Thurso Players News

June 2004

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Blooming Great Show - Well Done!

Blood, guts, and fresh human flesh - all the ingredients needed for a perfect supper time in ‘The Little Shop of Horrors’……well almost. Months of hard work was also essential and it really paid off in May when the production took full control of the Mill’s stage. When rehearsals began and Mike Gordon approached Alan Gerrard with the set plan there was a lot of doubt as to whether it would be possible to create a man eating plant together with a full blown box set of the run down Skid Row shop. However, as usual, no task was too big for Alan and his team, so with Angus McBay and John Glen recruited, a visually stunning Audrey2 was built.

A dedicated cast made Mike, Glyn, Roland and Leslie’s job of perfecting three part harmony a lot easier. This chorus work complemented some powerful vocal and acting performances from the principles. The dentist scene generated giggles among the audience and that was without the help of the gas! Iain’s leathers really helped him hold the character but, hopefully, the trousers will be laid to rest now - or better still they can be used to feed the plant! Although I did make the comment that Glyn looked too handsome on the first night it was nothing that a bit of hair gel couldn’t put right! Mushnik’s dancing and Audrey’s dying scene were also favourites with the audience adding comedy and strong emotion to the tale.

Well done David McColm, who kept all of those props in order throughout both rehearsals and performances. Congratulations also to Dot Murphy & Chris West-Samuel for the costumes and Al Glen for the lighting effects. All these aspects worked well together to create just the right period feel and atmosphere. The fact that the cast played to a near full house every night and that Janette's role as prompt was never called upon at any of the performances underlines how hard everyone worked to produce a “blooming” great show. Again, to all those involved, thanks and well done! Helen

Click here for more photos of show

The Players plan a production of three Michael Frayn one act comedies  for the end of August.  Audition / reading will be in The Mill on Sunday 13^th June at 2pm.  If you are interested in a part or in helping with staging or in any other way, but can't come on the 13th, please telephone Betty on 892019.  The parts are all adult - old or young!  Betty

Chairman's Report 2003 - 2004

I can honestly say that when I accepted the nomination and election to the Chairman’s job last year, I did wonder exactly what have I let myself in for. This is Thurso Players and I have to follow folks like Denise, Sheila, Betty, Trevor, Janet and Glyn.  I have to admit the year has been a lot easier than I thought. This group have pulled as a team for the whole year to make sure that everything we attempt is carried out with the best possible standards throughout. What have we as a group achieved in the last year?

Productions first – we have undertaken  8 productions including:

• Whoops VII

• An Inspector Calls

• What the Butler Saw

• Cinderella

• One SCDA Adult festival entry and two SCDA Junior festival entries, and, most recently Little Shop of Horrors.

All of these productions were well received by audiences and were a credit to the production teams and casts. I believe that while we can maintain productions of these high standards we will continue to grow as a group.

We have also had a series of club nights over the last year providing entertainment and the opportunity to try out new things for a number of our members. These nights are sometimes a little under rehearsed and while it may not be in our interest for us to have things like this seen even by an invited audience, I have to say that every one of the club nights has allowed people to try out things they don’t usually do, whether it is directing, singing or reciting nonsense poetry. So well done and thank you to all involved for trying to help develop and hone the skills that keep us improving as individuals and as a group.

We have continued to work on a plan for renovating part of the Mill. A big thank you must go to the group of members who have been working with our architect to get us to the point we have reached.

Our committee have worked well this year, and I must thank them for their support.

Maintenance and cleaning of the Mill is ongoing, driven by a core of hard working members, who are quite willing to have any other members help out with this essential work. So please contact any committee member if you have some time to spare, they will put you in touch with the appropriate people.

Where are we now?

 We are a healthy growing group, we have drive and a flair for production ideas that I am sure will keep us developing in the coming years. John

Thurso Players’ 2004 Annual General Meeting

The Players AGM was held in The Mill on Wednesday 26th May.  The fact that this may not have been sufficiently advertised to members was noted!  We'll try to do better next year.  Office bearers and committee members are listed below.  The last 5 posts are voluntary and incumbants are co-opted to the committee. Committee member’s contact details are available on the Player’s website www.thursoplayers.org.uk. The AGM agreed that subscriptions to Thurso Players should remain as: Full (adult) £20, Concessions £10, Junior£7, Associate £5. Subscriptions are due on the 1st January each year. Subscription Secretary is:

Lesley Jackson , Lomisham, Woodside Stores. Watten. KW1 5XG (01955 621254

Committee 2004/05

 Thurso Players

 Professional Programme

The season starts with Cluny Music & Masked Theatre at The Mill on 27^th of July. As yet there are no details available regarding this production so keep a look out for posters around the county. Details of all productions will also be posted on the Players’ website.

The MsFits award-winning duo, playwright Rona Munro and comedy actress Fiona Knowles, are back in The Mill on Friday 20th of August with Catch A Falling Star! Following the demise in her 50's of the world famous Scottish Rock & Roll singer Chrissie Star, former band member Jerry, doesn't answer to Marjorie, tries to reignite her own career by enlisting the help of Chrissie's older sister Chicken Farmer Helen and Chrissie's 18 year old daughter TW. Only problem is……….... Helen and TW have other ideas ............... and none of them can sing! Laughter and tears from award-winning veterans who brought to the Mill Sex & Chocolate, The Granny Knot  and Women on the Verge of a T Junction.

Mull Theatre Present Jekyll & Hyde  

A modern stage version of the 19th-century drug-induced split-personality classic is provisionally booked for a Mill performance some time in Autumn. Both a cracking tale of horror and a deeply audacious account of the human psyche, Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde has continued to thrill and fascinate since it was first published in 1886. A co-production by regular Mill visitors Mull Theatre and the Scottish Touring Theatres Consortium, the story is adapted for stage by Robert Paterson and Alasdair McCrone.

Private Agenda 7:84 - What is it really like on the frontline of Scotland’s public services today? Using first-person accounts, 7:84 present a forensic journey through the surreal, maddening and hilarious corridors and wards of privately financed hospitals and schools. This is a world of shiny but shoddy buildings where lucrative construction and maintenance contracts with private companies take priority over staff and care. Whether it’s the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary or your local school, should we all start asking what’s the damage? Has New Labour forgotten the Railtrack or the Skye Road Bridge fiascos or are they planning to jump off the next bridge when they come to it? 7:84’s new Artistic Director, Lorenzo Mele, makes his directorial debut for the company with Private Agenda. Scripted by Peter Arnott the production is in association with Perth Rep Theatre. A performance is scheduled for The Mill sometime in September / October.

Quiz Night

Saturday September 11th is the date for the Players’ Quiz Night. The theme for the quiz will the performing arts so be ready for plenty of questions on theatre, cinema and song. Teams can have up to six members (£2 per person) and club members and friends of the Players are very welcome. This event can be a good fundraiser for the club so be sure to organise a team!  

Behind the Scenes

So often the buzz we enjoy in performing on stage, owes much to the work of other members who don’t walk the boards and who put in much effort to run our theatre and encourage the newest members, so that we can perform before the public. It is with this in mind the club thanks most sincerely three of these stalwarts; Deirdre Lawes for her organisation and smooth running of the bar, not to mention her regular lounge cleaning stints and the re-painting of said lounge – to Barbara Barrett for her superb re-organisation and cataloguing of the props; to Tina Doakes for her unfailing dedication to the Friday night youngsters. Thank you ladies. We do appreciate what you do for us. Barbara Smith

Professional Programme Manager

Jacqui Robertson has been doing sterling work looking after the programme of professional promotions in The Mill but family commitments are such that she is going to have to give it up next year.  Now we are looking for someone prepared to take it on. The job involves booking the companies to appear in the Mill, organising their get-in (and out!), advertising shows, taking bookings and making sure front of house is covered. The PP Manager has to liaise with the Players' committee. The financial side is also important and includes applying to funding bodies for assistance and keeping the accounts. Anyone who feels that they have the skills, interest and time to take on the job would have to 'shadow' Jacqui from Christmas and take over in May. Interested? Get in touch with Jacqui or any committee member. It would be a great pity for the club and the community to lose what has become one of the most successful touring theatre venues on the circuit. Betty

Joe Orton's £OOT

Eunice Cruickshank is hoping to direct Loot, by Joe Orton, but is considering other plays in case casting is a problem. Please get in touch as soon as possible if you are interested, as this could influence the choice of play. The auditions will be held on Sunday, August 1st at 2pm in The Mill and the performance dates will be September 29th & 30th and October 1st. Eunice

Mill Clean

Thanks to everybody involved in the extra cleaning sessions in the Mill. Your work makes a lot of difference and is much appreciated. Please get in touch with Eunice (tel. 894109) if you would like to take part in the future. Eunice

National Theatre for Scotland

Richard Findlay, chairman of the fledgling National Theatre Company, was a recent guest in the Mill Theatre. A sizeable and responsive audience heard him outlining his vision of what the new theatre should be trying to do. He was in Thurso as part of a fact-finding, or more opinion-finding, tour of Scotland, and it does seem a very sensible way to start his tenure. 

Before the recruitment of  an artistic director, Mr Findlay was wary of prematurely undermining the new director's position by making firm promises. What was firm, however, was a commitment not to establish a national company permanently performing in some grand theatre in the central belt.

Mr Findlay's talk was followed by a lively question and answer session touching on topics such as commissioning of new work, educational aspects, touring, co-operation with the amateur theatre, and helping to promote increased awareness of the benefits of theatre.

The new chairman was very impressed with the Mill Theatre, something he admitted that he had not expected to find in the far north. Well, he kens noo. He was delighted and perhaps surprised that the number who turned up for his meeting here (at 6pm) was larger than that in Inverness. Derek

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