amateaur

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Audition Reading – Tuesday 8th August 7.30pm

Everyone is invited to take part in reading of extracts from our next play Entertaining Angels by Richard Everett.

Plot Summary:
‘I’ve poured two hundred thousand cups of tea, made four thousand six hundred medium-sized quiches and personally baked two tons of light crust pastry. And for what?’

As a clergy wife Grace has spent a lifetime on best behaviour. Now, following the death of her husband Bardolph, she is enjoying the new-found freedom of being able to do and say exactly as she pleases. But the return of her eccentric missionary sister, Ruth, together with some disturbing revelations forces Grace to confront the truth of her marriage. Set in a classic English vicarage garden complete with a grass-banked stream and willow, the play is filled with sharp-edged comedy and probing wit.

If you would like to be considered for a part which consists of 4 females (ages 30 – 60) and  1 male (age 60’s) please come along or contact the Little Theatre to register your interest.
 

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Review of Day of Reckoning by Bob Lawson

Performed 23rd – 28th January 2017 by Cleadon Village Drama Club

Day of Reckoning by Pam Valentine

Extracts from Bob Lawson’s personal view

The stage was simply too small for eight players and the furniture.

Actors did their very best to bring out the very different characteristics of each part, with varying degrees of success. Mary Stephenson as Ethel the gossip and nosy parker, brought out her character with skill and effectiveness.

Apart from the newcomer Jessica, all the rest of the cast were very experienced and it showed because one great characteristic needed in actors is CONFIDENCE. This showed very clearly and added to the enjoyment of the play.

After the interval a very different and much more enjoyable play emerged. The great difference was the emerging of a series of distinctive small scenes, usually with just two or three characters. In some of these small scenes we learn much more of each stage person and a series of very interesting story lines emerged, and it has to be said all were very well acted and directed. My favourite mini-scene was the one between the Vicar, Geoffrey, so well played by David Beston and the careworn Gloria (Sonia McDonnell). It was thoroughly worthwhile on a bitter winter’s night to come out and see.

It’s lovely to observe an actress of the ability of Kathleen Dodds to easily fit in as the adulterous wife Sally, and also Pat Thompson’s portrayal as the doddering knitter. Denise Wilson is a natural actress who is able to fill so many different CVD roles with authenticity and empathy. Gillian Crossley took her part with authority especially in the mini scene with Angela, played by Jessica Henderson. Jessica who was making her first appearance on the Cleadon Stage made a decent beginning but has some basic things to learn to be really effective. One basic is that a speaker on stage must be able to be heard by everyone at the back of the audience, another is not to drop your voice when sitting down or when speaking to someone close to you on stage. Well done Jessica, see you again soon on the Cleadon Stage.

It’s a hard task to direct a large cast on the small CVDC stage so a big thank you is due to Frank Ditchburn for all the work and worry he has put in in order to make the production a success.

Overall I enjoyed the play especially the second half.

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Day Of Reckoning – Photographs

Here is a selection of photographs courtesy of ID Event Photography:

To see the complete set of photographs click here:

To see a set of head shots of Director and Cast click here:

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Review of Ladies’ Day by Bob Lawson

12th November 2016 Cleadon Village Drama Club

Ladies’ Day by Amanda Whittington

Extracts from Bob Lawson’s personal view

Four fish packers from Hull decide to attend Ladies’ Day. The play itself has little relevance to racing, the drama coming mainly from the lives of the lowly four ladies. The play works best when there are only two actors on the open stage. One of the great pleasures of viewing on the open stage is the ability to be very close to the actors. One of the snags is the strong possibility of at least some of the players being masked by some of the audience, especially when more than two actors are on stage at the same time. In this play it is very evident when four or five players are on simultaneously. Bill, the Director, minimises these snags by getting the players to face different parts of the audience whenever possible without detracting from the flow of the play.

There are five male acting parts in this piece, all played by Dave Beston. Only an experienced actor can hope to get away with this as it calls for different accents, different body alignments, and different costumes. So Dave gives a mini master class in how to achieve this; I am sure that some of the audience who did not have a programme didn’t realise at first that only one actor was involved.

My favourite amongst Dave’s roles was his penultimate one, that of Barry the erstwhile lover. This low key vignette with Helen Irving was one of the most moving of the play.

Each of the lady actors had at least one chance to shine and show their skills. Jan, played by Doreen Shannon, was lovely as she milked the audiences sympathy for her toil stained life putting her daughter’s needs way above her own. Even her secret love for Joe was well portrayed.

Gemma Louise Crossley leapt out of her chrysalis as the annoyed fish packer into the beauty she really is as Shelley, the girl with ambitions for her attractiveness. The openings for her ambitions seemed doomed to failure until the finale? Gemma certainly looked and portrayed her role exactly and expertly.

Pearl, played by Helen Irving, took to her role with confidence and aplomb, dominating the stage whenever she was on. Her vignette with Jan was a fine piece of acting as she confessed on having a lover and how much he meant to her and how much she was disappointed when he failed to turn up. Then there was that lovely short scene with Barry, which as has already been mentioned, was a highlight of the play. Very well done Helen.

I’ve left Neeta Dulai’s performance to the last, not because she was least in a firmament of stars, because for a newcomer she’s become quite a supernova! As Linda, Neeta gave a really good, feeling performance. The way she showed the audience how bleak her life was with an unloving sponging mother who takes her meagre resources, was the emotional highlight of the play. Whenever Neeta was on stage her concentration was absolute (how to act without saying a word!). A lovely scene with the jockey was another joy. What a fine career in prospect on the Cleadon stage for Neeta.

I appreciate all the hard work done by Bill Dodds in directing this play, so many minor things to bear in mind such as the choice of music, the costumes, drilling the costume changes and so on, what a task.

Well done everybody.

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Godfathers of Rhythm – Wednesday 7th December at 7.30 pm

A fundraising music evening of contemporary Jazz standards plus new tracks from Dave Beston and his band.

Please bring friends and family to support this pre-Christmas event.

Tickets: £5 Ring 07581 306 038 or just turn up.

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Signals by David Farn – Saturday 26th November at 7.30 pm

This performance for one night only is especially for the Little Theatre members, Patrons and friends. Contact Norma on 0191 4470493 for tickets at £6.50.

A play about four people’s lives entwining and how they communicate – or do they?

Dolores Porretta-Brown (Dirty Dusting) directs this comedy which poses questions about social media, smartphones and the internet.

Cast: Kylie Ann Ford (Dolly Mixtures), Steven Stobbs (George and the Dragon), Danielle Miller (The Fifteen Streets).

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Ladies Day by Amanda Whittington

Monday 7th November to Saturday 12th November 2016. Tickets £6.50 available from The Little Theatre 0191 4470493.

We are fortunate to have Bill Dodds, an actor and director of long experience, directing this production.

The talented cast includes: David Beston playing 5 different roles, newcomer Neeta Dulai playing Linda, the welcome return of Gemma Louise Crossley as Shelley, Helen Irving who exhibits her acting and vocal talent in the role of Pearl, and past chair Doreen Shannon who plays Jan.

Upcoming Events

Check the website posts over the next few weeks for more details of the following:

Signals – Sat 26th November at 7.30

A new comedy play directed by Dolores Porretta-Brown.

Godfathers of Rhythm – Wed 7th December

A musical evening of contemporary Jazz standards.

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Halloween Quiz Night – Saturday 29th October 7.30pm

The much anticipated Halloween Quiz Night is to take place on Saturday 29th October.
Spot prizes, team prizes and weird facts all from the quiz master himself, Ian Reah.
Fun starts at 7.30pm – £2 per head for those in fancy dress otherwise it’s £2.50.

Please bring your friends and family to support this event.

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Play Readings – Tuesday Evenings at 7.30pm

Starting Tuesday 18th October we will be holding play readings at 7.30pm onwards, every Tuesday (except 8th November, when Ladies’ Day is on) until further notice.

Everyone is welcome, so do come along.

Upcoming Events

Check the website posts over the next few weeks for more details of the following:

Halloween quiz night – Saturday 29th October 7.30 pm

Ladies’ Day – 7th to 12th November

Godfathers of Rhythm – Wed 7th December