Weston-super-Mare
Dramatic Society
Birthday Honours by Paul Jones
Performed at Weston-super-Mare Playhouse : February 24th - 28th 1981 including Saturday matinee
CAST
Elizabeth NATALIE BOOTH
Mary Titheridge MARY HUGHES
Beatrice Titheridge ANN EDWARDS
Alec Bestwood HADYN DURANT
Monica Bestwood BRENDA WHITE
Peter Varley GERALD WHITE
PRODUCTION
Director DAVID HEMMING
Stage Manager BARBARA SHAKESPEARE
Assistant Stage Manager CAROL FORTE
Wardrobe LESLEY BLACKWELL
Properties SANDRA ROSS and
BOB and JOAN McKECHNIE
Prompt CLIVE DARKE
Continuity JUDYTHE SMITH
Lighting TONY BLIZZARD
Scenery CLIVE DARKE
and PETER FRANCOMBE
Publicity CAROL FORTE
Furniture COURTS FURNISHERS
REVIEW - Bristol Evening Post Friday February 27th 1981 - 'PLAY FELL FLAT'
Weston Dramatic Society's production of Birthday Honours was distinctly flat on its first night at the Playhouse this week.
Much of the production's "wooden" feeling could have
been due to first night nerves , I agree.
But even allowing for that, I thought this version of Paul
Jones' "light comedy" lacked zest. It was heavy and
hugely unfunny.
In a play whose success seems to depend so much on
people carrying out three actions - opening doors,
drinking gin and singing - the slightest lack of conviction
can be fatal.
As a play, Birthday Honours is easy, revolving around a
web of tangled relationships. Under the direction of David
Hemming, the players provided a few hours of competent,
middle-of-the-road theatre-going. But it was not up to
the standard of some of the Society's previous
productions.
All the actors played their parts well on the whole.
A review is only one person's opinion - and I would like to say that the rest of the Playhouse on that night was enthusiastic. It wasn't. Key lines did not attract the laughs they should have done and at times the applause seemed polite.
Haydn Durant had a difficult job on his hands as the enigmatic Alec.
His character is SUPPOSED to be restrained, maddeningly so. Yet
Haydn's interpretation took this too far, dulling the character's edge.
Brenda White, as Monica Bestwood, gave a good performance but
she, too, was over-restrained.
Natalie Booth, as Elizabeth, was effectively ice-cool. She did melt a
little, though, and this made her character believable.
Gerald White, as Peter Varley, breathed the most life into a character
in the play. He displayed a real range of emotions.
Mary Hughes, as Mary Titheridge, and Anne Edwards, as Beatrice
Titheridge, fulfilled the functions of their roles.
The scenery, by Clive Darke and Peter Francombe, was impressive,
despite a few hitches with doors.
All in all, this production bored me. I have tried to explain why - but
don't take my word for it. Go and judge for yourself; the show
continues tonight and tomorrow. J.R.W.
The Land of the Christmas Stocking by Henry D.G. Foord & Mabel Buchanan
Performed at Weston-super-Mare Playhouse : December 9th - 12th 1981 including Saturday morning performance and matinee
CAST
Tom } Two bad little people DANIEL THOMAS
Tilly } CAROL DAVIES
Nanny (who should have know better)
CAROL FORTE-HEMMING
Father Christmas (King of the Rhymeland people)
BOB FRANCOMBE
Odd Man (his left hand man) PETER FRANCOMBE
Wee Willie Winkie (his second messenger)
SANDRO FORTE
Angelina JILL DANDO
Dandy Diddle (the cat) MICHELLE WILLIAMS
Simpey ANTHONY PARKER
Dame Foot EILEEN HATCH
Bo-Peep MARIA HEMMING
The Honourable Humpty Dumpty GERALD WHITE
Knave of Hearts ERIC CROUCH
Tom Piper, Jnr. SIMON SIDDALL
1st Puddingeater Guard (a deserter)
HAYDN DURANT
2nd Puddingeater Guard (another deserter)
PAUL DAVIS
Thin MIRANDA DARKE
Stout ALISON BOREHAM
Voice of the Shell BARBARA GRAY
Queen of the Sea-Elves } JULIE PAYNE
Stocking Fairy }
Nymph of the Dell NICOLA FORTE
Sea-Elves and Fairy Lights JANET BEADLE,
KAREN BEADLE,
TINA COUNSELL,
JANINE NEALE,
NATALIE WILLIAMS
Shoe Children TANYA BLACKWELL,
MANDY BUTTERFIELD,
KATINE DAY,
SALLY ELLIS,
SARAH ELLIS,
DAVID HUGHES,
SHARON MAPSTONE,
SARAH ROUGH
Puddingeater Guards LOUISE ALLEN,
SANDRA BUTT,
GENIA PIRIE,
MICHELLE PRENDERGAST, KATE SMITH,
ELIZABETH VARIAN
Rhymelanders KERRY BRUFORD, ANGELIQUE DAY,
VIVIAN DAY,
TRACY DIXON,
CAROLINE HOWELL, CATHERINE LUXON,
CLARE MORGAN,
SHERIDAN WILD
Flibbertigibbets and Stocking Fairies
KATIE BOWRY,
KATHERINE FARMER, BIANCA HARRIS,
RACHEL HILL,
TAMARA IRWIN,
YVONNE JARRETT,
KIRSTY LAMBERT,
CLAIRE SEAL,
REBECCA SMITH
Teeny Weenies ELICIA EVANS,
JOLIE FRANCIS,
VICTORIA HARRIS,
MARINA HEMMING
PRODUCTION
Director DAVID HEMMING
Stage Manager GRAHAM GADD
Assistant Stage Manager LESLEY BLACKWELL
Prompt NAN HESS
Property Mistress SANDRA ROSS
Wardrobe MARY HUGHES
Publicity CAROL FORTE-HEMMING
Scenery JAMES FREDRICKS
Bedroom Set Designed and Constructed
by the PLAYHOUSE
THEATRE STAFF
Painted by JOHN BUTLER
Lighting LAURI WILLIAMS
REVIEW - Western Daily Press Friday December 11th 1981 - SANTA STEPS IN TO STOP THE DOUBTS
Weston-super-Mare Playhouse: Weston Dramatic Society in The Land of the Christmas Stocking
Anyone who doesn't believe in Father Christmas after seeing this splendid
seasonal show must be a bit of a misery.
Tom and Tilly, engagingly played by young Daniel Thomas and Carol Davies are
doubters until whisked off to Nursery Rhyme Land where they are shown
otherwise.
Director David Hemming ad choreographer Paddy Payne have painstakingly
rehearsed a cast of more than 60, mostly young, and some only three.
There are fine performances from mellow-voiced Peter Francombe as Santa's
helper, Jill Dando as Angelino and Simon Siddall as the rascally Tom Piper junior.
Father Christmas masquerades as Bob Francombe with great effect.
The show, with imaginative sets and marvellous costumes, is marred only by
some incredibly dreary tunes to the well-known nursery rhymes that make up the
bulk of the score.
It is really suitable for the fives and over, has a 6.30pm start and runs until
Saturday, when there are performances at 10.30am,
2.30pm and 6.30pm. ANDREW WHITE
