Synopsis
Six aspiring authors meet on a winter's evening to discuss their work. Among them are writers of historical romances and children's literature who are finding it difficult to start writing, and a crime writer who can't stop. A creator of extremely complicated science fiction, a librettist without a musical partner and the Writer's Circle chairman, who produces instruction booklets, make up the rest of the team.
The chairman, Arnold, attempts to get the rest of the group out of a rut by suggesting that they collaborate on a piece of writing, an idea that is received without enthusiasm. However, as Arnold is clearing up after the meeting there is a clap of thunder, a black-out - and then the story that would have resulted from the collaboration takes place before his very eyes.
Sharp comedy and affectionate satire characterize this zany, imaginative play.
Production Details
"Improbable Fiction" by Alan Ayckbourn
Director:
Location: Sheffield Library Theatre
Dates: 11th - 15th October 2011
Tickets: £6 / £7
Cast
Cast
Cast
Arnold Hassock -
Jess Bales -
Grace Sims -
Vivvi Dickins -
Clem Pepp -
Brevis Winterton -
Ilsa Wolby -
Crew
Cast
Cast
Director - Name
Set Design and Construction - Name, Name,
Lighting - Name
Sound - Name
Stage Manager - Name
Properties - Name
Wardrobe - Name
Continuity - Name
Front of House - Name
Ticket Secretary - Janet D'Roza
Synopsis
One of the most successful farces that has appeared in London. It deals with a crazy but very likeable gang of bookies who, in order to be near the racecourse, are staying at a country hotel run by a retired colonel and his wife and daughter. Secret rooms, sliding panels, mistaken identity and a nice little bit of romance are some of the main ingredients of this very racy and slick farce, which never lets up for a moment and provides some of the best possible entertainment around.
Set in a quiet country inn, run by a retired colonel and his wife. All is peace and quiet at the Bull and Cow until the week of the race meeting at the local race course and a team of London bookies turn up intent on rigging the big race. What follows is fast, frenetic and extremely funny.
Dry Rot is a classic British farce and ran at the Whitehall Theatre in London for over three and a half years.
Production Details
"Dry Rot" by John Chapman
Director: Peter Howard
Location: Sheffield Library Theatre
Dates: 10th - 14th May 2011
Tickets: £6 / £7
Cast
Cast
Cast
Character - Name
Character - Name
Character - Name
Crew
Cast
Cast
Director - Peter Howard
Set Design and Construction - Name, Name,
Lighting - Name
Sound - Name
Stage Manager - Name
Properties - Name
Wardrobe - Name
Continuity - Name
Front of House - Name
Ticket Secretary - Janet D'Roza
PRESS
Review by Stephen Grigg
The Tudor Players' version of John Chapman's farce is a hoot.
The play is set in a country hotel, post war, run by a bumbling, ex-colonel and his wife. Peter Howard's set is great, with 50s wallpaper, a coat of arms and the inevitable stag’s head hanging up. Colonel Wagstaff’s hotel is pretty quiet until some wide boys descend, in order to win money betting on a losing horse. Chapman’s witty script encompasses a variety of comedic styles. From Wagstaff’s biting sarcasm to his wife, “Are you awake dear?” “No I’m sleepwalking”. To Beth the maid’s gentle flirtation with Phipps.
A large proportion of the comedy is good old-fashioned slapstick however. Roger Bingham and John Moran as Tubbe and Phipps, respectively get the best of the action. A particularly funny scene is watching Tubbe teaching Phipps to mount a sofa in preparation for being a jockey.
Their Laurel and Hardy routine works beautifully. I keep waiting for Bingham to say, “That’s another fine mess you’ve got me into, Phipps!” John Fereday also does well as the third spiv, Flash Harry, complete with cockney-geezer accent. Jenn Aspinall is endearing with her Somerset accent and catchphrase, “my dear”. Although appearing some 20 years later, one feels Fawlty Towers owes a debt to Chapman.
Director Peter Howard manages to get the comic timing just right from his confident players, with a complex set of sliding panels, knocking, opening doors and collapsing stairs! Finalement, bravo a Monsieur Ross Bannister qui a parle en francais pendant toute la piece!
Synopsis
The play was originally written by Goldoni in 1745 at the request of actor Antonio Sacco, one of the great Truffaldinos in history. Goldoni's earliest drafts had large sections that were reserved for improvisation, but he revised it in 1753 in the version that exists today.
The characters of the play are taken from the Italian Renaissance theatre style Commedia dell'arte. In classic commedia tradition, an actor learns a stock character (usually accentuated by a mask) and plays it to perfection throughout his career. The actors had a list of possible scenarios, each with a very basic plot, called a canovaccio, and throughout would perform physical-comedy acts known as lazzis and the dialogue was improvised.
One of the most successful recent production was of Lee Hall's translation by the Young Vic (2000), for which Jason Watkins received an Olivier Award nomination for his performance as Truffaldino
Production Details
"The Servant of Two Masters" by Carlo Goldini, adapted by Lee Hall
Director: Phil Gascoyne
Location: Sheffield Library Theatre
Dates: 15th - 19th February 2011
Tickets: £6 / £7
Cast
Cast
Cast
Silvio - John Moran
Pantaloon - Stan Roe
Clarice - Emma O'Neill
Dr Lombardi - Rod Duncan
Brighella - John Fereday
Smereldina - Jo Waterhouse
Beatrice - Fran Larkin
Truffaldino - Ross Bannister
Porter - Duncan Milner
Flodindo - Stuart Rooker
First Waiter - Gavin Holmes
Second Waiter - Bradley D'Roza
Third Waiter - Kimberley Hogarth
Waiters - Bridget Ball, Paul Kelly, Matt Screaton
Crew
Cast
Cast
Director - Phil Gascoyne
Set Design and Construction - Phil Gascoyne, Peter Howard, Bryan Ashcroft, Hansel D'Roza, Peter Howard, John Jakins, Paul Kelly, Laura Stone
Stage Manager- John Jakins
Deputy Stage Manager - Hansel D'Roza
Original Music - Yaron Hollander
Scenery Painting - Michael Jameson, Chris Savage
Lighting - Paul Screaton
Sound - Br
Director - Phil Gascoyne
Set Design and Construction - Phil Gascoyne, Peter Howard, Bryan Ashcroft, Hansel D'Roza, Peter Howard, John Jakins, Paul Kelly, Laura Stone
Stage Manager- John Jakins
Deputy Stage Manager - Hansel D'Roza
Original Music - Yaron Hollander
Scenery Painting - Michael Jameson, Chris Savage
Lighting - Paul Screaton
Sound - Bryan Aschroft
Properties - Bridget Ball
Continuity - Andrea Howard
Front of house - Edwina Gascoyne
Ticket Secretaries - Ann Ward / Janet D'Roza
PRESS
Review by Stephen Grigg
Clarice's lover, Frederico, puts a spanner in the works when he rises from the dead to claim her hand in marriage. Silvio is none too pleased since he is engaged to Clarice. Florindo is confused as he slew Frederico. Of course, Frederico is in fact Beatrice, Florindo's lover and the late Frederico's sister. Confused? Don't worry. Let Truffaldino sort things out.
Truffaldino, played by Ross Bannister, is the eponymous central character and the best actor in the play. He foolishly takes on two masters in order to earn a bit more cash and food.
In one slapstick scene he is serving food to his masters, Beatrice and Florindo, simultaneously without them realising they are staying in the same inn.
Bannister delivers his dialogue in a straight fashion but there is lots of physical comedy and talking to the audience when things go wrong.
Conversely, Silvio, played by John Moran and Clarice, (Emma O'Neill) speak their lines as upper class aristocratic caricatures. Their high squeaky voices are reminiscent of Blackadder and Monty Python.
Hall's script is exceedingly witty. Rod Duncan as Dr Lombardi is a good example of this. He keeps talking to and walking away from Clarice's dad, Pantaloon in the manner of TV detective, Columbo, stopping short of actually saying, "and another thing".
Fran Larkin is also on good form as Beatrice/Frederico. Phil Gascoyne's direction deftly brings out the humour in this unusual style of play.