Geoffrey Learner, Our Chairman and actor.
|
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.
|
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.
|
GEOFFREY LEARNER'S REVIEWS:
"All the actors demonstrated the hilarity of Kesselring's marvellous
play."
(Arsenic And Old Lace, reviewed by Nina Del
Gedoe, Kentish Gazette.)
Ian Burroughs, Honorary Secretary, performance director and actor.
|
Ian Burroughs.
Honorary Secretary.
Actor: Friar Francis - Much
Ado About Nothing
Performance director: Seasons
Greetings; The Birthday
Party; Gosforth's Fete;
Play It Again, Sam ; Arsenic
And Old Lace
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. |
IAN BURROUGHS' REVIEWS:
"PINTER is a challenging undertaking for any company; this cast of the The
Birthday Party met it confidently from the outset on a drab, late-50s set."
"Pinter's characteristically empty dialogue between the frumpish, middle-aged
seaside couple played convincingly by Patrick Folkard and Sarah Gooch."
"All-in-all this was a thoughtful, successful production."
(The Birthday Party reviewed by Elaine
Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"....... colourful, hilarious and undoubted success of this production."
(Play It Again Sam reviewed by Elaine
Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
Pip Piacentino
Read more about Pip?
Click HERE |
Pip Piacentino
Actor: Play It Again Sam; Arsenic And Old Lace
Performance Director: The
Accrington Pals, Fallen
Angels;
Pip fell in love with Britain when stationed here with the US Navy and
decided to make it his home. His links with Kent, especially Deal, stretch
back to 1964.
Pip first appeared on stage in New York when his father brought the
three-year old Pip on stage to liven up his act. He is equally at home
as an actor, director or playwright. A member of the South London Theatre
Centre, he directed many plays for them including Peter Whelan’s
"The Accrington
Pals" which he also directed in April 2007 with Canterbury Players.
Pip is to direct Canterbury Players in "Fallen
Angels" by Noel Coward. |
PIP PIACENTINO'S REVIEWS:
"This was a resoundingly successful production of a play that could,
without the company's dramatic skills, have floundered in the first act."
(The
Accrington Pals reviewed by Elaine Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"It's no coincidence that Allan' name echoes the surname of the playwright
Woody Allen, wonderfully captured in this production by Pip
Piacentino, encapsulating Allen's personality, by turn self-deprecating and
Bogartesque."
(Play It Again Sam reviewed by
Elaine Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"..... and Pip Piacentino's skilled direction all contributed to a stunning
production"
(Fallen Angels, reviewed by Delia
Dengeon, Kentish Gazette.)
"All the actors demonstrated the hilarity of Kesselring's marvellous
play."
(Arsenic And Old Lace, reviewed by Nina Del
Gedoe, Kentish Gazette.)
DEREK STANDING'S REVIEWS:
"The set and costumes were spot on, creating the period perfectly ...."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
".... Docklands flat, brilliantly designed by Derek Standing, in which the
play was set."
(RolePlay, reviewed by
Elaine Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"This was an adventurous undertaking and the Players once again
exhibited their exhilirating grasp of a challenge and professional skills in realising
its success."
(La Ronde, reviewed by Elaine Godden,
Kentish Gazette.)
"Derek Standing's sets were professional and worked faultlessly, and
the special effects of smoke and thundering guns gave a terrifying reality to
the scenes at the Battle of the Somme."
(The
Accrington Pals reviewed by Elaine Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"Derek Standing's set was eye-catching..."
(Play It Again Sam, reviewed by
Elaine Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"Derek Standing's early modernist set ..................... contributed
to a stunning production."
(Fallen Angels, reviewed by Delia
Dengeon, Kentish Gazette.)
"Derek Standing's simple and effective set also worked well."
(Blue Remembered Hills reviewed by Sian Napier,
Kentish Gazette.)
"Elegance and simplicity prevailed in Derek Standing's fine set..."
(Much Ado About Nothing reviewed by Annie
De Lodge, Kentish Gazette.)
SARAH GOOCH'S REVIEWS:
"Pinter's characteristically empty dialogue between the frumpish, middle-aged
seaside couple played convincingly by Patrick Folkard and Sarah Gooch."
(The Birthday Party reviewed
by Elaine Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"This was a resoundingly successful production of a play that could,
without the company's dramatic skills, have floundered in the first act."
"Sarah Gooch played May with harrowing conviction...."
(The
Accrington Pals reviewed by Elaine Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"This was an adventurous undertaking and the Players once again exhibited
their exhilirating grasp of a challenge and professional skills in realising its
success."
(La Ronde, reviewed by Elaine Godden, Kentish
Gazette.)
"This is no romanticised view of childhood and this came over convincingly
in the performances by all the actors........... .............. who took on this
difficult task and rose to the challenge."
(Blue Remembered Hills reviewed by Sian Napier,
Kentish Gazette.)
"Sarah Gooch, mistress of comedy, could have
given Beatrice a touch more subtlety, but nevertheless commanded the stage in
her scenes."
(Much Ado About Nothing reviewed by Annie
De Lodge, Kentish Gazette.)
"In Sarah Gooch’s production there was a full
cast but with a minimal but effective set and no props at all it must still have
been a daunting enterprise. Nevertheless, it was directed with indisputable success."
(TWO, reviewed by Diane Ogleden.)
Anne Hancox. Actor.
|
Anne Hancox
Committee Member
Actor: RolePlay;
Play It Again, Sam; Fallen
Angels; Bazaar and Rummage;
Two; The Vortex.
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. |
ANNE HANCOX'S REVIEWS:
"Anne Hancox, playing Florence's friend Helen, was totally natural in the role and her facial expressions, even when she was not involved directly in the action or dialogue, revealed many of the undercurrents coursing through the play."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
"Anne Hancox, as his [Justin's] mother Arabella, was magnificent, the middle
aged but stunning alcoholic whose outrageous, batty behaviour contributed so much
to the demise of her son's relationship with his fiancee."
(RolePlay, reviewed by Elaine
Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"Despite two married friends' shared goal of rekindling passion with
their mutual ex-lover Maurice, they were given distinctive individual personalities.
Anne Hancox made Julia largely confident and serene, while Samantha
Grant's Jane was highly strung and mildly hysterical. "
".... the greatest acclaim belongs to Hancox and
Grant for their outstanding performances as the two ladies whose transformation
from sophisticated wives to hilariously drunken rivals so captivated everybody."
(Fallen Angels, reviewed by Delia
Dengeon, Kentish Gazette.)
"Playing opposite Pip was Anne Hancox as his best friend's wife Linda,
conveying warmth and sympathy in every movement and facial expression."
(Play It Again Sam, reviewed by Elaine
Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
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 |
LIZ FINDLAY'S REVIEWS:
"This was an adventurous undertaking and the Players once again exhibited
their exhilirating grasp of a challenge and professional skills in realising its
success."
(La Ronde, reviewed by Elaine Godden,
Kentish Gazette.)
Liz Stage Managed this performance. No mishaps to report, so Liz's input went
unnoticed by all but the cast and crew as is always the case.
"This was a resoundingly successful production of a play that could,
without the company's dramatic skills, have floundered in the first act."
(The
Accrington Pals reviewed by Elaine Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
Liz Stage Managed this performance.
"This is no romanticised view of childhood and this came over convincingly
in the performances by all the actors........... .............. who took on this
difficult task and rose to the challenge."
(Blue Remembered Hills reviewed by Sian Napier,
Kentish Gazette.)
Liz Stage Managed this performance.
Adam Summers. Actor.
|
Adam Summers
Actor: Much Ado About
Nothing; Two; Day
After The Fair; Canterbury
Tales
Assistant Stage Manager: Arsenic
And Old Lace
Assistant Stage Construction and Lighting Engineer: Bazaar
& Rummage
Adam joined the Canterbury Players as a result of an email that asked
him to come along to an audition for 'Much
Ado About Nothing'. The rest as they say is history.
Adam has always loved drama and as a result, studied the subject at college.
He has appeared in a number of productions, where he has played roles
such as Hatch in 'The Sea', Algernon in 'The Importance
of Being Earnest' and Napoleon in a musical version of George
Orwell's 'Animal Farm’.
He is greatly looking forward to future productions with the Players.
|
ADAM SUMMERS' REVIEWS: "In one scene in a public house a man, Roy, was bullying his wife, Lesley.
He was verbally loud and sarcastic while she was cowed and terrified, barely able
to speak. It was evident from the audible response from the audience that there
was a shared loathing for Roy and pity for Lesley. Their scene came to an end
when Roy struck Lesley a savage blow. The theatre was shocked into silence and
there was a considerable pause before the clapping began. Even then it sounded
restrained, as if applauding would be a sign of approval for Roy's behaviour.
In other words, such was the power of the acting that it was like witnessing hell
itself. Well done, Canterbury Players."
(TWO, from a letter to Kentish Gazette.)
"Another powerful scene had Lesley (Ellie Gee) as the abused wife of
Roy (Adam Summers), a paranoid thing who has no hesitation in clobbering his wife
in full view of the other customers."
(TWO, reviewed by Diane Ogleden.)
Ellie Gee. Actor.
|
Ellie Gee
Actor: Much Ado About
Nothing; Two;
Canterbury Tales
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. |
ELLIE GEE'S REVIEWS:
"Another powerful scene had Lesley (Ellie Gee) as the abused wife of Roy
(Adam Summers), a paranoid thing who has no hesitation in clobbering his wife
in full view of the other customers."
(TWO, reviewed by Diane Ogleden.)
Sid Moon. Actor.
|
Sid Moon
Actor: Blue Remembered Hills;
Two; Canterbury
Tales
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."
|
SID MOON'S REVIEWS:
"This is no romanticised view of childhood and this came over
convincingly in the performances by all the actors........... .............. who
took on this difficult task and rose to the challenge."
(Blue Remembered Hills reviewed by Sian Napier,
Kentish Gazette.)
JIM AKURST'S REVIEWS:
"Sadly there is not space to mention everyone but this was a powerful drama in which the whole cast rose to this difficult challenge."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
"....and Jim Akhurst playing Arthur, were convincingly sensitive in their
roles."
(The
Accrington Pals reviewed by Elaine Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"Of the supporting roles, Jim Akhurst played Julia's husband Fred with
gentle reasonableness"
(Fallen Angels, reviewed by Delia
Dengeon, Kentish Gazette.)
"...... in this role was outstanding as was Jim Akhurst
as plastic surgeon Dr Einstein."
(Arsenic And Old Lace, reviewed by Nina Del
Gedoe, Kentish Gazette.)
Sally Parker. Actor.
|
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.
|
SALLY PARKER'S REVIEWS:
"Sadly there is not space to mention everyone but this was a powerful drama in which the whole cast rose to this difficult challenge."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
"Ayckbourn's drama (RolePlay) is typically, more than a riotous comedy. An
unerring psychological insight which works alongside the crazy actions of his
dysfunctional characters and this production was hugely successful in provoking
thought as well as providing entertainment."
"Sally Parker must have subdued a large chunk of herself to play the neurotic
frump Julie-Ann so convincingly, yet at the same time win sympathy in her futile
psychological battle against Paige, the hard faced tart."
(RolePlay, reviewed by Elaine
Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"Foremost was Sally Parker as Ilse, the Sweet Girl."
(La Ronde, reviewed by Elaine Godden,
Kentish Gazette.)
"After the sour bickering of the two proprietors between the appearance
of their clients, a small boy enters, the catalyst who reveals the cause of their
disharmony. The unveiling of the suppressed misery of losing their young son was
the heartbreaking climax of the play and both Geoff Dale and
Sally Parker were utterly believable in their desolation."
(TWO, reviewed by Diane Ogleden.)
Jill Akhurst. Actor. Director. Director's
Assistant.
|
Jill Akhurst
Director – "Palace of Varieties"
and "Bazaar and Rummage"
Director's Assistant "The
Accrington Pals"
Singer of saucy songs; Actor Fallen
Angels; Two; Arsenic
And Old Lace; The Vortex.
This is the second "old lady" Jill has played for the Canterbury
Players - are they trying to tell her something? Guildhall trained Jill
has been with the Players now for three years, during which time she has
directed "Palace of Varieties"
in 2007 and "Bazaar and Rummage"
in March this year. She also played the maid Saunders "Fallen
Angels" in (March 2008) and the Old Woman in "Two"
in July this year. She is also involved with the "Really Promising
Company" and enjoyed some success last October playing the Princess
Puffer in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" at the Theatre Royal,
Margate. |
JILL AKHURST'S REVIEWS:
"Jill Akhurst as Clara, gave another totally natural performance."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
"...and Jill Akhurst's expressive facial and body language conveyed
every nuance of the maid Saunders' contempt for the gentry."
(Fallen Angels, reviewed by Delia
Dengeon, Kentish Gazette.)
"Outstanding among then was Jill Akhurst’s old woman drinking her
regular Guinness, the only reward at the end of each day after caring for a senile
and incontinent husband. Akhurst gave her character immense pity, love and supreme
dignity despite the wretched details of her drudgery."
(TWO, reviewed by Diane Ogleden.)
"Martha (Ruth Cameron) and Abby (Jill Akhurst) were
captivating."
(Arsenic And Old Lace, reviewed by Nina Del
Gedoe, Kentish Gazette.)
Susanna Gerken
|
Susanna Gerken
Costumes.
Susanna first trained as a teacher and then studied languages and drama
in Italy. She lived abroad for many years and has performed in different
amateur groups.
Since coming to live in Canterbury she has joined the Players and designed
the costumes for "The
Birthday Party"; La Ronde";
"Play It Again Sam"
and "Fallen Angels".
Susanna is a very welcome addition to the Players.
|
SUSANNA GERKEN'S REVIEWS:
"This was an adventurous undertaking and the Players once again exhibited
their exhilirating grasp of a challenge and professional skills in realising
its success."
(La Ronde, reviewed by Elaine Godden,
Kentish Gazette.)
"Susanna Gerken's delightful costumes and .........."
(Fallen Angels, reviewed by
Delia Dengeon, Kentish Gazette.)
Phil Gittins
|
Phil Gittins
Actor: The Glass Menagerie; Desire Under the Elms; The
Birthday Party; Much
Ado About Nothing; Arsenic And
Old Lace; Canterbury
Tales
From early school performances in “Joseph and his Technicolour
Dreamcoat” and “The Jungle Book” to a Sixth Form review
in which he played Ben, one of the “Flower Pot” men, Phil
has a long held passion for acting, performing and filmmaking.
He came to Canterbury in 1994, to study Radio, Film & Television
at Christchurch University College and following several college films
and local productions he joined the Players in 2002 for the role of Tom
in “The Glass Menagerie”.
A teacher of English, Media and Film studies, Phil enjoys cinema / filmmaking,
writing and watching football in his spare time.
Phil is excited at his first Shakespearian role!
|
PHIL GITTINS' REVIEWS: "Phil Gittins, as Stanley, looked the part in
his grubby pyjama jacket and his facial expressions were eloquent. Later, persecuted
by the two “guests” to his unwanted birthday party, his distress was palpable
and poignant."
(The Birthday Party reviewed by Elaine
Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"Phil Gittings made Verges a wonderfully vacant
halfwit but with an uncanny visual resemblance to the Bard himself."
(Much Ado About Nothing reviewed by Annie
De Lodge, Kentish Gazette.)
John Rye. Actor.
|
John Rye
Actor: Blue Remembered Hills,
Much Ado About Nothing; Two;
The Vortex.
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.
|
JOHN RYE'S REVIEWS:
"Sadly there is not space to mention everyone but this was a powerful drama in which the whole cast rose to this difficult challenge."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
"This is no romanticised view of childhood and this came over
convincingly in the performances by all the actors........... .............. who
took on this difficult task and rose to the challenge."
(Blue Remembered Hills reviewed by Sian Napier,
Kentish Gazette.)
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." |
TONY JOHNSON'S REVIEWS:
"Tony Johnson played the languid and camp Pawney to perfection, having many of the typically witty Coward lines."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
"Tony Johnson and Irene Marley were hilarious as Julie-Ann's
parents; two provincial bigots ultimately succeeding in conducting their daughter's
life."
(RolePlay, reviewed by Elaine
Godden, Kentish Gazette.)
"Tony Johnson's Leonato was a less dramatic
part but was also consistently sympathetic and convincing."
(Much Ado About Nothing reviewed by Annie
De Lodge, Kentish Gazette.)
"Tony Johnson in this role was outstanding...."
(Arsenic And Old Lace, reviewed by Nina Del
Gedoe, Kentish Gazette.)
Ruth Cameron
|
Ruth Cameron.
Actor: Much Ado About
Nothing; Bazaar and Rummage;
Arsenic And Old Lace;The
Vortex.
Ruth was a singing, dancing, and acting child and won the best actor prize
for Lady Macbeth at age 16. Despite gaining a provisional place at the
Hampstead School of Drama, she did not follow an acting career.
In the 1980s Ruth co- produced a school pantomime with the writer John
Larr and took part in local sketches, but then did not return to drama
until 2006 when she joined the Canterbury Players; Ruth has been involved
in most productions since. This includes singing in Marie Lloyd songs
in "Palace of Varieties",
being an attendant in "Much
Ado About Nothing" and performing the outrageous, yet poignant
part of the blaspheming vulgarian Margaret Gittings in "Bazaar
and Rummage".
|
RUTH CAMERON'S REVIEWS:
"Ruth Cameron was a convincingly adulterous Florence, forever chasing after men the same age as her son, pretending to everyone that she was having a great time but revealing in the powerful last scene that she was really a rather sad and unhappy woman, frightened of getting old."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
".... and Ruth Cameron took the outrageous part of Margaret,
not really wanted in the venture by some of her fellow-sufferers for, from the
blast of copiously rich vulgarity of her first obstreporous entrance to the comparative
but heart-rending restraint as she tells the wretched tale of her rape, she commands
the stage, as did the actor."
(Bazaar and Rummage reviewed by Elaine
Godden.)
"Martha (Ruth Cameron) and Abby (Jill Akhurst) were
captivating."
(Arsenic And Old Lace, reviewed by Nina Del
Gedoe, Kentish Gazette.)
Sally Brown
|
Sally Brown
Actor: Two;
Arsenic And Old Lace; The Vortex
Stage Manager: The Canterbury Tales
Sally studied drama at Aberystwyth University and has since gone on to teach performing arts. She moved down to Kent in 2009 and is ever thankful to the Players to making her welcome and buying her beer.
She is currently stage manager for the other Player's production "The Canterbury Tales".
Sally is also delighted to be asked to join "The Vortex" and promises not to drop the cocktails. |
SALLY BROWN'S REVIEWS:
"Sadly there is not space to mention everyone but this was a powerful drama in which the whole cast rose to this difficult challenge."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
"..... Elaine, compellingly acted by Sally Brown."
(Arsenic And Old Lace, reviewed by Nina
Del Gedoe, Kentish Gazette.)
Lisa Nightingale
|
Lisa Nightingale
Actor: Two;
Canterbury Tales
Lisa has been acting since a very young age. She studied at the Laine
Theatre Arts school in Epsom Surrey and then gained a degree in Drama
at Rose Bruford College of speech and drama. Theatre work includes;
Fanny in Far From the Madding Crowd., A tour of the south of France
in which she played the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet. Polly in The Gut Girls
at the ICA in London. Luce in The Comedy of Errors for the Nuffield Theatre
Southampton. Mary in Low Level Panic.
Lisa helped found the IN A SPACE theatre company in 1996 where she helped
write and direct various plays; she is most proud of JANIS a play of the
life of Janis Joplin, which was performed in Brighton.
Lisa spent many years teaching drama at the Italia Conti school based
in London. Lisa has recently joined the Canterbury players. |
Nigel Banks. Actor
|
Nigel Banks
Actor: Much Ado About
Nothing; Two;
Canterbury Tales
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.’. |
NIGEL BANKS' REVIEWS:
"Nigel Banks played Dogberry with relish..."
(Much Ado About Nothing reviewed by Annie
De Lodge, Kentish Gazette.)
Jo Purvis. Actor.
|
Jo Purvis
Assistant Director: Day After the Fair
Actor: Canterbury Tales
Occasional Stage Manager: The Vortex
Jo has always loved the theatre and spent most of her childhood playing
various Dickensian waifs and strays.
As a natural bossy boots, she relished the opportunity to hone her organisational
skills as Assistant Director for Day After the Fair.
She is looking forward to making her first stage performance for the
Players in the Canterbury Tales and
reprising her key role of official tea-maker. |
Peter Fox. Actor.
|
Peter Fox
Actor: Arsenic And Old Lace;
The Vortex.
Peter has previously worked behind the scenes on "Bazaar and Rummage" for the Canterbury Players,
in set production and assistant stage manager capacities.
He is also a budding young singer-songwriter, having played his first ever public gig in September 2009.
Peter dreams of one day writing for the big screen, that's if the music thing doesn't take off!
|
PETER FOX'S REVIEWS:
"...while Peter Fox, as the troubled Nicky, was especially good in the dramatic final scene when his emotions really came to the fore."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
"All the actors demonstrated the hilarity of Kesselring's marvellous
play."
(Arsenic And Old Lace, reviewed by Nina Del
Gedoe, Kentish Gazette.)
Robert McGregor
|
Robert McGregor
Actor: Arsenic And Old Lace;
The Vortex.
Robert woke up one day and decided to 'give acting a go'; as it happens,
the Canterbury Players company was able to accommodate him.
Robert's only previous acting experience was over 30 years ago in a school production of Ubu Rex (Ubu Roi). He seems to remember forgetting his opening lines but doesn't think anyone noticed.
He mentions, by way of an aside, that he is not suffering from a mid-life crisis, although he also tells us that he has recently started riding a motorbike. |
ROBERT McGREGOR'S REVIEWS:
"Sadly there is not space to mention everyone but this was a powerful drama in which the whole cast rose to this difficult challenge."
(The Vortex reviewed by Sian Napier )
"All the actors demonstrated the hilarity of Kesselring's marvellous
play."
(Arsenic And Old Lace, reviewed by Nina Del
Gedoe, Kentish Gazette.)
More Canterbury Players..........
|