THE ROTHERFIELD PLAYERS PRESENT

by Alan Frayn

2nd

- 4th

Feb 2012

Programme £2

Kim & Justin welcome you to

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VAT No. 879429657

anniecoombemarkx@hotmail.co.uk

FROM THE Director

Being a devotee of the pantomime genre I volunteered to direct this year’s show instead of “acting” as one person once described my participation. Only one!! I’ve been fortunate to find a fresh new script for Aladdin that had been successfully shown last winter in Frant. Next step was to find a good cast. Auditions are nervous occasions for both directors and cast but fortune shined again when a happy throng of people turned up. The main roles fell into place and everybody else got a part of some kind or another, so everybody was happy!! A brilliant team of people had formed to take care of the music, dancing, costumes and stage design etc so there really was not much left for me to do. We are really lucky to have so many talented people in the

Rotherfield Players, people with creative ideas and energy. What you see on stage today is the work of so many people who don’t receive the applause and, in many cases, would not wish to either!!

Enjoy the show. Oh yes you will! We certainly have throughout the rehearsals. James Gallifant

From THE Musical Director

It’s panto time once again! A chance to have some fun with a great script, smashing cast and some well known songs.

When James invited me to be Musical Director for Aladdin, the urge to ‘rock’ was foremost in my mind. So from some classic ‘oldies’ to Grease, Abba, the Beatles and Queen, the band, cast and Catherine, our fabulous choreographer, have put together some show-stopping numbers for your enjoyment, all under the watchful eye of James!

The trio comprises myself, Dynamo Jo, on the piano (& baton), Jeremy (Jel) Smith, guitarist par excellence whatever the genre or mode, and brilliant young drummer, Rowan Jenkins, who is making his debut with the Rotherfield Players. Jo’s boys have worked their socks off. Thank you. My thanks also to Rowan’s mum & dad for the use of their summer house for weekly practice nights. No complaints from the neighbours either!

It is always a joy & privilege to work with so many talented people of which there are many in our community. Singing rehearsals have rocked and rolled! We hope you will enjoy a bit of musical magic, tap your feet & sing along as you are transported from Rotherfield to Egypt, then China and back again.

Will you enjoy it?......O, yes you will……(no response needed!) Have fun! We certainly have! Jo Evans

From the Chairman Explaining the concept of pantomime to an American is as difficult as explaining cricket. Almost impossible in fact. I tried it some years ago to no avail. My American friend summarised it as follows: “So, nobody mimes, female parts are played by men or by women, male parts too and the audience is expected to boo, shout, sing and cheer”. That’s it in a nutshell, I said.

Pantomime is an English tradition although I have heard that ex-patriot communities in such far flung places as Spain put on pantomime productions that even the locals attend. I have no feedback on whether this affects Anglo-Spanish relations for better or

for worse. Suffice to say that we love it and long may pantomime be part of the Rotherfield winter.

Coming up in May is another spectacular by the Players, “The Sound of Music”. Perhaps we will have to build a mountain or two in the Village Hall!! Thus we can look forward to those well-known songs "Edelweiss", "My Favorite Things", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" and "Do-Re-Mi".

James Gallifant

the backstage story It really is unusual, in amateur organisations, for people to volunteer for work. It is often necessary to ‘lean’ on people to fulfil a job and then they discover that it is a rewarding experience to have something meaningful to do in life. The Players have always had willing helpers but we are exceptionally lucky to have hard-working members in all departments. This has been particularly important to me as director (and erstwhile producer) of Aladdin because all of the worry of stage design, stage build, costumes, show management etc was totally removed.

The stage design meeting resulted in arguments (friendly of course) about who was doing what and about how much more they (Nigel Cassford, Mark Tasker and Andy Miller) wanted to do which was far more than I had asked them to do. For example, to save work, I suggested that we cut out a washing machine scene but I was told, in no uncertain terms, that they would build the machine and that the scene would stay‼ I know when to back down! Janet Duchesne then ‘told’ me how the scenes would look (designs, colours

etc), and how they would work. Alison Close then volunteered for painting and demonstrated her remarkable skills. The team then decided how the work would be done and by when and then sorted out the transport. I sat back in awe, knowing that we would have a brilliant stage set and I wouldn’t have to think about it

Probably the biggest job for a pantomime is to source or manufacture the costumes. Now I’m not pandering to my wife in saying this but I do know that Helen has spent more time than anybody on this production. Our house has looked like a fancy dress shop for most of the past three months. Helen has been helped enormously by Beattie and Hazel.

Then, of course, I have been lucky to have Jo Evans as Musical Director and Catherine Ireland for the choreography. At the outset we agreed that the show was a joint effort between us. It’s been a delight to watch the cast develop their singing and dancing as rehearsals progressed. I just hope that you enjoy the show as much as we have enjoyed making it.

James Gallifant

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THE CAST

Aladdin Becky Syms

Wishee Washee Lynn Lunn

Widow Twankey Alan Powell

Princess Mandarin Jes Lunn

So-Shy Cecilia Marshall

The Emperor Andy Miller

Yu-Dun-Wong Kate Awcock

Hu-Dun-Pong Gussie Penny

Abanazar Adam Hardy

Spirit of the Ring Jess Hardy

Genie of the Lamp Barry Shyvers

Real Men Phil Ireland

Paul McNally

Executioner Phil Ireland

Chorus Sammy Dawkins

Roxane Thomas

Deb Findlater

Bethany Earle

Phoebe Henrick

Eliza Close

Olivia Haynes

Georgie Dolding

Holly-May Penny

Stacey Brackley

David Morali-Bourne

Jane Bourne

ABOUT THE CAST

Becky Syms - Aladdin Becky is a multi-talented actress who joined the Players back on 2001 for “Oliver”. She has played both serious and comedic roles since then from Lady Chiltern in “An Ideal Husband” to Yvette in

“Allo Allo”. She recently confessed to a life-long ambition to play the role of Aladdin. Sometimes ones wishes come true, especially in pantomime. Perhaps the Genie helped realise the ambition!

Lynn Lunn - Wishee Washee Lynn is one of those people with natural comic timing and this is reflected in her roles since she joined us ten years ago as a Fairy Queen. Witch, Wizard, Chop Suey, Munchkin and Good Fairy

are all parts that Lynn has excelled in but especially Mary Smith in “Caught in the Net” in 2007. Today she plays a boy….erm‼

Alan Powell - Widow Twankey Alan has experienced acting on the professional side and that showed in “Our Country’s Good” when he played three parts with three different accents. However, his role in Noel Coward’s “Present

Laughter” in 2010 made us feel as though the playwright was still alive. Alan is chuffed as conkers to be playing Widow Twankey. Pure joy!

Jes Lunn - Princess Mandarin Young Jes joined us when she was nine and has played more parts than most members of The Players and lost an ‘S’ from her name in the process. Having been a witch, a fairy and a Munchkin on

the way she has now reached the pinnacle of her acting career as the pantomime Princess. The world is now her oyster.

Cecilia Marshall - So-Shy Inappropriately named as So-Shy, Cecilia showed her mettle as a legal advocate in last year’s junior production. Having joined us in 2009 her other main role was as a

donkey in last winter’s “Wind in the Willows”. Front end, she hastens to add.

Andy Miller - The Emperor After the last couple of years backstage with set construction etc. it’s wonderful to be back actually on stage at Rotherfield (after a lapse of thirty years!). Rehearsals have been lots of fun

even if I am the only one without a comic, romantic, villainous or glamorous part. (Type casting?). Looking forward to the roar of the greasepaint etc

Kate Awcock - You-Dun-Wong Kate has never dun wong in comedy or serious roles since she joined us in 2005 for Calamity Jane. Her role as Goldilocks was in stark contrast to her Lady of the Night in “Little Shop of

Horrors”. “Lady, do I look like a parking attendant?” she berated an old lady who was merely seeking a parking space! It’s now in the Players folklore.

Gussie Penny - Hu-Dun-Pong Gussie has embraced the Players 100% since she joined in 2010 for the spoof Mikado. High Court Judge in “Wind in the Willows” she has now been legally demoted to a Chinese policemen.

One cannot forget her lady of easy virtue in “Little Shop”.

Adam Hardy - Abanazar Adam joined us in 1999 and was a “Chinese citizen” when we last did Aladdin. An early leading role was as a dead body…. during a blackout but more illuminating roles were to come, particularly

as The King of Beardonia in “Goldilocks”. His part as the Sherriff in “Babes in the Wood” set a marker as the sort of character who can empty a theatre of little children. We will count them out today but every pantomime must have a baddie. Well, Adam was also inside the plant in “Little Shop of Horrors” receiving body parts.

Jess Hardy - Spirit of the Ring Jess joined us in 2000 but it wasn’t until 2007 that she achieved a leading role as Fido the Dog in “Goldilocks” although she had taken three parts in “The Wizard of Oz” and then another

trio of parts in “The Wind in the Willows”. Today Jess is casting a little magic for Aladdin. Aaaaah.

Barry Shyvers - Genie of the Lamp What does one say about this shrinking violet? Joined us in 2004 and liked us so much that he came to live here. We will all recall his Wild Bill Hickok in “Calamity Jane”, Jesus in

“Godspell”, Petruchio in “Kiss Me Kate”, the dentist and the voice of the plant in “Little Shop of Horrors”. Today he has achieved all of his acting ambitions as the Genie and will inevitably retire…. until the next demanding wordy, singing role comes along that is. Perhaps Maria in the Sound of Music??

The Band Rowan Jenkins, Jo Evans and Jeremy Smith

SCENES

Act 1

Prologue Abanazar’s Egyptian Lair

Scene 1 Old Peking

Scene 2 Street of 1,000 Chopsticks

Scene 3 The Palace Gardens

Scene 4 Back on the Block

Scene 5 Twankey’s Takeaway

Scene 6 Mountain Ravine

Scene 7 The Cave a la Din

Act 2

Scene 1 Widow Twankey’s Laundry

Scene 2 Mountain Ravine

Scene 3 The Palace

Scene 4 Magic Flight

Scene 5 Abanazar’s Egyptian Lair

Scene 6 Party in Peking

Scene 7 En-route to the wedding

Scene 8 The Wedding

Charity Collection Our charity collection for this show is the Demelza Hospice.

Children's hospices support children and young people (0-19) who are not expected to reach adulthood, and offer support to their families. Children's hospices can differ significantly from adult hospices in that many of the conditions children and young people are suffering from are degenerative in nature and progress over many years.

This means that children's hospices have the opportunity to offer children, young people and families the chance to build memories as a family unit, undertake a range of activities that are age and needs specific that they may not ordinarily be able to access.

A children's hospice may offer complex symptom control during periods of active treatment. In many cases there is no cure. In others, treatment has been tried but failed and the focus has transferred from active to palliative care.

When a diagnosis is given, families often feel very isolated. Children's hospices provide the necessary short breaks and a range of specialist services benefiting the children and young people themselves and their wider family, which are simply not available elsewhere.

BACKSTAGE CREW

Director James Gallifant

Musical Director Jo Evans

Choreographer Catherine Ireland

Stage Manager Charles Truelove

Costumes Helen Gallifant

Beattie Smitham

Hazel Buck Choreography – Catherine Ireland Catherine is thrilled to be choreographing this Panto as it is one of the funniest she has ever seen. Also the songs are a bit more inspiring than most Panto numbers, and as she creates the routines in her

very small kitchen at home it helps if the music and script inspire her.

Set builders Mark Tasker

Andy Miller

Nigel Cassford

Set Painting Janet Duchesne

Alison Close

Stagehands Phil Ireland

Paul McNally Many of our costumes for the production have been hired from Bryan Philip Davies Costumes - a costumier extraordinaire.

Stuart Clark

Janet Duchesne

Prompt Caroline Brackley

Sound Terry Everitt

Lighting Nigel Cassford

Sarah Truelove

Properties Brett Seath

Makeup Daniel Hoey

Lisa McNally

Bar Manager Jane Littlefair

Front of House Judith Hardy

Publicity Becky Syms

Box Office James Gallifant

Programme Gillian Earle

Cover Design Bethany Earle

Photographs Mark Kennedy

NEXT PRODUCTION

10th - 12th May 2012 Rotherfield Village Hall

Adult auditions

Mon 6th Feb - Help Night, information on show and registration Fri 10th Feb - Movement, singing and chorus auditions Sat 11th Feb - Principals auditions

(only by registration at Monday Help Night)

at Rotherfield Village Hall

Please note that auditions for the six younger Von Trapp children have already taken place

See www.rotherfieldplayers.co.uk for more information

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PAST PRODUCTIONS

The Happiest Days of Your Life 1976 The Diary of Anne Frank 1976 Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime 1977 Rother Jubilant 1977 Pool’s Paradise 1977 The Winslow Boy 1978 Goodnight Mrs Puffin 1978 Night Must Fall 1979 I’ll Get My Man 1979 Dark of the Moon 1980 The Creature Creeps 1980 Ghost Train 1981 When We Are Married 1981 The Rose and the Ring 1982 Separate Tables 1982 Just the Ticket 1982 Jack and the Beanstalk 1983 A Letter from the General 1983 The Chiltern Hundreds 1983 Aladdin 1984 The Man Born to be King 1984 Doctor in the House 1984 Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs 1985 Berkeley Square 1985 Bedroom Farce 1985 Little Red Riding Hood 1986 The Crucible 1986 A Separate Peace 1986 Season’s Greetings 1986 Goldilocks and the Three Bears 1987 Mother Figure 1987 Larkrise 1987 Plaza Suite 1987 The Tinder Box 1988 Moonset Over Zeron 1988 Murder in Company 1988 Key for Two 1988 Pinocchio 1989 The Brute 1989 A Festival of Short Plays 1989 Getting On 1989 Cinderella 1990 Something Borrowed 1990 Arms and the Man 1990 Our Town 1990 Mother Goose 1991 A Resounding Tinkle 1991 How the Other Half Loves 1991 Joseph & the Technicolor Dreamcoat 1991 A Coat of Varnish 1991 Sinbad the Sailor 1992 Rotherfield Pageant 1992 Ten Times Table 1992 The Sleeping Beauty 1993 Bird Bath 1993 Ghost Writer 1993 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1993 All Aboard 1993

The Matchmaker 1993 Ali Baba 1994 Sailor Beware 1994 Hedda Gabler 1994 The Magic Fruit 1995 Queen Alice 1995 Absurd Person Singular 1995 The Happiest Days of Your Life 1996 Babes in the Wood 1997 My Fair Lady 1997 An Inspector Calls 1998 Blithe Spirit 1998 Smugglers 1999 Evening of One Act Plays 1999 Aladdin 2000 A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2000 A Review for the Millennium 2000 Cinderella 2001 Oliver 2001 Importance of Being Earnest 2001 Jack and the Beanstalk 2002 Don’t Dress for Dinner 2002 50 Years on the Throne 2002 Steel Magnolias 2002 Puss in Boots 2003 Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Production of MacBeth 2003 Inn Love with Shakespeare 2003 Dick Whittington 2004 ‘Allo ‘Allo 2004 A Murder is Announced 2004 The Magic Fruit 2005 Calamity Jane 2005 Garden District 2005 The Wizard of Oz 2006 The Final Curtain 2006 An Ideal Husband 2006 Goldilocks and the Three Bears 2007 Godspell 2007 Bard from the King’s Arms 2007 Caught in the Net 2007 Sleeping Beauty 2008 Kiss Me Kate 2008 Les Liaisons Dangereuses 2008 Cinderella 2009 Busybody 2009 Our Country’s Good 2009 Babes in the Wood 2010 Present Laughter 2010 The Railway Children (Junior Players) 2010 Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Production of The Mikado 2010 Wind in the Willows 2011 Little Shop of Horrors 2011 Three Characters in Search of a Verdict & Round the World with Class Six (Junior Players) 2011 All My Sons 2011

New Members

The Rotherfield Players is a vibrant village dramatic

society. We have a healthy membership but we

always welcome new faces both on stage and back

stage. Many different skills are required to put on a

show apart from acting, singing and dancing. There’s

carpentry, painting, sewing and even computer skills.

If you are interested in joining our group please contact

James Gallifant

Tel: 01892 654219

Email: members@rotherfieldplayers.co.uk

For more information about Rotherfield Players, go to

www.rotherfieldplayers.co.uk

Published by The Society of the Rotherfield Players

Programme Printed by

Units D-G, 18 Chapman Way,

Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3EF

The Wheatsheaf Public House

Mount Pleasant, Crowborough, TN6 2NF Tel: 01892 663756

www.wheatsheafcrowborough.co.uk

Pete and Becky extend a hearty welcome to you at Crowborough’s most traditional

and friendly pub, with great beer, fine wine and good company

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Roaring fires and no pretensions

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Providing social facilities and support for senior citizens.

Opening Hours

Mon 10.00am - 12.30pm

Tue - Fri 10am - 12.30pm & 1.30pm - 4pm

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Tel: 01892 853021

Email: office@rotherfieldstmartin.org.uk Website: www.rotherfieldstmartin.org.uk

Supported by: Rotherfield Parish Council St Denys’ Church

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