Take your turn in the limelight

4:00pm Monday 9th September 2013 in Stage
By Ruth Meech

Full of class: Dorchester Drama Club’s production of
Jeeves in Bloom

SUCCESSFUL theatre group Dorchester Drama, who this year celebrated their 50th anniversary with a brilliant adaptation of Jeeves in Bloom, are revving up for their autumn production.

All are invited along to take part in auditions on Wednesday, September 11 and there are also opportunities for those preferring to help out with vital backstage and production work.

The show, Alan Ayckbourn’s Life & Beth, will be staged in late November and is a wonderful comedy in similar vein to Blithe Spirit.

It is Christmas, and Beth Timms is mourning the recent death of her health and safety officer husband, Gordon. Beth’s sister-in-law Connie and son Martin have come to stay, determined to ensure that she should have a stress-free Christmas, but their good intentions prove to be short-lived.

Only David, the local vicar, provides Beth with comfort, but when he says a prayer for her he unwittingly summons Gordon’s ghost back to the family home.

Gordon has been busy implementing health and safety measures in the afterlife and is now determined to stick around to help Beth manage her affairs. It soon becomes apparent, however, that his return is not altogether welcome . . .

The characters for the casting on Wednesday are Beth Timms, recently widowed and in her 50s, the late Gordon in his 60s, son Martin and his girlfriend Ella in their 20s or 30s, Gordon’s sister Connie who is in her 50s and David the vicar, who is a widower in his 50s.

The production will be co-directed by Paul Lawless & Richelle Khan.

Dorchester Drama spokesman David Reeve said: “Paul and Richelle are local professional actors and workshop co-ordinators who are really looking forward to directing their first project with us.

“Both have had extensive training in all areas of the performing industry and intend to run rehearsals in a fun but rewarding workshop-fashion.”

Auditions are in the Sunninghill School Hall off Culliford Road, Dorchester on Wednesday, September 11 at 7.30pm.

Please arrive promptly at 7.15pm, as auditions will begin swiftly at 7.30pm and any lateness will be taken in to consideration when casting the play.

Rehearsals will run twice-weekly, on a Monday and Wednesday evening, from September 16. If you are interested in helping with production side contact Anne on Reevefamily4@talktalk.net

Hi all

The Dorchester Drama Committee are very excited to annouce our autumn production with local actors Paul Lawless and Richelle Khan as our co-directors in the festive comedy “Life and Beth” by Alan Ayckbourn. This a great opportunity for those interested in warming up before the community play so we hope to see you all at the auditions!! Please feel free to forward this to anyone you may think is interested.

Hello Thespians and Co!
Dorchester Drama are excited to announce that their Autumn production will be –
Alan Ayckbourn’s festive Comedy
‘Life & Beth’
Performance 21st – 23rd November 2013
……………. It is Christmas, and Beth Timms is mourning the recent death of her health and safety officer husband, Gordon. Beth’s Sister-in-law Connie and son Martin have come to stay, determined to ensure that she should have a stress-free Christmas, but between Connie’s drinking problem and Martin’s unspeaking and emotionally volatile girlfriend Ella, their intentions prove to be short-lived.

Only David, the local vicar, provides Beth with any comfort, but when he says a prayer for her bereavement he unwittingly summons Gordon’s ghost to return to the family home. Gordon has been busy implementing health and safety measures in the afterlife and is now determined to stick around to help Beth manage her affairs. It soon becomes apparent, however, that his return in not altogether welcome . . .

Characters (there is some flexibility with the ages):
Beth Timms, recently widowed, 50s
Gordon Timms, Beth’ late husband, 60s
Martin Timms, their son, 20s/30s
Ella Parker, Martin’s girlfriend, late 20s
Connie Bunting, Gordon’s sister, wodow, 50s
Revd David Grinseed, widower, 50s

Co-directed by Paul Lawless & Richelle Khan
Paul and Richelle are local professional Actors and Workshop co-ordinators who are really looking forward to directing their first project, with Dorchester Drama. Both have had extensive training in all areas of the performing industry and intend to run rehearsals in a fun but rewarding workshop-fashion. When the cast aren’t rehearsing or blocking scenes, they will be working more closely with the other director on breathing, voice work, movement technique and approaches to the text!
Acting Auditions are to be held in the Sunninghill School Hall on
Wednesday 11th September at 7.30pm.
Please arrive promptly at 7.15pm, as we are looking to begin swiftly at 7.30pm. Lateness to the audition will be taken in to consideration when casting the play. Rehearsals will run twice-weekly, on a Monday and Wednesday evening and commence the following Monday (16th September).
If you are interested in fulfilling roles on the production side of things, please get in contact with Anne Reeve on Reevefamily4@talktalk.net
We look forward to seeing you at the audition!

WHAT ho Jeeves – it’s that Bertie Wooster with his mad friends and family causing havoc as usual with their latest hair-brained schemes in a farcical comedy set in the 1930s.

A number of PG Wodehouse’s best-loved stories have been condensed into a single production which, staged by Dorchester Drama, provides light-hearted fun and laughter for a perfect summer evening’s entertainment.

Celebrating their 50th anniversary, the drama group bring to life Margaret Raether’s neatly constructed adaptation in a lively action packed farce that takes place at the stately home of the scary Aunt Dahlia.

As usual the peerless Jeeves sorts out everyone’s problems ranging from the wooing of newt nerd Gussie Fink-Nottle, the financial woes of Aunt Dahlia and even the temperamental outbursts of the chef Anatole in a convoluted plot that goes at a cracking pace from start to finish.

Sam Kelly is well cast in the demanding role of the amiable idiot Wooster with the ever dignified Nick Heape as his butler Jeeves, the pair creating a double act that is a pleasure to watch.

Capturing the essential flavour of the play, Stella Hollis is in brilliant form as the formidable Aunt Dahlia who puts everyone in their place, including her husband Tom, nicely portrayed by Paul Wallis who is transformed from a bad tempered bully into a doting darling, thanks to one of Jeeves’s magic medicinal potions.

Jonny White and Emma Follis make an ideal couple as the hopeless romantics Gussie and Madeline as their courtship muddles along in the typical silly schoolboy style that Wodehouse made his own.

The cast is completed by a suitably over-the-top Dee Thorne as the chef Anatole, a woman whose outbursts make Gordon Ramsey look like a mild-mannered pussycat.

A particularly nice touch for this production is provided by a three piece musical group led by Alastair Simpson who add an elegant atmosphere to the evening with their welcome interludes playing popular tunes of the day.

Director David Reeve has kept his eye on the ball of this quintessentially English comic romp and in doing so has produced an old-fashioned and civilised piece of theatre that is satisfying at almost every level.

Dorchester Life article:
Dorchester Life

The peaceful English countryside may never be the same after Bertie Wooster and his unflappable valet Jeeves pay a visit. What starts as a plan to pair tongue-tied newt-loving Augustus Fink-Nottle and fanciful, poet-loving Madeline Basset quickly goes awry. Soon Bertie is fending off Madeline’s amorous advances, reluctantly participating in an attempted burglary, and fleeing attacks from a homicidal French chef. With the stakes this high, the solution must lie with the one and only Jeeves!

Dorchester Drama actors are rehearsing hard ahead of their Summer production of “Jeeves in Bloom” which is going on stage at the Sunninghill Community Hall, Culliford Road Dorchester from Thursday 18th July to Saturday 20th July” 7:30pm. The play has been adapted by Margaret Raether from the stories of PG Wodehouse. “The play has been cleverly written around a number of Wodehouse’s stories.” says David Reeve, the director and chairman of the group. ”It is great that Wodehouse is having a revival. This play brings alive some of the great characters in a typical madcap Wodehouse adventure. What is more exciting is the play is making its UK première since it is still being performed to critical acclaim on the professional circuit in America.”

The play stars Sam Kelly as Bertie, Nick Heape as Jeeves and Dee Thorne as Anatole the French chef. There is a welcome return to Stella Hollis playing Aunt Dahlia and also stars newcomers Emma Follis as Madeline and Paul Wallis as Uncle Tom. “The cast are having great fun with the script and we think this is a perfect way to celebrate our 50th anniversary. I think it must rank as one of the funniest productions!” Tickets are £8 in advance (£5 for students and U18s) from Trinity Stores, Trinity Street or box office 01305 889202 or £9 on the door

I am pleased to announce the cast of our Summer Production of “Jeeves in Bloom is:
Bertie Wooster – Sam Kelly
Jeeves – Nick Heape
Gussie Fink-Knottle – Jonny White
Dahlia Travers – Stella Hollis
Colonel Tom Travers – Paul Wallis
Madeline Bassett – Emma Follis
Anatole – Dee Thorne

Rehearsals are now underway. The production takes place on 18 to 20 July at the Sunninghill Hall, Culliford Road. Further details will be available soon

Book reading: Wednesday 17th April at the Sunninghill Community Hall, Culliford Road 7:30pm. Open to all
Auditions: Wednesday 24th April at the Sunninghill Community Hall, Culliford Road 7:30pm. Open to all
Rehearsals Mondays and Wednesdays
Performances: thurs 18th to Saturday 20th July

Tickets are now on sale for our Spring Production of “A Fly in the Ointment” a farce by Derek Benfield.

The production takes place at the Sunninghill Community Hall, Culliford Road on Thursday 11th to Saturday 13th April 2013. Tickets are £8 in advance at Trinity Stores, Trinity Street, £5 for students and children or from our box office 01305 889202. Tickets are £9 on the door. There is a licenced bar.