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Frome Drama Club Newsletter

December 2004/January 2005

From Our Chairman

The pleasing task of saying ‘thank you' following the latest FDC production: PACK OF LIES falls to me. My only concern is where do I start? If ever a production exemplified teamwork, it was this one. From beginning to end cast and crew and volunteers galore pulled together, supported one another and produced, in the words of many audience members, “as professional a play as you'll ever see from a drama club”. The cast worked their socks and tights off and peaked perfectly for opening night. And what a pleasure it was to have new members making up five of the cast of eight. A very warm welcome and congratulations to Alan Burgess, Val Atkinson, Denise Hunt, Giovanni Monica and Kayleigh Booker. I hope you will all be part of many productions to come. Philip's role has been mentioned elsewhere in this Newsletter so I will not duplicate the superlatives save to add that his energy and creativity are priceless. In his set building he was very ably joined by Geoff Hunt and Chris Kirkman and the wonderful result was there for us all to see on the stage. Michael has asked me to make special mention of the kitchen floor painted over two nights till 3 a.m. by himself and Philip but I have refused.

Props were undertaken by Lesley Swinburn and another new member, Allyson Marion. Attention to detail was tremendous and Allyson's backstage calm and organisation were a joy to behold. She attended many rehearsals to familiarise herself with the set and was happy to assume the role of prompt during the difficult transition from script to learnt lines. The show was stage managed very professionally by Heather who, in addition, gave hours of help to the cast; worked with me on costumes; made the dress for the role of Helen; and, together with Philip, hosted the last night party, contributing greatly to global warming with a fantastic chilli con carne! So many of the audience commented on the working kettle and running tap water. For the latter we have the talented Dave Titchener to thank. Sound for the play was bravely taken on by Phil Tomlinson, new to FDC and new to sound boards (although you would never know). Well done, Phil, and thank you. Last but not least were the get-in and get-out. So many people helped that I do not have the space to mention names but you all know who you are and, on behalf of the club, bless you for all your hard work.

And guess what? WE MADE A (modest) PROFIT!!!

Gillie Richardson

P.S. The director wasn't bad either! His vision and constant striving for excellence gave us the standard for which FDC is becoming renowned. Thank you, Michael.

A Club Night With A Difference

What are you doing on Wednesday night? That’s this Wednesday, 8th December? Now that Musicality is finished there’s not much on the tele, the round of pre-Christmas drinks and do’s hasn’t yet got under way, your hair doesn’t really need washing ... So why not come and let it down (that’s your hair of course) and join us for a fun-filled evening of drinking and laughing and playing charades to celebrate the end of one successful production and the start of another. There will be lots of prizes to win, lots of old friends and brand new ones, and probably a fair amount of alcohol to consume (Dave at the Packhorse has never been known to run out). Come in a silly hat if you feel like it - there will be a prize for the best one, but most importantly come!

SOCIAL NIGHT
The Packhorse on Christchurch St West at 8pm

PACK OF LIES

A triumph! Held the audience enthralled - Somerset Standard

There's an old, unforgettable saying in the theatre but I can't remember what it is...

The last play I directed for FDC was Alan Acykbourn's Season's Greetings in 1993 so I felt it was important to capitalise on that success by leaving it over 10 years before I did so again. Some might venture that I was a trifle hasty. I don't know if it's just me but I do find it to be a love/hate thing. On a basic level, I love it when it is going well and hate it when it is not. The biggest enemies are time and tiredness. Two hours' rehearsal time of an evening is never enough and everyone has done a day's work, bolted down a meal (if they're lucky), and rushed out of the house to arrive feeling knackered and suffering from either indigestion or malnutrition. On day 1 of my professional debut I turned up for the first rehearsal at a London fringe venue - a grotty 'theatre' above a pub. A huge part of my excitement was the fact that I was going to be rehearsing all day every day for three weeks. Alright, so it was unpaid, the play was rubbish and the director certifiable, but I didn't care. My abiding memory of that day was wondering how on earth I had managed all those 'after hours' rehearsals and performances for the previous ten years with Frome Drama Club.

So this piece, in my usual circuitous and longwinded way, is a tribute to the cast of Pack Of Lies who trudged along night after night, week after week to be put through their paces only to crawl away and try to find some extra time in busy lives to LEARN THE BLOODY LINES!

Sorry, I was back in rehearsal for a moment there.

After such back-slapping it is usually considered invidious to pick out any individuals but, as a fully paid up luvvie, I spit in the face of convention. Much to his embarrassment (particularly as the Newsletter editor), I am going to single out Philip. Having said that, to retain some balance I should add that I can't stand the bloke myself, never could. Heather and I were saying as much only last week. However, credit where credit's due.... Apart from taking on a substantial role (including five years as a bogus medical student at Cambridge while recruiting for MI5, not to mention punting on the Cam), Philip took on just about every other task - producer, set builder, programme writer, van driver, period kitchen scrounger, costumier (he chose his own braces) and tea boy. The last of these is untrue but, even so, as Barbara summed it up in the play: "What's the difference between one lie and another?"

Michael Hoskinson
(alias Mikael Bullshitsky, Director (KGB)
- oops, that should have been in code.

COLD COMFORT FARM

Philip de Glanville enthuses:

I am really excited about the idea of doing this as our Spring Production, for several reasons... First - it’s funny. In fact, as we discovered at the initial reading in September, it’s one long riotous hoot from start to finish. Many of you will know, if only vaguely, the novel by Stella Gibbons on which it is based - it was one of the BBC’s top 100, and Paul Doust’s adaptation, written in 1991, really does it proud. A wonderful tongue-in-cheek style which underlines and accentuates the parody beautifully. Secondly it is full of amazing larger-than-life characters which wll be a joy to play - such a relief to be able to overact to our hearts’ content. And there are lots of them - 15 good speaking parts plus an infinite number of chorus members, who have some excellent pieces, as well as playing various additional Starkadders for ‘The Counting’ (3 children needed as well incidentally), being Quivering Brethren, gentry at the Hawk-Monitor’s summer ball, and guests at Richard and Elphine’s wedding. Masses of gorgeous costumes, fantastic composite set, a good time guaranteed. And my third reason for being excited about it is because already other people are. The audience came away from Pack of Lies chattering about making sure they come to see it, we have a set designer anxious to get started, and potential cast members queueing up. It’s going to be one of those productions to be a part of.

Synopsis
Our orphaned heroine, Flora Poste, descends on her only living relatives - the Starkadders, who scratch a living at Cold Comfort Farm, ruled by their tyrannical Great-Aunt Ada Doom, who once “saw something narsty in the woodshed...” and won’t ever let anyone forget it. The farm is bleak, chaotic and dirty - but Flora, ‘expensively, athletically and lengthily educated’, strides into the melee, determined as always to restore order, arrange marriages and cast some light into their darkness. And she does, to great comic effect.

The Main Characters

Flora Poste - early 20’s (in theory!). A massive role requiring great stage presence and style.

Judith Starkadder - middle-aged, melodramatic, brooding, wife to Amos (tho you might not guess) and mother of Seth and Reuben.

Amos Starkadder - completely mad, Bible-bashing preacher with no interest in the farm but no intention of letting his sons get their hands on it either.

Reuben - early 30’s. Rough and ready, a man of few words but plenty of ideas for the future of the farm.

Seth - late 20’s. Even less words but massive sex appeal. His mother dotes on him in a rather worrying way, but Seth dreams of Hollywood.

Urk - indeterminate age, a cousin who does little more than grunt, but harbours a secret love for Elphine.

Elphine - a sweet wistful creature in her late teens, crushed by the ugliness of Cold Comfort Farm and her secret love for Richard Hawk-Monitor.

Richard - posh, handsome, and desperately in love with Elphine.

Mrs Hawk-Monitor - similarly posh and handsome, the owner of Hautcouture Hall and mother of Richard.

Poor daft Rennet - a relative of some sort but nobody seems quite sure. She has a habit of throwing herself in the well when anyone mentions Mark Dolour, whoever he is. Adam Lambsbreath - an ancient cowman looking after just four very ancient cows - one of whom has a wooden leg.

Sneller - very superior butler to the Hawk-Monitors.

Mr Neck - Middle-aged Hollywood film producer on the look-out for a new star.

Charles - Early 30’s - Flora’s sweetheart.

and of course the great-aunt of them all:

Ada Doom - ugly, aged, lonely, and monumentally selfish. She is confined for the first half of the play to a room above the stage, but has enormous power over the whole family.

Plus Mark Starkadder (Amos’ half-nephew) with wife Phoebe and their three children, Dandelion, Jane & Jacob, Michah Starkadder (Urk’s father) with wife Susan, Luke (another half-brother) with daughter Sairy Lucy’s Polly and her husband Napthalie, and his half-sister twice-removed Sheba, and so on...