![](3D"BPH_newsletter12_Dec07_files/image002.jpg")
NEWSLETTER
&nb=
sp; Arts,
Drama & Culture in Backwell
No.12 &=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; Web Site :=
www.backwellplayhouse.co.uk Dece=
mber
2007
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HAPPY NEW YEAR=
To all members<=
span
style=3D'font-family:Verdana'>
Key News
AGM REPORT
We had a turnout of 40 members attending the AGM. In t=
he
absence of a Chairman, the Secretary Ian Forsyth took the chair admirably a=
nd
10 members were elected to the Committee, for three years according to the =
Rules.
Alan Johnson didn’t need to be elected as he had time to run on his 3
years. He stated, as Treasurer, that a sound financial position was inherit=
ed
from the last committee and our finances remain in a healthy state.
A=
t the
first committee meeting after the AGM, according to the Rules, the officers
were elected and responsibilities agreed as follows:-
&nb=
sp; Chairman
: =
&nb=
sp; Alan
Johnson
&nb=
sp; Vice-Chairman
: =
&nb=
sp; Secretary
: =
&nb=
sp; Ian
Forsyth
&nb=
sp; Treasurer
: =
&nb=
sp; Alan
Johnson
<=
span
style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> Artistic Di=
rector
: =
Terry
Milton
&nb=
sp; Public
Relations : &n=
bsp; Jon
Coupe
&nb=
sp; Premises
Manager : &nbs=
p; Chris
Barker
&nb=
sp; Licensee,
Bar & Catering : Mollie
<=
span
style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> Health &
Safety : =
; David
Lydon
&nb=
sp; Box
Office : =
; &n=
bsp; Fiona
Milton
&nb=
sp; Membership
Sec : &n=
bsp;
&nb=
sp; Minute
Sec : &=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; Jenny
Wadge
<=
/span>
WHAT’S ON in Spring 20=
08
-
Put it i=
n your
Diary –
Film
Club - Thurs 3rd - Sat.5th Jan - “Casino
Royale”
23rd–26
Evenings 7.30pm Saturday Matinee
The Award Winning =
Musical and
family entertainment by members of the Playhouse Theatre Company. See preview
Film
Club - Thurs 31st Jan – Sat 2nd Feb -“The
History Boys”
7th Feb
“THE HUMOUR OF HOFFNUNG” presented by Annetta Hoffnung, widow of Gerard.
In
aid of MS Therapy Centre. Tic=
kets :
£10.00
Box Office : Tim Lewis Tel : 01275 790555
21st
– 24th Feb (Thur-Sun) AAD ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL=
7.30pm̵=
1;
Sunday time TBA - Preliminary round of the All England Drama Festival. One =
act
plays every night for four nights. Members invited to attend.
Tickets
£7.00 each Box Office Tel : 01454 228243
Film Club - Thurs 28th<=
/sup>
Feb- Sat 1st Mar – “Amazing Grace”
12th–
15th Mar. “HAPPY AS A SANDBAG” a comedy production by the Playhouse Youth G=
roup
Film Club - Thurs 3rd–5thApr
– “A Good Year”
10th Apr.
“THE HUMOUR OF Gilbert &
Sullivan”
Gordon
Peters, whose two previous appearances were much enjoyed, presents extracts
from Trial By Drury, Mikado, HMS Pinafore, Yeoman of the Guard, & many
more!
THE NEW CHAIRMAN
Alan
Johnson has been involved with the Playhouse for over 30 years, being the o=
nly
member of the previous pre-2004 committee to continue, so it is very
appropriate that he should lead us forward.
Previews
A musical of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic s=
tory
‘The Ugly Duckling’. So come on down to the farmyard to find out
more about this ‘Poultry Tale’ of Ugly, Ida, Cat and all the
‘Folk down on the Farm’. A show for all the family!
<= o:p>
From
the moment his egg cracks open the Ugly Duckling knows there is something
different about him. This hilarious musical comedy follows Ugly's adventure=
s,
as he is lured away from his bullying siblings by an ever-hungry Cat. Having
survived the feline's intentions, the hapless duckling sets out to find his=
way
home and meets an eccentric squadron of Geese, a domesticated Chicken, an
ebullient Bullfrog, and a beautiful young Swan before he is finally happily
reunited with his family. Since 1993 Honk! has been successfully produced
around the world in over 2,500 productions, winning multiple awards, includ=
ing
the 2000 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical.
“Happy as a Sandbag”, which is being perfo=
rmed
by the Playhouse Youth Group in March, is a joyous celebration of the coura=
ge,
humour and spirit of ordinary British people caught up in the maelstrom of =
World
War II. It contains cameo appearances from some of the leading entertainers=
of
the time, lots of nostalgic songs and a glimpse of the wonderful spirit that
people had during the war years.
Reviews
ABSOLUTE HELL
Gerry
Parker wrote a review of the Backwell Playhouse September production in the=
This
play by Rodney Ackland has had a chequered history. When it first appeared =
in
1951 under the title of The Pink Room, its downbeat themes and characters
seeking to escape from reality did not suit the tastes of audiences looking=
for
something to lift them from the drabness of post-war
It
took a great deal of faith and courage for director Terry Milton and the
company to take on this play Designer James Helps, the costume, lighting and
sound teams combined to create a very believable picture of a seedy 1940s
drinking club. This provided a fine framework for the 30-plus cast headed by
Alison Riddiford's portrayal of the lonely Christine and John Jones's
interpretation of writer Hugh Marriner.
It
drew the audience into a world of principally selfish individuals, refusing=
to
accept the reality that their era was rushing into oblivion.
Not
every characterisation hit the bullseye, but Mary Gould as loyal maid Doris;
Helen Coupe's religious zealot Madge; Sara Miller as Hugh's mother; Viv
Cooper's former colonial lady Julia; and Mike Houghton's drunk American sol=
dier
Butch all stood out. &nbs=
p;
Editor’s
Comment
This
play may not have been to everybody’s taste, it must be said, but it =
did
illustrate the versatility of our theatre group and the excellent acting
abilities of the actors involved.
<= o:p>
FAR FROM THE MADDING C= ROWD
The Dorset Corset Theatre Company did it again! They
provided some great entertainment in early November with some superb
acting.
<= o:p>
Helen Davis did an excellent job in writing the tailor=
ed
down script from the book by Thomas Hardy and she was also authoritative in=
the
leading role. She had a good back-up team of four actors playing dual roles,
the three suitors for Miss Everdene’s hand, played by Ed Burnside, Du=
gald
Gunn and a new actor to the team Jonathan Niton, but also the versatility
of the fourth member of the t=
roupe,
Clare Wallis who played both maid and mistress. They played to a full house=
and
we hope to welcome them back next year.&nb=
sp;
THE MAGPIES
The
Magpies have built a deserved reputation as one of the most entertaining gr=
oups
in our area over the years, and their efforts at the Backwell Playhouse in
early November were no exception with a superlative singing display includi=
ng a
new and enjoyable programme of Lloyd Webber numbers and Operatic arias, but=
I
have to say that their guests nearly outshone them.
Pearl
& Dean dressed in ostrich feathers and pearls and singing their ‘=
man
in frock‘ routine and it was hilarious. They continued with singing s=
ongs
about themselves, which was equally entertaining, and was effective in brea=
king
up the normal smoothness of the Magpies. Paul Price, the regional winner in=
the
search for a star competition, was terrific with his rendition of the Billy
Joel numbers and his Elton John take-off was superb. Altogether it was a gr=
eat
evening’s entertainment, playing to a full house on both nights. &=
nbsp; Chris
Barker
MRS GERRISH’S CH= RISTMAS
Kate McNab had constructed a very entertaining
1950’s comedy sketch in December at the Playhouse playing the leading
role of Mrs Gerrish, a widowed lodging-house keeper. It was a complex Chris=
tmas
story involving Mrs G’s brother played by Fred Wedlock and Ross Harve=
y playing
many roles of suitors and even a female with considerable aplomb. The humour
and the interspersed musical renditions of songs from that period were
delightfully nostalgic, interspersed with many local names particularly fro=
m
Other News
ADDITIONAL CHANGING ROOM
A
workshop/store has been converted into a changing room to give additional
space, to separate the sexes if necessary, but mainly to enable the youngst=
ers
to have a separate dressing room.
NEXT EDITION :
If
you have something interesting to say about the Playhouse Theatre, make
comments etc.
Contact
Peter Lamb at 01275 463160