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Posted	Detail	Review (Click the namdram sign to go to the Group's page)	Web

Richard Walker	One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest by Dale Wasserman, from the novel by Ken Kesey Masque Theatre at Northampton College Studio February 2006	My congratulations to Mindy Robinson who directed this very strong production of this stage version of the well-known film, starring Jack Nicholson. (which incidentally I have never seen!) This is a play that aims to deal with the triumph of the human spirit over the forces of repression and enforcement, and is set in an American mental institution. It featured a large cast, which no doubt needed considerable skill to pull together, and produced a performance of high quality that featured pathos and humour in equal measure. The set by Derek Banyard was starkly excellent in its functionality, and for once the banality of the studio space at the college was perfect for the setting. The central theme of 'who rules who?' in a mental illness environment, and its wider parallels, is considerably assisted by the two main characters of Randall P. McMurphy and Nurse Ratched, the patient and practitioner. Very strong performances from Richard Jordan and Emma Austin, respectfully, gave the performance the gravitas it needed. A light hand on the tiller gave Richard that social acceptance that endears us to the free spirit of McMurphy and the heavy riposte from Emma assured Nurse Ratched the despise and unease that we often reserve for our politicians. Good juxtaposition. The other 'inmates and professionals' upheld the underlying strength of the production with unerring conviction and concentration in their respective conditions and plights. There were considerable contributions from Vince Perry as the native American Indian patient 'Chief Bromden' Chris Eves as the effete and usurped 'patients council' representative Dale Harding and Mark Wheeler as 'nadequate inmate' Billy Bibbit. The company aims to produce plays of artistic and literary merit and this production enforces that philosophy. I understand that the production has played to Full Houses!

Alan Dawson	Peter Pan - Captain Hook's Revenge Grangewood Players January 2006 See photos here	Never having spoken to anyone about the panto before, I'd assumed during my year and a bit on Grangewood that 'The Players' were those sweaty sorts who chase around our squash court in pursuit of clearing out the stresses of a hard days work, but that misconception was changed this year when my daughter announced that she wanted to know if she could be in Peter Pan, the Grangewood production for 2006. Unbeknown to me, up to the point at which we started making enquiries, there were at least a couple of dozen people on and around this crazy club of ours, getting ready to work tirelessly for weeks leading up to the first performance, to ensure that they put on what turned out to be a brilliant 2 hour show, enjoyed this year by over 300 people over 4 nights. If you weren't one of them, then I suggest that you make sure you are next year and if you, like me, went along to watch then you'll know how good a night it was. The only trouble with rolling up at the club and sitting through the performance however, is that you get absolutely no idea of the work and commitment that has gone on behind the scenes in order to ensure a great time is had by all. Whilst the show was presented and directed by Roger Jarvis, his support team of at least 9 people, (all worthy of a name check but sorry guys there isn't enough room), built the scenery, changed it during the performance, manned the lights and the sound, organised costumes, sold raffle tickets, and even sat in the corner of the stage waiting to provide lines to any thespian who occasionally forgot what was due to come next. The whole thing was a fantastic team effort and one which everyone involved should be very proud of. The performance itself was a hoot as somehow the cast managed to incorporate numerous 'GrangewoodÓ related' jokes into the script and even performed the 'Time Warp' as if James Barrie himself had written it into the script!!! Even during the scene shifting, the audience were entertained by Smee and Sharkey alias Richard Jarvis and Lee Holod who kept going at an energy busting pace all night, putting on a great comedy double act that even included an exhausting rendition of Whams classic 'Wake me up before you go go' which left the crowd demanding more and wondering what the boys had been drinking to allow them to twist and bend their bodies in the way that they had! Throughout the story, Graham Follett, playing the part of Hook did a great job of looking mean and moody (although I understand he didn't have to act much), to ensure that he was booed to the rafters every time he appeared on stage and Hayley Rilings looking great in green tights and matching accessories was the wonderful Peter Pan, who flew (well ran, actually) and tricked her way to victory over the one armed villain. Every single member of the cast put all that they had into the production and the enthusiasm shown by them all, just served to add to the enjoyment of the evening. There was the Darling family, from the cute Wendy played by Hayley Osbourne, who even postponed her year of travel until the panto was over, through to her very 'iffy' brother Michael, acted out a little too well, by Jamie Barnes and onto their Mother Dotty, played by the 'experienced' Chrissie Gillard who even managed to frighten the life out of a couple of over excited kids in the audience, whilst still smiling sweetly through her part. The pirates, led by Hook with Smee and Sharkey in close attendance were ably backed up by the 'egg head' Splice, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Peter Miller and two junior pirates in Ashley Rilings, and Lauren Dawson who both buckled and swashed their way through the performance making, in the case of Lauren, her debut for 'The Players'. More Grangewood 'young un's' added to the fun with James Clark and Kirsty Ryan scurrying expertly around the stage as the Ships Rats and Katy Holod keeping herself quiet in the role of the voiceless Tonkerbell, Peter Pans fairy accomplice. Hidden away in the density of the Grangewood tree, were a whole band of Red Indians led by the ferociously incontinent Chief Passingwater played by Hugh Jones, whose family of squaws comprising of Running Water (Pippa Cairns), Owlhooter (Donna McCauley), Waftfeather (Emily Haunch) and Weaselfeet (Amanda Lamming), hollered and chattered their way through their pieces as if they had been doing it for years!! Last but by no means least, the cast was completed by two Grangewood legends (or so they told me), in Gwen Munro who struggled brilliantly against her natural instincts to play the part of a very believable 'Old Crone' and Richard (Snapper) Haunch who was a little too enthusiastic for some as he took too itÕs limits the part of the poshest speaking two legged crocodile the world has ever seen. At the end of the performance that I was at, the cast were greeted with genuinely enthusiastic applause from the 120 or so people who had been treated to a great night of entertainment and I know from speaking to others that this was a replication of the previous nights. As I said at the beginning of this piece, if you haven't already been to a performance by The Grangewood Players, then make sure you do so the next time you get the chance, and even better than that, why not ask Roger if you can be involved in some way. TheyÕre a great bunch of people who did a great job and gave a great deal of pleasure to a lot of others. Thank you one and all and here's to next year. Finally, I couldnÕt really end this without one special mention and that has to go to Kevin Lamming for going over and beyond the call of duty, in donning some very dodgy attire for 4 nights on the trot and looking as though he was enjoying every minute of it. KevinÉ.you can put it back in the wardrobe now, the Panto season is over!

2 July 2004 Rosa & Graham & Friends	Abandonment by Kate Atkinson The Playhouse	Ten of us trundled along to see the Friday night performance; and when you drag 8 mates to somewhere most of them have never been before there is always an element of risk. The first risk is of course that you get in, and it was lucky that we had pre-booked as it was a sell-out house; and quite rightly so. We all really enjoyed the play from beginning to end. We felt it was a brilliant production and exceptionally well performed. The scene was a flat in a converted Victorian Mansion; present day, with flashbacks to 1861. The transitions between times was very clever and enabled the director to achieve many more changes of 'scene' than is usually obtainable on the small stage. If you have never been to the Playhouse in Clare Street before, believe me it is well worth it just to experience this small but perfectly formed venue. But better still you can also be assured of a professional standard production. Come on you lot - I was hoping to have received someone else's contribution for this slot. We are not qualified critics, so please take a few minutes to send in your words. e-mail Graham

20 February 2004 Rosa & Graham & Friends	Murder Mystery Evening Broughton Players Click for larger pic	I told you so Well I did warn you all to get your tickets in plenty of time for this great evening. And there were no spaces left on Saturday, so I hope you took my advice. This was a brilliant evening's entertainment again - with the bonus of a fantastic buffet to follow. Surprises were in abundance throughout the night and there were honestly times when we didn't know for sure when a member of the cast was acting out the script or whether there was someone 'losing it' for real. It was all very cleverly done, with 'incident' boards being populated with new evidence and pointers as the investigation went on and little sub-plots popping up from time to time. The cast were also brilliant and all managed to stay totally in character throughout the grillings that they each got from the investigative audience. Most impressive. If you saw this too - why not send in your own review?

20 February 2004 Rosa & Graham & Friends	2 Plays with supper Broughton Players	How to keep friends and influence them? Take them with you to share in a great nights entertainment, thats how! There were 9 of us went along for this entertaining and most pleasant evening in Broughton. It was the first time any of us had been but it will not be the last. From the moment we were welcomed by the 'Air' hostesses until we were served out hot supper we felt very at home in the Broughton School Hall where we were treated to two one-act comedy plays performed by a cast of skilled and practiced players from Broughton. We all reallly enjoyed our night out and believed that this was the some of the best value for a tenner that you could get - until we heard about the Broughton Player's summer Murder Mystery evening. Look out for details of that on Namdram soon - but it won't get posted on the Performances page until we have all got our own tickets secured, that's for sure.

22 November 2003 Rosa and Graham	Are You Being Served? by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft Duston Players	This is in danger of getting embarrassing now. No we are not related to anyone at Duston Players, no we are not on the payroll of the Director, the Chairman, any of the Cast or the pantomime cow (front or back). We just always enjoy an evening at the Duston Community Centre - when Duston Players happen to be putting on a performance. How can you transfer what is basically a television sit-com to the stage? Exceptionally well is the answer. Yet another great evenings entertainment - all for the price of a couple of pints. I'm not going to go on any more. But I will just take the opportunity to ask someone else to please write a review for Duston Players' (or anyone else's for that matter) next performance. Just to show that it is not just us that think they're great.	Web

September 2003 Rosa & Graham	Holiday Snap by Michael Pertwee and John Chapman Weston & Lois Weedon Drama Group	We would offer apologies to the people in the neighbouring seats to ours at Saturday's performance of Holiday Snap for the volume and persistence of our laughter throughout the performance, but it would be doubtful whether they could hear us above their own. We have never been to see this particular group perform before, but were enticed by a play synopsis, which sounded promising, and a cast that included Jonathan Staples and Anna Murby of BBC Radio Northampton. Well enticed! It is always great to see a production in which the casting seems to have been spot on. I'm never sure whether this is actually just very clever casting on behalf of the Director (and his direction of course), or if it is purely down to the way that the individual performers have taken their parts and made them their own. Either way the result in this case was most rewarding and in our humble opinion was about as spot-on as you can get. This was a really funny play, not only because the script had a laugh built into virtually every line, but because of the way it was produced with lots of care in the detail and a cast that seemed to be able to milk a little extra audience response from the best bits. We are so pleased that we went, we had a brilliant evenings entertainment and look forward to news of the next pantomime production at Weston & Lois Weedon.

September 2003 Graham	A Farcical Murder by Graham Follett Grangewood Players	It would probably be a bit cheeky to review my own production, but as my first attempt at both writing and directing, I would prefer not to let 'Farcical' fade away too quickly. Also I would like to take the opporunity to say thank you very much to the brilliant cast (13 of them, plus the cucumber) and the rest of the crew for delivering a perfomance that went down so well. For those that are interested, Click Here for more details of A Farcical Murder and its (free) availabilty for Amdram Groups.

May 2003 Rosa & Graham	Talking Heads by Alan Bennet Duston Players	I'm ashamed to say that we were not quite sure what Talking Heads was, but we knew we liked Alan Bennet's writing and we knew that we always enjoy Duston Players. We were not disappointed in any respect whatsoever. Post performance research finds Talking Heads described as "satirical monologues". That is certainly what they are, but for our money these performances were more than that description conjures up. Three different plays, each one with a single actor - but feeling like more than that. We both thoroughly enjoyed all three performances which, ended with a very dramatic Doris in "Cream Cracker Under the Settee". Although Rosa's favorite was "Lady of Letters" and mine was "Her Big Chance" that was just down to how each script grabbed us. All were brilliantly performed - in our humble opinions. Thank you once again Duston Players for an excellent evenings entertainment. Graham & Rosa	Web

January 2003 Bill Wright	Robinson Crusoe Kettering and District Youth Theatre	Robinson Crusoe Sparkles By Bill Wright It was the first day of 2003 and I was still full of new year celebration lethargy, when I set off on a wet and miserable journey to Kettering's McKinlay Theatre, clutching my ticket to "Robinson Crusoe". As the curtain went up I was immediately jolted from my 'day after celebration' state. The Kettering and District Youth Theatre Group went on to give a sparkling and lively performance of an imaginative script by Boo Hiss Productions. Now, Pantomime, isn't exactly my cup of tea. I always get confused when I find that the principal boy is played by a girl and the leading lady by a man (but then I'm considered a bit of an old Scrooge when it comes to Christmas fun). Nevertheless, as a reluctant spectator, I became happily entranced by a team who knew exactly what they were doing, bringing this piece of fairy-tale nonsense alive and delivering it directly into the audience's chuckle zone. Every ingredient of the evening had been polished by Director Julie Brown. While the music has been well chosen and directed by Margaret Boothby. Colourful costumes regaled the performers from the moment they stepped onto stage until the curtain came down, dance routines were skilfully executed, and lines delivered with panache in true Panto style. There was no doubt we were in the hands of young experts. Particular credit goes to Matthew Johnson who undertook the difficult Pantomine-Dame role. I think this is one of the most tricky pieces of comedy theatrics even for star-studded professionals, but this 15 year old from Latimer Community Arts College coped brilliantly injecting his unique stamina and zest into the part. He was ably supported by thigh-slapping principal boy Sophie Blumire (15) of Bishop Stopford School (Robinson Crusoe). Good Fairy (Kimberley Hammond) and the bad Demon of the Deep (David Glover) had us all booing, hissing and shouting, while the little polite and quirky Pirate Percy was paired against the bold and aggressive Pirate Pete with as much delight as a good sweet and sour sauce. The backdrops which provided the basis of the scenery were impressively done, and added the final quality ingredient to show. Seafarers, cannibals, spiders, beaches, and a tale of love spin this Pantomine into a fun night out for every family (which rates as "highly recommended" when judged by me- the original Bah-Humbug of Kettering).