February open meeting

1st Feb at "Peepo" pizza restaurant on Bridgnorth High Street was a great start to the new year, with new folk welcomed and the previous year's activities reviewed. Officially it was the AGM, but having read reports and with the current officers raucously re-elected it was on with the fun. The Three Muskateers - le Panteau had parts for everyone - and a giant mollusc to boot. With time running out and Peepo shutting up shop it was resolved to continue the "performance" as a rehearsed play reading with supper later in the year. Warning for those of a gentle disposition: the innuendo is not suitable for children! Hoh hoh he hon!

Next meeting and play reading at the library in Listley Street on Wednesday 7th March.

Auditions "Quartet" Thursday 15th Dec

7.30pm at Birchmeadow Centre, Broseley
A read through for those interested in taking part in the Spring production of "Quartet" by Ronald Harwood. Four retired musicians, two men, two women - you may have seen the film version. David Bowgett directs.
Expressions of interest if you can't come to David Bowgett  Halifaxdavid@hotmail .com
Performance dates 31st, 1st April 7th ,8th April

Christmas social

Brilliant evening with good company, good food and entertainment. Can't wait for January club night on the 4th (not sure where it is to be held, but think the Library room is booked).

October -" Quartet"

Thanks are due to David Bowgett for bringing a couple of different play scripts to our October club night at Bridgnorth libray. "Quartet" by Ronald Harwood was a delight, with the four characters, residents in a retirement home for musicians, beautifully scripted. It is a play we could really get our teeth into and I look forward to seeing David direct it for Bridgnorth Players.  "Stevie" is a three hander by Hugh Whitmore based on the life of poet Stevie Smith (1902-1971) and it cleverly illuminates her character and poetry.

Hobsons Choice

Hobsons Choice by Harold Brighouse was the club night play reading for September. It is a great story and great script and first performed in 1916. We'd love to put it on, but need to knock a few years off our collective ages. A Farndale version perhaps?

Speaking of which, I hope some other BP members got to see the Bridgnorth Musical Theatre Co's "Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild "Macbeth"" at the Castle Hall. It was an absolute hoot! They performed on the stage with lovely new curtains to boot. I enquired how they got their lighting set up (lighting bar at great height) - the answer is that they employ a company to provide all the lighting, instal and remove it. Mmmm.

October's club night play reading on Wednesday 5th at the Library, Listley Street is "Quartet" by Ronald Harwood.

Shakespeare Review review

The summer 2016 production involved lots of people and was well received. It is a great collection of Shakespeare spoofs with music (thanks Julian Brown) and songs.
Good point: lots of members involved; Cons: difficult to get everyone together to rehearse and few non actors left to cover all the production team roles, such as organising poster distribution. Good point: an excellent stage manager in newcomer, Liz Roseblade; Cons: with so many actors it must have been like herding cats! Congratulations Liz for all you did.
Castle Hall had plenty of space, but being the layout of the set on the flat imposed limits on the seating layout. 3 rows and the audience have a view, any more and they don't.
Shakespeared out - next production is "Dancing at Lughnasa" by Brian Friel late November 2016.

Arsenic

"Arsenic and Old Lace", a wonderful comedy and our proposed play for the autumn has had to be set aside for the time being. We love the play, the actors who auditioned are raring to go, but we just do not have enough MEN, even though Ralph, bless him, offered to take on the non speaking role of a corpse and Geoff, with new knees, was keen to tackle Dr Einstein.
So, will it be a different play to suit those available, or a one act, or two for that matter, or shall we focus on the forthcoming rehearsed play reading on Dec 6th and leave learning lines till the spring?

Summer social

Fab social at Richards - food, wine, glorious garden, views, sun even and to cap it all our very own divine live music from the very talented Sarah Raymond.

Auditions: all welcome

Liz Herdson is holding open auditions for the Bridgnorth Players' forthcoming production of "War of the Worlds". Audition 1 is on Sunday 15th February at 2.30 - 4.30 at Tasley Village Hall, Church Lane and audition 2 is on Monday 16th February at 7.30 - 9.30 at St Leonard's Hall, Racecourse Drive, Tasley.

Production dates are 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th May.

Contact Liz on 01746 763247 for more details.

Feb open meeting

There was a good turnout at Peepo's and a warm welcome for visitors Sarah, Sarah and Ellie. Amongst other playful delights we read extracts from "The Importance of Being Earnest", the more sombre "Journey's End", "Gaslight" and a Round the Horn spoof of the same. Peepo did us proud with a selection of pizzas with salad and chips.

The next official meeting is a visit to the Majestic on Wednesday 4th March to see a live screening from the RSC of "Love's Labours Won", but before then on Wednesday 11th February is the live screening of  "Love's Labours Lost" at 7.05. Turn up in good time to buy your ticket and keep your eyes open for other Bridgnorth Players.

2015 and 2014 review

"An Inspector Calls" by J B Priestley in November had record audiences and good reviews and made a profit to boot, so well done. It was a mammoth task for director Maureen Callon who also took on the role of producer. I was sorry to have missed it and not to have been able to help more due to a family bereavement.

The group is getting geared up for a May production of H G Wells' "War of the Worlds". Director Liz Herdson has let slip a few choice morsels on how it will be staged and we eagerly await details of auditions.

January' club night was well supported. The script for RSC's "A Christmas Carol" was a seasonal scary sparkler and we read through it at a cracking pace. BP is trialing the library meeting room for the monthly gathering; advantages are that it is central to Bridgnorth, has good parking, good lighting and is warm, also that there are good local pubs to head to afterwards; disadvantages are that it is a bit committee-ish, but we have some ideas on how to make it more welcoming!

The spring/summer programme is now on the web
http://www.2shrop.net/bridgnorthplayers

Spread the word.

Young actors needed

Young - that is, in their 20's or 30's - actors are needed for roles in J B Priestley's "An Inspector Calls", our November 2014 production. Maureen Callon negotiated hard to get the licensing rights months ago as  the play was being considered for a revival, and is indeed now being performed in London.
If you would like the chance to audition please contact Maureen on 01746 769600 before the end of August.

Living History at Dudmaston

The August meeting looked at the events that were taking place at Dudmaston during WWI in preparation for taking part in the estate's Living History weekend on the August Bank Holiday.

Rozencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

Despite managing ticket production and the Box Office I was not familiar with Tom Stoppard's play and the first chance I had to watch it was on the last night. It is not an easy play for the cast, with so many lines for the key players, lots of repetition and word play. Audiences familiar with "Hamlet" would have found it easier to follow than those not, but everyone got the gist of the story by the second act. It could not have been easy to stage, moving from venue to venue, but what I saw was an excellent production and superb acting from the lead roles: Debra Nash and Kate Harris as R & G and Nina White as The Player, backed up by a good supporting cast. Bridgnorth Players continues to delight members and audiences with the variety of their play choices and are not afraid of a challenge.

Cast and crew adjourned to the George to relax, debrief and celebrate. Sue laid on refreshments that were much appreciated and quickly dispatched. Liz Fisher as director, Pat Lowe for lighting, Dave Kelly as Producer and Maureen Callon for costumes were thanked with cards, flowers, bottles and applause. Our clapping may have been out of sync with that from punters in the main bar, but here I must give the musicians credit - Cooper and Davies were ace and sorry guys that we couldn't pay attention as you deserved.

Hey nonny-no and on to the next production.

That's all for now folks!

A Cornucopia of music and drama

Let's just say that Bridgnorth has been overflowing with an abundance of music and drama to nourish the most ardent seeker after entertainment. The jazz festival, organised by Tim Lord was quickly followed by the Haydn Festival. Since then we have been spoiled for choice with Proms in the Park, the Bridgnorth Symphonia, Voices in Harmony, Alveley Fest, open mike nights,almost every pub with live music. I've probably missed a dozen more events. What a great place to live.

OK, so I quit Bridgnorth on Monday, but only to go as far as Much Wenlock for the opening night of "Taming of the Shrew" by the Shropshire Drama Company as part of the MW Festival. It was terrific and great fun, with an open air stage, backdrop of windows and doors and one fixed piece of stage furniture.

AGM June

Held at Peepo's, with pizza delivered just as we finished the business.

Liz F continues as chairman, Maureen C as secretary and Owen F as treasurer. Dave K and Liz H continue on the committee and are joined by Ralph D as membership secretary. Members standing down were thanked for their contribution: Kathie O, Geoffrey S and Pat L.
Liz presented the annual report; Bridgnorth Players continues to present a good variety of drama and audiences continue supportive and appreciative. The Autumn production is Priestley's "An Inspector Calls", directed by Maureen.

We read the radio version of H G Wells "War of the Worlds" and got quite enthusiastic about how this might be presented as an evening's entertainment, with special effects and supper, possibly next summer.

The Play That Goes Wrong

If you thought BP had occasional hiccups, what with missing scenery and cramped halls, lost lines, wrestling with the set and misplaced props count yourselves lucky. The fictional Cornley Polytechnic's play "Murder at Haversham Hall" could not have had more things go wrong. Even before curtain up one poor little crew member had to call on an audience member to hold a bit of set so she could fix it with masking tape.
Mischief Theatre Company's "The Play That Goes Wrong" at The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton was a play of non stop laughter, the farce ratcheting up disaster on disaster; some I could see coming, others came out of the blue. Excellent writing underpinned superb acting. What a great way to blow away the blues.

Next BP theatre outing is Henry IV Part I on Wednesday 14th May at 18.55 at the Reel Majestic cinema in Bridgnorth. Check out other live showings there too.

Talents abound

Richard II
Great drama and talents were abroad this week, from the national to the local.  Live from the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford and beamed into the Majestic cinema in Bridgnorth came Shakespeare's Richard II, with David Tennant in the title role.  A powerful tale of kingship, and fickle friendships; people who lead and those who follow; people who change sides when fortune begins to favour the opposition.  Plus ca change.

Reduce, Render and Sweat by David Summers
Bridgnorth Players' Autumn offering, served up with gusto.  An interesting enough plot, if a bit preachy, with a fine twist at the end and everybody happy. It was well received by audiences, which grew from the first weekend to a sell-out on the final night at Bridgnorth Community Hall.  Well done cast, director Geoff Speechly, producer Liz Fisher and the production team.

Oldbury Has Talent
It certainly has.  St Nicholas church was the venue for both an exhibition of local arts and crafts and a concert.  The youngest performers were 10 and the oldest a good few decades older and all excelled in their singing, playing and reciting .

A truly uplifting week.Thank you everyone for sharing your skills.

Golden Beaks

Congratulations from BP chairman
Just to confirm - our FIRST entry into the Golden Beaks Comedy Awards 2013, with 
"A Dog's Life" brought us the Award for Best Actor - Richard Aston for Fritz, the Adjudicator's Award for the Most Magical Moment - Rob Fisher for Ben's realisation that his old master is actually dead, and a nomination for Best Actress for Kerry Rousell (which eventually went to Wellington Theatre's Margaret Stanway).
The overall Best Play Award went to Wellington Theatre for "Hamlet Part 2), and the runner-up was the second of Shifnal's STARS productions. "Day Trippers" .
Richard, Rob, Kerry, Kathie, Kim, & Jenny, and Mo with Pat L on the technical stuff, all did us proud! Thank you so much, and congratulations to all of you from all of the Players.

October

Club night
We meet on Wednesday 2nd at The Shakespeare in Bridgnorthas usual, but I suspect we might be a select few as rehearsals have started on "Reduce, Render and Sweat".  See you there - I hope.