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OVERTURESKEGNESS PLAYGOERS 63RD PLAY FESTIVAL RESULTS

Skegness Playgoers 63rd Annual Play Festival took place once again at the Embassy Theatre from Sunday 8th May to Friday 13th May.

Amateur theatre groups from around the region and beyond came to Skegness to perform a play of their choice. These plays were adjudicated and there were 15 trophies awarded on the final evening. The overall winner gets the chance to perform their play at the all winners final which is to be held in Guernsey this year.

It was opened by the chairman, Ken Blankley, who welcomed all the teams taking part and the adjudicator for this year, Paul Fowler (GoDA).

He also gave huge thanks to Sue Sharman who took on the tremendous task of putting the festival together and making sure it ran smoothly after our previous co-ordinator Cherrie Dutton became ill. He wished Cherrie a speedy recovery.

Skegness Playgoers are hosts to one of the few remaining independant festivals in England and were proud to bring the following plays to Skegness:-- SunDAy “Men of the World” by John Godber (Halifax Thespians)

MonDAy “Bazaar and Rummage” by Sue Townsend (Skegness Playgoers)

TuESDAy “of Mice and Men” from the book by John Steinbeck adapted by Mike Kenny (BigEd Productions)

WEDnESDAy “The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery” by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin, ---- performed by Scothern Players

THuRSDAy (onE ACT PlAy nIGHT) “Dumb Waiter” by Harold Pinter (Boston Playgoers)“last Tango in Mablethorpe” by David Tristram (Tennyson Players) “Waiting For A Bus” by Peter Barnes (Skegness Playgoers)

FRIDAy “The Darling Buds of May” by H.E. Bates (Horncastle Theatre Co.)

The plays were adjudicated each evening after the performance by Paul Fowler who gave praise and sound advice to all the teams.

on Friday evening the festival was closed by Ken Blankley who once again gave thanks to everyone who had helped in any way putting the festival together and making it successful, to all the teams taking part, to Mick Manning and his team from the Embassy for helping and making the teams welcome, to Anne Key-Huckerby, our regional noDA representative who has never missed our festivals, to Paul Fowler for all his advice to the teams and finally to the audience without whom our festival couldn’t carry on.

Anne spoke of how much she had enjoyed her week and thanked everyone.Paul said it was his first time in Skegness and he had thoroughly enjoyed his week

here and had watched some excellent plays and acting. He mentioned the good value of ony £45 for a whole week of wonderful theatre and hoped it would continue for another 63 years. In his final summing up he said, that at the end of the day, these were his opinions of the plays and the audiences may not agree with him. He said some of the awards were a close call and he made many nominations in a lot of the categories. He then announced the winners and the trophies were presented by Anne Key-Huckerby and were awarded as follows;-

The Joyce Smith Trophy for SUPREME COMEDY MOMENT Scothern Players

les Allison Plate for MOST INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION Scothern Players

Claude Sharman Memorial Plate for BEST LIGHTING AND EFFECTS Scothern Players

nottingham Co-op Society Trophy for BEST SETTING Horncastle Theatre

William Butlin Cup for BACKSTAGE AWARD BigEd Productions

Eileen Pett Memorial Trophy SPECIAL AWARD (Acting) Jo Fitzwilliams (Skegness Playgoers)

Joe Wright Cup MOST PROMISING ACTOR (under 21)Dominic Hinkins---Horncastle Theatre

Elizabeth Allan Trophy MOST PROMISING ACTRESS (under 21) Harriet Head (Horncastle Theatre)

Cyril Shepherd Memorial Trophy BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Jon Molson (BigEd Productions)

Phyllis Garner Memorial Trophy BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS liz Peplow (Scothern Players)

Skegness Entertainments Bateman Cup BEST ACTOR Jon Cooke (Horncastle Theatre)

Betty lowndes Cup BEST ACTRESS Vicki Head (Horncastle Theatre)

Skegness Plygoers one Act Shield ONE ACT WINNER Dumb Waiter (Boston Playgoers)

Grace Green Cup RUNNER UP BigEd Productions (of Mice and Men)

The Arcadia Trophy PREMIER AWARD Scothern Players (The Farnsdale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild

Dramatic Society Murder Mystery)

ThE BEST OF BRITISh DRAmA – 2011.I feel I should start this article by saying ‘once upon a Time’ but this isn’t a case of old

fairy stories as this is probably the last thing that comes to mind where one Act play competitions are involved. The reason for thinking so long ago is that the event that ‘launched’ the British Final was held in 1926 when an offer was received for an entry from the uK to travel to new york to compete against uS teams. In 1927 the British Drama league, encouraged by its then Secretary, Geoffrey Whitworth, established an eliminating Competition so that the representative to travel to the uS could be considered the Best of British. Every year since then, barring a gap during World War 2, teams have won through a series of rounds to compete for the British Title and now come from England, Scotland, northern Ireland and Wales.

The organisation of the British Final rotates around the four competing countries and this year falls to England to provide the Festival. The Western Area of the All-England Theatre Festival has decided that Swindon is the place to be on July 1st and 2nd this year to see the climax of the Competitive one Act Play Festivals of 2011. The venue will be the spacious Wyvern Theatre, which is very comfortable, is close to the main shopping area and almost surrounded by car parks. The fact that this venue is affordable is exclusively due to the generosity of the sponsors, John lewis. The Festival organisers’ nightmare of course is that it is not possible to say yet who will be performing – other than the fact that teams representing England and Wales will be appearing on July 1st and those from northern Ireland and Scotland on the 2nd.

The adjudicator at any Festival is a vital part of the evenings proceedings as he or she helps the audience to fully appreciate why they particularly enjoyed some parts of the play and perhaps weren’t quite so sure about other bits. If you have never been to a Festival this would be an excellent place to start, at the top ! The teams that will be competing should be some of the best around and the chosen adjudicator, Mike Tilbury, G.o.D.A. is experienced at all levels of the competition, including a previous British Final as well as working in Gibraltar, luxemburg, Belgium and Spain.

Finally, one new feature included in the programme this year is a Play Reading of the winning script from the Geoffrey Whitworth Play Writing Competition. This competition is only open to scripts that have been performed in a one Act Festival in any of the four countries during the year. The title of the winning play is not known yet but it will be staged in The Studio at the Wyvern. This is not a large venue but it should be very appropriate for a reading. The Play Reading is free thanks to Amateur Stage’s kind sponsorship and tickets can be obtained by e-mail from Ann Aplin at annaplin@tiscali.co.uk or from the Festival Reception desk situated at the Menzies Hotel during the duration of the Festival.

The first results are now available. northern Ireland will be represented by newpoint Players, who will be performing ‘I can’t stand up for falling down’ by Richard Cameron, while Scotland will have Tryst Theatre from Falkirk presenting Act 1 of ‘ART’, written by yazmina Reza. Tickets for the British Final cost £12 and are available from the Wyvern Theatre Box office Website, www.wyverntheatre.org.uk or for a special Two Session price of £10 per ticket Phone the Wyvern Box office on 01703 524 481. Further results will be available on the All-England Theatre Festival website – www.aetf.org.uk or the Best of British Drama Website, www.bestofbritishdrama.org.uk. (Mike linham)

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LTGnews > LTGnews > LTGnews > LTGnews > LTGnews > LTGnews > LTGnews >Michael Shipley looks at what’s been going on recently around the country.

At the end of March the Guild held its Spring Conference and AGM at People’s Theatre, Newcastle. People’s Theatre was a founding member of the Guild back in 1946, and so it was very appropriate that we should be meeting there (and not for the first time since 1946!) on the occasion of the theatre’s 100th birthday. Founded in 1911, “In the words of one of our founders, the People’s Theatre ‘began almost accidentally and has continued by a miracle, or series of them’. Indeed, from humble and obscure beginnings, we have survived fire, flood, and near financial collapse to develop into the thriving organisation that celebrates its centenary this year. As our name suggests, our origins lie in what was the rather bohemian wing of socialist politics in the Newcastle of 1911. The local branch of the British Socialist Party took a Fabian outlook on politics, as espoused by the playwright Bernard Shaw, and pursued a healthy and intellectually stimulating way of life. This included a number of what were called Clarion Societies, including a Choir, a Cycling Club, and a Dramatic Society It was the last of these that was to develop into the People’s Theatre. At their premises in a set of upstairs rooms, the fledgling group started by producing plays that were socially progressive and an antidote to much of the lightweight popular drama that dominated the professional stage at the time. The works of Shaw quickly became favourites and by the time the society had achieved its tenth anniversary in 1921 (having meanwhile moved to the Old Royal Arcade), Bernard Shaw himself honoured the theatre with a visit. By our eighteenth birthday we had outgrown the Royal Arcade and bought an old chapel at Rye Hill to convert into a theatre. By this time the former Clarion society had formally severed its links with the BSP and adopted the name of the People’s Theatre. It was during the years 1930 to 1960 that the theatre began to achieve both a regional and a national reputation. We were the first company in the north to stage Shakespeare in modern dress. In 1933 J B Priestley visited and described the theatre in his depression-era travelogue English Journey. We were visited by Shaw once again for our Silver Jubilee, when he made his last ever public speech from our stage. Having stayed open throughout the Second World War, we brought that troubled decade to a triumphant end with a world premiere of Sean O’Casey’s Cock-A-Doodle-Dandy in December 1949. We moved into our current premises (a former cinema) in the early 1960s, since when we have continued to present the people of Tyneside with quality drama and plays that would not otherwise be seen in our region. But the most important members of the People’s have always been you – our audience. The appetite of Tyneside theatregoers for stimulating drama and entertainment has always been our lifeblood. Long may our happy relationship prosper!” (Taken from the Brochure for the current season of plays) At the National AGM and Conference there was a good turnout – over 100 delegates from 35 theatres – and a very convivial spirit. The AGM saw Ian Thompson take over the chairmanship, and Kevin Spence elected as Vice Chairman; the National Committee for the year ahead now consists of:Chairman: Ian Thompson (Crescent Theatre, Birmingham)

Vice Chairman: Kevin Spence (Doncaster Little Theatre)Secretary: Caroline Chapman (Royalty Theatre, Sunderland)Treasurer: Brian Stoner (Wilmslow Green Room)PRO: Michael Shipley (Bolton Little Theatre)NLO: Tom Williams (Chesil Theatre, Winchester)Northern Region Secretary: Margaret Mann (Southport Little Theatre)Central Region Secretary: Jackie Blackwood (Crescent Theatre, Birmingham)Southern Region Secretary: Rosemary Shaw (Wharf Theatre, Devizes) Theatre Representatives – Keith Thompson (Barn Theatre, Welwyn)Bob Heather (Plaza Theatre, Romsey)Sandra Simpson (Bolton Little Theatre)Immediate past Chairman: Eddie Redfern (Archway Theatre, Horley) At the AGM Philip Bradley (People’s Theatre, Newcastle) was presented with a certificate on being made an Honorary Associate of the Guild.

It was only after we had all returned home from Newcastle that we learnt the very sad news that Rosemary Shaw had been taken to hospital, where an inoperable cancer had been found. She died on the 1st April. The funeral took place in her church at Urchfont, Wiltshire, attended by a strong contingent of her friends in the Guild. Rosie became Southern Region Secretary in 1993, and she had served as LTG Rep for Wharf Theatre, Devizes since 1988 when her theatre joined the Guild. Before that she had been a prominent member of the Carlisle Green Room Club. Her service to the Guild was commemorated in March 2010 at the AGM at The Miller Centre in Caterham, when she was presented with her certificate of Honorary Associate Membership. Rosie certainly was the longest serving Regional Secretary, organising many conferences, seminars, and more recently the annual visit to Shakespeare’s Globe for the summer workshops. There can be few who have served on the Guild Committee for as many years as Rosie, and who will have made so many theatre friends across the whole country. Messages of sympathy from all over the country have flooded in to Rosie’s family, all paying tribute to her warmth of personality and commitment to the amateur theatre. The duties of the Southern Region Secretary are being taken over for the time being by Eddie Redfern, of Archway Theatre, Horley, our immediate past Chairman, to whom all enquiries should now be directed. Newly elected national committee member Sandra Simpson of Bolton Little Theatre is now looking after the arrangements for the Globe Theatre Weekend in August, the dates for which are 19th to 21st. Across the whole country since January there have been meetings of the 17 different HUBS, local groupings of theatres, to explore matters of common interest.

These have proved very stimulating indeed, enabling ordinary members of theatre groups to meet like-minded enthusiasts. The main comment – “we are not alone after all”. Finally at the AGM it was announced that a new theatre had joined the Guild – The Corn Exchange, Wallingford.

The “STaGeSTRuck” PRojecT foR Sky aRTSIt was in January and March last year that I had some long discussions with an independent Film & TV Production Company (Oxford Film and Television) about a possible nation-wide programme based on amateur theatre. Oxford were very keen, and sent a camera to Bolton Little Theatre to get the flavour of the am dram scene and the kind of people who might participate in a programme. Sky Arts have finally agreed to fund the project, and work on it is likely to start in the late Spring. To quote from Oxford’s presentation to Sky: “In this ambitious and heart-warming series we’re going to put Britain’s amateur theatre groups centre stage for a change with the help of some of the world’s biggest stars of stage and screen. Working alongside the LTG, NODA and other bodies we’re going to hold a nationwide competition to find Britain’s best am dram company, judged by the stars of the theatre world. And the prize is a dream come true: to perform their play in the West End.”There will be nationwide call to arms, inviting groups to up-load a 5-10 minute audition video from a long list of heritage plays out of copyright. Star judges will whittle the entries down to their top 20 groups, which will then be filmed preparing their next entry into the competition. The numbers will then be reduced to 8, which will be filmed in depth as they compete for the final, under the guidance of star mentors. As the process of elimination continues, the tensions will rise. A bit like Master Chef for am dram? This is all very much (as I write) still in the final planning stage, but once the ball starts rolling, enthusiasts will surely want to get in on the act as soon as they can. News is being circulated through the Guild, NODA, and the Festival organizations.

NewS fRom aRouNd The couNTRy At TOWER THEATRE, Islington there has been a major crisis with the plans to build a new theatre on the site of Shakespeare’s Theatre in Shoreditch. The owner and proposed donor of the site, the Curtain Foundation, issued an ultimatum earlier this year: the condition of the gift was that a building contract had to be placed by 31st December 2011, or the gift would lapse without compensation to Tower Theatre for any moneys expended. No extension to this deadline could be negotiated. But an alternative proposal was put on the table: the Curtain Foundation would completely take over the funding and building of the new Theatre, re-imburse Tower for all costs incurred to date, and offer Tower the use of the new theatre on commercial terms when it was completed. As the fund-raising campaign was far from reaching its target, the Tower board decided that it really had no alternative but to accept these terms. The relocation board was now reviewing all the options for the future. CRESCENT THEATRE Birmingham have upgraded their bar area – “the work has transformed the bar from the cold café feel to an area where you can enjoy a drink with fellow members in a relaxed convivial atmosphere.” For the moment, plans at ILKLEY PLAYHOUSE to enlarge and improve the main space, the Wharfeside Theatre, are on hold. It is felt that the current economic climate is just too precarious with regard to fund raising to risk embarking on a major project. CRITERION THEATRE, Coventry have now launched their 50th Anniversary Fund Raising Appeal. There will be many events over the year to celebrate the history and success of the theatre, combined with fund-raising to refurbish the building, in particular to replace the seating. At TODMORDEN, TAODS are celebrating their 25th

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Rosemary Shaw

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OVERTURE

Photo: Christopher Draghi

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OVERTURE

MARK EVANSHailing from the hills of North Wales, Mark Evans is currently appearing as Fiyero in the hit musical Wicked. Amateur Stage caught up with him to talk about the show, summer schools and how he made his hobby his career.

When you speak to Mark Evans, one thing immediately strikes you. He really loves every minute of what he’s doing. Currently starring as Fiyero in the hit musical Wicked, he’s come a long way from his home in the hills of North Wales.

So how did he catch the acting bug? “I’ve no idea where the interest came from to be honest. No one in my family is involved in theatre or music in any way, shape or form” he says.

“A singing teacher came into my primary school in my last year and noticed I could sing a bit and decided that she wanted to give me singing lessons for free. Those free lessons lasted for the next six years!”

“I am a proud Welshman and I was doing all the eisteddfods and competitions when I was ten, I started acting when I was 11 and dancing when I was 12. It was all a bit of a hobby til I was 16 and I decided to audition for colleges to see where it would take me”.

“Theatre was always my hobby I never realised it could be my profession. I never went out of my way to audition for school shows but I usually ended up doing them”.

“When I was 15 I did a Summer School at Laine Theatre Arts, where I eventually ended up training and I think it was then that an avenue opened up. I am a firm believer in fate and I realise what a huge change has been made in my life over the last nine years. I grew up on a farm in the hills of North Wales as a farmer’s son. That’s a far cry away from playing a lead in Wicked”.

Wicked is know for it’s incredibly supportive fans and Mark writes a regular blog on his website detailing what’s going on in his life. As a young performer himself, we were keen to ask him about the importance of his blog and his motivation in writing it.

“I am very open about what I get up to during the week but there’s also a lot I don’t talk about. I decided not to talk too much about my family or relationships, it’s more about what’s going on with me professionally. I set up the blog as I do a lot of work with youth theatre and it was important to let others know about my experiences. As I said I had no idea that a career like this was possible. Because of shows like Britain’s Got Talent and the X Factor, there are a lot of younger people who perhaps get the wrong idea that it’s about raw talent and there’s no need for training. When I write the blog I try to give people a real idea of how hard actors have to work to create a career for themselves”.

With an eight show per week performance schedule and a busy diary outside of Wicked we wondered how he found time to write the blog.

“I love writing it. When I was at school writing or doing essays always used to bore me to tears. I have to admit that writing it is really therapeutic and I’ve ended up with people who sit there expecting the latest updates so I have to have the discipline to do it”.

“The feedback is great. People find it funny and inspiring and seem to appreciate the fact that I am open about what I am up to. I’ve been a fan of people in the past so I’m happy within reason to be open. Hopefully people will get an honest idea of what goes on behind the scenes. The theatre industry isn’t all about showbiz and glamour”.

Mark has also been working hard over the past years to start a summer school in Wales where students can

mingle with West End performers. “I was touring with & Brides and I had a few weeks off

before starting Spamalot so I took the opportunity to do something. When I went to Summer School it cost me about £500 so I thought why not start something that brings people from the West End up to Wales to where I grew up. It continues to be the most inspiring, rewarding thing I have ever done”.

“We did the first one in 2006 with about 35 kids. A few years later we ended up with about 80 on the course with a waiting list which was just amazing. I am very proud of it not just because I set it up and invested my own money to get it going but more because I see the development with some of the kids who are still coming along now. Hopefully we instil confidence in kids and show them what they are capable of.

Having played roles including Curly in Oklahoma!, Troy in High School Musical, and even the realithy TV show – Eurovision Your Country Needs You!, Mark is now playing Fiyero in Wicked. Having recently seen the production we were amazed at the freshness of the show after five years and were keen to find out what gives the show it’s first night feeling after five years.

“You do feel incredibly proud to be in the show. The costumes are expensive and its such a great production to be part of. People relate to it in many different ways. We get lots of teenagers who identify with the bullying that Elepheba (the Wicked Witch) gets because she’s different. There are so many things on so many levels that touch people”.

“This show more than anything I’ve ever done has a unit of people associated with it who really want it to be great. It’s not just a job, there’s an amazing vibe in the building and hopefully that comes across to the audience”.

Reading Mark’s blog you get an idea that he’s not one to rest on his laurels. He’s buzzing about an album he’s about to record “It’s kind of a cross between Michael Buble and Josh Groban. It will be bilingual – half Welsh, half English, which is very important to me as I do a lot of work in Wales. It won’t just be an album of musical theatre songs, more easy listening”.

He’s keen to do more acting, presenting and anything else he can get his hands on. “I like variety in my career, I don’t just want to do musicals” he says.

“I firmly believe that training is the way forward. Learning your trade is so important. I only do things because I know they are going to better me personally. I’m not sure I could do a show for years at a time. I tend to do a job, learn from it and move on to the next challenge so I can learn more”.

Find out more about Mark at www.markevansonline.co.uk or visit www.wickedthemusical.co.uk

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OVERTURE

Were you a fan of the original Shrek movie?I was a fan of all of the Shrek movies. I have a five year old daughter and I‘ve watched them repeatedly with her since she was two. I know them backwards. That was my main impetus to be involved in the show, the fact that she is such a fan of them and now we are. Everyone keeps asking me though: “Who are you playing in Shrek?” and I‘m like, “Hello! I‘m not playing Shrek!” (laughs)

She muSt have been pretty excited When you got the part.My daughter Lexi is beside herself that I‘m a princess and every time she draws a picture at school, or at home, or anywhere, she goes, “Mummy, that‘s you as Princess Fiona, but you‘re not wearing a green dress, you‘re wearing a pink dress.” Because she‘s not keen on green. (laughs) I think we need a bit of a shift in the fashion in this show.

and playing a princeSS? hoW hard iS that going to be for you?Playing a princess on stage is going to be huge stretch. And something that I don‘t know how I‘m going to get my head around. (laughs) I‘m going to go and find a Stanislavski teacher and get into it. I‘m a bit method anyway. I might ask Kate and William if I can move in, have a few lessons on how to be a princess, that kind of thing.

cameron diaz played the original fiona. Will it be difficult to Step into her ShoeS?The interesting thing about playing Princess Fiona is that although Cameron Diaz has played it, you didn‘t see her, you only heard her. So I don‘t see that I‘m stepping into Cameron Diaz‘s (probably) size 9 shoes. She‘s a goddess and very tall and I‘m a small munchkin by comparison. I feel like she has created a brilliant, feisty, fearless princess and I just have to carry the story on.

and you’re a princeSS Who turnS into an ogre? hoW are they going to tranSform you?I‘m going to be wearing a lot of prosthetics and a fat suit that I‘ve already been measured for to give me round shoulders and a bigger chest area. I‘m wearing a prosthetic nose, and ears, and I‘m going to be painted green and I will be farting at will. To be honest, that‘s how I look most Sundays, after a big night out. So, it‘s no difference to me. I am an ogre, a glamorous ogre.

people familiar With your tv roleS may not realiSe you are an olivier nominated theatre actreSS for thoroughly modern millie.When you go to drama school, you only ever think you‘re going to be on stage. I ended up doing telly which was a fluke really, so for me, it‘s going to be fantastic to feel that buzz and have that nervous energy. I absolutely thrive off stuff like that. I‘m like: bring it on! Although I‘ve acted for years and years, most people know me as a judge on a talent show. They‘ll be sitting in judgment of me and I‘ll just be praying they don‘t bring a buzzer. You can buy them online for £4.99. (laughs) That‘s a fact. I‘ve got three at home.

What doeS it feel like being back on the other Side of the panel?I think that one of the most important things when you‘re on a show like Britain’s Got Talent and sitting in judgement of other people is I wouldn‘t feel like I could sit there and say the things I do if I hadn‘t been on the stage myself. And still continuing to be, putting myself up for criticism or praise, whichever way it goes. That‘s why I love my seat on Britain’s Got Talent. Because every time I say, “I know how you‘re feeling” or “I can‘t do that, that‘s amazing”, I‘m talking completely from experience. Maybe not a lot of people know that.

you”ve Said the Standing ovation you got for thoroughly modern millie WaS one of the highlightS of your career.

Honestly, it was. When I commit to something, sign up to do something, I honestly give everything, 100%. I do not like to fail – for myself. Anyone else can write what they want and say what they want. But as long as I have done the best job possible, then I‘m happy. I remember the opening night, and a lot of times afterwards as well, when everyone stood up and you just thought: “Oh my god!” It‘s a massive pat on the back, not just for me, but for everyone. It‘s amazing, better than any kind of award, seeing people in the public coming to see you, standing on their feet.

So Were you looking to do another muSical?It was really bizarre. I‘d never seen myself do Millie but my husband found a clip of it somewhere. We looked at it and I said: “I wasn‘t bad at all”. I really felt like it wasn‘t me I was watching. I went in for a meeting with my agent and she said: “So next year, what are you thinking?” And I said, “I don‘t know, but I‘d quite like to think about doing a musical.” And, completely freakish, she called me a week later, and said, “They‘re auditioning for Shrek, the part of Princess Fiona, would you be interested in that?”

do you Still get nervouS at auditionS?Yes! My first audition was in Sam Mendes‘ office and when I came out, all the secretaries clapped. I couldn‘t imagine they could hear it, but of course they could; the walls were paper thin. I was like: “Oh no, how embarrassing!” I‘m a massive fan of Glee, and I look at those kids who could get up and do a whole number right now. I could never do anything like that, not in a million years. So yes, I do get nervous.

did pierS or Simon give you Stick for Signing up to Shrek?I think they‘re both going to come and watch. Piers is extraordinarily keen to see it. I don‘t think you get Simon in a theatre very often but I will be forcing him at gunpoint to come. I‘ve sat between two ogres for the last four years so I‘m more than qualified to be on stage with one.

if you had to Sum up your character princeSS fiona hoW Would you deScribe her?The reason I‘m so keen to play Fiona is that‘s she‘s a millennium princess, she‘s a modern princess, She‘s strident, she‘s bright, she‘s got a lot to say for herself. She doesn‘t suffer fools, she doesn‘t need anyone to rescue her really. That‘s the only kind of princess I could play. I‘m not particularly ladylike, I‘ve got a bit of a potty mouth, should we say. So I‘m not princessey naturally and I don‘t think Princess Fiona is. She‘s got spirit and heart. And that‘s why every little girl will hopefully fall in love with her.She’s a bit of a role model isn’t she?

The new princesses coming out of Hollywood are definitely role models. Fiona, The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Enchanted. They‘re all modern princesses who have jobs. Even Barbie‘s a blinking vet now! I try to teach Lexi that you don‘t really want to get married when you‘re 18 and disappear on a horse, that a man‘s not really stronger than you. I tell her: “You‘re going to meet lots of different boys and you‘re going to have a career!”

do you think in real life you’re a bit of a princeSS fiona, that Same feiStineSS?I do feel like I‘ve got a lot in common with Princess Fiona. I say stuff I shouldn‘t say. I‘m pretty fearless. I‘ll fight. I‘m someone who constantly pushes forward and she‘s the same, I think. I‘m brave and she‘s quite a brave girl, too. There‘s not a lot that‘s going to stop us.

and yet fiona Still WantS to be SWept off her feet.We all want to be swept off our feet. And we don‘t mind wearing a bit of lip-gloss now and again. There‘s nothing wrong with that. You can still have a brain and a good job.

amanda holdenPLAYING THE PRINCESSEveryone’s favourite ogre Shrek moves his swamp to the Theatre Royal Drury lane this month. We caught up with the UK’s very own Princess Fiona. Belch and fart with appreciation - it’s Amanda Holden...

westendfeature.indd 4 31/05/2011 17:21:38

www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk | 23

ONSTAGEweste

nd

Mark Ludmon looks at the latest West End offerings.

BEtty BLuE EyEsNovello Theatre

New musical Betty Blue Eyes has been six years in the making but has finally burst onto the London stage in a tuneful and joyful pro-duction. It has an impressive pedigree, not least from being based on the hit 1984 film A Private Function starring Maggie Smith and Michael Palin as a couple who get drawn into politics and intrigue over a pig at a time of rationing in post-war Britain. The music and lyrics are by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, leading lights in modern British musical theatre, from Honk! and Just So to new material for Mary Poppins. Their richly orchestrated songs for Betty Blue Eyes are catchy and enjoyable though not try-ing to break the traditional musical mould. Highlights include Magic Fingers which is both funny and moving and probably the first time that chiropody has been a subject for a song.The book retains much of the northern humour of Alan Bennett’s original script, reinvented by Americans Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, best known as the writers and creators of the American version of TV series Queer As Folk. They bring an added campness to the story that at times veers into pantomime, especially in the villainous meat inspector Wormwold who, in the skilful comic hands of Adrian Scarborough, makes you want to boo each time he comes on stage.Reece Shearsmith is perfect as the put-upon but ambitious chiropo-dist Gilbert Chilvers while Sarah Lancashire confirms her skills as both a comic actor and a singer as his social-climbing wife Joyce. With actors of the calibre of David Bamber in supporting roles and the involvement of director Richard Eyre and producer Cameron Mackintosh, Betty Blue Eyes is an entertaining and engaging show with plenty of well-timed comedy and songs to make you smile. Throw in an animatronic pig with the voice of Kylie Minogue, and it is a delightful new musical that is destined to be around for a while.

EcstasyHampstead Theatre and Duchess Theatre

Mike Leigh is best known for his films of everyday London lives from Secrets & Lies to Happy-Go-Lucky, but he started his career in theatre with a series of plays set in north London. One of these was Ecstasy, first performed in 1979 a few months after Margaret Thatcher swept to victory at the end of a decade of industrial unrest. It is a powerful snapshot of working-class lives where people struggle to cope with loneliness and despair. At the same time, as with his films, Leigh manages to make you laugh amid the bleak

moments.It is set in a small claustrophic London bedsit, with a set that looks like it has been sliced out of its building, complete with two of the walls, and dropped in the middle of a much larger stage. Here lives Jean, a young woman who endures her lonely life working in a garage forecourt shop through alcohol and one-night stands. She is played with subtlety and pent-up despair by Siân Brooke who often lets others do the talking but is the (broken) heart of the play. Sinéad Matthews gives a tour de force as her garrulous best friend Dawn, bringing plenty of much-needed comedy to the action which mostly revolves around a drunken get-together after pub closing time. She is well matched with Allen Leech who brings charm and humour as her feckless Irish husband Mick. The play may not offer any easy answers or uplifting resolution, but it is as sharply observed as Leigh’s films, capturing the language and rhythms of lives led in quiet desperation.

Betty Blue Eyes. Photo: Michael Le Poer Trench

Betty Blue Eyes. Photo: Michael Le Poer Trench

Ecstasy. Picture: John Haynes

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BACKSTAGE

A couple of weeks ago at a drinks party I was introduced to a young Theatrical Producer who was just starting out on her career. She asked me what Insurances she had to have in place for her new show and, whilst I was talking to her, it occurred to me that the questions she was asking were also relevant to amateur societies. So, what follows, is a potted version of our discussion.

Theatre Producer (TP) “What Insurances do I have to have in place?”

Robert Israel (RI) “The only legal requirement on you is to have Employers’ Liability Insurance, other than Motor Insurance, which covers your legal liability to your employees and is required under Statute. However, most theatres will, in their contract with you as Producer, also require you to have Public Liability Insurance, which is your legal liability to members of the public and third party property. Although this is not a legal requirement, because it is in the contract the Theatre can insist on you carrying this cover as, without it, you are in breach of contract. Obviously, any Producer would be extremely foolish not to have Public Liability Insurance and it is usual for both Liability Insurances to be placed with the same Insurer.”

TP “I have seen Insurance quotations which refer to Material Damage, but what is Material Damage Insurance?”

RI “Material Damage Insurance is Property Insurance, i.e. it is cover that is provided to insure the actual equipment that you own, or hire, or for which you are responsible, for example costumes, or sound equipment that you hire from a hire company. Most Insurers provide this type of cover on an All Risks basis, which includes theft but, as an aside, you must make sure that the cover provided under the theft element is a “full theft” wording, i.e. there is no need for you to prove “break in”. I do know that there are some Insurance Policies where this extension is not provided and, in my opinion, does not provide adequate protection.”

TP “You haven’t said anything about Cancellation Insurance – what is it, and how does it protect me?”

RI “Cancellation Insurance is usually arranged as a separate, stand-alone Insurance Policy with specialist Insurers.”

For Amateur Societies it forms part of the First Night Insurance package. The important point here is that the Producer asked me exactly what the Cancellation Policy could cover. Because it is so unusual, the wording is normally specifically designed and, in the case of the Amateur Policy, the cover provided is as follows:

a) The irrecoverable loss of expenses arising from the unavoidable cancellation or postponement of a performance or performances due to any unforeseen cause which is outside your control. This effectively covers your loss of costs should a performance be cancelled due to a cause beyond your control.

b) The Policy also goes on to provide 2 additional elements of cover:(i) Additional expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred by you,

specifically to prevent cancellation or postponement of a performance or performances, i.e. if you needed to hire in a generator because the electricity had failed at the theatre then, with Insurers’ prior approval, the hire cost of the generator would be met under the Cancellation Section of your Policy.

(ii) Additional expenses incurred in obtaining the services of a substitute for any principal role to prevent cancellation or postponement of a performance or performances. So, in this scenario, if your leading lady goes down with flu and you were able to hire in a substitute, then the fee payable to the substitute would, with prior agreement of your Insurers, also be covered by the Cancellation Section of your Policy.

There are obviously a number of exclusions relating to the above, but in principle that is the cover provided by a Cancellation Policy.

TP “Ah, that dreadful word “exclusions”.”

RI “Yes, there are exclusions, but there are exclusions in every type of Insurance Policy. Specifically on the Cancellation front, because the wording provided is on an “All Causes” basis, there are a number of events which are uninsurable, such as poor attendance or inadequate funding, adverse weather conditions where the performances are in the open (Weather Insurance is available, but it is a very specific type of Insurance and is expensive, certainly in the UK.)

Labour disputes within your control are also excluded. And, probably the most awkward one of all, is in respect of the non-appearance of any Principal which is due to risks other than bodily injury or illness. In other words, if a Principal breaks a leg and the performance is cancelled and no substitute is available then the cover is in place but, if the Principal, for whatever reason, just walks out on the morning of the performance and refuses to perform then this would not be a recoverable incident.”

TP “Is there any other cover which is provided by the Amateur Insurance that is not automatically covered by the Professional Insurance package?”

RI “Yes, the Amateur Society Package includes Personal Accident Benefits to members of the Society whilst they are engaged in activities in connection with the Society, which also includes commuting to and from the venue. The benefits provided are fairly small and are not designed to provide anything other than small extra benefits, the most important one of which is probably the Temporary Total Disablement Benefit. This is payable in the event that a member of Society suffers an accident and is unable to attend to their usual occupation. At this point the Policy will pay their normal weekly wage or salary up to, but not exceeding, £75 per week and, before you say anything, yes there are exclusions, the most notable of which is probably that any pre-existing physical weakness, disease or previous injury is excluded. For many Theatrical Producers, they do now effect Personal Accident cover on professional Production Companies, especially if the artistes are required to carry out any hazardous activities on stage such as flying and/or sword fights.”

Our chat ended with her dropping a glass of champagne over my trousers. Hmm I thought, nice little Public Liability claim there, then I thought maybe not, she might end up being the next Cameron Macintosh! Oh well, it’s off to the dry cleaners.

Amateur/Professional Insurance – Much the Same!

FIRST NIGHT INSURANCE

Robert Israel ACII talks about insurance updates relating to amateur theatre.

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SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>SHOWdiary>>Alice in WonderlAnd13 - 16 July 2011SEND A D SRhoda McGaw TheatreWoking, Surrey07542107815

Annie WArbucks18 - 20 July 2011Steps ProductionsRotherham Civic Theatre Rotherham, South Yorkshire01142 475 460

ArMAdA28 - 30 July 2011York Musical Theatre CompanyJoseph Rowntree TheatreYork, North Yorkshire01904623568

As You like it13 - 16 July 2011GuildburysFarnham CastleFarnham, Surrey01273 251913

billY elliot the MusicAl06 - 08 July 2011Yeovil Youth TheatreOctagon TheatreYeovil, Somerset01935 422884

bugsY MAlone07 - 09 July 2011College Amateur Operatic SocietyKenneth More TheatreIlford, Essex020 8553 4466

21 - 23 July 2011Young KVODSPerforming Arts CentreKingston Grammar SchoolKingston upon Thames, Surrey07982 046210

cAbAret21 - 23 July 2011NomadsThe Masque TheatreKettering, Northants07857 186005

children of eden06 - 09 July 2011Richings PlayersIver Village Hall01753651876www.richingsplayers.com

chorus line, A18 - 22 July 2011Whitworth Amateur Musical and Dramatic SocThe Curtain TheatreRochdale, Lancashire01706 630733

clink, the28 - 30 July 2011The Beaufort PlayersThe Church of the Ascension HallEaling, London020 8993 2532

crAzY for You20 - 23 July 2011Weymouth Operatic SocietyPavilion TheatreWeymouth, Dorset01305 783225

dAisY Pulls it off29 June - 02 July 2011Mikrokosmos Theatre CoTheatre CllwydMold01691 777074

dArling buds of MAY, the27 July - 05 August 2011Richmond Amateur Dramatic SocietyThe Georgian Theatre RoyalRichmond, North Yorkshire01748 825252

disco inferno27 - 30 July 2011Billboard EnsembleMemorial Hall & TheatreBarry, Vale of Glamorgan01446 733625

disneY’s beAutY And the beAst22 - 23 July 2011Centre Stage North EastSunderland EmpireSunderland, Tyne and Wear0844 8472499

eAst lYnne21 - 23 July 2011Writtle CARDSWrittle Village HallChelmsford, Essex07843 422262

godsPell11 - 16 July 2011Whitworth A M & D SThe Curtain TheatreRochdale, Lancashire01706 630733

guYs & dolls06 - 09 July 2011Peforming Arts Company Berry TheatreSouthampton, Hampshire01489 799499

hAlf A sixPence26 - 30 July 2011Worcester Operatic Youth SectionWorcester Swan TheatreWorcester, Worcestershire01905 423809

high school MusicAl30 June - 01 July 2011Glow Theatre GroupBarn TheatreOxted, 01883 720167www.barntheatreoxted.co.uk

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South Pacific - Ashton Operatic Society. Photos: Martin Ogden

costuMes

COSTUME HIRE, SHOWSKING & I, PHANTOM, LES MIZ, OLIVER, FIDDLER,

KISS ME KATE, FOLLIES, PINAFORE, ANNIE, ALL

PANTO SUBJECTS, ORIENTAL COSTUMES

www.bpdcostumes.co.uk

P: 01273 481004

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82| www.amateurstagemagazine.co.uk

CURTAIN CALL

the last word

Wisteria Cottage Garrick Lane

Hail and well met!

I have to tell you that festivals are not for me! What an experience! And the palaver just to get to the theatre. Nikki and Darren managed to borrow a van for our scenery but unfortunately it belonged to a local farmer. My dears, the smell was unbelievable! I think that is why the festival stage manager refused to help them unload.

I like to be prepared for any eventuality and realised that even my capacious handbag was not up to the job. There was no way I could leave without sandwiches, a fl ask of tea and my plaid shawl because theatres can be draughty places. Indeed, I took the precaution of wearing heavy black tights for warmth instead of my preferred stockings and suspenders. I also packed spare shoes in case my bunions played up, a good book, an Agatha Christie, as I understood there could be a great deal of waiting around and fi nally, the script. So I dug out my old shopping trolley. (I have a new one, but had no intention of making it smell like a barnyard). The trolley has seen better days and one of the spokes was protruding dangerously, so I bent it back on itself so as not to cause injury.

On arrival, Nikki informed me that I would be in the lighting box to supervise the cues for music and lights and when I met the pair in their stuffy little control room, I understood why. The sound person was sporting a hearing aid and when I inquired if we would have the fi nal scene suffused with a red glow, he said ‘Don’t ask me, love. I’m colour-blind.’ Neither of them offered me any assistance with the trolley, instead they muttered about Health and Safety. I said that the tea was for my health and the spare shoes for my safety and dragged it in myself. They insisted I stow it beneath the bench in front of my feet, which I have to say was extremely uncomfortable and then they had the nerve to accuse me of fi dgeting!

We were about to start and my nerves were getting the better of me, so I reached for my trusty trolley to retrieve the fl ask, which I confess was ever so slightly fortifi ed. The wretched thing was jammed so, naturally, I applied more force. It popped out so suddenly that I fell fl at on my back. Can you believe it my dears? There I was like a stranded beetle and neither of them lifted a fi nger to help. Instead, they began jabbering into their microphone, taking their bizarre head sets off, banging them on the edge of the bench and putting them back on again. I was furious. Then, if you please, one of them crawled under my waving feet and buried his head under the bench. The other man joined him and, I have to tell you, the language was most unpleasant. I have never, I repeat, never, been in such an undignifi ed position, the only saving grace was those tights.

Cutting a long story short, it seemed that the bent spoke had caught on a trailing cable and when I extracted the trolley, the trolley severed their connection with the stage manager leaving bare wire where the plug should have been. Pandemonium ensued. The trolley was thoughtlessly and unceremoniously heaved out of the way. I say thoughtlessly, because it ended up on my stomach, pinning me to the ground. It seems that they managed to run the cues with the aid of their mobile phones. I have no idea if they were right; I was not rescued until the performance had ended. Yours in high dudgeon,

Doris Richardson-Hall

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