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The Dorchester Drama Committee are pleased to announce that the Spring 2013 production will be “A Fly in the Ointment” a farce by Derek Benfield. It will be directed by David Higham who is an experienced director, new to the group, with David Reeve as production manager.

“A Fly in the Ointment” is a typical British farce with 6 characters. Why should Ron Corley MP, minister for the Environment be searching the seaside bungalow of his ex mistress Donna? Why does his virtuous wife, Louise, turn up at the same place on the same day? What was a romantic doctor with a bunch of flowers doing in Sussex when his practice is in London? Add to these world-shattering questions the presence of a frustrated policewomen and a devious pizza delivery boy and you have the makings of a riotous farce in true Feydeau tradition!!

There are 6 parts, three male aging from 20 to 50s and three females (30s to 40s) though David is relatively flexible about this so don’t let that put you off! ALL ARE WELCOME

There will be a play read on Wednesday 5th December and the auditions will take place on Wednesday 19th December, both at Sunninghill theatre 7:30pm. This is an open auditions and we are very keen to see lots of people there. As well as the six actors David will be looking to pull together a team to cover backstage, lighting, front stage and the running of the bar!! If anyone has any queries then just send me an email.

Rehearsals will begin on Wednesday 9th January at Sunninghill theatre with the production taking place on Thursday 11th to Saturday 13th April 2013.
For those who recognise the playwright’s name but just can’t picture him, Benfield was a famous British Actor and playwright who’s roles included the second actor to play Patricia Routledge’s character’s husband in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates . Arguably Benfield’s best known character portrayal was as transport company foreman Bill Riley in the UK television series The Brothers as well as Walter Greenhalgh from Coronation Street and Albert the Clerk from Rumpole of the Bailey.

As the light fades in the gloom of a foggy Victorian London street a street seller does his final rounds, while in the tall, forbidding house which is becoming her prison, Bella Manningham is slowly losing her mind. But are the mysterious disappearances, unexplained footsteps and ghostly flickering of the drawing room gaslights simply a figment of her delusional mind? Or is her husband intent on convincing Bella she is going mad like her mother before her? However, the arrival of an unexpected visitor leads Bella to question all that has taken place, as the murky events that happened in the house some twenty years previously are slowly revealed.

Patrick Hamilton’s powerful and popular play ‘Gaslight’ is a psychological thriller guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat and is being performed by Dorchester Drama at the Corn Exchange, Dorchester on Thursday 8th to Saturday 10th November 7:30pm. Tickets for the play are on sale at Trinity Stores (formerly Trinity’s Treat), Trinity Street or from the box office 01305 889202. Tickets are £8 in advance (£5 for students and under 18s) or £9 on the door.

CALLING ALL ACTORS!!

Auditions for Dorchester Drama’s summer production of Twelfth Night takes place on Tuesday 1 May 7:30pm in the Sunninghill School Music Room (see map on previous post). All are welcome (members and non-members). The production will take place at the school on Thursday 19th to Saturday 21 July and is being directed by Anne Reeve, who bought us Treasure Island and A Christmas Carol. So come and join us!!

CALLING ALL ACTORS!

There are a series of three workshops being led by Anne Reeve, Lee Stroud and Georgie Willis running on Wednesday11th, Wednesday 18th and Wednesday 25th at Sunninghill School based on “Working Together”. ALL ARE WELCOME, free for members, £1 for non-members; free refreshments. So if you want to come and have some drama fun come and join us.

We are rehearsing in the Music Room (room 4 on the plan)

If you are bringing a car come in the Culliford Road entrance and drive carefully round to the School. We can park in the area by room 10. Then coming through the gates and playground down to room 3 and just before turn right and you will find room 4. We will make sure that a few of us are outside to help new comers find their way!

Look forward to seeing you Wednesday.

Dorset Echo Review by Marion Cox:

DYING FOR A DRINK Review

Thursday 29 March Play Reading at the Vic 7:30pm

Thursday 5 April Extrodinary General Meeting (EGM) at the Vic 7:30pm

In the remaining three weeks of April there will be a series of workshops designed to improve our drama skills and have some fun.  These will be open to current members and non-members alike and we will use it to see if we can find some new members too (evening and venue to be announced shortly)

Auditions for our summer production of Twelfth Night will take place in the week of 30th April (evening and venue to be announced)

From the Dorset Echo 16 March 2012: http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/leisure/stage/9595205.Can_you_solve_a_tough_murder_case_/