RSC Open Stages finale

What an evening and what a treat!
A party of over 20 set off for Stratford last evening, collecting 17 Kidderminster Nonentities en route to Stratford.  After refreshments at the Black Swan (Mucky Duck), the nearest hostelry to the Courtyard Theatre, we headed back to the theatre and took our seats.  There was a real buzz of anticipation from the audience.  Ian Wainwright, the producer of "Open Stages" welcomed us and introduced each of the groups.
X-centricity, with a large cast of 14 to 25 year olds, opened the show with a 13 minute production of "As you like it".  All the other groups performed classic Shakespeare, except Cumnor Players who enacted a tale about the man himself.
Geoffrey Speechly's rich tones introduced Bridgnorth Players and set the scene for "Macbeth".
For Bridgnorth Players, John Sugden led us word by word towards the tragedy of Macbeth as his wife, played by Debra Nash, cajoles and finally persuades him to kill King Duncan.  Macbeth believes himself well placed with the King and his peers and sees no need to take such a step, but Lady Macbeth is ambitious and impatient on his behalf.  Neither of them can anticipate the consequences of their actions.
In "The Taming of the Shrew" Petruchio brings his bride to his home.  Katherina is tired and hungry after a long journey but Petruchio has seen her fiery temper and plans to temper it.  Under the pretence that nothing is quite good enough for his new wife he sends away food and clothing  His aide, Grumio, played by Tim Crowson, is in on the ruse.  Liz Herdson played an affronted dressmaker, whose fashionable offerings, admired by Kate, are scornfully rejected by her husband.  David Bowgett and Kate Harris took the roles of the newly married couple.
The big stage could have presented a challenge to our actors who are used to small spaces in village halls, but they made the most of it.
The Nonentities brought the evening to a colourful and cheerful conclusion with "The Merry Wives of Windsor".

What a wonderful way to end the year.  Hearty thanks to Liz Fisher for getting us all involved with the Royal Shakespeare Company's outreach this year.

"Jug"

The jug of the title got smashed, the culprit smoked out and, the show over, cast, crew and helpers repaired to the newly opened "Coach House" in Bridgnorth Low Town for a well deserved pot of ale and refreshments.  Owners Jane and Nigel, who also run the "Boat House" in the summer months, made us welcome.

What started out as a play reading at one of our monthly meetings finally made it to the stage, with a sell out performance in Much Wenlock, saturation in Quatt and full houses in Bridgnorth.  It really is a very silly story, but superbly told and acted.  I still think it appeals to anyone who likes "Only Fools and Horses".

I love the way Bridgnorth Players brings together the best of people, from all over the place: actors, organisers and helpers.

After this Wednesday's post production social we skip to a rehearsed play reading on Saturday 12th January, with supper.  There will be no meeting on Jan 2nd.

Busy weekend

Cake stall
Saturday's cake stall raised £77 and a few smiles.  Liz H turned up in period costume to promote our forthcoming production of "Jug" and was last seen heading down the High Street in full attire and into Tanners Wine Merchants.  She is really getting into the part!
Thank you to all bakers, makers and servers.
It is lovely how people stop to talk.  Some spend time chatting whilst deciding between the cakes on offer, others give you their life story and explain why they can not indulge.  Real life is right here.  None of this virtual stuff for me.

"Surprises"
Having said that, Maureen, Pat and I went to Stoke's New Vic Theatre to see Alan Ayckbourn's latest production, "Surprises".  Set in the near future, 50 years and 100 years ahead it was very sci fi, with time travel and virtual experiences with avatars.  Well crafted and performed  There is nothing quite like live theatre.

Music and musicians
My better half and I had the pleasure of hosting a couple of musicians at the weekend, one a violinist from Shrobenhausen over with the Twinning group and the other a trombonist from Luton here to play in the jazz festival.  With everything else that was on I missed out on seeing either perform, but hubby took in three of the jazz sessions at various pubs and was buzzing.

Autumn update

Looking ahead - working backwards
Friday 1st February we plan a visit to The Grand, Wolverhampton, to see "The Ladykillers"
Saturday 12th January is a rehearsed play reading of "God of Carnage" for members and friends with a supper.  This replaces the monthly meeting which would otherwise have been on the 2nd January.
Wednesday 5th December is a "bring and share" social at the house of our secretary; an evening of good company, great food and entertainment.
Friday 2nd November we head to Broseley to see BROADS perform "Shadowlands".  This replaces the 7th November meeting.
Saturday 27th October morning cake stall in the High Street.

Our November production is "Jug", a riotous comedy by Henry Livings.  Gill Kelly directs this gem.  Curtain up at 7.30.  Tickets from Lynne Fox on 01746 764212.  Tickets £7-50 or £6 concessions.
Friday 23rd November at the Priory Hall, Much Wenlock TF13 6HS
Saturday 24th November at Bridgnorth Community Hall, Severn Street, Bridgnorth WV15 6BB
Friday 30th November at Quatt Village Hall, Bridgnorth Road, Quatt WV15 6QN
Saturday 1st December again at Bridgnorth Community Hall


Been and gone
September meeting we read "Intimate Exchanges" by Alan Ayckbourn.
October we read "Love Begins at Fifty" by Raymond Hopkins, a farce in two acts.

Celebrate, it's 1908

"Such fun" was Liz F's verdict on the Sunday at Dudmaston when some of our members got into role for the National Trust's celebration of some significant events of 1908.
The sad news that year was that Francis Wolrych-Whitmore, owner and resident of Dudmaston had died and as his son, also Francis, and his wife Alice had a home in London they had no option but to let Dudmaston until such time as Francis's diplomatic commitments could allow them to retire to the country. So, the scene was set for the Players, with Alice (Liz F), in mourning, accompanied by her maid (Linda) interviewing prospective tenants, including a Mrs Baker (Dorothy) who eventually took the tenancy with her husband. Davis (Owen) welcomed visitors in the entrance hall and below stairs Martha Shepherd (Pat L) grumbled at kitchen maid Annie (Patricia) wondering if the new tenants would need staff or bring their own. The good news was that Francis and Alice's daughter Olive was about to give birth to a baby, the future Rachel Lady Labouchere, who was the last owner of Dudmaston. Olive's brother Geoffrey was to take over the running of the estate and it was he who introduced new forestry practices and ensured the future of the estate.
History lesson over. It was nice to be invited by Tessa, NT events organiser at Dudmaston to take part and gratifying that the visitors seemed to enjoy it, some entering into the spirit of it: one gent asked if he could take on the house for his 10 children, aged 1 to 8! Mrs W-W was not encouraging. Over 1000 visitors came on the Sunday and slightly fewer on the damp Monday. Outside children played Victorian games, folk dancers danced and in the library a couple of very talented ladies worked on botanical paintings.
It's good to say "yes". We'll put it in the diary for next year.

August olympic dropouts

The Shakespeare shuffled us into the Skittle Alley away from our usual room last night, no doubt recognising that we were sporting types. It made setting out chairs into a sociable circle a bit easier. Maureen took the chair for the first time and welcomed 14 members, including two new folk - Nicola and Trish.

Dudmaston have approached us to help out over Bank Holiday weekend with their "Celebrate, it is 1908" event (shurely shum mishtake?) and, to our credit, 5 folk volunteered, so we'll toddle along next week to find out more.

Gill reported that auditions for our November production, "Jug" were well attended; she was spoiled for choice for the female parts and had a sleepless night casting them, and is now weighing up the options for the male roles before making those phone calls.

Members are invited to use a rehearsed play reading as a try out for a one act play of their choice with a view to developing it for the "Golden Beaks Award" in Sept 2013. We have received one suggestion (it sounded good, but I won't give the game away), so we can expect a run through in the spring. Any other offerings out there?

Kerry brought a favourite play "Memory of Water", a tragi-comedy by Shelagh Stephenson to read. Despite its setting (three sisters come together for the funeral of their mother) it had us in stitches. The sisters are very different one from the other and their memories of events from their child-hood differ widely. Thanks Kerry.

Next months meeting is 5th September and will be a reading from Ayckbourn's "Intimate Exchanges".

Auditions 25th July for comedy, "Jug"

Open auditions for a comedy, "Jug", by Henry Livings are on Wednesday 25th July at Oldbury Village Hall, Old Mill Lane, Bridgnorth at 7.30.  Limited parking outside the hall, but plenty in the church car park back on Oldbury Road - the B4363.
Performance dates: 23rd/24th November and 30th Nov/1st December in Bridgnorth and a couple of local villages.
Six men, four women, all ages.
Based loosely on a restoration comedy called "The Shattered Jug" this is a jolly romp set in a pub cum court.  The jug in question was broken when an intruder entered the bedroom of a young girl and her mother wants the culprit brought to justice.  The publican/magistrate has other things on his mind, including a sore head and the threat of a local big wig carrying out an audit on how he carries out his duties.  Think "Only Fools and Horses" or anything with the two Ronnies in and you'll get the idea!

For more information or to express an interest contact director Gill Kelly on  07974 795877

July meeting

Not only was the July meeting the AGM, but also a post-production celebration.  "Behind Every Successful Man .." was well worth doing, - so said our members, audiences and Shropshire Review.  We were really pleased at the feedback comments on the "Seen it, done it, got creative" postcards that were then sent to Shropshire Council as part of the conditions of our grant aid for the lighting.  Talking of lighting, Liz Fisher pulled a rabbit out of the bag, or rather, a new control desk.  We now need just the dimmers to have a complete package.  A big thank you to Liz and Owen for sorting this and to Liz in particular for picking up the RSC Open Stages project and making it happen.

Liz Herdson stood down as chairman, having led Bridgnorth Players in this role since its formation four years ago.  Her offer to look after publicity was warmly accepted; we know she has a talent for this, having seen the excellent job she did promoting the Shakespeare production. Maureen takes over the mantle of chairman, Dorothy continues as secretary and Liz F as treasurer with support from Pat Lowe.  Lynne Fox continues as membership secretary and Geoffrey Speechly on the committee.
We thanked Mark Rigg for looking after safety issues this past year and wished him well in his new engineering venture. 

There was a plentiful spread of food - a veritable feast.  David Kelly cribbed a celebrity picture quiz, although in this case the portraits were in cartoon form instead of photos.  Lady Ga Ga or Uma Thurman? Posh or Sandra Bullock?  We'll never know as he did not have an answer sheet!  Good fun.  Gill K read "Hamlet rehearsal" from Victoria Wood and Richard A, our host, produced a gem from David Ive's collection "All in the Timing" called "Sure Thing".

All in all a good evening.

Women, Women, Women ...

Behind Every Successful Man ............
The blurb said:"If Shakespeare were alive today he would be writing TV dramas.  We've picked some of his juiciest plots..."  and what an evening's entertainment it turned out.

Well done Bridgnorth Players and well done Liz Fisher for initiating this project and being the driving force behind it.  Taking bite size chunks of Shakespeare to six different venues is ambitious but from the reception so far at Eardington, Tasley, Quatt and Cleobury Mortimer it was well worth doing.

Great acting, excellent lighting and sound and imaginative, subtle scene changes.

Half the fun is what has gone before with all the planning and preparation, and even those of us who could not be in it were still able to ride on your coat-tails and take part in the Royal Shakespeare Company's workshops at Stratford. Thank you.

I hear that Chelmarsh Parish Hall ticket sales for this Friday 22nd June are racing along, but there are still seats available for the last night on Saturday 23rd at Morville Village Hall.  Phone Lynne Fox at the box office on 01746 764212.

Dorothy

"Behind Every Successful Man........"

In association with the Royal Shakespeare Company's "Open Stages" project Bridgnorth Players present a touring production of Shakespearean extracts celebrating woman "in her infinite variety", to quote the Bard.

All venues are in Shropshire, in villages around Bridgnorth and tickets can be booked through Lynne Fox on 01746 764212

Friday 8th June at Eardington Village Hall
Sat 9th at St Leonard's Hall, Racecourse Drive, Bridgnorth
Friday 15th at Quatt Village Hall
Saturday 16th at Cleobury Mortimer Parish Hall
Friday 22nd at Chelmarsh Village Hall
Saturday 23rd at Morville Village Hall

We are delighted that so many members are taking part, both on stage and behind the scenes and are pleased to be welcoming several new members.

May meeting

Last night was a hoot!  At one point G Speechly was speechless and LH was snorting into her script....That man Ayckbourn - how does he manage to pull humour out of ordinary people in disfunctional relationships and make us laugh despite ourselves? 
MC brought along volume 1 of "Intimate Exchanges" and selected one play.  The volume comprises 4 plays, I think, each with the same opening scenes, so one can choose which way to go with the story.  The plays are for 4 characters, but played by just 2 actors.  AA requests that any group putting a play on with 4 actors should tell the audience before hand of his intentions, so they can understand the play's idiosyncrasies, and know what they are missing!  Sorry, AA, if MC picks this one for our Spring production we'd like to include as many members as possible, so 4 actors it is.

There will be no June meeting as it clashes with the dress rehearsal for our Shakespeare production.

April meeting

Loads of feedback on progress on our RSC Open Stages production - it is all coming together. Liz F used a model to illustrate the proposed set design, having been inspired by the set design module from the RSC skills share day. It was brilliant, with drapes, a stage and even little props!
Dorothy gave feedback on the workshop for directors and Liz H on stage management.
Lots of help offered baking cakes and on the stall for this Saturday's cake stall in the High Street - thanks to all of you.
A gaggle of Players will be off to Wolverhampton to watch Goldthorn Theatre's "Natural Causes" in a couple of weeks. There is so much on offer at the mo it is hard to see everything, but some of us caught BROADS Agatha Christie, "The Hollow" in Broseley and enjoyed it. There is more AC on offer in a couple of months at Wolverhampton's The Grand too.
See you all at next month's meeting on May 2nd if not before.

Shakespeare Showcase

Liz Fisher reports on a visit to the RSC Regional Showcase at the Courtyard Theatre, Stratford, where amateur drama groups across the region were performing.

Open Stages – a challenge!

Geoff Speechley & I really enjoyed our evening at the RSC Open Stages Regional Showcase on Sunday 25^th. We both felt it was very well worth going, as we saw the standard of other amateur companies & groups like ours, performing perhaps 10- minute extracts from their Shakespeare productions. This is what we have to aim for as we very much hope to be selected for the next Regional Showcase in the autumn.

All 12 that we saw, plus a finale choral speech, were always entertaining, always sincere, with all casts straining with concentration to give their very best performances. All were good; some were excellent. All had aspects for us to admire, whether in acting, direction, or sheer imagination of a clever new setting. Three examples perhaps show these:-

The Oxford Theatre Guild chose to present the heart-wrenching scene from Macbeth of the murder of Lady Macduff & her children, & then the news of this being brought to Macduff. They had two wonderful young children who played their parts beautifully with Lady Macduff, really struggling against their killers; their bodies remained on the stage in dimmer lights, while Macduff & Malcolm enter from another direction & hear the news from Lord Ross. As the grief struck, & the resolution to pursue revenge, the shadowy forms were very telling. The scene ended with Macbeth lit, standing still, facing the audience with his back turned on all of them.

The Gloucestershire Youth Players presented the last scene from “The Taming if the Shrew” with Katerina as a rather Amy Winehouse figure, becoming a very sad study of an abused & beaten wife with the parallel characterising of Petruchio as an abuser, both with the vulnerabilities & brittlenesses we recognise from current psychology. We thought this was a brave way to interpret the play – but neither of us really agreed with it. What we did like was the use of black & a single colour palette (shades of red) for the modern day costumes – we’ve already thought of the same idea for our whole show, & it gives a good visual impact to a short extract.

The last & most spectacular example that we both loved was Longville Little Theatre Company’s presentation on a scene from “The Merry Wives of Windsor”. The story is as complex as a Whitehall farce in terms of who loves who while secretly engaged to who else, while someone else is trying to do deals with others to deprive someone of someone else’s inheritance while plotting to trick someone into a fake lover’s tryst etc.etc., so to present this, the director set the whole thing as if it were a turn-of-the- century Hollywood film set rehearsing various scenes & then going for “Action!” They clearly wrote some dialogue around it which was very funny; the plotting was explained in rapid melodrama-style dumbshow poses with running commentary which left the audience gasping with laughter, & ended with Falstaff in a woodland scene stripping off to blend into the scenery (?) clad only in a thong with a very suggestive cuddly toy stag’s head to preserve his modesty. . . . I think Shakespeare would have approved!

So this is the challenge we are aiming at in June – presenting “Behind Every Successful Man. . .” as well as these. Geoff & I know that it will be tough, but have no doubt that we’ll make it!

March meeting

An entertaining evening hearing from participants at the recent Royal Shakespeare Company's workshop for actors. Many thanks to Richard, Liz H and Linda for bringing it to life for us. Next month, 4th April, will be the turn of those attending workshops for directors, stage managers and technicians - lots to hear about and tips to pick up.

Liz H is in charge of the rehearsed play reading on Saturday 31st March at the former WI Hall in Oldbury, with the final part of the "Norman Trilogy". Supper will be nibbles, fish and chips and a selection of puddings and cheeses with coffee to follow. BYO drinks for the meal though. Bring a friend or two and have a pleasant, relaxed and humourous evening.

The title for our June Shakespeare production was chosen by a voting system which the government could learn from! "Behind Every Successful Man....." pipped "Her Infinite Variety" to the post on the chairman's casting vote, but there is scope to slip in an alternative title, as Shakespeare did: .... or "The Bard's Birds" methinks?

Theatre visit in the offing for March and April were discussed, but several clash. BROADS "The Hollow" by Agatha Christie on Friday 30th March is a cert, as is Goldthorn's "Natural Causes" 18th to 21st April. The Belfry at Wellington's drama festival and Albrighton's "Time of my Life" sound good, if we can squeeze them in. Details will be circulated to members shortly.

Shakespeare skills exchange

Liz Fisher and Liz Herdson at The Swan Theatre

If there is one thing I learned about directing a play, yesterday, it is that my own one and only attempt at a 10 minute playlet was woefully inadequate.

Seeing a professional director at work, working with professional actors, reminds me of the day I spent assisting at the local primary school when my kids first started at school in Bridgnorth. The experienced teacher (now long since retired) would persuade a recalcitrant child by going to them, getting to their level, gently encouraging them to rejoin the group. She never stood and shouted across the room. I learned something from her and that same respect and individual concern was evident in the approach that our visiting director had to the actors. He explained that his job was to support and encourage, not to instruct.

It set the standard for the skills exchange day at Stratford and although the subsequent two sessions were very different they were both delivered with that same professionalism and courtesy.

February open meeting

Pub grub and brain strain

For the third year running we held an “everyone welcome” evening and a change from the usual format by having a light-hearted quiz. The winning team generously shared the prize around and the Broseley crowd forgave me for having a good few Bridgnorth orientated questions. Linda Povey brought a short one act play written by a friend; a good yarn with a satisfactory conclusion. Quite a big group came early to try out the Shakespeare Inn's supper menu before the meeting and that was good too.

Shakespeare Open Stages project

Tempest in a Tea Cup or The Bard's Birds

Dates for the production are planned for 8^th and 9^th, 15^th and 16^th and 22^nd and 23^rd June, subject to venues being available.

The final audition is tonight and with what I have seen, this Shakespeare lark is much livelier than one might imagine. When the director of the Cleopatra excerpt says “Think Absolutely Fabulous, with Cleopatra as wealthy Edina and her ladies in waiting characters like Patsy” it gives one a completely new perspective!

Skills exchange at the RSC

Four lucky members are attending the performers' skills exchange in a week or so and three more the workshop for directors, stage managers and technical support. How good is that? We shall return bursting with ideas, so the March meeting will be an opportunity for participants to introduce other members to what they have learned; the April meeting too if time runs out.

January meeting

All Fur Coat and no Knickers by Mike Harding

Set in the 1970's the stereotypes seem a bit dated, but our read through produced plenty of chortles. The working class Deidre Ollerenshaw is to marry the son of a wealthy businessman and councillor, but friction between and within the families and a drunken stag night puts the wedding in doubt. “All fur coat and no knickers” is the taunt of Deidre's mother at the fiancée's mother.