Spring Production

Wed 9th May @ 7:30 Fri 11th May @ 7:30 Sat 12th May @ 7:30 {final poster} TICKETS NOT ON SALE Get yours early for a great seat Poster Flyer NEW FAMILY TICKET AVAILABLE FOR SOME PERFORMANCES - OFFERING SAVINGS ON STANDARD PRICES. 2 Adults & 2 Children

' Synopsis The play is set in Ancient Athens but our setting is in the 'Athena' nightclub in 60's 'swinging' London. [see cast of characters for how the characters are adapted for this setting - the text is NOT altered, however] Theseus [Duke of Athens] and Hippolyta [Queen of The Amazons], who met in battle, are about to be married and a great celebration planned. A noble, Egeus, calls upon Theseus to order his daughter Hermia to marry the man of his choice, Demetrius. She refuses to do so as she is in love with Lysander. Demetrius is loved by Hermia's best friend Helena but he has scorned her. Hermia is threatened with death if she does not marry Demetrius so she and Lysander to run away through the forest outside Athens. They tell Helena of their plans who resolves to seek favour with Demetrius by telling him and to go after them with him. A group of Athenian workman led by Peter Quince and Nick Bottom plan to put on a play to perform at the Duke's wedding celebrations. They agree to meet in the forest to rehearse in secret. The forest is ruled by the king of the 'Underworld' Oberon and his queen Titania. They have argued over possession of an adopted Indian boy and Titania has rejected him. Oberon is determined to punish her and asks his servant 'Puck' to fetch the drug which, when placed on the eyes of a sleeping person means they fall in love with the first creature they see on waking. Oberon observes Demetrius rejecting Helena and, out of pity for her, orders Puck to use the potion on Demtrius so he will fall for Helena. In the confusion of the forest at night, however, he anoints Lysander by mistake and he sees Helena and pursues her, leaving Hermia behind. In the meantime Oberon has anointed Titania whilst she sleeps and she is in a clearing where the 'actors' come to rehearse. Puck discovers the rehearsal and turns Bottom's head into that of an ass. This is the first thing Titania sees on waking and she falls in love with Bottom. Oberon discovers Pucks mistake with Lysander and orders him to sort it out. He succeeds in enchanting Demetrius to love Helena but she is convinced that Demetrius, Lysander and Hermia are engaged in a trick to torment her. Oberon observes the confusion and again orders Puck to resolve matters. He leads them a merry dance around the forest and when they collapse exhausted together in the dark forest he undoes the enchantment of Lysander. Titania has also been released from her enchantment with Bottom and she and Oberon are reconciled and they depart the forest. In the morning the 'lovers' are discovered in the forest by Theseus, Hippolyta and Egeus. Demetrius expresses her love and Egeus is persuaded to allow his daughter to marry Lysander and a triple wedding is planned. In the final act we see the performance of the play by the poor troupe of 'actors' whose efforts are ridiculed by the wedding party. At the end of the performance the lovers go to their beds and peace is restored to the household.

CAST LIST AND INFORMATION A note from the director: "Everyone who auditioned has been cast and I have had to make two crucial decisions. The first was the casting of Claire as Puck/Philostrate. This is often done in productions anyway but I aim to add a new twist with Philostrate being female and Puck clearly being a female dressed as a male [this is a device often used in Shakespeare but for different reasons] The casting of Martin as Demetrius breaks my age rule but he can play younger and I can make it dramatically justifiable for him and for Helena. Cobweb will be played as Titania's 'mother' and Moth as a maid to the 'girls' [Peaseblossom/Mustardseed]" Role Played by Description     The Management Hippolyta Debbie Durnell 'Queen of the Amazon Room', due to merge with Thesus. A ball-breaker. Theseus John Blackwood Owner of 'Athena', due to merge with Hippolyta. Ex-army upper-class twit Egeus Rod Lovell Manager of 'Athena', father of Hermia. Theseus's former Sergeant-Major Philostrate Claire Ryan PA to Theseus - also works for Oberon as 'Punk'     The Lovers Hermia Charlotte Wright Hippy chick - hot for Lysander Helena Fran Gibbens Hermia's gawky best friend - hot for Demetrius Lysander Jon Attwood Laid-back dude - hot for Hermia Demetrius Martin Whittaker An upper-class mummy's boy. Egeus's choice to partner Hermia     The Staff Bottom Dave Pascoe-Clark a wide boy - a bobber and weaver - who plays Pyramus Peter Quince Paul Taylor a steward - who speaks the Prologue Flute Oscar Withers a young hoodlum - who plays Thisbe Snout Jack Bailey a barman - who plays Wall Starveling Steve Smith a bouncer who plays Moonshine Snug Austin Ferrante a bouncer who plays Lion     The Underworld Puck Claire Ryan Oberson's gopher - knows where the bodies are buried Oberon Brian Paterson Gang boss and drug dealer Titania Teresa Hudd Oberson's 'Madam' - think Barbara Windsor Moth Louise Parfrey [a flapper] A maid to the "girls" - Peaseblossom & Mustardseed Peaseblossom Kirsty Johnstone an earth mother Mustardseed Laura O'Brien a hot tamale Cobweb Denise Priest [a vamp] "Titania's Mother" REHEARSALS This will leave 27 rehearsals before the performance. ALL REHEARSALS WILL START WITH A PHYSICAL/VOCAL WARM-UP AT 7.45 AND WILL NOT GO BEYOND 10pm (with the possible exception of Technicals and Dress). Sunday rehearsals are provisional. 'Blocking' rehearsals will require cast to have pencil to mark moves on their script. RH No. DAY/DATE ACT/SCENE(S) CAST REQUIRED Prep Wed 25 Jan Formal Announcement of Cast (as above) Distribution of Scripts (£5 each) Read through Q&A Full Cast Prep Fri 27 Jan Read through Q&A Full Cast 1 Wed 1 Feb Blocking pages 3-10 Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostrate, Egeus, Hermia, Demetrius, Lysander, Helena 2 Fri 3 Feb Blocking pages 11-14 & 60-61 Quince, Bottom, Flute, Snug, Snout, Starveling 3 Wed 8 Feb Blocking pages 15-27 Puck, Moth, Mustardseed, Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Titania, Oberon, Demetrius, Helena, Lysander, Hermia 4 Fri 10 Feb Blocking pages 28-35 Quince, Bottom, Flute, Snug, Snout, Starveling, Puck, Moth, Mustardseed, Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Titania 5 Wed 15 Feb Blocking pages 36-51 Oberon, Demetrius, Helena, Lysander, Hermia, Puck 6 Fri 17 Feb Blocking pages 36-51 Oberon, Demetrius, Helena, Lysander, Hermia, Puck 7 Wed 22 Feb Blocking pages 52-59 Puck, Moth, Mustardseed, Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Titania, Oberon, Demetrius, Helena, Lysander, Hermia, Bottom, Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus 8 Fri 24 Feb Blocking pages 62-70 Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostrate, Egeus, Hermia, Demetrius, Lysander, Helena, Quince, Bottom, Flute, Snug, Snout, Starveling 9 Wed 29 Feb Blocking pages 70-76 Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, Hermia, Demetrius, Lysander, Helena, Quince, Bottom, Flute, Snug, Snout, Starveling, Oberon, Titania, Moth, Mustardseed, Peaseblossom, Cobweb 10 Fri 2 Mar Pages 3 - 19 ALL CAST 11 Wed 7 Mar Pages 19 - 32 ALL CAST 12 Fri 9 Mar Pages 33 - 51 ALL CAST 13 Wed 14 Mar Pages 52 - 61 ALL CAST 14 Fri 16 Mar Pages 62 - 76 ALL CAST   ********** BOOKS DOWN POINT ******** 14a Sun 18 Mar Whole play stagger! [12 - 3pm] All Cast 15 Wed 21 Mar Pages 3 - 19 ALL CAST 16 Fri 23 Mar Pages 19 - 32 ALL CAST 17 Wed 28 Mar Pages 33 - 51 ALL CAST 18 Fri 30 Mar Pages 52 - 61 ALL CAST 19 Wed 4 Apr Pages 62 - 76 ALL CAST   Fri 6 Apr Good Friday No Rehearsals 20 Wed 11 Apr Pages 3 - 27 ALL CAST 21 Fri 13 Apr Pages 28 - 52 ALL CAST 22 Wed 18 Apr Pages 53 - 76 ALL CAST 23 Fri 20 Apr Pages 3 - 27 ALL CAST 24 Wed 25 Apr Pages 28 - 52 ALL CAST 25 Fri 27 Apr Pages 53 - 76 ALL CAST 25a Sun 29 Apr Whole play run-through [as performance] 12 - 3pm All Cast 26/Tech Wed 29 Apr Act 1 Tech Rehearsal [pages 3-47] ALL CAST & CREW 27/Tech Fri 4 May Act 2 Tech Rehearsal [pages 47-76] ALL CAST & CREW Dress Sun 6 May Dress Rehersals (Two Runs) ALL CAST & CREW Perf Wed 9 May Performance ALL CAST & CREW Perf Fri 11 May Performance ALL CAST & CREW Perf Sat 12 May Performance ALL CAST & CREW