Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all Bridgnorth Players
Bring your brightest and best ideas for activities and plays in 2011 to our January meeting.
December social
At last it is beginning to thaw outside. I was fearful yesterday that the cold weather would put members off our annual end of year bash, but we had a packed house and stashes of food, not to mention drink. Again, thanks everyone for turning up and for all the goodies. Still chuckling over the post-grub entertainment - especially loved Sally's rendition of "Be kind to your turkey at Christmas".
Some interesting ideas came up for Bridgnorth Players' contribution to the Mayor's concert on Saturday 26th March, also for a full length play in June as part of the Literature Festival. We'll need to discuss and finalise the former at our monthly meeting on Jan 5th and the latter at our Feb meeting, so, fellow members, come prepared to present ideas at the both meetings.
Theatrical Winterval
Little did we think when Steve Downs suggested a collaboration between Whalebone and Bridgnorth Players that it would turn out so well, be so enjoyable and take such a lot of organising! Surely a few dramas, each with their own team of actors, director and helpers would relieve us of needing a stage manager or much overall planning. Liz Fisher quickly spotted the holes in this arrangement and offered to stage manage and co-ordinate the disparate bits of the production.
We played to good audiences in Bridgnorth, Highley and Chelmarsh, doling out cheer, mulled wine and mince pies. The blend of Whalebone's atmospheric music and the Players playlets worked well. The Christmas theme was represented by a Joyce Grenfell monolgue and Liz Herdson's nativity play based on the anecdotes of Gervaise Phinn. Linda Povey wrote "Ghost Walk" and Dylan Thomas poem of carol singing was performed by Liz Fisher. An updated version of the 1904 "Monkeys Paw" was counterbalanced by a delightful portayal of the relationship between lady and butler in "Dinner for One" and Tom Wentworth concluded with more Partridges in Pear Trees than he could cope with. Whalebone brought the evening to an end with their arrangement of the Pogues "Fairytale in New York".
I hope we have a chance to play with Whalebone again. Thanks to everyone who contributed.
Thursday 9 December 2010
Friday 11 June 2010
When we are Married
The play went down a storm last weekend in Bridgnorth. Maureen Callon directed and the cast rose to the challenge of bringing the humour of this J B Priestley play with the social habits and mores of 1908 to a modern audience. The cast included some new members as well as the old hands and all worked together to give convincing performances. Unknown to them, Jean Beard, local area NODA rep was in the audience; it will be interesting to read her observations. Graeme Christie took on the role of producer for the first time and has pulled it all together very efficiently with help from the backstage crew. Sheena Grant was stage manager; Richard Aston sorted lighting and sound; Drew Gatlin prompted and he and Denise Brinton sorted out transport and logistics.
Now for Highley this weekend - a new venue for us. The Severn Centre is a fantastic venue. Let's hope that not all the locals are football fans, with the World Cup kicking off this weekend and England playing on Saturday!
Photographs courtesy of Liz Reeves.
Monday 19 April 2010
"Dead Guilty"
Liz F and I must have snaffled the last two available seats at The Rose, Kidderminster on Thursday 15th April for the Nonenties' play, "Dead Guilty" by Richard Harris.
Julia Darrow (played by Kelly Lewis) is recovering from a car accident, in which the driver, her boss, died. Guilt at her affair with him creates a barrier; she struggles to accept the psychological help she needs from her counsellor, Anne Bennett (played by Judy Bassett) and practical support offered by young neighbour Gary (Lee Jones). Guilt also persuades her to agree to a meeting with his widow, Margaret Haddrell (Pamela Meredith). At first Julia makes good progress, but following a final operation she gradually deteriorates and has to rely more on her new friend Margaret, pushing Gary and Anne away as a result.
The tension builds with each short scene, in the style of a TV thriller, until the final confrontation. Even then, the conclusion holds a surprise.
The audience was held spell bound throughout and although the few laughs were stifled as the tension grew, the whole auditorium "oh'd! and mmm'd! in loud unison as realisation of what was happening dawned.
The Nonentities invariably put on a good show and, as always, the set was imaginative. A good evening out.
Julia Darrow (played by Kelly Lewis) is recovering from a car accident, in which the driver, her boss, died. Guilt at her affair with him creates a barrier; she struggles to accept the psychological help she needs from her counsellor, Anne Bennett (played by Judy Bassett) and practical support offered by young neighbour Gary (Lee Jones). Guilt also persuades her to agree to a meeting with his widow, Margaret Haddrell (Pamela Meredith). At first Julia makes good progress, but following a final operation she gradually deteriorates and has to rely more on her new friend Margaret, pushing Gary and Anne away as a result.
The tension builds with each short scene, in the style of a TV thriller, until the final confrontation. Even then, the conclusion holds a surprise.
The audience was held spell bound throughout and although the few laughs were stifled as the tension grew, the whole auditorium "oh'd! and mmm'd! in loud unison as realisation of what was happening dawned.
The Nonentities invariably put on a good show and, as always, the set was imaginative. A good evening out.
Thursday 4 March 2010
June play and March meeting
June play cast
"When We Are Married" by J B Priestley, directed by Maureen Callon, is cast and the Production Team is being assembled under the guidance of Graeme Christie. Quite a feat, as there are 14 in the cast, let alone the behind the scenes crew, but we are lucky to have several newcomers and hope they will soon feel at home.
The March monthly meeting was a little depleted as several of our members are involved with other groups who are preparing for action at the end of the month or mid April. A group have already signed up for a trip to Broseley to see the BROADS production of "A Pack of Lies" by Hugh Whitemore, directed by Gill Kelly. It is a tale about the Kruger spies, friends, neighbours and betrayal.
We made a start on reading Alan Ayckbourn's farce "Taking Steps", set in a dilapidated old house, reputedly haunted by a scarlet woman. The action takes place on the three levels of the house, simultaneously, and inevitably there is confusion and cases of mistaken identity. Graeme, reading the part of Mark, managed to leave his specs at home, which added authenticity to his character as Mark attempts to read his sister Lizzy's farewell letter to her businessman husband. After a brief flirtation with marriage she feels caged in and yearns to be off to pursue her stalled career as a dancer. Her efforts to depart are hampered by the arrival of a young, nervous solicitor, her husband and the builder vendor. Mark's diminutive ex fiancee turns up after an unfortunate incident sends her running back to him for support, but it is a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire.
It would be relatively easy to stage the play; it could be done on the flat, with a simple set and props, the only problem being the need to have raised seating for the audience. Food for thought, perhaps.
"When We Are Married" by J B Priestley, directed by Maureen Callon, is cast and the Production Team is being assembled under the guidance of Graeme Christie. Quite a feat, as there are 14 in the cast, let alone the behind the scenes crew, but we are lucky to have several newcomers and hope they will soon feel at home.
The March monthly meeting was a little depleted as several of our members are involved with other groups who are preparing for action at the end of the month or mid April. A group have already signed up for a trip to Broseley to see the BROADS production of "A Pack of Lies" by Hugh Whitemore, directed by Gill Kelly. It is a tale about the Kruger spies, friends, neighbours and betrayal.
We made a start on reading Alan Ayckbourn's farce "Taking Steps", set in a dilapidated old house, reputedly haunted by a scarlet woman. The action takes place on the three levels of the house, simultaneously, and inevitably there is confusion and cases of mistaken identity. Graeme, reading the part of Mark, managed to leave his specs at home, which added authenticity to his character as Mark attempts to read his sister Lizzy's farewell letter to her businessman husband. After a brief flirtation with marriage she feels caged in and yearns to be off to pursue her stalled career as a dancer. Her efforts to depart are hampered by the arrival of a young, nervous solicitor, her husband and the builder vendor. Mark's diminutive ex fiancee turns up after an unfortunate incident sends her running back to him for support, but it is a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire.
It would be relatively easy to stage the play; it could be done on the flat, with a simple set and props, the only problem being the need to have raised seating for the audience. Food for thought, perhaps.
Tuesday 19 January 2010
February meeting
A change from the usual format; we meet at The Stable Bar in Whitburn Street, Bridgnorth on Wed Feb 3rd at 7.30 and it is an open meeting. The aim is to welcome newcomers, whether friends of members or Jo Public and will take the form of short playlets to encourage people to "have a go" at acting. With a pint in your hand it looks easy!
Winter Roundup
The snow and ice failed to deter members for our January meeting. "Flour Babies" by Anne Fine brought out the kids in us, except for Dave, who relished the role of teacher with a big voice and laisee-faire approach to his delinquent charges. After refreshments, we sat good as gold to listen to a story - Liz reading Alan Bennet's "Soldering On" from the Talking Heads series.
We also looked back on "Time of my Life" and agreed that the play was a success on several levels: it involved many of our members; enabled several members to learn new skills; had good audience numbers and helped us establish a high standard and good reputation.
The December meeting was an "at home" social - a bring and share food and something to entertain and was good fun.
We also looked back on "Time of my Life" and agreed that the play was a success on several levels: it involved many of our members; enabled several members to learn new skills; had good audience numbers and helped us establish a high standard and good reputation.
The December meeting was an "at home" social - a bring and share food and something to entertain and was good fun.
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