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DERBY PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES ITS RE-OPENING SEASON
The Diamond Jubilee Season of Derby Playhouse
NEVERLAND
On November 1st 2008 Derby Playhouse Limited celebrates its Diamond Jubilee. It seemed appropriate to mark 60 years of producing theatre in Derby by exploring the lifeblood of the theatre – the actor.
We will whisk you behind the scenes to visit actors in the dressing room, in the wings, on location in dodgy caravans and muddy fields and on the stage. Each show will capture the comedy, the sentiment, the anecdotage, even the bitchiness that defines the world behind the scenes of the theatrical profession.
The season explores the feeling that the backstage world is itself a Neverland, a little kingdom, ‘a tatty Camelot worshipping a prop Holy Grail’. As we re-create this Neverland, a wonderful place of the imagination, where fantasy is reality, where nothing is quite what it seems, we will prove that dreams really can come true.
The Killing of Sister George
By Frank Marcus
Directed by Cal McCrystal
Rehearsals commence 18th August
Runs 13th September - 11th October 2008
The “killing” in the title is a metaphorical death — that of “Sister George,” a smarmy apple-cheeked do-gooder who stars in a sentimental BBC series about village life. “George” is played in the series by June Buckridge, a brassy, bitchy, hard-drinking lesbian who’s the antithesis of the sickeningly sweet character she plays. In spite of the enormous popularity of George, her “death” is inevitable due to the constant embarrassments to the BBC of the woman who plays her. Her indecencies are quite public; they include enraged walkouts from the set, drunken binges, and most egregiously, an assault on two novitiate nuns in a taxi.
This rip-roaring black comedy will be directed by award winning clown and comedy director Cal McCrystal
“the brains behind some of the funniest theatre in Britain” the Independent
Stones In His Pockets
By Marie Jones
Rehearsals start 22nd September
Runs 18th October - 22nd November 2008
Winner of Best New Comedy Evening Standard Awards and Best New Comedy Laurence Olivier Awards
The 10th Anniversary production of this award winning comedy by Marie Jones will be made at Derby Playhouse prior to going on a national tour.
“Hilarious and irresistable” The Sunday Times
When a major Hollywood film studio descends on a village in rural Ireland the demand for extras from the local community is huge. Two actors bring a pair of movie extras and a host of over 20 other extraordinary characters to life.
“A moving and heartfelt tribute to the imaginative power of live performance”
The Guardian
If you liked Father Ted….you’ll love Stones In His Pockets.
“Ingenious, hilarious, delirious – extraordinary” The Daily Mail
Peter Pan
By JM Barrie, adapted by Karen Hebden
Directed by Stephen Edwards
Rehearsals start 27th October
Runs 29th November 2008 - 24th January 2009
All children, except one grow up.
When Peter Pan flies in through the Darling children’s nursery window in search of his shadow, the scene is set for a classic tale that has captured the imagination of children and adults for one hundred years.
Wendy and her two brothers join Peter on a series of exciting adventures with the inhabtants of the magical island of the Neverland, the lost boys, the mischievous fairy Tinker Bell, the brave Redskins, the Pirates on the Jolly Roger – and their notorious leader, Captain Hook, whose destiny lies in the hands of a crowing boy and a ticking crocodile.
“A production too good to miss in a theatre too valuable to lose” The Guardian on Treasure Island
Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick
By Terry Johnson
Directed by Karen Louise Hebden
Rehearsals start 5th January 2009
Runs 31st January – 28th February 2009
Winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 1999, Terry Johnson’s beautifully crafted comic play is part homage, part farce, with a little bit of tragedy thrown in.
Spanning the filming of four of the classic Carry On films, from the great Carry On Cleo in 1964 to the final Carry On Emmanuelle in 1978, the action centres around Sid James caravan-cum – dressing room at Pinewood Studios. Sid’s caravan has sprung a leak, his relationship with the acidic Kenneth Williams is veering towards hatred, and he has fallen in lust with a feisty, loud mouthed tribute to a landmark in British Comedy and three of its best loved stars.
Discussion
6 comments for “DERBY PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES ITS RE-OPENING SEASON”
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This is all well and good - and I really do mean that. I wish the new playhouse every success - BUT, of more interest is how the new company will structure itself. Who’s in charge at a management level?
The situation that occured last Novemeber must not be allowed to repeat itself and I’m sure evrybody wants to know exactly what changes and safeguards have been put in place to effect that.
All the best
George.
George, for the moment the Administrators are in charge. If the creditors approve their recommendation on the 30th then the New Board will be in charge and will make everything clear. The New Board has always pursued a policy of transparency, but until it is actually in charge it cannot make any announcements. I’m sorry if this sounds like it is dodging the issue, but you can be sure that no-one wants last November’s situation to be repeated and everyone will work to prevent that happening.
Thanks Anne - I look forward to hearing more next month.
All the best
George.
The new programme looks brilliant. I do hope that everyone will be be thinking about Jonathon Powers, Stephen and Karen on 30/07- I certainly will and wish them every success in the bid to re-open the theatre. They certainly deserve the opportunity to give Derby more quality productions of the calibre we have perhaps taken for granted over the last few years. I do hope that the creditors will see lots of support in the run up to that decision day.
Great news about the re opening of our theatre,its time to move forward and do all we can in supporting it.
the fight which as gone on for the last months and the hard work from the new board, Stephen and Karen the friends and supporter of the playhouse deserve this.
lets hope we can all come together so we can have our in house producing theatre giving us the much missed quality productions we have come to know at the playhouse.
The playhouse board may not have the arts council grant or the city council grant ,but what they do have is the love and determination for this theatre to make this work it will go forward.
Dear Anne, I’m calling in your promise from above. The new board are back in control - what’s the business plan and structure going to be?
How can we be assured that safeguards and changes have been made to avoid any repetition of the last, sorry, few months?