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My
Diary - the farce behind the farce: |
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The story so far...
I belong to a local amateur company and
make no bones about the fact that I'll only miss a week if I 'm on holiday or
ill (very). There's a nucleus of folk who've been members for a long time
and are the backbone of the company. However we encourage young members to join us and all new members are very welcome contact me
here for details.
This is my diary, warts an all. Last first
(if you know what I mean) so scroll down to the start!! The next
production, on 1st to 4th October 2008 is 'Not Now Darling' a farce by Ray
Cooney
The last production, in April 2008, was 'Pirates of
Penzance', which was
just so rewarding to be a part of. You can read about it in my diary below.
I've arranged past diaries in chapters. Read all
about the production from rehearsals through to the performance.
Chapter 1
"Business Affairs"
Chapter 2 "Sweet Charity"
Chapter 3 "Summer
Cabaret"
Chapter 4 "Trial
by Jury"
Chapter 5 "My Fair Lady"
Chapter 6 "Bad Seed"
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| 08/08/2008 -
Lucky for Some
The Bejing Olympics started today and it has spurred
me on to write some more in my blog. I've been lax
lately, maybe because I'm not producing, taking part or
am not even a committee member at the moment. In fact
it's been about 25 years since I've had a break from committee
duties of one sort or another so you could say that I'm
semi-retired...but here's the catch...I don't want to be!
So let's get going again.
The next play - in our 75th year - is a farce 'Not
now Darling' by Ray Cooney. Ray Cooney happens to live
locally so our publicity officer says he's going to try to get
him to come to the opening night. There's one small problem,
he's currently in Australia, but un-daunted the P.O. is
seeing if he can arrange for him to come home for a visit by
luring him back with the offer of a free ticket to the Victory
Hall and publicity in the local rag! (I wonder if our treasurer
knows about the free ticket).
The play is hilarious. It's set in a high class London
furriers in the Sixties and needless to say ,as with all good
farces, a number of attractive women loose their clothes and
end up hidden in cupboards, cocktail cabinets or covered by
fur coats. There is the slick Lesley Phillips type and
the put upon Brian Rix type, as well as bombastic characters and the
hard done by little wife - or is she! So there you go a
perfect recipe for - no not disaster - side splitting fun !
I'm helping with production and am taking rehearsal next
week so I'll let you know how it goes.
Some background information: CROADS first performed this
play 22 years ago when I had the pleasure of doing props and
had to acquire fur coats and mannequins. Strangely, 22
years later I find myself in the same position, so if anyone
has a couple of mannequins to spare.........you know
where to contact me!
jenwitchell@ntlworld.com
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| 13.4.2008 -
a Rollicking Good Time We have come to the end of a
successful run! Dan got a cheer every night for his
acrobatics and was a great hit with the ladies, being
smothered in red lippy by the end of the evening on Saturday.
The principals were fantastic and I really did get my Captain
Jack....braided hair an' all!! Mabel and Frederick were
a beautiful couple bringing sanity, I'm not sure that is quite
the right expression, to an otherwise outrageous production of
which I am enormously proud. Teddy got a huge round of
laughter every performance and his Daddy, the Major General,
wasn't half bad too!
Someone said to me that were worried about the Pirate King
brandishing his sword, as he would frighten some of our
elderly customers...she needn't have worried they loved him!
This was a rollicking good adventure with colourful pirates,
bumbling constabulary and attractive feisty girls...a perfect
recipe for success.
It took me an age to reach the bar after the Saturday night
because of well wishers stopping and telling me how much they
enjoyed the production and of course the wonderful costumes.
Great fun were had by all, both on stage and off, especially
off.
On Thursday it was Bob's birthday and on Friday he moved
house and still managed to look after the props, scene change
and do a dual role on stage!. Our set designer
celebrated his 80th birthday as well as appearing on stage and
I produced and also took part so it was an all round
everyman to the pumps affair! A total of 12 men and 8 ladies
gave me and the audience something to remember for
ever...thank you!
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| 21.3.2008
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Hot Cross Buns Happy Easter
to you all. The publicity is now underway for the
production, unfortunately it is by way of my - not very good -
efforts at making posters and article writing for the local
press and other cast members huge efforts at getting the
publicity boards up...no matter it's job done so we expect the
tickets to go like the proverbial hot cakes...or at this time
of the year, Hot Cross Buns! |
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16.03.2008 - Slave of Duty: Hi long time no
talk...well I'll make up for that!! Pirates of Penzance is
well underway. We have a small but select cast.
Quality not quantity.. more for less.. call it what you will
but the bottom line is that I've never known a time when we
have more men than women in our cast list, so now is ideal for
putting on Pirates and boy will it be some good show!! The
singing is fabulous as is the acting this is a great show in
the making and guess what? Tickets are available now
phone Sheila and Bob on box office to book yours. You'll
be in for a treat..Johnny Depp style Pirate King with feisty
Keira Knightly style ladies - who appear in their victorian
undies- what more could you ask for and only £7.50 a ticket!!
Jo Brand eat you heart out! |
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