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SUMMER PRODUCTION 2009:

"TWO", BY JIM CARTWRIGHT

2-4 July, 2009 at the @ The Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury, Kent.

The next Canterbury Players' production, will be Jim Cartwright's play 'TWO'.

Set over one evening in a pub, the main storyline centres around the Landlord and Landlady on the anniversary of an event that cannot be mentioned. Into the pub come an array of regulars providing parts for 14 actors.

All the scenes involve only 1 or 2 actors and focus on a variety of human pairings or 'Twos'.

The production will be directed by Sarah Gooch and auditions are on Thursday 12th March at 7.30 pm at St. Christopher's School.

For more information please call Sarah on 01227 458815.

Tickets: £10 (Concessions: £8)

To book tickets for this performance online, click the Gulbenkian Theatre logo above, or HERE

Sarah Gooch
Actor: Much Ado About Nothing; The Birthday Party; La Ronde; The Accrington Pals; WPC in "Bazaar and Rummage" by Sue Townsend..
Performance Director Blue Remembered Hills; Two.
Stage Manager - RolePlay
Social Secretary & Actor

Sarah has been involved in theatre since the age of thirteen and has been a member of Canterbury Players for the past ten years. Recent acting roles with Canterbury Players include Meg in “The Birthday Party”, the actress in "La Ronde", Viola in “Twelfth Night” and May in "The Accrington Pals".

Geoff Dale
Actor: Senor Benedict in "Much Ado About Nothing"; Landlord in "Two".

Geoff began his acting career at the tender age of 5 as the Angel Gabriel, and it could be said that it has been all downhill since then!

He has worked with the Kent Youth Theatre, National Youth Theatre, and with local groups including Dover Operatic, Kent Countryside Productions, Grassroots and the Arden Theatre to name but a few.

He was most recently a very bloody Banquo, thoroughly enjoying working with the prosthetics makeup artist, and is looking forward to his first Players production, Much Ado About Nothing.

Sally Parker
Actor: Bell-Bell in "Bazaar and Rummage" by Sue Townsend; Julie-Ann in Roleplay; The 'Sweet Girl' in "La Ronde", Landlady in "Two".

Sally made her stage debut as Noddy in 1987, then went on to play Pattie, Dr Scott, Olivia, Nancy, Julie-Ann and Queen Bertha with CDS/C Players. She is a valuable cog in the wine trade, and is currently working towards her WSET exams. She is a songwriter, plays the 12-string guitar & the piano, & records demos in her inadequate studio. She likes playing on the PS2, renovating furniture, and playing HW tennis (?). Sally is passionate about buildings of historical interest and cross-stitch.

Jill Akhurst
Director – "Palace of Varieties" and "Bazaar and Rummage"
Director's Assistant "The Accrington Pals"
Singer of saucy songs; Actor - Saunders in "Fallen Angels" by Noel Coward; Old Lady in "Two".

Jill - and husband Jim - moved from London to Whitstable in 2004 and joined the Canterbury Players two years ago. Jill did her training with London’s Guildhall School of Music & Drama - gaining an LGSM - and, in her youth, did some professional singing.

Her acting roles in the past have included Maria in Twelfth Night, Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret, Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire and Paulina in The Winter’s Tale. Over the last thirty years, she (and Jim) have acted and directed for The Drama Workshop of Waltham Forest and The Wanstead Players in Ilford.

Jill has also enjoyed a recent success with the Really Promising Company, appearing as Princess Puffer in The Mystery of Edwin Drood at the Theatre Royal in Margate.

For the Canterbury Players, she has directed A Palace of Varieties (in 2007) and played the maid Saunders in Noel Coward’s Fallen Angels (March 2008).

Jill is looking forward to directing Bazaar & Rummage with her sprightly cast of six talented ladies. She says "This is a play with surprisingly dark undertones. On the surface, it is screamingly funny, but will give the audience much to think about."

Sally Brown
Actor: Maudie in "Two"

Sally has recently moved to Kent and is delighted to join The Canterbury Players. Theatre has played a large part of her life since an early age. Favourite roles include Mary Warren in ‘The Crucible’, Frauline Kost in ‘Cabaret’, Katherine in ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ and King Edward in ‘Henry VI – part three’.

Since graduating from her drama degree Sally has been pursing her writing career whilst teaching Performing Arts. She loves directing, in particular pantomime and Restoration Comedy which remain her all time favourite genres.

Nigel Banks
Actor: Much Ado About Nothing; Old Man in "Two".

Nigel comes from a theatrical family & is an experienced actor, director & teacher. He spent over 15 years in Cumbria appearing in over 50 productions at The Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal playing everything from God in the Medieval morality play ‘Everyman’, to The Devil in a large scale community show called ‘The Bogeyman’. Other favourite roles include Lysander in ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream’, Jerry in ‘Zoo Story’ & Canon Throbbing in ‘Habeas Corpus’. In 1985 he directed his first full length show, ironically, ‘Bazaar & Rummage’ by Sue Townsend which is to be performed by the Players in 2009. Other directorial credits include O’Casey’s ‘Shadow of a Gunman’, Arthur Miller’s ‘The American Clock’, Middleton & Rowley’s ‘The Changeling’, Brian Friel’s ‘The Loves of Cass McGuire’ & Jim Cartwright’s ‘Two’.

The Pinnacle of his Cumbrian theatrical career was adapting, directing & acting in a production of ‘Hamlet’ which toured to India in 1994. Doing two performances in the same evening in 34C heat, wearing RSC hired costumes certainly qualified for the “Acting under Difficulty” heading - & that was before the Delhi Belly started taking its toll amongst the cast!

Nigel moved to Kent in 1996 & joined Playcraft. His first role with them was Mr Smith in Ionesco’s ‘The Bald Prima Donna’ directed by Stewart Ross. He then played the title role in ‘Macbeth’ appearing opposite Sarah Gooch & ‘An Inspector Calls’. His final show for Playcraft was ‘Waiting for Godot’ by Samuel Beckett in 2000 in which he played Lucky.

The experience of acting in a small cast production of a challenging piece of drama alongside Alan Pope & Brian Ross led indirectly to the formation of Ashcan Theatre Company with which Nigel has been closely associated ever since. He has played the roles of Michael in ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ by Frank McGuinness, Geraldo in ‘Death & the Maiden’ by Ariel Dorfman, George in ‘Duck Variations’ by David Maet & most recently in March 2008, Yvan in ‘Art’ by Yasmin Reza. He also directed Pinter’s ‘Old Times’ for the Company & ‘On An Average Day’ by John Kolvenjach.

He is delighted to be making a return to the Gulbenkian stage in ‘Much Ado About Nothing.’.

John Rye
Actor: Donald in "Blue Remembered Hills", Balthazar in "Much Ado About Nothing" Mr Iger in "Two".

John has always loved the stage especially musical theatre. He took lead roles in university productions of ‘Fame: The Musical’, ‘East’ & ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’. He also directed successful performances of ‘Bouncers’ and an adult pantomime. Since moving back to Kent he has worked with Yellow Brick Road Theatre Company as well as the Really Promising Company in their shows ‘Promised Land’, ‘Kentish Tales’ & ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’. John made his Canterbury Players debut in 'Blue Remembered Hills' and loved every single second of working with the wonderful cast, crew and the fantastic support.

John moved back to kent after graduating in the summer of 2005 and is now working far too hard as a teacher at Chaucer Technology School. Recently he has worked with the Really Promising Company in their shows Promised Land and Kentish Tales, through which he has met Sarah Gooch and Sid Moon. He has also worked with Yellow Brick Road productions in a very well received performance of 100 last year.

John would like to thank the Players for their warm reception and he is looking forward to successful future productions.

Ellie Gee
Actor: Hero in Much Ado About Nothing; Lesley in "Two".

Ellie is excited to be seen on stage with Canterbury Players for the first time as Hero, in ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ having previously hidden back stage in ‘Blue Remembered Hills’ and ‘Fallen Angels’.

Before moving to Canterbury for University however she appeared in both ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ as Helena and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ as the Prince at Wokingham Theatre.

As a trainee primary school teacher Ellie enjoys telling people what to do and hopes one day to convert her experience with five year olds into directing actors.

Adam Summers
Actor: Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing; Roy in "Two"

Adam has been involved in drama since a young age.

He studied and achieved his BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts and has appeared in local productions across Kent.

This is his return to performing after an eight year gap and his first role with The Canterbury Players, in Much Ado About Nothing.

Sid Moon
Actor: Willie in "Blue Remembered Hills"; Fred in "Two".

Blue Remembered Hills will be Sid's first shot at straight acting (if you forget the school nativity play). He did not start performing until he passed 50 when he played the part of a miner in the community opera, "Promised Land" as part of the Canterbury Festival in 2006.

It was there that Sid met Sarah, the Director for Blue Remembered Hills and John Rye who plays the part of Donald in this production. Last year Sid and Gill, his wife, had great fun being part of Canterbury Players Palace of Varieties show.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of Canterbury Players for the warm welcome they have given us and the friendships we have made within the society."

Anne Hancox
Committee Member
Actor: Arabella in Ayckbourn's "RolePlay"; Linda in Woody Allen's "Play It Again, Sam"; Julia in "Fallen Angels" by Noel Coward; Gwenda in "Bazaar and Rummage" by Sue Townsend; Alice in "Two".

Anne's early performances were all in music theatre. Later came a shift to straight drama.

Her involvement with Canterbury's long-established amateur theatre group Playcraft for 21 years and now, with The Canterbury Players has provided a wealth of acting opportunities.

She has enjoyed numerous leading roles ranging from Nora in Ibsen's "A Doll's House", Katharine in Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew"; the drunken and shameless Arabella in Ayckbourn's "RolePlay" and Julia in "Fallen Angels" by Noel Coward.

Louise Gibbins
Actor: "Play It Again Sam"; "Gosforth’s Fete"; "The Accrington Pals"; "La Ronde"; "Much Ado About Nothing"; Fliss in "Bazaar and Rummage" by Sue Townsend; Woman in "Two"..

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.

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.

Apollon Alexopoulis
Actor: Little Boy in "Two"

Apollon is 11 years old and goes to Bridge and Patrixbourne Primary School. He plays the cello and the piano, sings in Kent County Junior Singers and plays hockey for Canterbury Hockey Club, in the U11 Boys’ team who recently won the National Championships! This is his first proper acting role and he hopes that many more will follow.