Third Week in AugustA Comedy by Peter Gordon

10th – 13th June 2015an open air production at the Flower Pots Inn, Cheriton

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Third Week in AugustA Comedy by Peter Gordon

Having directed The Players’ first outdoor production of Alice in June 2011, the consensus of opinion after this very successful but extremely complicated production was that we may consider

another outdoor production in about five years! Now here we are four years later staging our second such production and this time we are hoping the weather will be kinder to us, but as a precaution (and our leading man in the cast Neville always takes precautions!) we have seated you undercover. The cast, however, will be braving the elements.Why did I choose this particular play? I was fortunate to be in the audience when RAODS (Romsey Amateur

Operatic & Dramatic Society) staged it at the beautiful outdoor, unique Minack Theatre on the stunning cliffs of southern Cornwall in 2009. Yes, I thought, we can do this and a tiny seed was planted which lay dormant for some time. Last summer when the committee were planning our future programme I proposed that we should consider staging Third Week in August as an outdoor production. The ‘paddock’ at the Flowerpots was suggested and Paul and Jo readily gave us the OK and we were off. Peter Gordon has penned a very humorous, sometimes poignant, play which has been a lot of hard work, but great fun to rehearse. My thanks to the cast, crew and all who have been involved in making this such a happy and enjoyable production to direct. So again in the words of Neville, sit back and “enjoy yourself”.

Pauline Cornter

The Cheriton Players Present

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The Cast (in order of appearance) Sue Leanne Lacey Neville David Cradduck Mary (Neville’s wife) Helena Gomm Liz (Mary’s sister) Sally Williams Tony Charlie Hellard Jenny (Tony’s girlfriend) Rebecca Leadley

The Production Team Director Pauline Cornter Assistant Director/Producer Jan Conway Stage Managers Tim Day, Angela Ledsham Lighting/sound/special effects Graham Arnott, Jamie Herdman, Mike Ludgate Hire of sound/lighting equipment Jon Morgan, Sound & Rigging Solutions Rehearsal Prompt Tracey Anderson Props Marilyn Weston, Paul McTaggart Set Design Pauline Cornter, Tim Day, Graham Arnott Set Build Tim Day, Jan Conway & team Marquee and seating build Dave Wright & team Photography Craig Robertson Publicity David Cradduck Programme and poster design Owen Jones Front of House Sue Herdman & team Car Parking and Stewarding Paul McTaggart, Dave Evans & team Catering Denby Johnstone & team

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES

The action of the play passes on a remote and rather run-down caravan and camping site

There will be an interval of 25 minutes between acts during which refreshments will be available

The barbecue will be serving food from 6.30pm – 7.30pm and vegetarian options are available. A licensed bar will be provided on site, plus the pub is open for service from 6pm every evening. As you are on licensed premises, please do not bring your own alcoholic drinks to the show.

Loos are situated behind the audience marquee and in the pub.

The show runs for approximately 2 hours 20 minutes including interval.

ACT ONE Scene One – Sunday morning Scene Two – Early evening, the following Friday

ACT TWO Scene One – Later, the same evening Scene Two – The following morning

Third Week in AugustA Comedy by Peter Gordon

10th-13th June 2015

We would like to thank everyone who has helped in any way with this production – and in particular:

Use of pub facilities and marquee Jo Bartlett, Paul Tickner Loan of caravans David Baldwin, David Cradduck Portaloos, flooring and bins Joanna and Mark Cheyney Extra gazebos, tents Paul and Charlie Hellard, Graham Arnott and others Barbecues and bar management Denby Johnstone, The Flower Pots and teams Hay bales Leanne Lacey Help, encouragement and advice Peter Gordon

Please turn off all mobiles and keep aisles clear at all times Please refrain from flash photography and note that video or audio recording of the performance is prohibited.Please take your litter home with you or use the bins provided.

From Jan Conway the Chairman

Welcome to Cheriton Players’ latest production, Third Week in August by Peter Gordon. This is our second Peter Gordon production in recent years after the great success of his spoof murder mystery Murdered to Death in 2012 and our second outdoor production after Alice in 2011. It is also our first production at The Flower Pots Inn. We are very grateful to Jo Bartlett and Paul Tickner for allowing us to perform here at The Pots and for all the support they have given us and hope that you will all show your appreciation too by making good use of the bar this evening!!!

We have had great fun turning the Pots’ field into a caravan and campsite for the play and thanks to everyone for the loan of caravans and tents to make it possible. Huge thanks too to our Director Pauline Cornter for her dedication and effort in directing Third Week in August, a play she has wanted to put on for some time. It is fantastic to have David Cradduck back where he belongs on stage in a lead role; to welcome regular performers, Helena Gomm, Charlie Hellard and Rebecca Leadley; to welcome back Sally Williams who hasn’t performed on the Cheriton stage for several years and last but by no means least to welcome Leanne Lacey in her first performance with the Cheriton Players. Thanks too to all the dedicated backstage, technical and front of house crew who have worked especially hard to overcome the additional challenges that come from putting on an outside performance and to everyone who has loaned us equipment and props. They are too numerous to mention by name but I would like to single out Paul Tickner and Dave Wright for allowing us to use the Pots’ marquee and for the time and effort they have given to putting it up here in the field and also Denby Johnstone and his team of dedicated helpers for providing the delicious barbecue every evening.

From Peter Gordon the Author

I am delighted that the Cheriton Players are staging ‘Third Week in August’ in its natural setting, the open air. Writers are often asked where their ideas come from. Well, in this particular case, ‘Neville’ was the starting point. I happened to spot a Neville-like character and his wife during a visit to the seaside. The relationship between them was fascinating and I decided there and then that they were ideal material for a play. What better place to put them than a caravan site? The rest of the plot grew from there as I thought about the ways in which relationships can be affected as people are flung into close and unfamiliar proximity during their annual holiday. If you have ever visited a caravan site I hope you might recognise a few of the characters in the play. If you have had that misfortune then I expect that you have never set foot on a caravan site ever again. But be careful. Perhaps there just might be the odd ‘Neville’ sitting in the audience alongside you! I wish you and the Cheriton Players an enjoyable and rain free performance.

Peter Gordon (Author) – With over 1400 professional and amateur productions world-wide, Peter is one of the UK’s most popular playwrights. To date, he has written twelve comedies, a psychological thriller and a one act comedy. The ‘Inspector Pratt’ trilogy - spoofs of the Agatha Christie genre of whodunnits - have been described as ‘hilarious and very clever’. Of his modern comedies, it has been said that “Peter Gordon writes about life. Sometimes it is bizarre and funny, sometimes it is sad, but it is always entertaining”. Favourites include Third Week in August, which has been performed at the world-famous Minack Theatre in Cornwall. His most recently published play, Par for the Course, looks set to continue his success. Peter has recently completed a new comedy play with a darker edge, Walk the Walk, based around a group of people attempting the Coast to Coast walk. In 2010 he formed Piggyback Theatre Company, a not-for-profit theatre project which aims to perform new work in aid of local charities. Peter lives in York with his wife, Janice. In addition to writing, he has a keen interest in music. He considers himself to be a good drummer and a less-than-adequate guitarist. He is trying to keep his ukulele playing a secret from his friends!

Pauline Cornter (Director) – Pauline is one of the longest serving members of Cheriton Players and as well as directing. Recent credits include ‘Allo ‘Allo, Alice and An Inspector Calls and has played a huge number of leading roles at Cheriton such as Eliza in My Fair Lady and – her favourite character of all – Mole in Wind in the Willows. Other appearances include The Importance of Being Earnest, Salad Days, Lock up Your Daughters, Confusions, Oliver!, Jungle Fantasy, Murder in Cheriton!, several Old Tyme Music Halls and Habeus Corpus, for which she was nominated for a Curtain Call award for her portrayal of Mrs Swabb. She was Audrey Evans in Ten Times Table, Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit and the super sleuth Miss Maple in Murdered to Death. Most recently she appeared in multiple roles in A Bolt from the Blue and The Great Cheriton Variety Show.

Leanne Lacey (Sue) – New to Cheriton Players through the arm twisting technique of friend and fellow Cheriton Player Tracey Anderson, Leanne has previously performed in several productions with ACTS including The Boyfriend, Annie, Oklahoma, Half a Sixpence and Under Milk Wood. Always enduring a role of vocals, chorus or minor character, Leanne has stepped up the pace (and line learning, she says) to fulfil the role of Sue in Third Week in August. She is looking forward to her first outdoor performance with Cheriton Players and thanks the current cast and crew for welcoming her so warmly... and putting up with her horrendous memory for learning so many lines! We welcome Leanne and hope this will be the first of many appearances.

David Cradduck (Neville) – David joined Cheriton Players after playing Tom in Tom Jones at college. Credits at Cheriton include title or lead roles in Charley’s Aunt, Wind in the Willows, Worzel Gummidge, Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, Pride and Prejudice, Outside Edge, The Importance of Being Earnest, An Inspector Calls and Oh Clarence!. He appeared as Fagin in Oliver! (a role he revived for the Cheriton Singers in their spring 2015 concert). Other credits include The Real Inspector Hound/Black Comedy, Jungle Fantasy, The Noble Spaniard, Out of Order, A Christmas Carol, Table Manners, Murder in Cheriton!, ‘Allo ‘Allo, The Ghost Train, Ten Times Table, Alice, Murdered to Death, Season’s Greetings and A Bolt from the Blue. He is also a member of RAODS and Maskers Theatre Co. where credits include Noises Off, Under Milkwood, Mikado, Relative Values, Tom Jones, Shadowlands and Far from the Madding Crowd. He has directed three Cheriton shows in the past, including I’ll Get My Man and Alan Ayckbourn’s Confusions.

Biographies

Helena Gomm (Mary) – Helena’s first role with Cheriton Players was that of Ruth in Blithe Spirit. She also played Dorothy in Murdered to Death, Phyllis in Season’s Greetings, Mrs Birling in An Inspector Calls and most recently Lady Constance in Oh Clarence!. Helena lives in West Meon and also performs with West Meon Theatre, where her roles include Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest, Mrs Drudge in The Real Inspector Hound, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and Marie in Calendar Girls, which was performed at the Theatre Royal Winchester. Helena has directed Neville’s Island and The Night of January 16th for West Meon Theatre and she also directed the ‘drama’ items in the recent Great Cheriton Variety Show.

Sally Williams (Liz) – Although she now lives in West Meon, Sally was born and brought up in Cheriton and first joined the Players over 25 years ago when she played a rabbit in The Wind in the Willows. This is her first production for Cheriton since 2010 when she played Jacqueline in Don’t Dress for Dinner. Other previous appearances include Outside Edge, Aunt Sally in Worzel Gummidge, She Stoops to Conquer, The Late Mr Larrington, And then there were None and Tons of Money. Her most recent acting role was in 2014 as Ben Dover the Mate in West Meon Theatre’s production of Robin Crusoe. Husband Glynn has also appeared on the Cheriton Stage many times and whilst previously they have been in many of the same productions, they now tend to alternate.

Charlie Hellard (Tony) – Charlie first performed with the Cheriton Players in their 40th Anniversary production Forty Not Out in 2001 and has appeared in numerous plays since such as The Noble Spaniard, Oliver!, Jungle Fantasy, A Christmas Carol, Together4Christmas, the lion in our outdoor production of Alice and PC Thomkins in Murdered to Death. He was Clive in Season’s Greetings, excelled as Edward, the pylon engineer who started growing younger in A Bolt from the Blue and as Eric in An Inspector Calls. His most recent Cheriton performances were as The Hon Freddie Threepwood in Oh Clarence!, for which Charlie won Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy in the Daily Echo Curtain Call Awards 2014, and in several items in the recent Great Cheriton Variety Show. He has also performed with Alresford Community Theatre in The Boyfriend, Annie, Oklahoma and Half A Sixpence for ACTS and appeared with WMOS in their production of High Society at the Theatre Royal, Winchester.

Rebecca Leadley (Jenny) – Rebecca has been a keen actor since childhood, entering drama festivals and exams throughout school, as well as appearing in numerous theatre productions, including Little Shop of Horrors and Midsummer Nights Dream, and as the rather clichéd position of the back end of a pantomime cow in a particularly memorable Chichester Youth Theatre production. After uni, Rebecca worked for a murder mystery company, portraying wartime murderers and medieval corpses at many a team building event and wedding. Rebecca was thrown in at the deep end when, having been cast as the maid in An Inspector Calls, and having played two nights as such, she stepped into the role (and dress) of the leading lady at 25 minutes notice because of illness. She not only proved her ability to act under pressure but did so without appearing to read the script! She subsequently played Gertrude in Oh Clarence!, for which she was nominated for a Curtain Call award, and recently took multiple parts in The Great Cheriton Variety Show.

The Great Cheriton Variety Show - April 2015Oh Clarence! – May 2014An Inspector Calls – Dec 2013A Bolt from the Blue – April 2013Season’s Greetings – Nov 2012Murdered to Death – May 2012Clerical Errors – Nov 2011Alice – June 2011Blithe Spirit – Nov 2010Don’t Dress For Dinner – April 2010Together4Christmas – Dec 2009Ten Times Table – April/May 2009The Ghost Train – Nov 2008Habeas Corpus – April 2008Allo’ Allo’ – Nov 2007Murder in Cheriton! – May 2007The Champion of Paribanou – Jan 2007Parallel Lines – Nov 2006Table Manners – April 2006A Christmas Carol – Dec 2005Out of Order – April 2005Idol Talent – Jan 2005The Noble Spaniard – Nov 2004Jungle Fantasy – May 2004The Real Inspector Hound & Black Comedy – Nov 2003Oliver! – Jan 2003Don’t Utter a Note – May 2002Forty – Not Out! – Dec 2001Murder in Play – March 2001Confusions – Nov 2000An Evening’s Entertainment – March 2000Move over Mrs Markham – Nov 1999Party Piece – Nov 1998After the Ball is Over – April 1998And then there were None – Nov 1997Cat on the Fiddle – April 1997Love’s a Luxury – Nov 1996She Stoops to Conquer – April 1996Key for Two – Nov 1995‘Bless ’em All’ – May 1995Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime – Nov 1994Pardon Me, Prime Minister – April 1994

Variety Music Hall – Nov 1993Murder in Company – April 1993Worzel Gummidge – Nov 1992Outside Edge – April 1992My Fair Lady – Nov 1991Two One-Act Plays – April 1991Lock up Your Daughters – Nov 1990Haul for the Shore – May 1990Best of Old Time Music Hall – Feb 1990Tons of Money – Nov 1989The Late Mr. Larrington – April 1989Merry Christmas Music Hall – Dec 1988Man Alive – April 1988The Wind in the Willows – Dec 1987I’ll Get My Man – May 1987Music Hall – Jan/Feb 1987Laughter in the Dark – Dec 1986Salad Days – April 1986The Proof of the Poison – Dec 1985Gala Music Hall – Sep 1985Charley’s Aunt – May 1985Music Hall – Feb 1985Small Hotel – Nov 1984Beyond a Joke – May 1984Music Hall – Feb 1984Play On! – Nov 1983Present Laughter – May 1983 Old Time Music Hall – Feb 1983And So To Bed – Nov 1982Here We Come Gathering – April 1982Music Hall – Feb 1982Book of the Month – Nov 1981Pride and Prejudice – May 1981Music Hall – Jan/Feb 1981The Full Treatment – Nov 1981Fish Out of Water – May 1980Music Hall – Feb 1980A Friend Indeed – Nov 1979Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime – April 1979Music Hall – Jan 1970Jam Tomorrow – Nov 1978The White Sheep of the Family – April 1978Old Time Music Hall – Jan/Feb 1978

Love Birds – Nov 1977Running Riot – May 1977Jubilee Revue – Jan 1977Your Obedient Servant – Nov 1976Person Unknown – April 1976Old Time Music Hall – Jan 1976The Importance of Being Earnest – Nov 1975Wolf’s Clothing – April 1975Old Time Music Hall – Jan/Feb 1975Love’s a Luxury – Nov 1974Sailor Beware – April 1974Old Time Music Hall – Jan 1974See How They Run – Nov 1973Doctor in the House – April 1973Old Time Music Hall – Jan 1973Quiet Weekend – Nov 1972Who Lies There? – April 1972Old Time Music Hall – Jan 1972Pools Paradise – Nov 1971Something to Hide – April 1971Old Time Music Hall – Jan 1971Beside the Seaside – Nov 1970Trap for a Lonely Man – Feb 1970Man Alive – Nov 1969Busybody – May 1969Sleeping Partnership – Feb 1969Dear Delinquent – Nov 1968Goodnight, Mrs Puffin – May 1968A Pig in a Poke – Feb 1968Wanted One Body – Nov 1967Still Life & Speaking Terms – July 1967Flat Spin – May 1967The Happiest Days of Your Life – Feb 1967See How They Run – October 1966The Bride and the Batchelor – April 1966Breath of Spring – Nov 1965Blithe Spirit – Nov 1964Pools Paradise – May 1964One Man Banned – Nov 1963Haul for the Shore – Nov 1962Friends and Neighbours – March 1962Here We Come Gathering – Nov 1961

Previous Productions

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