The Rotherfield Players Present. A play written by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft 16 th -18 th October 2014 Rotherfield Village Hall Programme 2

Transcription

1 The Rotherfield Players Present A play written by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft 16 th -18 th October 2014 Rotherfield Village Hall Programme 2

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3 From the Chairman Andy Miller Well here we are with a complete change from our previous production, Road which was a real gritty and realistic English drama, to the completely unrealistic but nevertheless, very English, comedy of Are You Being Served. There s innuendo in almost every other line and a string of characters straight out of BBC central casting, all producing that wonderfully un-pc humour we all remember from the seventies and into the eighties. Yet again the age group of the cast spans a few years - I think I m the oldest - and we have managed to get four juniors on stage as well. Rehearsals have been great fun and on many occasions I laughed till I cried at either words, actions or usually both. And not just me - the corpsing from the cast has been splendid too - hopefully over by now! On a slightly more serious note it s yet again a great joy to reflect that Rotherfield Players have such a depth of talent, both individually and collectively, that allows us to put on such a variety of productions: but all of our efforts would be nothing without you. So enjoy yourselves and if the production tempts you to join us actively we d love to see you. From the Director Adam Hardy Are You Being Served had its original run on television from but I remember watching the many re-runs on TV as I was growing up. Since then I have always found the episodes hilariously funny with each of the characters adding many layers to the comedic genius of the show. I knew that if any society could rise to the challenge of dealing with Mrs Slocombe s Pussy and the constant cries of I m Free! it would be the Rotherfield Players. With this in mind, I set out on the task of bringing the stage show version of this TV classic to our local stage. The cast have all been fantastic! A true essence of teamwork has run through the whole production process with every cast member pulling together and supporting each other. Rehearsals have been fun from beginning and I always wanted it that way, everyone knew we were there because we enjoyed it. I could not be prouder of the cast and will miss rehearsing with them twice a week. I wish to thank the amazing production team that have supported me with bringing the show to fruition. Andy Miller, Mark Tasker and David Tasker have worked with outstanding enthusiasm to produce the wonderful set you see before you. Charles and Sarah Truelove have been a constant support to me. Sarah, acting as Assistant Director has been advising me and polishing bits of my direction all through the rehearsal period. Charles as my producer has kept us all in line where business and administration are concerned and both have been a sounding board for me when things were dwelling on my mind. Deirdre Cornford who, as well as acting as prompt, has been at nearly every rehearsal reading in for people, helping me out by being an extra pair of eyes and even taking a couple of rehearsals when I haven t been around. There are so many people who deserve mentioning. There is really no I when it comes to putting on a production of this scale. Finally, I would like to thank you the audience for your continued support of the Rotherfield Players and hope you enjoy the production and don t be afraid to laugh! We couldn t stop during rehearsals!

4 The Cast

5 The Cast Mrs Slocumbe s Pussy Mr Grace - Andy Miller Adam asked if I was going to try for a part and I said (bearing in mind my set building commitments), only of it was a small role. Then when I was offered the part of Young Mr Grace I added the rider that I had to be accompanied by two lovely nurses. I got my way. Hurrah for old age! Best part I've had in my previous and recent time with the Players. Mr Mash - Brian Wright Like many of us here this evening, I recall Are You Being Served? as a very popular TV series. Although it wasn't short on laughs, it was the colourful and well-drawn characters that really stood out for me. Little did I know that, one day, I'd be actually playing one of those characters. Then, little did I know also that I'd be privileged to play any one of the characters in the twelve productions I've, so far, been in for the Players. Bernardo - Paul Philpott In a few weeks I will turn 40 and this year I ve been embracing things I have always wanted to do, but been too scared to try. I feel honoured to have worked with so many talented people in this year s productions on and off stage. Being part of Are you being served? as you can imagine has been a lot of fun. We hope you the audience will enjoy watching us as much as we have enjoyed rehearsing. Have a great evening, I know we will. Conchita - Clare Carruthers Estoy feliz de ser parte de esta producción Rotherfield Players brillante! Fifteen years with the wonderful players has clearly gone to my head. Playing Conchita, the Spanish maid, has been fun and laughter all the way with this fine cast. Thank you Adam for your support and giving me another opportunity to get my legs out.

6 The Cast Cesar - Christian Jarvest This is only my second play, the first was 'Road'. Thought I'd better get another one in before my first baby due next month. Loving Rotherfield Players! Lady Customer - Rachel Unicomb Originally from Australia, Rachel has been involved in various performances from Shakespeare to musicals since she was first introduced to drama at her performing arts high school. She is now a familiar face on the Mayfield stage as a member of the. Pheonix Players. Male Customer - James Jenkins I started with the players in the last pantomime we did and have enjoyed every production I've done since. The inferences Mrs Slocombe and Miss Brahms make are all 100% true. Teresa and Shopper - Bethany Earle This is my ninth show with the Rotherfield Players, and I couldn t have asked for a more entertaining thing to work on. Being brought up with my Dad watching the TV series, it has been made more fun seeing all the characters come to life in front of me, let alone being a part of it! Being a part of this has made even more brilliant (and often humorous) memories. I thank Adam kindly for directing us so fantastically, and I hope you enjoy watching the show as much as we have putting it together! Nurse, Shopper and Holiday Goer - Libby McCarthy This is my sixth show with Rotherfield players, and a change from my usual performances in pantomimes and musicals. I have thoroughly enjoyed being involved with Are you being served despite my minor role Stunts, Girl Shopper and Holiday Maker - Georgie Dolding This is my seventh production with Rotherfield players and I love being part of the group. I've been in Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk, Robinson Crusoe, The Sound of Music, Annie and most recently Road. I have really enjoyed being part of the cast for this performance, it has been a really good experience and I would like to thank all the cast for making our rehearsals so fun and full of laughter. Secretary - Jessica Hardy Who in Rotherfield players won t mind getting their legs out? Probably one of the strangest questions my brother has ever asked me! Here I am as Mr Grace s secretary always glad to have my two minutes of fame!

7 Rehearsal Photographs

8 Backstage Crew Director Adam Hardy Costumes Sue Exton Assistant Director Sarah Truelove Alma Penny Producer Charles Truelove Photography Mark Kennedy Assistant Producer Jessica Hardy Lighting James Harris Hire Stage Manager David Close Keith Finch Choreographer Jessica Hardy Sound Terry Everitt Prompt Deirdre Cornford Set Painting Janet Duchesne Set Designers Andy Miller Props Iona Baily Mark Tasker Mary-Anne Mellor Janet Duchesne Front of House Judith Hardy Set Construction Mark Tasker Bar Manager Brett Seath David Tasker Publicity Becky Syms Andy Miller Programme Gillian Earle Stage Hands Andy Miller Box Office Nicky Dawkins Mark Tasker Nigel Mason Fergus Wilson Alex Hawkins About the Play When the motley crew of the Grace Brothers department store prepare for a sale of German goods and then depart for a staff holiday in Spain, they survive their stay at a one star establishment and their encounters with everything from a Spanish crumpet to randy revolutionaries with everything intact but their modesty. Act 1 Grace Bros Department Store Interval Act 2 1 Star Spanish Holiday Resort

9 Thank You The Rotherfield Players would like to say a huge thank you to: Liz and colleagues who run the Crowborough Animal Welfare Society in Jarvis Brook for all her hard work in finding props and costumes for this production. RSM Charity Shop. Derek Easton for providing us with wigs. Bryan Davies for providing Mr Humphries flamboyant costume. Interview with Sue Conversations with Sue Exton, one of our costume ladies: Where do you find the costumes? We have help from Bryan Davies, a professional designer. We borrow from Val Dormady's warehouse and local charity shops. How do you select the costumes? We meet, plan, measure and then start our search through masses of clothes rails to find the perfect costume for each cast member. Are you a seamstress? Goodness no. We don't make the costumes but having a sewing machine helps as there are always alterations. Why do you like doing costumes? Our team are creative, imaginative and we have lots of fun. Some challenges seem impossible but they usually give us the biggest laughs. COME AND JOIN US

10 Charity Proceeds family pulled together to enable Taylor to achieve all the adventures he had written in his bucket list. The Rotherfield Players Annual Charity for 2014 In 2013, we raised over 1,000 for Care for the Carers; an independent charity which supports unpaid carers in East Sussex. Our chosen charity for 2014 is Taylor- Made Dreams, based just down the road in Crowborough. Taylor-Made Dreams was set up by Suzi Mitchell, in memory of her late son Taylor Mitchell who sadly passed away at the age of 15 from the incurable condition Neurofibromatosis. Taylor-Made Dreams vision is to enable children with life limiting illness achieve their dreams when time is short and also provide the families with holistic therapeutic support at the most difficult of times. All money raised goes towards supporting other life limited children and their families in a variety of ways. The primary aim is to enable the children to have the opportunity of a memorable experience they may otherwise miss out on. Secondly, Taylor-Made Dreams provides holistic therapeutic support to families of the terminally ill child, enabling them to access counselling and other therapies. Finally, they offer practical help and support such as running children to appointments, cooking, cleaning or even shopping. By working with the charity throughout the coming year, The Rotherfield Players hopes to build a supportive relationship with Suzi and Taylor-Made Dreams, through understanding their goals and receiving regular updates on the work they are doing. Suzi Mitchell says At around the same time Taylor received his diagnosis, the film The Bucket List was released and we watched it together. He told me then if I ever found out that he was dying that I wasn't to tell him as he Didn t want to give up ; I never did but he knew. When it became apparent that Taylor s prognosis was terminal and his life expectancy was at best two years, together we wrote his own Bucket List and planned to tick off each one. Friends and

11 Allo Allo A Murder is Announced The Magic Fruit Calamity Jane Garden District The Wizard of Oz The Final Curtain An Ideal Husband Goldilocks and the Three Bears Godspell Bard from the King s Arms Caught in the Net Sleeping Beauty Kiss Me Kate Past Productions The Last 10 Years Les Liaisons Dangereuses Cinderella Busybody Our Country s Good Babes in the Wood Present Laughter The Railway Children (Junior Players) Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen s Guild Production of The Mikado Wind in the Willows Little Shop of Horrors Three Characters in Search of a Verdict & Round the World with Class Six (Junior Players) All My Sons Aladdin The Sound of Music The Elephant Man Robinson Crusoe & the Pirates Noises Off Annie Jr (Junior Players) A Streetcar Named Desire Jack and the Beanstalk Road Next Production 5 th, 6 th & 7 th February 2015 Tale as old as time recreated in this forthcoming fabulous pantomime. Help night Monday 20th October 8pm Memorial Hall Auditions Friday 24th October 7.30pm Village Hall Many roles for varying ages from 16+ For any more details please contact Gussie Penny at acpenny@btopenworld.com New Members The Rotherfield Players is a vibrant village dramatic society. We have a healthy membership but we always welcome new faces both on stage and back stage. Many different skills are required to put on a show apart from acting, singing and dancing. There s carpentry, painting, sewing and even computer skills. If you are interested in joining our group please contact James Gallifant Tel: members@rotherfieldplayers.co.uk For more information about Rotherfield Players, go to Programme Printed by Units D-G, 18 Chapman Way, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3EF Published by The Society of the Rotherfield Players

12 Rotherfield St Martin Registered Charity No: Memorial Institute, North Street, Rotherfield Providing social facilities and support for senior citizens. Mon Tue - Fri Opening Hours 10.00am pm 10am pm & 1.30pm - 4pm For information about activities, bookings for therapies and Volunteer Driver Scheme Tel: office@rotherfieldstmartin.org.uk Website: Supported by: Rotherfield Parish Council St Denys Church The Wheatsheaf Public House Mount Pleasant, Crowborough, TN6 2NF Tel: Bed & Breakfast Hill Cottage, Mount Pleasant, Crowborough, TN6 2NF Maggie & Ted Hirst offer a really warm welcome to their charming 17th century cottage in a peaceful spot on the outskirts of Crowborough. Pete and Becky extend a hearty welcome to you at Crowborough s most traditional and friendly pub, with great beer, fine wine and good company Delicious homemade food is available at lunchtime (Mon-Sat), and in the evenings (Tues-Thurs) Roaring fires and no pretensions For details and availability call Telephone: bandb@hillcottage.me.uk or visit the Website: