Ian is one of the major stalwarts of the Canterbury Players, working hard behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly: organising sponsorship; publicity; ticket sales; venues; taking part in the choice of performances and a great deal more besides.

His first production, as a director with the Players, was Alan Ayckbourn's "Seasons Greetings". This was a joint production between Playcraft and Canterbury Dramatics Society, before their merger into The Canterbury Players. Since then, he since been involved in one way or another with virtually every - if not all - productions. This includes directing "When we are Married" in November 2004; Harold Pinter's "The Birthday Party" and later, Alan Ayckbourn's "Gosforth's Fete", here giving a few of the newer members the opportunity to take their first tentative steps on stage - after which they have never looked back.

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; Day After The Fair; Canterbury Tales
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".

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."

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.

Sally Parker
Actor: Bazaar and Rummage; Roleplay; La Ronde, Two; The Vortex.

Sally made her stage debut as Noddy at FHODS Little Theatre at the age of ten, and on leaving school played Honey in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf". She made connections with CDS while acting in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and was immediately cast as the prompt for "Dr Faustus". She went on to play Pattie in "Season's Greetings", Dr Scott in "Who's Life is it Anyway", Olivia in "Twelfth Night", Julie-Ann in "Roleplay", Ilsa in "La Ronde", Bell-Bell in "Bazaar and Rummage", and most recently the Landlady in "Two". Sally is currently a full-time mother.

Derek Standing
Set Design & Construction

Some 42 years ago, Derek responded to an urgent advert from Canterbury Dramatic Society and although only 18 he got a job and even survived giving the cast a nightmare on his first set because he did not know that one has to add size glue to the powder paint.

Recent productions: RolePlay; The Birthday Party; The Accrington Pals; Play It Again Sam; Fallen Angels; Much Ado About Nothing; The Vortex