AGM / Awards Evening July 12^th

Notice is hereby given that the 37^th AGM of Cheshire Theatre Guild will take place on Thursday July 12^th commencing at 7.30pm, at M.A.D.S. Theatre Lord Street Macclesfield. This will be followed by the awards presentations. Full details will follow.

Important Note

All trophies will be required back by June 17^th at the very latest for re-engraving. Also please note (this was on the adjudication forms you have completed) “All cast members and the director are eligible for consideration by the adjudicator for individual awards. Anyone not willing to accept will not be nominated. The Cheshire Theatre Guild Chairman must be advised of the name(s) of such people before the adjudication is made”.

I have not been given any such names but if you do have any person NOT wishing to receive an award I must be advised NOW.

Poster Competition

Our judge is looking forward to seeing your posters and the final date for entries is June 17^th. The play need not be a play that has been adjudicated – the only stipulation is that the play must have been presented AFTER the date of the last years AGM and before this years. Send these to either John Powell or Maureen Melville, their addresses are in the handbook.

Welcome to New Members

Sandiway Pantomime Group (now incorporating “The Little Theatre”)

We started putting on pantomimes in 1994 after Mike Linsell and Mike Stevenson wrote their own pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk. Since then we have annually put on a Pantomime, whether written by the two Mikes or bought in. Over the period we have not only donated approaching £3,000 to local charities, but also created an excellent community group involving over 80 adults and children, and built on the facilities we have at our disposal. Whilst much of the credit for the initiation and motivation of the group lies at the door of Mike Linsell , our Chairman, all of the Group have played their part in the Group’s development.

We have run the Sandiway Pantomime Group informally for a number of years, and we formalised it late in 2000 by adopting a formal constitution. Since then we also formally adopted various added policies, such as an ‘Anti Discriminative’ policy to conform with Local Government requirements, as well as being more than just cognasitive of recent thoughts on working with children and distributing copies of the Cheshire C.C. Guidelines to those involved.

Late last year Alison Llewellyn leader of the “Little Theatre” and who has been involved with our Pantomime Group from the outset approached us suggesting a merger between the two groups. After some discussions this has gone ahead and now we are committed to our Junior Group (approximately half our members) putting on a mid year performance (this year “Where the Rainbow Ends”) on 15^th and 16^th June. All the publicity we can get for this would be most welcome.

Pantomimes are a fast moving blend of effects and dialogue, all geared to audience participation. While we, like all local groups, depend on local support and try to develop our cast’s ability, it has been in the staging of the pantomimes that I believe we have particularly done well. We have gradually improved the facilities we have available, so much so that the amount of equipment we have to hire from the likes of Lancelyn or Playlight have fallen by half.

Weaverham Players

The Weaverham players are very new and have yet to present a play – taking part in a local pageant gave a number of people who took part the “bug” to do something bigger and better and it is hoped to present a production in mid September “Good Luck”. By joining Cheshire Theatre Guild Weaverham Players now have a source of obtaining help, information and advice – and we all need this from time to time.

Cheshire Theatre Guild Help Culcheth & Wistaston

When David Hill (of Titanic fame – want a talk on this subject?  He’s your man) phoned the situation was desperate “we need to find a play quickly to fill our May slot – you know our stage, (“the mantelshelf”) you have a good knowledge of our acting membership, can you come up with some ideas? That evening I trawled through my play catalogues and came up with a list of 5 or 6 plays that could be considered. I am pleased to report that “Groping for Words” – one of my suggestions was considered suitable and by the time you read this newsletter Culcheth Players will have staged the play.

Another group in need of help was Wistaston Community Players. A play had been selected but they were one man short to complete the cast. I was able to suggest someone in the right age group who would not have far to travel and would possibly be available. Again it is satisfying to report that the particular actor I had in mind was available and the play was able to go ahead.

Of course this one of the prime functions of the Guild – to be there to help when you need us.

Adjudication of Plays

Just when for many of you the season has come to an end Garth has been flooded with adjudication requests – several in one week, often on consecutive days. (Garth and I decided we could do with a hot line as I was phoning with requests on a daily basis!) There fore your patience is requested if Garth’s adjudications take slightly longer than ususal to come through.

One Act Play Festival

Don’t forget to get your entries in for the One Act Play competition. So far I have had only two entries and we can’t let them win all the trophies can we? So let me have your decision  without delay please (the cut off date was May 18^th but I will do my best to accommodate any late entries) so that I can let our adjudicator have a chance to read all your scripts and I can put a programme together in good time.

Don’t forget that I cannot compile a programme until I have all the entries in and whilst I will do my best to accommodate the odd late entry I cannot guarantee that it will be included.

As the festival draws near I get asked for  the time and day of the various entrants performances, and I am unable to answer this question until I have completed the programme. So please be kind and give me a chance as the festival date (23^rd & 24^th June) draws near.

                       Gerry Card

Vale Royal “What’s On”  www.whatsoninvaleroyal.co.uk

What’s On in Vale Royal is an exciting new web site set up by DAN to advertise free of charge all arts events in the Vale Royal area.  

To be included send your listing to DAN, The Library, Witton Street, Northwich, Cheshire, CW5 5DR. Tel /  fax (01606) 41597. Email dan@danarts.demon.co.uk 

Include the following details:- What the event is, where, when, price of entry, how to obtain tickets and a brief description of the performance.

Alternatively you can go to the web site (www.whatsoninvaleroyal.co.uk) go to the submit info button and put your details on the web yourself.

If you already have a web site let DAN know and they will add a link to your site. Add DAN to your mailing list for continued updates.

Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be?

The starting date and place – Tuesday April 17^th in the carpark at Heysham Docks for the ferry to the Isle of Man.

Those present – 19 members of Tudor Players at the start of their annual trip for the Full Length Play Festival in the wonderful Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, this time with “When We Are Married” by J.B. Priestley.

The schedule for the week:

Tuesday – Arrive, book into hotel(s) – no room for all of us at the one hotel. Watch the evening’s play and (more importantly) listen to the adjudication afterwards to try to discover the adjudicator’s pet foibles. Then back to the Festival Green Room for drinks, buffet and to renew old acquaintances from previous years.

Wednesday – Rehearse all morning in a borrowed church hall. To Laxey for lunch at nice pub we discovered two years ago. In evening, back to the theatre for the next entry in the Festival, (though a few of us played hookey and went to find TV cook Kevin Woodford’s Bistro instead). All in the theatre to hear adjudication, (with rapturous applause as each actor is mentioned in turn). It must be nice to take a big enough team to include several ‘claques’ planted in the auditorium – fact, not sour grapes! Then backstage to put up our set for the following day. Back to the Green Room afterwards for the odd drink or two.

Thursday – Arrive at theatre for 9am to finish constructing the set, paint, furnish and dress it, work with the professional technicians to light it and prepare sound discs. Finish at 7pm – (well it’s a large set with a lot of props and dressing). Curtain up at 7.30pm and down again at 10pm. We were quite pleased with it  - it was after all our first performance of this play. We were just about to go to get changed to help strip the setagain when we were asked to stay on stage. Sir Norman Wisdom had been in the audience and had asked to be brought backstage to meet us. He was just like he seems on TV – small, nervous, quite elderly. He did offer to do his famous fall for us if we would all try it as well – we declined. He then shook hands with all the men, kissed all the women and told us how much he had enjoyed the play. (Apparently he normally he doesn’t come on stage like that, but he asked specially to be introduced to us all). The Adjudicator, Marie O’Sullivan, said some very nice things about us but we certainly didn’t agree with everything she said. Then back to the Green Room again but we didn’t stay too late – it had been a long day.

Friday – Day off. We went to Peel to look round the museum and then to the Creek Inn for lunch. – their seafood platter is legendary. To the theatre in the evening for the final play and the awards. We only brought one trophy away with us (for costume) but we were nominated for Best Comedy and eight of us were nominated for acting awards, (three Best Actors, three Best Acttresses, one Best Supporting Actor, and one Best Supporting Actress).

Saturday – Early breakfast and down to the port for the 9am ferry back. Arrive back ay Heysham and wend our various ways home.

And that should have been the end of yet another production by Tudor Players. However this time it’s not really the end. On Saturday May 27^th we are playing on  the opening night of the first ever Wakefield Full Length Festival, a west Pennine group taking a Yorkshire play to Wakefield!! And from Wednesday May 30^th to Saturday June 2^nd we are presenting it at Sale Nomads’ Clubhouse.

PS the reason for the title of this article – I’m not telling you – ask our Cheshire Theatre Guild Chairman.

                        Meg Cooper

Costume Hire

A theatrical Costume Hirer not yet listed in the Guild Yearbook, but which I can thoroughly recommend is

They have always been extremely helpful when I have contacted them, to the extent that Trish Pemberton, who is, I think, one of the owners madfe a costume for us over one Easter weekend and delivered it to Chorley. (I can’t guarantee that she will always do that!) . They must have thousands of costumes as their stock is very comprehensive and they have never yet not been able to supply what I want. If you are looking for a single costume or a full set, try giving them a ring (and mention that you have heard of them through the Cheshire Theatre Guild).

                         Meg Cooper

Chester Mystery Plays 2002

You will have received details from Alison Jones – together with the questionnaire for you to indicate how you would like to participate – acting – costume etc. It was unfortunate that this list was sent out only a day or so before the first of the local meetings in Nantwich and Northwich. This was not the fault of Cheshire Theatre Guild – in fact it was pure luck that you received the letter at all! It was a chance conversation between the Cheshire Theatre Guild Secretary and Alison Jones that led to our mailing list being passed on (with Guild consent). It would appear that the organisers of the Chester Mystery Plays were unaware of the existence of the Guild. AFTER 36 years !!! What more must we do to be noticed.

Having said that – if you are able to give the time to rehearsals and then the longish run of the plays you could well be in for a very special experience.

If any member of a Guild group plans to take part – in any capacity –please let the Guild know. A piece for the newsletter(s) in the way of a progress report would be of great interest.

And finally on a lighter note

ETIQUETTE 2001

Culled from Amateur Stage is the following article which appeared in London’s free commuter daily paper, Metro, and which takes a satirical look at amateur dramaticsa. The papers editor does remind readers that the views of their contributors are not necessarily those of the magazine!!!

The dos and don’t of Amateur Dramatics.

Ø      DO study ‘Blithe Spirit’ if you want to get ahead. It’s amdram’s answer to the Koran.

Ø      DON’T come over all nervous at the audition. Parts aren’t given on merit – just on how long you’ve been a member. Who cares if Orphan Annie needs a Zimmer?

Ø      DO prepare to play the classics. No not ‘Medea’. ‘Abigails Party’ and ‘The Real Inspector Hound’.

Ø      DON’T get carried away if you get the lead. There’s only one star in amateur productions: the prompt.

Ø      DO prepare to play multiple parts. Selling interval ice creams may enhance your act III mad scene.

Ø      DON’T practice your lines at work. The smiting of Gloucester could cause panic.

Ø      DO put on plays in little theatres and village halls. But remember: no matinees please. That’s when the scouts practice knots.

Ø      DON’T do the show in a barn. Mickey and Judy were only pretending. And anyway they don’t have foot and mouth at MGM.

Ø      DO reuse sets again and again. ‘Titus Andronicus’ without french windows wouldn’t seem right.

Ø      DON’T expect lavish costumes. See it all as a challenge when your Lady Bracknell’s put on a shell suit.

Ø      DO ad lib. That’s where your lines go up in smoke, not your bra.  

Ø      DON’T corpse. Just because your fellow actors are dying on stage doesn’t give you an excuse.

Ø      DO visit the green room in the interval. That’s where the real drama takes place. “If Miriam takes the last Bourbon, I won’t go on”.

Ø      DON’T call Shakespeare ‘The Bard’. On the circuit that title’s reserved for Alan Ayckbourne.

Ø      DO try and give the audience the show of their life. They’re your family. They deserve it. 

Ø    DON’T get angry if the front row make a noise. They’re just telling the back row what you said. Voice projection takes years darling.

Ø      DON’T let the reviews upset you. It wasn’t your fault. And anyway, Juliet’s death should be played for laughs. Honest.