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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
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"TWO"
Our 2009 Summer Production was TWO, by Jim Cartwright: "TWO".
The play was directed by Sarah Gooch, 2-4 July, 2009 at the @ The Gulbenkian
Theatre, Canterbury, Kent and at Lounge
On The Farm.
Two by Two Adds up to a Powerful Drama
Originally this play had 14 characters and a cast of two – hence
its title.
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.
A lively northern pub is run by a married couple with a thorny relationship;
the audience had to imagine the presence of their thronging customers
but there are 12 whose lives are briefly but intensively portrayed.
Each of these characters was performed with a profound sympathy and there
was both pathos and humour in all their stories.
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.
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.
After the sour bickering of the two proprietors between the appearance
of their clients, a small boy (Apollon Alexopoulos) 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.
Diane Ogleden
"Play so powerful we forgot not to believe."
COLERIDGE observed that a "willing suspension of disbelief"
is needed when we frequent works of literature, particularly drama; that
is, we witness events on stage as if they were real and relevant to our
own existence.
Thus the best works of literature embody profound truths applicable to
everyday life. Indeed there are times when the acting on stage is so powerful
that we forget we are watching a play.
That is what happened on Saturday night at the Gulbenkian Theatre, during
a performance of "Two" by the Canterbury Players.
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.
In a letter from Brian Godden, to the Kentish Gazette. |
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TWO Rehearsals. |
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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'Two' rehearsals.
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Director
As 'The Landlord'
Geoff Dale. Actor.
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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. |
As 'The Landlady'
Sally Parker. Actor.
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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.
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As 'Old Lady'
Jill Akhurst. Actor. Director. Director's
Assistant.
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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. |
As 'Moth'
Kevin Dean
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Kevin Dean
Actor: Moth in Two
Kevin has no stage experience, although he has in the past pursued his
interest in acting at night school. However, his involvement in this production
is solely the result of nipping into The Millers Arms one Thursday evening
for a swift half, where by chance he met the Players. Several pints of
real ale and an audition later he was delighted to be cast to play the
part of Moth. |
As 'Maudie'
Sally Brown
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Sally Brown
Actor: Maudie in "Two"; Elaine Harper
in Arsenic And Old Lace
Sally is delighted to be performing in Arsenic
and Old Lace; especially as her late grandmother had played the same
role over 60 years ago. Theatre has played a large part of her life since
an early age and as a result she has been involved in some fantastic,
some bizarre and some downright awful productions; crawling out of a wardrobe
screaming “the chickens won’t stop dancing” in 448 Psychosis
being an example for the latter. But such experiences has not put her
off treading the boards in roles such as Frauline Kost in ‘Cabaret’,
Katherine in ‘Taming of the Shrew’ and of course most recently
Maudie in ‘Two’.
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Before ‘Two’, she had a three year break from
acting since graduating from Aberystwyth University as she has been teaching
Performing Arts. During these years she made use of her students by testing
out her writing material on them…Mortimer Brewster has nothing on
these dramatic critics!
She currently is studying for her MA in creative writing at Canterbury
Christchurch and is trying to live by her pen – or laptop to be
precise. |
As 'Old Man'
Nigel Banks. Actor
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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’. |
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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.’. |
As 'Mrs Iger'
Lisa Nightingale
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Lisa Nightingale
Actor: Mrs Iger in Two
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. |
As 'Mr Iger'
John Rye. Actor.
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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.
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As 'Lesley'
Ellie Gee. Actor.
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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. |
As 'Roy'
Adam Summers. Actor.
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Adam Summers
Actor: Much Ado About
Nothing; Two; Day
After The Fair
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.
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As 'Fred'
Sid Moon. Actor.
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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."
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As 'Alice'
Anne Hancox. Actor.
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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. |
As 'Woman'
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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As 'Little Boy'
Apollon Alexopoulis
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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.
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