Thurso Players News

February 2004

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This year’s SCDA festival season kicks off at Thurso High School on Saturday 28^th February. Andrew Crawford makes his SCDA directoral debut at the senior festival with the play ‘Bookends’. A story of two gentlemen in the autumn of their years, the play centres around Ron and Bill, pensioners who meet daily at their five o'clock spot.  Due to circumstances beyond his control Ron has been away for three weeks. When he gets back he and Bill recount the reasons for his absence and for Bill's visit to Scarborough. The play, a two hander, feaures Glyn Jackson and John Glen with assorted surprise non-speaking ‘walk-on’ parts (both two and four legged as well as two wheeled). Andrew is assisted by Producer Jacqui Robertson and, a new face at Thurso Players, Stage Manager Oscar Mackay. The cast have had an interesting time rehearsing and lines are coming along ..... slowly. The production explores several topics:  institutional living, dealing with illness, the loss of loved ones, and, of course, the crucial issue of how to put the local church driveway to rights!  A drama with humorous moments rather than a comedy, we all hope it goes down well at this year’s Festival.

Bookends

The Junior Festival is also at the High School but on Monday 8^th March. The juniors are hoping to follow up on last year’s SCDA success with a production of Lawrence Barker’s  ‘The Birds Stopped Singing’. Directed by Paul Hardman the one act play is a series of reminisces by the character, Pavel Alexandrovich, regarding the visit of Tsar Nicholas II to the front during the first world war. The cast includes an inn keeper, her servant, who is both deaf and dumb, a prostitute and her customer, and a Herr Bruno Liszt - the person Pavel is reminiscing with. Initially, there was trouble obtaining a full cast but with help from both Ruby Sinclair and Betty Bradstreet things are running to schedule. However, Paul is not likely to have things all his own way! Thurso Players have a second play in the  Festival: ‘Where is Mandalay’ by Christopher Kelly. Director Sarah Glen writes: 'The play is set in a field hospital during the first world war. A soldier has been found with no ID and has lost his memory. The soldier, Horace, was an entertainer before the war and now tries to remember the words of the song “The Road to Mandalay”. His imagination takes him through surreal scenes where he performs songs and monologues. Horace is sent back to the front, but, are these events real or imaginary? The writer of this play, Christopher Kelly, has told me that Horace Hillerby was actually his wife’s grandfather and is so pleased that we have asked to produce the play that he is letting us perform it free of charge. We’ll try to do the best we can with the play.' Both senior and junior festivals are at the High School. Curtain is up at 7pm. (John Glen, Paul Hardman, Sarah Glen)

Where is Mandalay

Romeo and Juliet follows Prime Production’s two enormously successful visits to the Mill Theatre with Liz Lochhead’s Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off  and Alastair Cording's adaptation of Lewis Grassic Gibbons' classic work Sunset Song. Shakespeare's best known play, with some of theatre's greatest love scenes and finest poetry, weaves themes of love, revenge and reconciliation. We get two feuding families, Romeo and Juliet blazing with forbidden love, and one man’s hope to bring peace and happiness to everyone by plotting with the lovers. A strong ensemble cast includes Tommy Mullins and Victoria Bolt as Romeo and Juliet, Ian Grieve and Estrid Barton as Friar Laurence and Nurse to Juliet, and Tim Barrow, Tom Freeman, Sandy Grierson, Martha Leishman and Douglas Russell. The play, his third production for Prime Productions, is directed by Benjamin Twist. The production is designed by Evelyn Barbour choreography is by Andy Howitt. Prime Productions visit the Mill Theatre on Tuesday 23^rd March.

Created by Dave Anderson and David McLennan co-founders of Wildcat Stage productions Stardust is staged at the Mill Theatre on Friday 4^th of April. This is a new one man show celebrating the life of legendary jazz songwriter and performer Hoagy Carmichael. One of America's leading popular song writers through the birth of the jazz age in the 1920s, Hoagy's autobiography The Stardust Road reflects his early life in rural Indiana, celebrates his university musical friendships with, among others, Bix Biderbecke, and tells of his Hollywood career as an actor alongside Bogart and Bacall. Stardust is a humorous, touching, funny and sad tribute, which presents to the audience not only Hoagy himself, but twenty five colourful characters ranging from Hoagy's Grandma and Cousin Hugh, through The Train Driver and The Italian Boss to Irving Berlin and Bix Biderbecke.

Dave Anderson

Those who survived Thurso Players' production of Twelfth Night would have been interested in Dundee Rep's production at Eden Court 5th - 6th February. There was a single magnificent set. A milky gauze opened on the faded and derelict pearl blue walls of a huge, derelict drawing room, grey storm clouds rolling across the walls. Light from the wings was filtered through tall - dusty! - windows. Sand was piled up against one corner. This was the court where Duke Orsino sulked, and the beach where ship wrecked Viola landed: Olivia, shrouded in black, sat immobile on a chair in the sand. The costuming was very plain, early nineteenth century neutral clothing, except for the occasion when Malvolio, transmogrified from dour Edwardian butler to  Shakespearean fop, fantastical in puffed breeches, yellow stockings, codpiece and all. With no set changes to hold things up, the action bowled along at a breathlessly quick pace. Stage furniture was wheeled on and off as required - drunken Sir Toby in a pram, Duke Orsino, less believably, once in a wheelchair, another time on an iron bedstead. The letter scene, in which Fabian, Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Sir Toby covertly watch Malvolia from behind a box hedge was played out with standard lamps and lampshades, and worked surprisingly well. Best actor award goes to a wonderfully inept Sir Andrew Aguecheek. The most interesting performance was by Feste the clown, an aged reprobate, croaking his songs and too moth eaten for employment in any drawing room, but aptly sinister when delivering his mocking valediction to Malvolio - 'And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges'. Eunice Cruickshank

In this evolving saga, the latest idea is to add a fire-escape staircase in an extension on the south side of the building. This addition would look rather like the grain hoists which form part of other old Caithness mill buildings. Detailed plans are presently in progress.The two-storey escape stair would allow safe egress from the wardrobe/dressing room and from backstage. This would mean that the old wooden dressing room stair and the backstage concrete stair could be removed, giving a large increase in useable space. The audience would then come in through the old entrance (currently blocked) under the pend and along where the backstage stair is at present to enter the lounge near the electric meter cupboard, this would improve the flow of people arriving immensely, the Jflow sequence being buy ticket - use the bar - enter the auditorium, with no counter-flow. Derek Bradstreet

The cult black musical comedy - The Little Shop of Horrors - starts rehearsals at the beginning of March for production 12^th to 15^th May. Without giving too much away for those who haven’t seen it the action takes place in a skid row area of New York in and around a struggling florists shop. Some of the story is told in song by a nine strong chorus (who WILL sing in 3 part harmony) and they tell the tale of the owner Mr Mushkin (Philip Arthur) and his young assistant, Seymour, (Glyn Jackson). Seymour finds a very different plant which he secretly cares for in the hope that it will grow and make his fortune. The plant fails to thrive despite his best efforts until one day Seymour pricks his finger and the plant tastes blood! It’s all down hill – or rather up stage and down the plant from there on. Also working in the shop is Audrey (Nicola Chalmers) a pretty but not particularly bright (Nicola takes offence at any mention of possibly being type cast!) young lady who’s boyfriend, Orin (Iain Macdonald) is a sadistic dentist. Seymour, is of course secretly in love with Audrey and all Audrey wants is a nice normal relationship. Aah! All the plants wants is ……… You’ll just have to come and find out!

Difficult to know who has the starring role. Is it Seymour? Or Audrey? Or is it the ever growing plant? John Glen and Angus McBay are going to make the plant and there’s still some debate as to whom is going to be operating it from inside whilst 3 or 4 others help out with outgrowths in the later stages. Helen Mackay’s going to be an enormous help in directing the performance which should be good for the production and good for Helen’s CV when applying to drama College. Jacqui Robertson has the really hard work of producing it all. Lesley will play the music and Roland Brooks is going to give a hand with the music. Alan Gerrard will stage manage it and has given me lots of confidence by saying “We can do that” when he saw the suggested stage set. Still not sure how he’s going to produce a dentists chair from under the floor though!

We’re all looking forward to rehearsing and performing and hope that it will play to full houses each night. Tickets will be £7.00 and £5.00 from Jacqui Robertson and there’ll be no charge for programmes! Mike Gordon

Mill Spring Clean

The Mill needs a good clean up and turn out. Sunday, March 14th is the great day! Between 11am and 4 pm members willing to handle a dustpan and brush, a mop and pail, or whatever will be very welcome! We all enjoy working in productions and attending entertainments in the building - let's do our share in the hard work of maintaining the Mill. Do come along!  Eunice Cruickshank

'Nonsense' was the theme chosen for the club night on Saturday, 7th February - very appropriate for Thurso Players, some might say - but how unkind! Denise Imrie ably opened the evening with a sketch reminding us how amateur drama typically tackles the classics. There was music from Sue and Alec Rankine, and an excellent rendition of Delaney's Donkey from Maureen Stockdale. Other sketches were contributed by, in various combinations, Chris and Antony West-Samuel, Alistair and Eunice Cruickshank, Mike Gordon and Paul Hardman, Betty Bradstreet and Dot Murphy, Ian MacDonald and Kevin McLeod, and Derek Bradstreet. There was also a series of affecting epitaphs, read by various members of the audience, and emphasised by the positions taken up by a mobile tombstone. Lots of thanks to Deirdre Lawes, as mother goddess, providing hospitality at the bar, assisted by Louisa Lawes, and to Paul Hardman and Freddy Hughes who helped with the lighting and setting up. Unfortunately, because of the snow, many people were unable to attend, but there was a good turnout nonetheless and an enjoyable time was had by all concerned. Eunice Cruickshank

Cinderella

“Janet,” I said, “I’m directing the pantomime this year.” “Hmmm!” came the reply.  In other words she knew it had only been a matter of time until I tried it. So I started looking for script ideas. Cinderella seemed a good idea, it is considered by many people to be the best pantomime. Maybe that will be a challenge, maybe it wont  be to their liking, maybe we wont sell enough tickets. I think every negative possibility came to me.

Over the months from April till December when I was planning the thing and working on it, I must admit to feeling like a duck, presenting the calm face on the surface and underneath paddling like mad to keep up.

The music team met – I suggested the types of songs I’d like – we tried them out – we dumped some and kept some. First technical meeting ( held in a well known local hostelry after a Tuesday night at the Mill) – I suggested to Alan and John what I might want – they told me to ask for anything, then, they added, “we’ll tell you what your getting.” Costume – I thought up ideas, sketched, spoke to Dot and she said, “We’ll see what we can find.” Props – Barbara Barrett, “we’ll make up a list and then you tell me what you want.” I must say they all sounded very calm as well, but, they all did everything they set out to. They made the work of directing the pantomime much easier than I expected. Things just magically appeared, I could not have asked for a better team and to mention all of them, then this article would not fit in the newsletter.

Everyone involved in Cinderella appeared to have a good time. There were moments of tension both onstage and backstage, in rehearsals and during the show. The cast and crew did what I hoped; they proved to be a pretty slick and professional team, from front of house to the smallest replacement mouse. Over 1400 people watched our show and the feedback we’ve had was positive and good. So from a pantomime first time director to you all, thank you for working and watching. See you later this year when I have attempt number two. John Glen

Click poster below to see Panto photos

Club Tshirts

There have been requests for items of this type to be made available. We haven't ordered tshirts, sweatshirts etc. for a few years and we know that those in existence may be getting ready to be replaced so we are willing to try again.

In order to check the demand we would ask that if you are interested in having new shirts ordered you contact John Glen on 851490 or email at tazfan@btinternet.com to let us know what you are interested in. It has been suggested the following might be the most popular:

• Polo Shirt with white TP Logo

• T Shirt with TP Logo

• Sweatshirt with TP Logo

• Hooded Sweatshirt with TP Logo

Colour - of most use backstage is black with a white logo, would that do for everyone? Prices will be depend on the size of the order. As soon as the demand has been assessed we will contact those interested with prices and an order form. John Glen

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