Frome Drama Club Newsletter
January/February 2006
GOODBYE TO 'ALLO 'ALLO
A warm appreciation from our Chairman, Gillie Richardson
When Bob Gooding first mooted the idea of ’Allo ’Allo some time ago I have to confess to being somewhat unsure about putting on a play which had been such a success as a series on the BBC. Could it work on the stage? Was it dated? Above all, was it funny? I decided to order a set of scripts from the library and invited the club to a reading at the Packhorse – and what fun we had! It totally changed my mind – and that of the committee – so the die was cast for our autumn production.
Luckily for us, Bob was willing to direct and he found an excellent cast. Many were new to FDC while some hadn’t even been on the stage before, so it was interesting to watch a group of strangers metamorphose into a team of actors.
I feel we were particularly lucky to have found Kevin. René is integral to the whole play - he hardly ever leaves the stage – and we needed someone who was confident, relaxed and, above all, funny. Kevin was all of those and, in addition to bringing René to life, was both a generous performer and a great support to everyone else on stage.
There were some fabulous cameos throughout the play. Keely and Alan were fantastic as Helga and Flick while David’s Gruber was superb. I still find myself giggling at the memories of Crabtree (Roger) swinging the sausage that had been hidden in his ‘pints’; the Colonel (Steve) with his viglet, Hilary’s eye patch and Peter as the randy Italian!
I loved our two naughty maids (Perdie & Cara) who did their best to support poor Edith (Janet) with her singing and confusion. Every time Leclerc (Bryan) and Michelle (Gina) came on stage, you could see the older members of the audience mouthing their immortal lines: “It is I Leclerc” and “Listen very carefully….” ! And even those with small parts (shame!) such as the airmen, mother-in-law and various café visitors filled the stage with laughter. And all of it accompanied by our wonderful accordionist, Ben.
Our luck didn’t stop there, however. When Bob told us that, uncharacteristically, he wanted a box set, our faces dropped – who was available to do it? We need not have worried as Alan Woolley, returned from foreign climes, took on the task of building the set and running the show. And yet more good fortune as Claudia & Taff generously lent us their garage for storing and constructing the set.
Chris Samuels at the Merlin lit the show. He is such a talented, hard working and unassuming guy and we would be lost without him. We had the technical assistance of our very smooth sound partnership, Simon & Adam Bowman, who also produced the DVD/Video of the show. The props team of Trixie, Carla & Ally faced quite a few challenges including a 1920’s hearing trumpet and a 1940’s police whistle, but did a splendid job.
Thankfully Michael took on the task of producing the programme and posters. By chance he was acting in London with a guy (Simon Pearsall) who also draws cartoons for Private Eye. He was prevailed upon to sketch some very suggestive artwork which was turned into the final version by Paddy Richardson.
I was given the job of costuming the production which I found a real challenge, and it made me appreciate even more Heather’s skills on previous shows. I was helped by David North who found an excellent source of German uniforms. Den Hunt was very kind, joining me to crawl through the roof space of Red Cottage to find sexy items such as Flick’s singlet and Leclerc’s long johns!
If ever there was a team effort this was it – and what a splendid effort it was! True, ’Allo ’Allo isn’t a hugely artistic work but it was great to do, maintained FDC’s reputation for providing good quality theatre, and gave a large number of people a huge amount of FUN!
GR
ADIEU ADIEU!
A few weeks have passed since we cleared the "Allo Allo" set and trundled off to Alberto's, sorry, Peter's lovely house to celebrate what appears to have been something of a success. And that is that. I never have been one to linger over a production. Over, finished, gone. I don't keep videos or photos, just start planning the next task. After all theatre by its nature is a mayfly! By the time it emerges most of the struggling and work has been done. It flutters up for all to see and then is gone. A 'brief candle'.
But… I still answer the phone with "Good moaning" whatever the time of day, so how sad is that? My friends haven't complained so far but the Indian female voice calling me about a time-share or whatever was very confused. It was at this moment I had one of my better ideas, so when from Calcutta or wherever her call centre was she asked to speak to Mr Robert Gooding, I continued in Crabtree fashion. "He is spoking." She, not I, put the phone down! I shall continue to use this method with such calls.
I want to congratulate the cast who did us all proud with their amazing performances after weeks of protracted rehearsals. Like all plays the secret is in the casting and I know I can claim to have done that task well. They and the wonderful crew did the rest.
I'm really look forward to seeing Philip's Of Mice & Men, Steinbeck being my
Guru since student days when I sweated on a main thesis about him one summer unaware that the man himself was living only a few miles away!
I think he would be very understanding of that "poor weak feeble husband"… Rene. Another thesis here perhaps?
BG
'ALLO 'ALLO – WOSS GOIN' ON 'ERE THEN?
When I got the chance of the part, my first thought was; after being away from it all for a few years, did I want it all again? All that bitching, the backbiting, the jealousy, the tension?
Damn right I did, I thought, as I cheerfully signed away my entire free time for the next two months. And so I found myself at rehearsals the very next day, sitting with a bunch of total strangers, not yet aware that I wasn't, in fact, the only unknown there. Oddly, to me at any rate, only a small percentage of that group actually knew each other.
That was a surprise to me. You see, I'd come from the "safer", cosier environs of small-village amateur drama, where everyone knows each other and every part in each new production is pre-cast - in my little theatre company, Reginald F. always portrays the vicar, simply because he looks a bit "vicarish", and any character who might be thought of as a "miserable git" is always played by Dave L. because, well, because Dave L. is a miserable git.
Oh, and my little am-dram society wasn't posh, it wasn't pretentious, and it most certainly wouldn't let any discourse on the merits of Ibsen over Pinter take precedence over whether anyone had seen Top Gear that evening.
Huh, the trouble with this new Frome lot, I knew with absolute certainty, was that they were sure to have their la-de-da heads lodged so far up their own....
...Well, surprise, surprise, they were wonderful, great! Down to earth, not at all posh, very, very unpretentious and always keener to talk about Gandalf than Geilgud, or Oliver (Jamie) than Olivier (Sir Lawrence) any time.
Over the next few weeks I was privileged to get to know a lot of friendly, "normal" folk, to sup a few happy pints with them and, of course, to share a stage with them. I can truly say that, in spite of my misgivings at the outset, acting with FDC turned out, after all, to be so perfectly, er, "ordinary".
Except for the lovely folk I spent too little time with - for it was they who were extraordinary.
KD
OF MICE & MEN
Philip de Glanville reports
We had a really productive reading of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice & Men in the back bar of The Packhorse towards the end of November. Sixteen people came and everyone wanted to be involved with this as our Spring Production. Four girls read, very well, for the only female role and any one of them would have been excellent in it. Amongst the men there were parts for everyone who wanted one and, with a bit of gentle arm-twisting to fill the remaining two of the nine male roles, I am delighted to announce the cast is now complete.
In order of appearance they are:
| GEORGE | Martin Coat |
| LENNIE | Steve Dowler |
| CANDY | Bryan Williamson |
| BOSS | Steve Ryder |
| CURLEY | Calum Grant |
| CURLEY’S WIFE | Jade Taylor |
| SLIM | Will Adcock |
| CARLSON | David North |
| WHIT | James Cox |
| CROOKS | Billy |
Rehearsals will begin in earnest on 22nd January and the show is booked in at The Merlin 27th – 29th April, with our ‘get-in’ on Sunday 23rd.
The reading also produced several people who said they would like to help backstage, and since the production is going to need a fair bit of work behind the scenes I am going to call a meeting of all those who would like to be involved, to be held in The Packhorse on Monday 23rd January at 8pm. All will be very welcome!
Incidentally has anyone got a very old dog, ideally a collie-type? It would play a crucial role in the play. Phone 01373 472997 (message), or email me at pmdeglanville@blueyonder.co.uk if you can help.
PdeG
AGM TIME AGAIN
Come and hear about FDC’s amazingly successful year, and about our plans for another one, especially since 2006 will be our Diamond Jubilee!
Most of the current Committee are prepared to stand again, so don’t worry – you won’t get roped in, unless you want to be. But we do need feedback and ideas from our membership and this is your chance to have your say and to make things happen, so do please come if you can.
The AGM will be held at Gillie & Michael’s house – 2, Castle Street, Frome (phone 01373 454247 for directions if needed) on Monday 9th January, starting at 8pm prompt.
By all means bring a bottle!
MORE AUDITIONS
On Wednesday, 11th January at 8.00 p.m. at the Packhorse, Christchurch Street West there will be auditions for our entry into the Merlin One Act Play Festival which will take place in March 2006. The chosen play is "Lunch" by Steven Berkoff which will be directed by Emily Lewis.
A man and a woman meet on a bench by the sea - it could be anywhere. The man sells the most humiliating item of uselessness: space. He sells space in one of those cheap magazines that nobody has ever heard of. However, it is the space in his own life he really longs to sell but will she want to buy?
So, a cast of two with no age restrictions. Everyone welcome.
PLAYREADINGS
Our play-reading for January is Just As You Say, Darling – a very funny (and modestly naughty) bedroom farce for six characters, written in the 60’s by one of our local literary celebrities, John Press. It will be held at The Packhorse on Monday 16th January at 8pm and all are very welcome. We are very much hoping that John Press will be there to join us.
In February we will be reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula. This has a large cast and plenty of gothic horror, fluttering of leathery wings, spatters of blood and piteous cries. It could well be our choice for the Autumn Production* in early November, so be there on Monday 13th February to get a taste for it. 8pm at The Packhorse as usual.
* for discussion, and alternative suggestions, at the AGM
CHRISTMAS PARTY
Those who came, and there were over 30 of us at one stage, might well agree this was the best FDC party ever. We played lots of silly games, including several versions of pass the lemon (no hands) and theatrical charades, ably and nobly masterminded by Michael H. In the best caucas-race tradition, almost everyone won a prize. Some were really quite valuable – if only for sentimental reasons (Geoff’s tin of luncheon meat, lovingly preserved from last year, almost made it back into circulation), but apologies to whoever won the stock cube.
The whole event was photographed in obsessional detail on my digital camera (though not all of them taken by me!) and I am appalled to have to admit that almost every pic was corrupted when I downloaded the memory card. Only two were useable, even with bizarre cropping.
Geoff Hunt, passing the lemon with some difficulty
Carla Besley won the worst hair prize and agreed to be photographed wearing her prize
If others at the party took photos and would like to send a selection to me (pmdeglanville@blueyonder.co.uk) I will gladly pass some on to Adam, who maintains our website. I’m sure he would post them for the rest of us to enjoy.
Ally and Martin judged the caption competition and to add to my embarrassment I have lost all record of their declared winners. Having put some of the entries up for re-adjudication by an independent panel of post-Christmas house-guests however, we can offer these few as firm favourites:
"I'll have a double entendre, please , barmaid". "Would that be a large one, sir?"
Let’s do the timewarp again
Michelle took the ‘village bike’ description a bit too literally
FDC Programme
Monday 9th January
AGM
2, Castle Street at 8pm
Wednesday 11th January
Auditions:
The Merlin One Act Festival
Lunch
by Stephen Berkoff
The Packhorse, 8pm
All welcome!
Monday 16th January
Playreading:
Just As You say, Darling
by John Press
The Packhorse, 8pm
All welcome!
Monday 23rd January
Backstage meeting:
Of Mice & Men
The Packhorse, 8pm
Do come if you’re interested
Monday 13th February
Playreading:
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
by Stephen Dietz
The Packhorse, 8pm
A possible contender for our Autumn Production. All welcome!