|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The uncut X-Beacon files September 2001
New Drama at Painswick Players AGM!
Sensing the opportunity for a Beacon exclusive, I collar Kevin Parker, the director of our next production (29th, 30th November and 1st December at The Painswick Centre) at a recent Painswick Players committee meeting and try to wheedle from him a few juicy details about what it is all about. “What’s it going to be, then Kev?” I say by way of an
opener. “Oh thanks! You can top me up with the red, please.” he
said, hurriedly draining a nearly full half pint glass.” Wearily I open yet another bottle of the cheap Hungarian
Red. “I meant: what’s it going to be, the next production?” “You mean the one scheduled for 29th, 30th November and
1st December at The Painswick Centre?” “The very same!” “The Farnsdale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild
Dramatic Society’s production of A Christmas Carol” he says in a triumphant
rush. “The… er what?” “The Farnsdale Avenue Housing EstateTow…” “Yes, yes!” I butt in hurriedly. “When you say
Christmas Carol, is this A Christmas Carol as in Scrooge, Tiny Tim and much God
rest ye merrying?” “Ye-es… sort of. What it is, is the tale of an amateur
dramatic society’s attempt to put on an ambitious Christmas production, which
all goes horribly and hilariously wrong.” I suddenly have an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
Fighting back the urge to say ‘No change there, then’, I invite him to
expand a little. “Well, you see the Farnsdale Avenue Hous…this am dram group, all in festive mood, decide to mount their stage version of A Christmas Carol. Enthusiasm being their middle name, the ladies present a dizzy array of characters from the Dickensian favourite (plus a few which aren't), battling on against all the odds (and against each other) and adding those wayward touches of ingenuity for which the ladies are so justly famed.” “I see… I think. Who’s in it, then?”, I
probe gently. “Ah well…” he says, offering his glass again with a
‘Fill it up and I might tell you’ look in his eye. With a sigh I hand him
the bottle and watch more of the cheap Hungarian Red glug glug away. “Well… Actually, no one’s in it yet. We’re holding
auditions on Tuesday 4th September in the Green Room at the Painswick Centre.”
I am visibly stunned by this news. “But that’s the same date and venue as the Painswick
Players AGM!” “That’s right! Two hilarious dramas for the price of
one. Can’t be bad!”, he says as he strolls away still clutching the bottle
of cheap Hungarian Red. So, there you have it. Come along to the Painswick Players
AGM at 8.00 pm on Tuesday 4th September (Green Room at the Painswick Centre) and
not only can you join the rest of the membership in trying to solve the baffling
mystery of exactly what has been happening to the vanishing PP stock of cheap
Hungarian Red, but you will also be able to find out more about the Painswick
Players production of The Farnsdale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild
Dramatic Society’s production of A Christmas Carol. If all this sounds just too much excitement for the human
body to stand in a single evening, auditions for The Farnsdale Av… the next
production are also being held on Monday 3rd September, again at 8.00 pm in the
Green Room at the Painswick Centre. So there’s no excuse. Be there! Jack Burgess, |
|
|
|
