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Gosforth's Fete
Special Event: This was a diversion from the norm
for the Canterbury Players. It took place in the St. Alphege Environmental
Centre (off Palace Street) Canterbury. A production of Alan Ayckbourn's
classic one act play, "Gosforth's Fete" along with poetry
and prose readings, live music, themed garden party stalls and refreshments.
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The cast, in order
of appearance. |
The Characters |
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Performed by |
Milly Carter |
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Olivia Jubber |
Mrs Pearce |
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Louise Gibbins |
Gordon Gosforth |
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Charlie Jubber |
Rev. John Braithwaite |
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Andreas Lowson |
Stewart Stokes |
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Mark Smith |
Behind the scenes |
Directed by |
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Ian Burroughs |
Designed by |
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Derek Standing |
Sound by |
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Richard Smith |
SM & Prompt |
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Liz Findlay |
In addition - A selection
of readings of poetry and prose
on the theme of "Summertime Celebrations".
Read by: |
Sharon Gair
Nancy Burroughs
Gillian Morley
Sarah Gooch
Tony Johnson
Geoffrey Learner |
During the interval:
A selection of semi-classical music played live, by "The
Apsley Players". |
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We're awating the pictures and biography for some
of the Players involved, but in the meantime, here are those for
the players in this performance of Gosforth's Fete ..... |
Olivia Jubber
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Olivia Jubber
Publicity photographer, Actor
Aged 5, Olivia gave another child chickenpox in order to steal the role
of “The Rain” in “The Enormous Turnip”. From such
underhand success she caught the acting bug, and fourteen years later
finally sought treatment by taking a degree in Drama and Creative Writing
at Manchester Metropolitan University. There she played body parts, a
dead Eskimo, fairies, men and even occasionally a woman. At 28 she is
still plagued with dreams of winning an Oscar… for which we are
seeking therapy. |
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Louise Gibbins. Actor. Publicity.
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Louise Gibbins
Actor: Play It Again Sam;
Gosforth’s Fete;
The Accrington Pals;
La Ronde; Much
Ado About Nothing; Bazaar and Rummage
by Sue Townsend; Woman in Two; Day
After The Fair
Louise joined the Players in 2006 & has since been involved in several
productions.
The first was Harold Pinter’s ‘The
Birthday Party’ where she was the official teapot bearer between
Acts II & III. Following the success of teapot placement, she was
cast as Councillor Mrs Pearce in Alan Ayckborne’s ‘Gosforth’s
Fete’. Louise proved herself to be a massive hit when Charlie
Jubber (Gosforth) omitted to catch her as she fell off the podium backwards.
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In Schnitzler's ‘La
Ronde’, she played a prostitute which was lucky as Louise was
concerned about being typecast! Louise also appeared in the production,
"The Accrington
Pals" by Peter Whelan. Here, she played Sarah, a hardworking
but fun loving mother in her late twenties.
Louise is seeking film extra work, her public profiles on casting websites
can be found HERE
and HERE.
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Andreas Lowson
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Andreas Lowson
Actor: La Ronde; Play
It Again Sam; Fallen Angels;
Much Ado about Nothing;
Arsenic And Old Lace
Andreas is descending the ladder of nobility. In La Ronde, he was only
a count whereas the previous year he was a duke (Twelfth Night) and before
that a prince (Caucasian Chalk Circle). He has, however, deigned to play
mere commoners in such roles as a dotty priest (Gosforth’s Fete),
a burglar, an inspector (Disposing of the Body), a solicitor, a boss and
an eccentric puppeteer uncle and now, a husband, for Noel Coward's "Fallen
Angels".
Back all but full circle now as Count John in Much
Ado about Nothing. |
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And for the prose and poetry readings .... |
Sharon Gair. Our Treasurer and an actor.
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Sharon Gair
Treasurer
Actor: Much Ado About
Nothing; The Accrington
Pals; Katrina in "Bazaar
and Rummage" by Sue Townsend.
Sharon has recently returned to acting, after having a break in 2005/06
to undertake real-life motherhood! She returned in 2007 as Annie Boggis
in ‘The Accrington
Pals’.
Whilst she has enjoyed all her roles over the years, from Rattigan to
Coward, some of Sharon’s real favourites are: Linda Loman in ‘Death
of a Salesman’, Muriel Wickstead in ‘Habeous Corpus’,
Alison Porter in ‘Look Back in Anger’, Elvira in ‘Blithe
Spirit’ and Sybil Railton-Bell in ‘Separate Tables’.
She is Treasurer for the Players.
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Geoffrey Learner, Our Chairman and actor.
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Geoffrey Learner
Chairman (2004 - )
Actor: Much Ado About
Nothing; Arsenic And Old Lace
Geoffrey began his acting career as Professor Theophilus Brainwave in
a sci-fi play at his junior school in the 1930s.
After being Secretary of his college dramatic society at university,
he became a junior school teacher and over his career directed more than
twenty plays on the school stage.
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Retiring to Canterbury in 1989, he joined the Canterbury
Dramatic Society in 1998 for a production that never reached performance.
As Secretary, he helped to bring about the reuniting of C.D.S. with
Playcraft in 2003 and established the pattern of regular performances
before the public at the Gulbenkian Theatre, the Whitstable Playhouse
and other venues.
He has appeared in seven productions of the group and directed the performance
of the play ‘597’ connected with the unveiling of the statues,
in Canterbury, of Ethelbert and Bertha by Prince Michael of Kent in May
2006. Geoffrey appeared as Signor Antonio in Much
Ado About Nothing and Mr Witherspoon in Arsenic And Old Lace.
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Tony Johnson
Read more about Tony Johnson. |
Tony Johnson
Actor: RolePlay;
Much Ado About Nothing;
Arsenic And Old Lace; The
Vortex.
Tony made his acting debut in the first year at Grammar school, when he
was cast as the Virgin Mary in a Nativity play.
"The embarrassment of this put me off acting for about twenty years,
until I joined the Charing Guild of Players with the proviso that I would
play only male roles.
"I began this acting hobby more than forty years ago and despite appearing in over fifty Plays and Musicals since then, I'm still trying to get it right!
"The
Vortex is only my second Noel Coward play since "Blithe Spirit" in 1977 so I'm looking forward to the role of 'Pawnie' - an elderly maiden gentleman - as the playwright describes him!
Should be a lot of fun." |
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And behind the scenes ....... |
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Liz Findlay. Stage manager and actor. |
Liz Findlay
Actor: Play It Again Sam;
Much Ado About Nothing;
Stage Manager The Birthday
Party, La Ronde, The
Accrington Pals, Gosforth's
Fete; Play It Again Sam,
Fallen Angels, Blue
Remembered Hills; Two; Arsenic
And Old Lace; The Vortex
Liz joined the players in 2005 as prompt for Roleplay, rose to the position
of chief of teapot bearing and has been stage managing since then in Pinter's
"Birthday Party",
Ayckbourne's "Gosforth’s
Fete", Schnitzlers "La
Ronde", Whelan's "
The Accrington Pals" and Woody Allen's Play
It Again Sam in which she also took the part of Vanessa.
Liz is trained in Fine Art and has exhibited locally and has launched
a new small business for which www.canterburyart.co.uk
will be the new website. She designed the posters for Fallen
Angels, and Blue Remembered Hills,
Much Ado About Nothing
and The Vortex |
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OUR MAIN SPONSOR

CATHEDRAL GATE
HOTEL: You too can rest where pilgrims did before Blenheim, the
Boyne or even Bosworth were contested.This ancient and modern hotel
provides city centre comfort from which to brave re-enactments from
all ages, even unsettling ones like "The Birthday Party",
assured in the knowledge that a hospitable welcome awaits you on
return. Twisting passageways, low beams and just the occasional
ghost lend drama to the experience, as do the stunning Cathedral
and Buttermarket views. 27 well appointed rooms, Bow-Window restaurant
and a cosy bar for that post-performance palliative. Prices from
£22 per person (15% preferment) on presentation of the programme
for "Gosfoth's Fete".
Contact Cathedral Gate Hotel: 36 Burgate, Canterbury. Tel:
01227 464381 or email cgate@cgate.demon.co.uk
Patrons of Gosforth's Fete
MERRYGARDENS
FLORISTS: Drama queens take note - insist on the recognition you
deserve in the shape of our traditional bouquets, hand ties and
presentations which only a highly trained florist can accomplish.
Our flowers come fresh from Holland markets and local nurseries
and so last and last. Impressarios, lovers, apologists and "just
friends": those wilting supermarket and garage flat-packs just
won't stand up. For the result you want only the real thing will
do and we deliver it right to her door or dressing room. Covering
East Kent (and the world). 15% snipped off when you display your
programme from "Gosforth's Fete".
Contact MERRYGARDENS FLORISTS: 96 High Street, DEAL. Tel 01304 374228.
Canterbury Players express thanks for
additional help provided by Members and:
DIGITAL
VIDEO TRAINING: dv-training is a company providing a completely
fresh approach to digital video training. Our trainers are
industry professionals in all fields and courses are based on twenty
years of experience in designing training programmes for major TV
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standards in dv production for media practitioners. Courses all
take place in London, are informal and presented through an enjoyable
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of practical exercises relevant to the needs of each individual
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Contact: 0845 226 5349
INTERNET
MARKETING KENT LTD. The Old Sorting Office, 70c High Street, Whitstable,
Kent, CT5 1BB
Website provision and maintenance, effective internet marketing
campaigns. http:/www.i-m-k.co.uk
Contact: 01227 281611
St. Christopher's School, Canterbury. Tel 01227 462960
Stuart Heggle - Cameras - Mob 0783 359 3344
Canterbury Environment Centre - Tel 01227 457009
The Dominican Priory - Youth & Community Centre |
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