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"Trial by Jury "and "Cox and Box"
8th October Back in business again! I've had a long break from updating the site so there's a lot to catch up on. I've had problems with my computer, which has been very frustrating, still enough of that boring stuff and down to the hot gossip! Traditionally our group will produce a play the first week in October, so after the cabaret we got stuck into play rehearsals. "The happiest days of your life" was decided upon. We had a very jolly hockey sticks miss Gossage ( the sports mistress) and a suitably overbearing Headmistress, teamed with an equally bombastic headmaster. Throw in the love interest and a few men who end up dressed in gymslips and you have the perfect recipe for comedy! Then disaster struck in more ways than one. A friend and colleague, who was to play the headmaster, became ill and needed an operation. He was irreplaceable in the part and the producer decided to abandon the play. We then had only 8 weeks left to the next production, without a play. Funny how when the chips are down you pull together. That's exactly what happened when it was decided to do two short musicals and a one act play! To be exact "Cox and Box" by Burnard and Sullivan, Bang, You're Dead! by Paul Restes and Trial by Jury Gilbert and Sullivan. It turned out to be a combination that worked like magic. There was something for everyone and it received nothing but praise from the audience! I was really pleased to see Sue in the audience. Sue left us about 4 years ago, for climate fair in Australia, to make a new life out there with her husband. Good to see you back in the UK, we now have an international audience! Now for the synopsis:-Cox and Box saw a hilarious portrayal by three men marching, or in one case mincing, around the stage, in military style , wearing a series of ill fitting hats and serenading rashers of bacon. Are you interested or glad that you missed it? Well, if you were one of the lucky ones to see it, you were in for a treat! They were superb! The singing, orchestration and humour was fantastic. I really enjoyed watching and especially loved the military uniform, 4 poster bed and all of the Victorian paraphernalia that set the scene so well. The one act play had so many twists and turns, it had the audience on the edge of their seats one minute and laughing the next. The gay kiss always came as a shock and produced laughs and gasps! Then the final twist came when the well laid plan was scuppered by, the not so pious, Miss Trim. Trial by Jury came over very strongly at the end of the programme. There was a drunken, lecherous Judge. A beautiful tease (and a bit of a predator) as the bride. A line up of equally beautiful, not so innocent , bridesmaids. A bossy usher who had a "thing" for the counsel for defence. Jury men and women, easily swayed and finally a loveable rogue of a defendant! The MD did a great job in pulling all this together in such a short time and with such high quality (even though I say so myself!) We had great rehearsals and it forged a really smashing team that Stuart would be proud of! All best wishes to you Stu and hurry up back to us! |