movement and leader of the funny walks. Villains come in different guises: ours was the languid Knave of Spades. Kirk Shepherd was scarily and conversationally certain of success, sang well -‐ in lower key, of course -‐ and shouted his laughter. Inevitably, he picked two hapless side-‐kicks in Tweedledum(b!) and Tweedledee, Broker’s Men David Waring and Jim Hawkins had a wonderfully impaired grasp of affairs and comically repeating a mantra in duet. They bumped their egg-‐shaped tums
without cracking the shells! The Queen and King of Hearts contrasted in every sense other than in complemented comedy. Dawn Morton imperious and with a screeching laugh, Catherine Vicarage amusingly nervous and giggly; the one big and the other tiny; she very still and having a ‘bad hair’ day, ‘he’ bobbing about and neatly face-‐painted. Their conversation was a stand-‐up joy. By contrast, our heroine and hero were a matched pair! Princess Keira Veysey and Prince Emily Fear were respectively winsome and good-‐looking, both with well-‐timed delivery and both sang their Romantic Duet tunefully – and in English. It was reduced to comedy by Ace and Deuce, Fiona Hobday and Kathryn Fear were lively broker’s men who sang well and did a correctly-‐paced decorating job. Nicholas Mall provided the Cat’s warm and caring voice, Alice Thorne the Caterpillar’s amusingly unhurried drawl and Adam Sherman was the delightfully matter-‐of-‐fact wizard. The Mad Hatter was Cameron Waygood being snappy and eager and Kiera Chard’s quick responses as March Hare was the scripted ‘bright one’ of the pair. How DID Ebony Sellick’s Dormouse fit so perfectly into that cup? She was believably drowsy and poetry-‐perfect. Sarah Bradnum as the SatNav provided posh-‐sounding misdirection; Sergeant Darren Burns directed his funny-‐walking soldiers and the hippies oozed around the action. It was worth it! The car got parked, the throng yielded, the army of helpers were extremely friendly and the cast clearly enjoying themselves as much as the audience. It was a long night but we wouldn’t have missed it!
Ron Roberts JACK AND THE BEANSTALK by Damien Trasler, Steve Clark, David Lovesy. BURNHAM DISTRICT PANTOMIME SOCIETY. Thursday 31st January
Life can sometimes amount to a gallop. Its’ demands this day included an optician’s appointment late in the afternoon in Yeovil, arranged yonks ago. Afterwards, we left with the rest of the traffic (!) at well past five, eventual destination the Princess Theatre but with a prior, personal ‘fuel stop’ round the corner at Shah’s. That establishment long since established as a standard feature of the annual pantomime outing. We sat
February is the bumper month for amateur pantomime in Somerset. Ron Roberts, Moderator of the Cinderella Trophy Competition, has been busier than ever travelling round the county and providing us with his visit reports in his usual inimitable style
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down at 6.15pm and happened to check our contact letter and saw ‘7pm panto start’ – panic! The energetic approach to visual pantomime is clearly something that director Lorna Blair subscribes to. Witness the tinies playing hop, skip and jump during an early scene or all the youngsters achieving both discipline and harmony during the ‘Money’ song. The theme continued with the thumping ‘Stripper’ music of the Morecambe and Wise take-‐off in the kitchen scene. There was also an eye for detail with the traditional ‘big’ musical number to start and finish the first half, the senior dancers on their points in the ballet dance, the thick and multi-‐coloured beanstalk or that blackout providing a dramatic finish to the rendering of ‘Seize the Day’. Fairy Beansprout was no tendril but deceptively looking a ‘sweet old lady’ with a non-‐granny attack and a stage presence! We sensed that Phoebe Harling would win even before Poison Ivy appeared. Olive-‐green and black-‐clad Emma Twigg raised immediate doubts about that with aggressive scowl and well-‐pointed lines. With both of them rhyming their couplets well, the battle was joined. On came Melvyn Shepherd as Dame Trott, clearly suffering from an actor’s worst nightmare, a chesty cold. With hoarse voice he did extremely well to hold the show together: we sympathised and admired the endeavour. No strain at all was apparent in Dozy Den, Rob Blackmore as the largest-‐ever linkman and with the widest, very beguiling, grin. Warm goodwill and hapless comedy radiated from him and the kids loved it. Energetic Em Burland and Yanika Johnson were inside Buttercup, a cow seemingly happily illustrating St Vitus’ Dance – and could dance, as well! Lisa Davis gainsaid her stage name as Idle Jack with lively strut, bright smile, sharp mind and a great thigh-‐slap as Principal Boy. A real English hero that strangely became an American when singing. Given that degree of attack, it’s no wonder that the Princess’ eye was instantly caught. Emma Nicholson foxed us by being winsome and delivering sweet reason at first but then showing a feisty nature in defending her man. Both principals engaged with the audience, acting on display. Joe Tohill was a very comfortable and comforting king, regretting the fact that he had to demand rent! He enjoyed himself as part of the jazzy cook-‐in! In multi-‐tasking support of ‘his maj’ was his Prime Minister, Alastair Murray, a master of differing voices, his natural acting ability well on show in various snippet roles supported with a bag full of hats, a la the Tommy Cooper routine of old. The musical world of the Giant was varied, Mo Cooper as Housekeeper acting as she
sang of the sleeping monster and Emily Elwood as the Harp helped his repose – and beguiled us – as she sweetly sang Lullaby Mountain. The awakened Frank Neil was inside a wonderfully grotesque giant’s head and spoke with a scary, amplified voice-‐over. ‘Mr Shah’ was on our side. Popadoms came and were quickly consumed. Sufficient of the main course dishes was absorbed to maintain concentration, arrangements were made to ‘take away’ the rest, much later, we walked round the corner and into our seats and the gallop stopped with five minutes to go! It was worth it.
Ron Roberts YANKEE DOODLE by Graham Barraclough CLOVERLEAF PRODUCTIONS Wednesday 6th February
In these Intros, we’ve mentioned the occasional frisson before and here was another – a panto not seen before. Not surprising on two counts: first that Cloverleaf have a history of unusual scripts and second, Barraclough scripts tend to be funny. So, we parked at the Green Dragon and fed well on, lo! and behold, curried lamb chops! Believe it! A further frisson and funny start to the evening. Director Ros Roderigo sought the maximum amount of fun out of this quirky script. There were so many characters on stage that the streets of Coombe St N must have been empty! Ideas abounded like the Dame and Principal Girl doing a hilarious backing group to the ‘Water’ song, the projected firelight gobo over the Red Indian dance, the ‘ghost riders in the sky’ appropriately dismounted with altered words and the group’s trademark, inventive UV scene with an inebriated singer and other moving parts! Youngsters were conspicuously involved and even smiled following that swinging version of ABC Boogie. Louise Knight somehow managed choreographic magic by ensuring that nobody fell off that postage stamp of a stage.
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Singing cowboy Sol Farr banjo’d us under way, Rob Stephens gradually picking up tempo to the very sure and funny “Water”. Speeding things along was Mercy Mae, with the assurance required of a Wild West gal. Maggy Goodall had a drawl that would consistently stop a stagecoach! Villain Snide Winder was John Attree, languorously searching for gold. His “and ha!” ending to any cackle was a hoot. Bob Dunn was that most unlikely of Principal Boys dressed in cowboy chaps! As Donny Doodle with a break in his voice, he wandered about looking for ‘water’ with Sol but mainly haplessly wondering ‘what happened’! Lola La Goon was a busty chanteuse in the person of Dave Goodall. With good timing and phrasing, ‘she’ was the calm centre of the tornado and ‘chanteused’ her way through ‘Copacabana! (Told you script was quirky!) Wilma and Wanda reluctantly aided dad Snide, a giggly pair this, Kelly Boyland and Abbie Dunn who acted well singing ‘Man, I feel like a woman’ and were determined to be hilariously OTT. Neil Lane was a man of two parts, relishing both oily Italian and greasy Mexican alike – and we relished him. Elvis-‐out-‐of-‐hiding and grizzled Marvin were definitely not twins, but they were as tall as each other seeing as how Martin Wale played both. The one in white jump-‐suit groping in dark glasses, the other looking as if he smelt of old mine shafts! Richard Roderigo was suitably inscrutable as the Indian Chief – and certain of his origins, since he sang to that effect! The talking he left to Mini Skirt, an eager Abbie Cousins in a suitably-‐modified squaw’s frilly shift. With good timing she ‘took on’ the audience – and won! The quartet of Louise Knight, Sandra Pittwood, Tracey Rodgers and Helen Rose as GhostBUSTies made the most of their song, their physical enhancements, a manic bit of Guggenham Star and their rap was pure Stand-‐Up. The next ‘star’ was Tinkerbell, Maggie Griffiths a late-‐script, comic cameo, brightly punchy and a soprano song. Also a star and frequent mirage was young Beckie Orchard’s cat purr, meow, song and dance well in place. Other supporters were Brenda Steel (shop), Dom Wilshire (lifeguard), Nanette Wale (cook), Jackie Cobbledick & Sally Ryall-‐Fletcher(saloon girls), and youngster mirages Mia Wootten (sang well as Annie), Delilah Salway-‐Roberts and Nell Wallbridge. Yankee Doodle was far removed from New England, being a rootin’, tootin’, hootin’ piece of thoroughly enjoyable nonsense in some ‘dry, dusty, desert’ out in the West. Dry and dusty certainly didn’t apply to this wet-‐tearfully funny and not-‐so-‐dusty, total entertainment.
Ron Roberts
SNOW WHITE by Doreen Moger BARRINGTON PLAYERS Friday 8th February
There must be many village pantomimes that, like Barrington, have been entertaining their communities for years but, sadly, have not sought to join the panto ‘family’ that exists within the Fellowship. We enjoyed a panto here some years ago and praised it in Spotlight to the Somerset public. Was it modesty that explained the subsequent absence from ‘the lists’? A rejoining Society is a joy. Something new: at ‘curtain minus five’ the house-‐lights briefly went down to half and the ‘house’ at the bar instantly sought their seats. Director Bryan Hallett’s experience was well to the fore as in the youngsters trooping through the auditorium singing the opening number or the crowd looking left as Snow White entered stage right with a loud “AHEM”. Background mood music made the mirror magical, scenes dovetailed without hiatus and, by contrast, the Prince comically posed on first entrance – hero ‘sent up’! Attention to detail delighted: the bashful lovesick boy with a rose for SW; the dust leaping out of the wizard’s closed tome; dwarfs(sic) all jumping in unison at each sneeze; lillies for the presumed funeral and that overt but effective transition of villain to toad. Villain earlier did invade stage right, though: was that misplaced enthusiasm or a directorial ‘tut’? Revelations abounded and started with Wot! What? Well, Wot was a young linkman with attack squared – and then some! An actor plus, Angus Crosbie worked the audience with excellent cue-‐bite and, fleetingly, a talking hand-‐puppet rabbit. What? Not one linkman but Joel Baker to boot as energetic Lester the Jester, physically and verbally comic and with irresistible smile. Mummsy Mrs Murgatroyd arrived, Ian Smith’s Dame’s happy embrace of the audience was mutual, his acting skills apparent in every gesture. Sue Applegate seemed type-‐cast as villainous Queen Eldread, speech patterns and body language purveying seamless venom, mistress of the ad lib and total quasher of hecklers! The Wishing Well Fairy was Claire Hart, a no-‐nonsense PG-‐minder in a ‘telling-‐it-‐as-‐it-‐is’ manner. Her charge was Rosie Blows as the eponymous heroine, Walt-‐Disney-‐winsome with a sparkling smile and an actor’s delivery. She posed prettily too, matching Keiron Wilce’s Prince, he of the ‘demonstration’ stance and comic pause for applause. Their light, true voices were well matched in the romantic duet. Colin Strickland’s King was wonderfully bumbling, an empathetic soul due to his non-‐stop worries. The
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magic Mirror’s function was to dole out bad news but it had a heart! Felicity Murray did so in sepulchral tones well matched to the message of doom. So the Queen summoned emissaries. First came Peter Card’s Wizard, hugely enjoying his comically big, stumbling entrance through the audience and involving hapless members. A kinky character who advised evil magic to be induced by spelling an agent’s name backward. Hence the comedy wrought out of Hannah as the agent. Allison Kelly had instinctive comic timing and a cleverly changed voice once infected by the spell. Finally, two effective gangs, regrettably too numerous to name. All twelve dwarfs were actors and all relished their moment and funny one-‐line gags. They were kept ‘strictly’ busy by ‘Bossy’, the appropriately named Rosanna Strickland (sorry, couldn’t resist)! The juniors were scampering animals or six fairies and one elf! What a cracking show! The County Council were, unannounced, repairing the cracks in the Langport bridge which seemed designed to thwart our getting there on time. So, a swift wade through the waterlogged Levels was induced and we were there with five minutes to spare. It was worth the detour!
Ron Roberts TREASURE ISLAND by Chris de Vere Hunt PORLOCK PANTOMIME & DRAMA SOCIETY Saturday 9th February We have memories of being dug out of the snow-‐and-‐ice-‐filled Porlock Village Hall car park but the reasons this time for seeking a slot in the pub opposite was two-‐fold. First, they had promised to be showing the 5pm rugby match. Second, that we always eat there before watching the pantomime. Thus, we were anticipating enjoying two fine local products. The ‘social occasion’ nature of a Porlock panto was underlined by the opening event being the audience singing ‘happy birthday’ to one punter. Director Chris de Vere furnished her own funny script with good panto practices like snatches of music to cover scene changes, the stage bathed in green for a doom-‐laden prediction, or bathed in strobe lighting for the fight. We saw good grouping on that tiny stage and touches of physical humour like the Morecame and Wise exit or a character’s ‘spitting’ reinforced by a hidden waterpistol! Audience participation was rife including all of us ‘blowing’ three boats ashore after the shipwreck. Nobody slept! Nautical King Triton soon dispelled that happy mood with vehemently proclaimed, green-‐lit gloom,
Howard Mountfield an instant villain, grey-‐painted and wide-‐eyed with guttural declamation. Opposing him, with sweet reason were white-‐lit Tina Chiswell and Daisy Smith as hi daughters Ariel and Marina, magnificently rigged as psychedelic, rainbow-‐harlequin-‐patterned mermaids. Polly Perkins was the Dame of the piece, Steve Sanders with good timing and very confident of his chat-‐up lines. He effectively acted his way through ‘Big Spender’! Principal Boy Jim Perkins must have inherited confidence from ‘his’ mum! Tasha Smith very comfortable with clear speech and an engaging smile. ‘He’ ended up engaged to his Principal Girl, pretty and word-‐perfect Beth Boardman as Tammy Trelooney. Her dad the Squire was Patrick Daley, smoothly making the transition from po-‐faced start to warm personality finish. Next came two types to relish. Billy Bones was a vibrant herald of doom, a con brio character who stopped the show. Bill Lemmey sang well with manic moves and brought the house down. (This was contrary to his off-‐stage form as the local vicar!) Then Visually Impaired Pugh, with sun-‐glasses and white staff, Kay Wright tapping ‘his’ way into some members of the audience, cackling grimly away and searing the memory of those on the receiving end. Opposing forces in this treasure hunt were the coastguards and the pirates. The former were of the stealthy and quiet mode, led by Annie Smith as Lieutenant Pigsley, amiably backed by Chief Boatman Brian Palmer and supported by Junior Guards Emily Baker, Jessica Osterlind and Louie Chiswell. The pirates were happy Amy Webber as Israel Knuckles, Gaby Routley wore the hat as Jolly Roger and Harry Smith was the diminutive motor-‐mouth Mr Marrow. Eventually rejoining them was Jon Kemp as Long John Saliva who was certainly long, looked smelly, had an accent as broad as a bus and worked the audience well enough to be a linkman manque. His sidekick was Sharon Smith as Woody, a five-‐foot parrot-‐with-‐an-‐attitude and a cheery smile below the beak. Candy Bright played Dr Liversausage as a precise-‐mannered ship’s medico to Kay Wright’s Capt Smellitt, she of the measured, pompous authority. Lily Bampton-‐Wilton was the island’s inhabitant as rapid, word-‐perfect Ben Grunge. Both local products were indeed thoroughly enjoyable this one fine day. Both were observed from well-‐placed vantage points. Both were carefully prepared and well served up. What’s more, Wales won. A fine day out.
Ron Roberts
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ROBIN HOOD by Bradford and Webster SOMERTON DRAMATIC SOCIETY Monday 11th February
The two pantomime societies nearest our home have something else in common in that both have junior sections. Martock Young Players have a weekly meeting throughout the year: Somerton Youth Drama have monthly sessions and both groups teach theatrical basics. The steady stream of young talent available come annual panto time is legendary. We went two miles up the road happily anticipating the first tranche of this year’s crop.
The sleeping Soothsayer unobserved by most of the gathering audience was the first example of director Ian Hurdman’s sure touch making the most of the dramatic content of this slick script. Scenes dovetailed well throughout and enabled changes of pace without undue sacrifice of time. Audience participation was rife. Their answer to a ‘postage stamp’ stage is a sloping ramp which served Dame and Villain to get scarily amongst the audience! Full marks for that modified bench with the bogus leg and for the humorous traipse around slim wings to get to the picnic. All was jolly until the principals embraced in full view of the audience – aaarrrrgh! Generations of past brilliants spun in their graves! But that was not the reason for imprisoning Maid Marian in that cleverly simple cage with the even more clever twin, flaming torches up above. Pure panto. The Sheriff of Nottingham is a huge presence in panto-‐land and Greg Phillips more than lived up to the name. His entrance through the auditorium was an avalanche of energy and he made sure that we hated him. Physicality continued as he walked his pleasant baritone solo amongst us, flinging his arms about and – incidentally? – striking yours truly on the shoulder! An actor at the top of his game. Nanny Nora was also a big person, Ian Vardy bosom-‐enhanced and four-‐square solid as minder to Maid
Marian. Josie Mitchell was our sweet heroine, beguiling until challenged and then, look out, dead feisty. Sang her solo with feeling. She soon attracted Robin, cheery-‐smiling Ed Bassett as a male Principal Boy but none-‐the-‐less capable of a great thigh-‐slap. His chum Much, the Miller’s Son was bouncy Francis Crawley, attacking humour from all sides with his linkman’s double greeting as a running gag. The Enchantress of the Forest was somewhat classical, a sort of Greek Chorus figure that was almost above it all, such was Patricia Allen’s calm assurance. By contrast, Chris Scriven woke from her Soothsayer’s pre-‐panto kip to cackle and screech with the best of witches. She crabbily opposed Enchantress, not least in an amusing, one-‐note ‘Anything You Can Do …’! Nickett and Scarper were a close-‐knit team, Toby Weech and Heather Bassett seemingly born to be comic Broker’s Men. Excellent cue-‐bite and harmony in song were their trademarks. The five Merry Men enjoyed their sparse cameos: Amelia Noonan a bouncy Scarlet; Luke Brickley a cool Little John; Colin Francis a hungry Friar Tuck, then a bent Mr Dribble and finally a straight King John; Joe Griffin growled as Will Stutely and Phoebe Swinson sang sweetly as Alana Dale. The six hoodies were present as apprentice outlaws and ‘second-‐row forward’ chorus and the ten Dibbles were shrill school-‐kids and general talents on call. Everyone on that stage sang their hearts out.
Talent was indeed on display and not merely from the juniors! There were almost more cast than the twelve feet by ten stage could hold. Drama training will show: no youngster attempted to upstage any of the adults – they merely relied on their talent!
Ron Roberts
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SNOW WHITE by Ben Crocker COASTLINE PLAYERS Tuesday 12th February
It is always difficult to judge how long it’s going to take to get from our home to the Coastline panto. We compete with heavy-‐duty Street-‐bound traffic on the light-‐traffic-‐designed ridge road between Ashcott and Bridgwater. We queue along the Motorway. We then – like everyone else – think that Berrow will never appear as we pass farms converted to holiday camps or leisure parks, a seemingly never-‐ending coast. As we progress, we know that the cast is already made-‐up and waiting and raring to go. It took more than an hour -‐ but we had allowed enough time! We had a fight and animals and chaos, all happily programmed by director Anne Allen and her nine-‐year-‐old ‘assistant’ producer Archie Difford (kids are good at animals and chaos)! We, the audience, were involved! Induced to join in ‘The Bright Side of Life’, some of us managed to whistle; we marvelled at the chase of principals round those tiny wings by the man-‐sized bear; we cheered the mega thump of a villain by the diminutive heroine; we laughed at that set gag of the puppy that ‘flew’ back to the wings – it always works! No wonder the cast smiled a lot, particularly as we ended with the swinging EVERYBODY from the Blues Brothers, the entire cast in dark glasses! Apprentice Fairy Goodheart was eagerly warm and welcoming, Sam Nicol cheerfully admitting that she was still a learner and might get it wrong. We didn’t care and she was soon buttressed by Linda Bond, bustling with endeavour as teacher Wonderwings. We needed both since the opposition was formidable: Robin Hewlett as the grim-‐faced mirror Speak True spoke with a faint but spooky echo to Queen Caligula. Claire Hunter was sharply vicious, had an actor’s timing and gesture and that great cackle was part of the master-‐class in venom. Black Wing was her toadying, willing agent of doom, all evil glee, animated face and expressive eyes. The two sang well their duet of (rather black) ‘Dreams’. Isabell Wooley made a wonderfully vulnerable and winsome Snow White. Her lively face conveyed emotion well and her songs were full of the ‘aaaah’ factor, being light and sweet. It was well matched in Katrina Doyle’s Prince, their duet touching enough to keep the audience kids rapt! A Principal Boy with a bright smile and bouncy manner. Dame Dolly Dumpling was big-‐voiced, radiant-‐smiling John Robinson who arrived amongst us with characteristic impact. In a reversal of tradition he
collected sweets FROM the audience and re-‐distributed them! Continuous hilarity delivered with comic body language. By clever contrast, Amber McHale’s Danny Dumpling was played as gauche and rudderless with a ‘marble-‐in-‐the-‐mouth’. They made a balanced, comedic pair. Hardly ever balanced were the bouncy Broker’s Men Bogwort and Stinkwort, Phil Crossland and Pat Harris, the one with a lisp, the other very loud and missing teeth! Good physical comedy and cue-‐bite. This script gave the dwarfs plenty to do and say. Top Dwarf was Joe Bell, very articulate and bossy when needed, he marshalled his troops with a certainty well above his thirteen years! The rest looked bright, paid attention to each other, spoke their lines with feeling and were word-‐perfect. They were Kait Jarvis (12), Missy Hicks(9), Lily Kilduff(10), Emma Hick(13), Sophie Worgan(7) and Poppy Kilduff, aged a mere 6! The coastline never seems as long on the homeward journey, does it? On this night, we found that the time passed quickly as we remembered the many ‘best bits’ of the evening. The run took rather less than an hour!
Ron Roberts JACK AND THE BEANSTALK by Alan P. Frayn C.A.R.D.S. Wednesday 13th February
We like going to any panto – that’s a ‘given’, virtually part of the job description! We particularly like going to a CARDS panto because there is (again) a great village atmosphere, there is (again) a nurturing of young talent and there is a habit of taking pains to decorate the entire Village Hall in tune with the pantomime. Furthermore, the Blackbrook Inn is just half a mile and four corners away and are newly part of a national two-‐for-‐one club that we found. Job done! Director Chris Roberton used resources well to the huge delight of the audience. The crowded village hall had been transformed into the inside of a medieval chamber and, when the tabs opened, we looked out at a village green with a maypole dance in progress and tinies playing ring-‐a-‐ring-‐o-‐roses alongside. We watched in UV light as the beanstalk grew up into the rafters and saw it transformed into a structure that easily supported the Principal Boy. The juniors danced a sweet ballet much appreciated by the Brownies in the front rows. The latter were also presented to the rat at the end of the clever variation on the ‘ghost’ set gag – it was the rat that ran away!
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As previously observed in these columns, Fairies come in all sorts. Lisa Whaites as Sugardust was of the sweet and gentle variety, her word-‐perfect couplets spreading reassurance. We needed it because the twin effect of the giant’s voice and Kelle Hebron as villainess Picalilli was scary. She was positively evil but captured hearts when she sang Skyfall. Rob Chilcott as her sidekick Rancid was also forceful when not showing a tendency to good comic timing, a plastic face and a catching smile – get it? Dame Dotty Dimple filled both stage and hall, big voice, big fixed smile. In trad panto fashion she failed to get much change out of her sons Simple Simon and Jack. Sally Baughurst as the former made a clattering entrance and provided continuous energy for the rest of the evening – and, of course, beans for mum. Hannah Carolan as Jack was the quintessentially good-‐looking hero, very relaxed and as ‘he’ set about saving and wooing. The focus of the latter was Princess Primrose, Chloe Hector of the sweet smile and couth speech who soon succumbed to the charm. Their Romantic Duet was pleasantly harmonious. Broker’s Men Snatchett and Scarper were like two peas in a pod. Stacey Allwood and Katie Symons matched each other in well-‐coordinated moves, facial expressions and timing. Their ‘WhoopDeDoDah’ song with the youngsters was fun. Also in energetic voice was the ‘Tragedy’ quartet delivered by Jack, Athena Bellringer as Humphrey the ‘correct’ court herald, the director as the appropriately authoritative King and Fredarica Gilbert as the mummsey queen who kept the King firmly under her thumb. Sharon Francois and Susan Parker hid inside the droop-‐eyed Buttermilk, who bowed nicely on being introduced, kicked buckets on time and understandably shivered at the prospect of being in a pie. Jake Potter scampered at speed as Rat and Natasha Francois sang as a sweet harp. Gary Symons wearing a great giant’s head and enormous boots sensibly propped himself against the scenery during the walkdown. The carvery at the Blackbrook is always good, is inexpensive and at 2for1 even cheaper! That was the first joy of the evening. The second, inevitably, was the pleasure of seeing youngsters from aged 4 upwards clearly enjoying themselves in performance, singing their hearts out and very rarely bumping into the furniture! They would inevitably go home after a performance thinking that that was a job well done. Agreed!
Ron Roberts
SLEEPING BEAUTY original script by Lin Hook PURITON PLAYERS Thursday 14th February
Valentine’s Day and a dilemma! Do I take her ladyship out for the traditional candle-‐lit dinner or do my duty and cover the panto. On the basis that I have never ducked a duty we booked in at the Puriton Inn near to the village hall and looked forward to the panto as post-‐prandial entertainment! This home-‐grown script by director Lin Hook was beautifully set and dressed and took note of standard panto ingredients. We had the cast in amongst us, we had chaos in the chase scene and a transformation (mini linkman-‐to-‐hunk). Lin brought her own, different, touches to the story like the bewigged footmen to assist the cast down off stage, display panels to house the fairies’ backing group, non-‐P.C. Broker’s Men and a polystyrene wedding cake to withstand the slosh. The House Number was a manic version of that South Korean comic nonsense Gangnam Style. We were glad to sit back down. A script written for the Players, obviously, because not one Fairy but four, an abundance of riches. Boss Florentina oozed authority, Dottie Hardman with measured couplets and a funny song contest with the villain! Fairies Stardust, Pink Floss and Green Moss were a formidable force. Joh Debenett, Jen Lloyd and Tina Stone all with non-‐stop smiles, very articulate and the former flightily flouncy to boot. Opposing them was Carabosse, sexily dressed in red and black, colours of danger and doom. Sophie Hunt Davidson strutted her haughty stuff and happily sneered at the audience. It was difficult to feel threatened for long since her side-‐kicks were Julian and Lesley, both camp and a reminiscent tribute to radio’s ‘Round the Horn’ of old. John Rowland and Ben Wyatt invariably bounced on and boldly posed! We enjoyed them. Alan Scott is an old hand at creating an impact, being big and energetic. Nanny Annie was effortlessly comic, ingredients being a lugubrious face and splendid timing. His ‘Pussycat’ duet with the pushy
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Chancellor seemed nothing to do with the plot but a joy nonetheless. The latter was energetic linkman Sam Lewin, a natural MC and pointing his comic lines well. Also working the audience like a pro with sky-‐high confidence was Peter Pumpkin. This Junior linkman was Jacob Addis, a natural comic who introduced the running gag of the audience waving our invitations whenever ‘the party’ was mentioned. This paragon was a mere ten years old! Colin Burnap was a jolly, whirling, bustling and round King who found joy in everything including in his Queen Tamsin, Lisa Maguire was all manic movement, joyful screech and gleeful attack. By contrast, Amber Stone as Princess Aurora was sweetly demure but feisty enough to add to the running gag. She sang with a light, tripping voice which matched that of her beau, Rebecca Miller as tall, well spoken, upright Prince William. James Presley as ‘his’ sidekick Harry was a gruff but couth equerry with an eye for the girls. Jenna Debenett and Ellie Picton as Fairies Dust and Christmas were keen apprentices at the feet of Florentina. Warm support came from Charlie Dolman (groom and nanny), Dave Clarke (hunk) and a raft of juniors, regrettably too numerous to name, but given the chance, spoke well.
The Inn was kind to us: doors open at 6 and our meal promised for ten minutes later! They did us proud and, well fed, walked out with a rose and five minutes to go! Glad we did both because it was a whizz of a show. No Valentine jokes mind, but there again, there were no candles at dinner either!
Ron Roberts
SNOW WHITE an original script by David Rossington SHEPTON MALLET THEATRE GROUP Friday 15th February
One of the joys of having been in this job for a while is tracking the changing fortunes of member groups. The loss of the Amulet caused some grief to SMTG, not only through missing the long-‐familiar performance space but also for having to induce their tardy audience to move to a new space. It was thus a continuation of that joy to hear of the near sell-‐out of this show. Scriptwriters who direct their own shows naturally do tend to milk the most out of the material and this was certainly the case with David Rossington. Amongst other things to admire was the eerie surruration of strings whenever the villainess was speaking, chorus sections greeting each other during the opening number, the running gags of (first) the spotlight being in the wrong place whenever the narrator came on and (second) the escalation of wrong seats ending in a throne. The hand-‐puppet dog was a whizz with the kids and the co-‐ordinated timing of its bark in response to audience prompting was impressive. We enjoyed the counterpoint singing of the youngsters in ‘One at a Time’ and seeing a properly-‐Tudor-‐tunic-‐dressed Principal Boy. The Stop Press item for the traditional song of local news was the ever-‐present, wacky Gangnam Style. All done in precisely two-‐and-‐a-‐half hours. Such attention to detail. One expects a Narrator to be clear-‐voiced and Rachael Bartlett disappointed nobody! BBC-‐measured when reading but very lively when dragged into the action. The Good Fairy was sweet and caring and word-‐perfect throughout. So was Carol Howarth, either as the statuesque Lady Lawdown or the imperious Witch, the latter with acting ability, a great laugh and good singing voice. She talked down to The Mirror: Grant Downton was having none of it, scripted to be refreshingly lippy and casually street-‐wise. She got more change out of Stu and Sue, Glyn Webster and Chris Jones vaguely reminiscent of Abbot & Costello, the one lanky and the other bubbly. Their duet fitted their act as two halves of a comic whole. Also purveying laughter with well-‐pointed lines and comic body-‐language was Aaron Moulder as linkman Jester Jim. He sang his solo with Music Hall attack and handled the puppet ‘Woof’ so as to match the slapstick effect of forerunners like Basil Brush. Brian Jeffery as the dame, Governess Gertie reminded us of Old Mother Riley in both dress and dry, throwaway delivery. Georgia Veale as Snow White was Disney-‐perfect
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and she charmed us with a great smile. Acting skills well to the fore, the ‘aaah!’ factor captured the hearts of dwarfs, audience and Prince Dominic alike. Kimberley Bartlett had the proper stance and bearing that we expect of a Principal Boy. Hannah was played by Hannah Purnell (locally written – or what?) the Royal Housekeeper. A bright presence and as sharp and precise a stand-‐in Chancellor as one would wish for. Quite right too, keeping in place the director(!) as the happily bumbling King. The seven dwarves were individually charmingly articulate and corporately confident singers in the appropriate ‘One of Us’. The chorus were enthusiastic throughout. The school is well ‘flagged up’ opposite Phillips tyres in the High Street but as a structure it obviously ‘grew like Topsy’! The narrow route from road to hall door is round several punter-‐crowded corners to a full(!) car park but we managed to tuck in behind the flats van. The show was well worth the effort.
Ron Roberts BEAUTY AND THE BEAST an original script by Christina Benson WINCANTON AMATEUR DRAMATIC SOCIETY Saturday 16th February
We travelled to The Memorial Hall with light hearts and happy anticipation because WADS had ‘rested’ last year and in the previous year had to withdraw through no fault of their own. A welcome return. We got there and found that punters, rather than pay a formal entrance fee, were being requested to give donations on leaving. The given reason being that a regional magazine had been misinformed that the show was cancelled and, as an act of public service, had published so. A good crowd had gathered. We all jumped a bit when an extremely loud flash-‐bang got proceedings under way. Director-‐cum-‐scriptwriter Christina certainly believes in audience participation and had a mixture of the traditional and the new to achieve it. Good use was made of the auditorium aisles, none better than when the Beast on first entry growled its way forward (traditional) or all of us finding out the name of the punter to our left and shouting it out on cue or, again, standing up and cheering to restore Tinkerbell from a swoon (both new)! There were also nice presentational ideas like a gauze mid-‐stage behind which stood a character symbolically incarcerated or, at the
walkdown, the villain in delicate chains and the happy couple being showered with confetti. It is always a joy to find that youngsters trusted with a major role do it well. Two fairies fitted that accolade. Amanda Graffham(15) was Fairy Nuff, confident, very ‘with it’ and purveying in-‐your-‐face common-‐sense and singing well. The other was Tinkerbell, who had comically wandered into the wrong panto! Chelsea Judd(13) also utterly confident, clearly enjoying herself on stage and we, in turn, enjoyed that tuneful rendering of ‘Wish Upon a Star’. Becky Guest had clearly been directed to present a Beast as loud and cold-‐natured as the story-‐line demands and an effective job she made of it. So much so that the dance between B&B was tense and the eventual transformation poignant. Bella was the Beauty and believably vulnerable, Chloe Plummer with clear diction and sweet singing voice captured our hearts as well as that of the Beast. Chris Hill as Belle’s father Marcell was articulate enough to energise the pub clientele as to her predicament and challenge someone to do something about it. Gayston the suave villain responded, attracted more by money than glory, Adam Holland played him growly and with a good scowl! Serving up some verbal light touches around the growls was Dawn Henson as Wally, a chirpy neo-‐linkman sidekick. Also feeding in humour were the Dame and the Broker’s Men. Mike Benson as Dame Poopalot (well, really!) adopted a chatty style, a bustling walk, worked the audience and delivered an excellent comic version of ‘I Am Who I Am’. Estee and Lauder provided the energetic knockabout and standup, Jo Graffham doing very well after only a brief rehearsal period and Steve Bennett, a natural, effortless comic. Their non-‐sexy dance was a hoot. Also raising chuckles was Heather Neal as The woebegone Cow, cleverly scripted as a running gag, carrying a series of humorous signs. Maggie Benson was Mrs T – for teapot – a warm individual and cosy enough (sorry, couldn’t resist!). This script did not give teacup Pip (Codessa Benson), flaming Mr Can-‐del (Siobhan Domoney) or grandfather clock Mr Chime (Jayne Bentley) much to say but they said it efficiently. That show should not have been provided on the basis of “what did you think it was worth?” It was good entertainment and well worth six pounds of anyone’s money. Any punter that had been charged as much to get in would have felt that it was money well spent.
Ron Roberts
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Jane Leakey is an avid thespian. She has been involved since childhood and is active in the Taunton Thespians as well as St Gregory Players. She also makes a living from making and performing with puppets both in the theatre and in such esteemed establishments as the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. I asked her how she first became involved in the theatre. “I started acting aged nine.” She told me. “We were at school and the teacher got us to make up little sketches, which we practised in the playground. I played a robot monster and all I had to do was lie on a table and keep sitting, scaring those around me. I was surprised and delighted to find that the audience laughed each time I did this and was then hooked.” But Jane’s love of acting was nurtured by parents who also loved the stage and exposed her to the delights of the theatre at a very early age. “My parents were also involved in the early stages of the Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton,
often performing front of house duties. So every other week I experienced the wonderful privilege of sitting at the back of the auditorium, watching everything from ballet, opera, plays and musicals. My parents also took me to see the greats including Max Wall, Jimmy Edwards, Dora Bryan and Hinge and Bracket.” And, of course, Jane’s love of theatre took her into the world of amateur drama where she has been acting with local groups for years. She also directs and writes plays. Jane told me, “I wrote and directed The Christmas Quest for St Gregory Players. I shall be performing Snake in the Grass with the Taunton Thespians in March at the Tacchi Morris.”
Jane Leakey is a well-known performer on the amateur stage in Somerset. But there is a creative side to Jane that not everyone who sees her on the stage knows about. Here we explore Janeʼs successful career as a puppeteer and find out about her journey from rural Somerset to some of the countryʼs most revered institutions.
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Jane started her own puppet theatre company fourteen years ago in 1999. “I formed Fat Cat Theatre Company after touring with various theatre companies. I wrote my first play which featured many weird and wonderful creatures including an operatic octopus. I realised that the only way to perform these characters was by using puppets. So I made them for the show, including an anaemic vampire bat called Vinne. (‘I bit my tongue once and fainted’)” Jane has some amazing puppet creations and I wondered where she got them. I should have known better. She is proud of the fact that they are all her own work. The variety of the creatures she creates is amazing and I wondered how long it takes to make each one. “It is hard to say how long it takes to make each one. Part of the process involves research and thinking and experimenting. Sometimes I will make something and realise that it doesn't operate properly so then I have to take it all apart and start again.” Of course, it is not just a question of making the puppets; it is also about developing the storylines and the staging for each one. “I will research and write a script and then work with a professional director. We will see what works and then I will do a rewrite. I usually end up with
about seven rewrites and also during this process I will make the puppets.” But making puppets is not just about how they look and the character that they will be given by Jane; it is also about the practicalities of the art form. Jane explains, “It is not just a case of the puppets looking good but also they have to be comfortable to operate and also easy to put on and take off as I am often operating two at a time.” And, of course, like all great exponents of their art, Jane makes it look so easy. But as well as looking good, she also has to create an individual and identifiable character for each puppet, and this is where her skills honed on the amateur stage really stand her in good stead. “The characters are usually easy to find, it is as though they present themselves to me before I have even made them. I will usually visualise a face and a voice at the same time and it just goes from there really. It is the same when I write a script – I find it really easy as I can hear the characters' dialogue in my head. All I have to do is write it down. All my puppets have different voices and accents. For example, Jack the rat is from London, Harry the heron from Grantham and Patrick the fox from Ireland.” It is a long way from the Tacchi Morris Centre and Jane’s home in Bawdrip to the Natural
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History Museum and I wondered how that had come about. Jane told me, “I made my debut at the Natural History Museum last autumn. Each week I receive a newsletter from Puppeteer's UK, which includes jobs. So I applied for the job of puppeteer at the museum and after an interview and 15 minute audition was successful in gaining the position.” And that has led to other opportunities for Jane and her coterie of puppets. As a result of her involvement with the Natural History Museum, the V&A want to commission a puppet show to fit around one of their exhibitions and the Science Museum have asked her to make some of their props for their Educational Department. Jane told me, “They want me to make a frog at the moment.” All of this fits neatly with Jane’s abiding passion for wildlife. She said. “Some of my puppet shows cover Natural History, with an emphasis on British wildlife. An Otter's Tale was originally commissioned by Natural England and I regularly perform at Shapwick Heath Nature Reserve.”
And Jane’s wildlife knowledge comes from first-‐hand experience from around the world. “Monkey Business was written as a direct result of one of my passions: I have worked with gorillas, monkeys and chimpanzees in Cameroon and in Namibia nursed a baby baboon in my bed! I have also looked after rescued elephants in Thailand and cheetahs, lions and leopards in
Namibia. I am also a semi professional wildlife photographer and have had exhibitions of my work.” Jane is clearly multi-‐talented and hugely enthusiastic about what she does. And, of course, it all fits in with her love of amateur drama too. “When I wrote The Christmas Quest for St Gregory Players I also wrote in lots of puppets. So I taught the group how to make puppets and also how to operate them. I also directed a UV scene where a giant dragon flies through the air and also included a shadow puppet scene at the end of the play.” The production was very well received. The Somerset County Gazette called it “a spellbinding evening.” And Jane and her puppets are still active in the world of Somerset amateur drama. “I have been asked to make a cockatoo puppet for @2K's production of ‘Allo ‘Allo and have also made puppets for the Wayfarers and IES.” The joy of listening to Jane is that it is clear that this is all a labour of love. “I love what I do – not only do I perform puppet shows but I also run workshops – special FX makeup, puppet making, mask making, model making, drumming, drama, film making. I work with so many different people from all walks of life including children with autism, ADHD and physical disabilities. One day I might be performing Bully Off!, my interactive puppet show about bullying, the next I will be performing Monkey Business in someone's front room for a children's birthday party. I just want to keep on doing what I do -‐entertaining people and especially making them laugh, sharing my love and passion for all animals, especially primates; communicating with and entertaining as many people as possible. That is my mission.” And we hope that she continues to be successful – and involved in amateur drama – for a long time to come.
You can see Jane on stage at the Tacchi-Morris Centre in Taunton Thespianʼs production of Snake in the Grass by Alan Aykbourne from 12th to 16th March 2013. @2kʼs production of ʻAllo ʻAllo will be performed at the Tacchi Morris Arts Centre, Taunton from 7th to 11th May. Details of both productions are in Whatʼs On on page 8. You can find out more about Janeʼs Fat Cat Theatre Company if you visit her website on: www.fatcat-theatre.co.uk You can see some of her amazing wildlife photographs by visiting: www.redbubble.com/people/apeart
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