THEATRE & EDUCATIONAL
Written by Oscar Wilde
PERFORMANCE & TOUR REPORT
‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ was an artistic breakthrough for Oscar Wilde, a self-parody and flippant commentary on the melodramatic genre in which Wilde had already had success. Below the surface of the light, brittle comedy, however, is a serious subtext that takes aim at self-righteous moralism and hypocrisy, the very aspects of Victorian society that would, in part, bring about Wilde’s downfall.
We started prepping for this play almost immediately after ‘Much Ado’ in 2006, with the idea of putting it on as a Christmas production. However, circumstances kept changing and the schedule kept being altered until we finally – after much to-in and fro-ing – were ready to give it a go in 2007!! Luckily, we had our main core members of the cast sorted out and it was a hectic job to suggest and audition new faces for the supporting roles. Eventually, we settled on a cast that we felt was worthy of the characters they would inhabit. Six venues were booked for a Summer Tour that would span three months and many miles of travelling.
Disaster struck almost immediately after starting rehearsals when our Lady Bracknell fractured a hip in a fall whilst wrestling with a tree in her garden! But, tenacious and determined as OFFSTAGE can be, we were desperate to keep her on board and so continued on without her, with the hope she’d be back in the bustle in time for our first performance! As it turned out, it was touch and go (requiring the added in-character masterstroke of an elegant walking cane to assist her), but we still had our Lady Bracknell.
Sadly, during the first week of rehearsals we also said goodbye to two of our original cast members for personal reasons and replaced them with actors that played the characters differently but even more successfully. The rehearsal period for ‘Earnest’ ran from April through to June and was possibly the most fun any of us have ever had when rehearsing a play. Hardly a scene could be completed without some ribald ad-lib, attack of the giggles, or genuine belly laughs that incapacitated everyone involved.
We debuted our version of ‘Earnest’, which was an in-the-round production, at The Guildhall, Gloucester, for a two-night run in June. This was followed by another two-night run in the open-air (as well as being under a Marquee!) in the gardens of ‘Top O’ The Green’ in Frampton-on-Severn. The first night saw us perform under torrential rain, but with a packed audience getting into the spirit of things, we soon ad-libbed our way around the freak weather conditions! The second night was a ‘black tie’ affair and, fortunately, took place under glorius evening sunshine. However, the ground was still very slippery and wet, leading to a highly-amusing period of ad-libbing after Algy slipped and almost took a tunble. More of this can be read in the review from BBC Gloucestershire, which you can see by clicking on the link at the end of this Tour Report.
The Mission Theatre in Bath is
a relatively new venue in Bath. This small historic building is slowly building
up to being a must-see tourist attraction and this was our next venue, for
another two-night run. Unfortunately, this wasn’t as well attended as
we had been lead to believe was normally the case, though the small audiences
were very appreciative and the staff were kind enough to say that it was the
best production they’d seen at the venue so far! After the first night,
we even managed to lose the ticket for the car park that the Van was in and
had to make a hasty call to some of the departing cast to give the other cast
members a left home! From there we were supposed to perform another two-night
run at The Space in Stroud, but unforseen personal problems and illness put
paid to that venue, with refunds all round!
Our next venue was a return booking at Hartland, in Devon, where we had travelled
to perform ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ to a capacity audience the
previous year. Again, we were very fortunate that the whole community came
out to witness how we’d master this text and another sell-out crowd
boosted our performance up to another level. We were lucky enough to stay
over in Hartland after the performance, for a much needed rest and a few hours
by the sea to recharge batteries. The kindess and generosity of the Hartland
community was again much in evidence and we look to visiting for a third time
in the near future.
Our final destination was Cranham, in Gloucestershire, where we ended the Summer Tour on a three-night run to lively and packed audiences. Being on the homestretch meant that Friday night’s audience were in for an unexpected treat (or shock!) when Jack kissed Algy on the cheek in joy and Algy, not wishing to be undone on the laughter front, kissed Jack back… full on the lips. As always, Cranham audiences were supportive and responsive and Saturday night End Of Tour Party was a high-energy affair. But, yet again, disaster struck when – during a madcap dance routine to ‘Footloose’ - our very own Cecily Cardew interpreted the song quite literally and cracked a bone in her ankle and foot. A not-so-quick trip in the early hours of the morning to A&E at the local hospital, with half of the cast in tow, confirmed the worst. So, when we were told to ‘Break A Leg’ before each performance, our Cecily was the only one who took it as an order rather than a piece of good luck.
All in all, this was the most fun production and most professional OFFSTAGE production to date, with many accolades sent via e-mail and text message, as well as given in person. Probably our most favourite came from Stephen Rix at Hartland when he kindly told us that, after watching the performance, he couldn’t imagine anybody else in any of the roles in the play. In a nutshell, that encapsulated what every production tries to do – create a definitive and lasting impression. We’re all very proud of ‘Earnest’ and we hope everyone who watched it enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed performing it for you.
CLICK HERE FOR BBC GLOUCESTERSHIRE REVIEW
THE PLAYERS (in order of appearance)…
LANE - Ian Kubiak
ALGERNON MONCRIEFF – Barnaby Eaton-Jones
JOHN WORTHING (JACK) – Keith Patrick
LADY BRACKNELL – Dame Jean Skinner
GWENDOLEN FAIRFAX – Kim Jones
MISS PRISM – Christine Smith
CECILY CARDEW – Liz Hosler
REV. CANON CHASUBLE – Bob Roberts
MERRIMAN – Francis Moloney
Produced & Directed by KIM JONES
Lighting, Sound & Stage Manager:
James Hamblett
Lighting & Sound for The Guildhall: Tim Vitale
Costumes: Gill Jerden, Cotswold Costumes, and Sue & Mary Hosler
Set Building/Painting/Creating: Kim Jones, Chris Cotterell, and Liz Hosler
Props: The Cast, Sue Hosler & Jean Mosteller
Loan of Tools: Ian Davis & Sue Hosler
Photography: Jo Baynes
Original ‘Earnest’
Music: Nick Stylianides
Original Lyrics For Song: Barnaby Eaton-Jones
Posters & Publicity: Barnaby
Eaton-Jones
‘Country Gents’ Poster: Used With Kind Permission of Jason O’Malley
www.handsomedevilpress.com
Open-Air Performance Marquee: Laurence
Wood
(courtesy of Gloucestershire Party Marquees)
www.glospartymarquees.co.uk
WITH THANKS TO…
The Royal William, Painswick (Rehearsal
Space)
Dean Rhodes & Glynis Robinson (Original Cast Members)
Mhairi Smith, Pat Roberts, Gary Chapman & Karen Pearson (Guildhall)
Gesine Zuchanke & Community (Hartland)
David Greenfield, Ian Hey & Jane Hey (Frampton)
Norma Kay & Brian Clarke (Cranham)
Marilyn Webb (Cotswold Players)
Simon Lewis (BBC Gloucestershire Review)
Brian Howe & Ann Garner (Bath)
CLICK HERE FOR REHEARSAL PHOTOS
CLICK HERE FOR DRESS REHEARSAL PHOTOS
CLICK HERE FOR PERFORMANCE PHOTOS
.jpg)
Written by William Shakespeare (edited and adapted by Kim Jones)
THE MUCH ADO TOUR REPORT
After the success of the initial three sold-out performance nights at Cranham Village Hall (see report below), OFFSTAGE took their adaptation of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ on tour for the next couple of months, which was to be a challenging and funny experience – resulting in missing actors, illness, travelling convoys, enthusiastic audiences, controversial articles in local newspapers, and many happy memories.
.jpg)
Firstly, a huge debt of gratitude is owed to ELAINE GEORGE and The Gloucestershire Youth Offenders Service, who provided the amazing ‘screens’ that we used in the play (the beautiful stained-glass Church Window and stone walls on one, with a inspired terracotta wall covered in green ivy on the other). The attention to detail, time, and effort that went into making these invaluable screens for us is very much appreciated.
Unfortunately, just before we began our tour, many of the proposed venues at educational establishments (such as schools, colleges and universities) fell through due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control and the initial proposed list of dates was severely reduced. But, them’s the breaks. We hope to return to all the venues we missed with another production in the future.
.jpg)
The first place OFFSTAGE arrived at was Ribston Hall School For Girls in Gloucestershire, where illness struck the cast quite badly. Emma Vogwell was taken ill suddenly and had to back out of the performance, allowing Ian Kubiak (an original cast member before a re-shuffle halfway through the rehearsal period) to step in at the last minute and give a sterling performance at very short notice. Unfortunately, Martin Vogwell (our musical composer and player) also came down with the same illness as his wife but soldiered through the performance, looking like a ghost of himself. But, despite these setbacks, the large audience of students and teachers appreciated every joke and every tragedy within the play. If we had ever been worried about the suitability of taking this Shakespeare play on an educational tour, then all our doubts were washed away after this performance. Our thanks go out to LAURA GATLING and Ribston Hall School For Girls for their generosity, support and kindness.
.jpg)
The second place OFFSTAGE travelled to was The Small School, in Hartland, Devon. We were relocated to The Parish Hall to accommodate a bigger audience, where the afternoon was spent delivering a Much Ado Workshop for any students, am-dram companies, or members of the general public that wanted to come along. It was a big success; running for two hours with no break, and many thanks go to all took part (including the OFFSTAGE members Liz Hosler, James Hamblett, Gaz Ricketts, David Ratty & Lou James). Special thanks must go to Paul Birch (ex-OFFSTAGE alumni) for all the encouragement in the initial stages of writing. The performance in the evening was slightly delayed by the fact that four of the cast members got stranded on the motorway when their car broke down. They had to be towed back to Gloucester, borrow a car, and then drive all the way back down again to arrive literally dead on performance time! The audience of 100+ residents of Hartland were incredibly attentive and responsive, the highlight for the cast being the intense concentration and sweet laughter of many young children in the audience, who sat enraptured for the two hours of the play’s running time. Big thanks to SOPHIE JONES for stepping into the role of Ursula and learning (and performing) the part with such ease and naturalness when Kathryn Hopkins was unavailable. Eternal thanks go to STEPHEN RIX and all those in Hartland who worked so hard to make this a Shakespeare Day to remember, with the amazing buffet provided for the cast and audience a definite bonus for all concerned!
.jpg)
.jpg)
Our final destination was a two-night residency at The Gloucestershire Guildhall Arts Centre, with a capacity audience watching the final performances of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. We apologise to all those who couldn’t get tickets, as we know there were many enquiries at the Box Office long after both nights were completely sold out. This was the highlight of the tour, proving that live theatre is still a huge draw (contrary to local newspaper reports that suggested that people would rather go to the cinema than attend a theatrical production). Thanks to AARON JONES for coming along to do the lighting for us. Huge thanks to MHAIRI SMITH and the Guildhall staff who made it all so easy for us, with their dedication, happiness, constant support, and willingness to help. It was rather overwhelming.
.jpg)
All in all, after months of dedicated rehearsing (in which the cast were chopped and changed, roles were swapped and altered, schedules were made and then thrown out of the window, elation and anger went hand in hand, stress and calm were fighting for supremacy, and Kim Jones proved that her directing and producing skills were second to none), the end product showcased exactly what we had wanted it to. Shakespeare is not an elite playwright, with hard to understand language and complex plots, who every schoolchild dreads. Shakespeare is accessible to ALL when it is performed properly and with real emotion and feeling.
OFFSTAGE would like to thank everyone who showed his or her support and helped us in any way (far too many people to thank individually, sadly). We are immensely proud of what we all achieved and it would never have happened without the 100% commitment of everyone involved.
CLICK HERE FOR A REVIEW ON BBC GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S WEBSITE
PLAYERS (in order of appearance)…
THE MUSICIAN –
Martin Vogwell
LEONATO – Bob Roberts
ANTONIO – Keith Patrick
HERO – Liz Hosler
BEATRICE – Kim Jones
URSULA – Kathryn Hopkins/Sophie Jones
MARGARET – Lucy James
WATCHMAN & MESSENGER – Emma Vogwell/Ian Kubiak
DON PEDRO – Charlie Overs
CLAUDIO – Gaz Ricketts
BENEDICK – Barnaby Eaton-Jones
DON JOHN – David Ratty
BORACHIO – Tim Baldwin
CONRADE – Tom Cooper
BALTHASAR THE SINGER – James Barrasford-Lane
FRIAR FRANCIS – Francis Moloney
DOGBERRY – James Hamblett
VERGES – Foo-Ling Yu
SEXTON – Francis Moloney
Produced & Directed by Kim Jones
Click here for rehearsal photos
Click
here for performance photos
.jpg)
Written by William Shakespeare (edited and adapted by Kim Jones)
To begin the Shakespeare Tour, OFFSTAGE performed ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ for a three-night run in the village of Cranham, Gloucestershire. The rehearsal period had been long, stressful and difficult. Starting in mid-2005, without performance dates set, the rehearsals chugged along like an old-fashioned locomotive. Unfortunately, the wheels came off the track when – by mutual consent – they lost three passengers. A quick re-shuffle of the roles and a short stop to pick up new passengers allowed the train to pick up steam again.
By the time they came to perform, the train was just about reaching the top of a steep hill, its engines breathing fire and belching out smoke.
The director/producer and driver of the OFFSTAGE locomotive came down with a nasty chest infection, which laid her up for the last week, and it was a miracle that she was able to find the strength to continue. It is not unfair to say that few of the passengers believed that this locomotive would never make it to the top of the hill! But, as is the tradition with OFFSTAGE, the performance seemed to exceed expectations and the locomotive looked over the top of the hill and took off down the other side with all the speed of a jet engine!
The audience for the three nights seemed to be transfixed, with the play taking them on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. There was laughter, there was shock, there was sadness, and there were tears. It is no word of a lie to say that every member of the cast was humbled by the overwhelming reaction the audiences had to the play and for the many plaudits that were heaped upon them afterwards. OFFSTAGE would like to send out a heartfelt and genuine thank you to each of the 150+ individuals who made up the audiences.
And now, the journey is just beginning as the OFFSTAGE locomotive takes Shakespeare around various schools and colleges (in and outside Gloucestershire) for the next two months. The last station that they will pull into is at The Guildhall, Gloucester, for a final two-night run at the end of March. It’s going to be a long and beautiful ride…
THE PLAYERS (in order of appearance)…
THE MUSICIAN –
Martin Vogwell
LEONATO – Bob Roberts
ANTONIO – Keith Patrick
HERO – Liz Hosler
BEATRICE – Kim Jones
URSULA – Kathryn Hopkins
MARGARET – Lucy James
WATCHMAN & MESSENGER – Emma Vogwell
DON PEDRO – Charlie Overs
CLAUDIO – Gaz Ricketts
BENEDICK – Barnaby Eaton-Jones
DON JOHN – David Ratty
BORACHIO – Tim Baldwin
CONRADE – Tom Cooper
BALTHASAR THE SINGER – James Barrasford-Lane
FRIAR FRANCIS – Francis Moloney
DOGBERRY – James Hamblett
VERGES – Foo-Ling Yu
SEXTON – Francis Moloney
Produced & Directed by Kim Jones
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ Poster by Lee Moyer
WITH THANKS TO…
Gill Jerden (Original
Costumes)
Martin Vogwell (Original Music)
Aaron Jones (Lighting & Front of House)
Alan Terrell (Lighting & Video Recording)
Mr Ricketts & Son (Stage Construction)
G.Y.O.S. (Screen Construction & Painting)
The Cranham Players (Lighting Equipment)
Ray Jones (Printing)
Sue Hosler (Wedding Veils)
Sophie Jones, Chris Hosler & Ian Kubiak (Original Cast Members)
Andrew Rabbetts, Ian Kubiak & Lauren Pittaway (Bar & Front of House)
The Royal William, Painswick (Rehearsals)
The Queen Victoria Inn, Brockworth (Rehearsals)
St James Hotel, Cheltenham (Rehearsals)
Click here for rehearsal photos
Click here for dress rehearsal photos
Click here for performance photos
.jpg)
Written
by Barnaby Eaton-Jones
(except * - adapted by Barnaby Eaton-Jones)
PERFORMANCE REPORT
Educational theatre was something that OFFSTAGE had dabbled in over the years, and when David Clarke (Head of History at Hardenhuish School, Chippenham, Gloucestershire, and OFFSTAGE regular) asked if they could come up with something for an August 2005 Summer School project, they leapt at the chance.
Hardenhuish is an 11-18 co-educational comprehensive school set in the magnificent parkland of the former Hardenhuish Manor and Chippenham Grammar School.
The Summer School ran for two weeks and David Clarke asked Barnaby Eaton-Jones to write some educational comedy sketches (and a comedy song) about the Renaissance Period (1450-1600) – with particular reference to Leonardo Da Vinci and the mysteries and conspiracies surrounding the artist and his work - as well as assisting in lessons, power-point presentations, problem-solving puzzles and other activities.
The children responded very well to everything, laughing at ‘The Last Supper Sketch’* (adapted from an old Monty Python sketch), joining in wholeheartedly on the ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ song (which gave many humorous reasons why Mona Lisa might be smiling), and getting very enthusiastic during the ‘Historical Quizzical’. They then became engrossed in cryptic code-breaking puzzles and spent the week trying to break James Bond out of a top-secret Russian Prison (with the help of a ex-KGB agent, internet treasure hunts, day trips to Bletchley Park to view the Enigma Machine, and lots more). When the children had their parents visit at the end of the Summer School fortnight, the OFFSTAGE activities were picked out as the most enjoyable parts.
The OFFSTAGE Theatre Group hope to perform more educational pieces in schools very soon.
CAST LIST
The
Pope: Kim Jones
Leonardo Da Vinci: Barnaby Eaton-Jones
The Pope’s Emissary & Anne Robinson: David Clarke
Directed & Produced by Kim Jones
Costumes
kindly provided by Gil Jerden & Sue Hosler
Props, wigs, and everything else provided by OFFSTAGE
Written by Barnaby Eaton-Jones
PERFORMANCE REPORT
It’s Diamond Jubilee year at The Cheltenham Playhouse and their annual All-England One-Act Play Festival was a celebratory affair. The OFFSTAGE Theatre Group were asked back to perform, on the strength of the award-winning ‘Waiting For A Friend’ (see above). So, they entered another original comedy tinged with sadness, about a lonely waitress who goes on a succession of blind dates in the café where she works with her best friend, Simon – the waiter. The play was called ‘A Waiter Of Some Importance’ and was a big hit on the Friday night of the week-long festival (starting on March 7th), which featured 14 plays.
It opened with a ‘Mastermind’ spoof, with Melanie Maxwell (played with giddy, babbling energy to hilarious perfection by Kim Jones) beginning the quiz with her specialist subject of ‘Dates I’ve Had In The Past Month’. Each date was then shown (a stuffy, pontificating, chauvinist Politician, played by Francis Moloney. A drunken, failed rock star of a sexual predator, played by David Ratty. A tank-topped, bell-bottomed, full-bearded, basin-haired nerd, played by Barnaby Eaton-Jones. And an over-the-top, theatrical actor, played by Iain Barton), each followed by a short ‘Mastermind’ spoof. She was saved from her misadventures by Simon, the waiter (played with a ruggedly handsome, kindly and gentle calm by Gaz Ricketts), and the end scene - which chronicled their increasing closeness - ended with a surprising and highly amusing twist that the audience seemed to love.
The play was nominated for Best Actress (Kim Jones), Best Original Play (Barnaby Eaton-Jones) and twice in the Best Supporting Role category (Francis Moloney & Iain Barton). Iain Barton carried off the trophy for Best Supporting Role, which was very well-deserved. The play itself will be re-performed later in the year (coupled with another One-Act Play), hopefully with the same cast.
CAST:
Kim Jones as Melanie Maxwell
Gaz Ricketts as Simon Hudson
Francis Moloney as Edward Smythe
David Ratty as Matthew Walker
Barnaby Eaton-Jones as Keith Robbins
Iain Barton as Oliver Laurence
Written
& Directed by Barnaby Eaton-Jones
Produced by Kim Jones
Thanks
to…
St James Hotel Pub, Cheltenham, for rehearsal space and the loan of the café
furniture
The Victorian Inn, Brockworth, for rehearsal space
Fancy Pants & the Cast for the costumes & props
Emma & Darren for the Hatstand
Ian Kubiak for his fetching and carrying
And
Lauren for being Gaz’s personal chauffer and the hardest working social
member of OFFSTAGE!
Click here for rehearsel photos
(Written by Barnaby Eaton-Jones)
PERFORMANCE REPORT
CRANHAM VILLAGE HALL
These two supernatural comedies were performed on the 20th & 21st of May, 2004. Both of these one-act plays have been performed before but were re-written, re-edited, re-directed, and – in the case of one – totally re-plotted especially for this production. Putting them together as a double-bill was a great idea, as they seemed to have been written specifically to do this – connecting in feel, dialogue, and referencing!
Both nights’ audiences were near to capacity and both very appreciative of the plays. The first night seemed to favour ‘Chez Deity’ and the second night seemed to favour ‘Chez Death’. The great thing with audiences for comedies is that they often laugh at totally different parts for each performance, and this was the case here.
CHEZ DEATH
In ‘Chez Death’, the play was held together by the amusing relationship between a suburban wife - Kathryn Hopkins’s upright, straight, and home-proud Grimelda Reaper (more attached to a duster than her beloved spouse) - and her less-suburban husband – Barnaby Eaton-Jones’s West Country, unconventional, and under-the-thumb Grim Reaper (more attached to his scythe and his drinking buddies than his better half). Death and his wife, trying to live a quiet life in a quiet village in the quiet countryside… but not quite managing it. The appearance of a recently-deceased Lost Soul (played by James Barrasford-Lane, as a bland, washed-out, pedantic irritant of an individual) was despatched, after an increasingly frustrated argument, by Grim’s deadly scythe – the audience loved the simplicity of a Lost Soul having to fill out his own death certificate before he could be ushered through to Heaven or Hell. Bob Roberts put in a highly-charged and highly-camp appearance as a little Welsh devil called Denzil, popping round in a flurry of tail-swishing, gossip-mongering, and innuendo-firing. Comments were made after each performance of the effectiveness of the all-black setting of the play – a living room of a normal house, where everything is black – and the black curtained window concealed a front lawn of six-foot high grass.
CAST
.Kathryn
Hopkins as Grimelda Reaper, Barnaby Eaton-Jones as Grim Reaper, James Barrasford-Lane
as Lost Soul
Bob Roberts as Denzil The Devil
Produced & Directed by Kim Jones
CHEZ DEITY
In ‘Chez Deity’, the play was held together by the quick-fire and witty repartee between the four main characters, all of whom were insignificant Gods sat on their own cloud. Francis Moloney’s bookish and intellectual Clarence was a flurry of ideas and pent-up energy. David Ratty’s decadent and delightfully foppish Zappa was flippant, sarcastic and possessed with waspish tongue full of acid put-downs. Clare Chad-Daniels’ pure, white & innocent Crystal was an ice-maiden of great stature and even greater frustration at her inability to break out of her shell. Kim Jones’s seductive and naïve Siren was a whirlwind of childish innocence and yet full of flirtatious sexiness. All of them lived a life of indulgence and frenzied apathy, until God called them via the ‘Hot-Line’ and broke some bad news to the group. The audience really warmed to the individually of the characters and their obvious relationships with each other, and God boomed down the telephone with the rich, fruity and deep tones of Tom Baker! Mention again was made of the exquisite all-white set, with Roman Pillars framing their ‘cloud’. The only spot of colour was the striking red telephone, which was their personal ‘Hot-Line’ to God. The twist at the end had to be seen to be believed, followed by an even quicker twist, which left the audience laughing loudly.
CAST
Francis Moloney as Clarence, David Ratty as Zappa, Clare Chad-Daniels as Crystal, Kim Jones as Siren
Barnaby
Eaton-Jones - Voice Of God
Bob Roberts - Doctor
Produced & Directed by Kim Jones
PERFORMANCE REPORT
GDA
ONE-ACT PLAY FESTIVAL
THE KING’S THEATRE
5th – 10th JUNE 2004
Having been personally asked and invited to perform both plays in Gloucestershire Drama Association’s One-Act Play Festival, we performed ‘Chez Deity’ on the Thursday of the week-long competition. There was a slight change to the cast as Bob Roberts was no longer available, due to work commitments, to portray the essential role of ‘The Doctor’. Ian Kubiak stepped into Bob’s shoes (and stethoscope) and performed admirably. The play was very well received by an appreciative audience. The cast gave their strongest performance of the play; comic timing was spot-on and the pauses and punctuations were impeccable.
The Adjudicator’s comments were long and varied. High praise was given to the ‘clever and witty writing’. The set design and costume were also singled out for praise, with full marks for the ‘all-white attire’. The cast were all enthused about and commented on. Kim Jones (Siren) was asked if she had trained as a dancer, because of her grace and beauty. Clare Chad-Daniels performance as Crystal had just the right spark of coldness and ice-queen personality. David Ratty’s remarkable transformation into Zappa surprised the Adjudicator, as did his mature and amusing portrayal of a dandy. Francis Moloney hit the right notes as Clarence by portraying him as an intellectual who thinks he’s a lot more clever than he actually is. Barnaby Eaton-Jones, in voice only, was also commented on as having a ‘wonderful rich voice’ as God.
‘Chez Death’ was performed on the final night of the Festival and this too was very well received. A bigger cast change was initiated here because of the unavoidable absence of Bob Roberts. Keith Patrick, in his first role with OFFSTAGE, took over the role of Denzil The Devil and gave a completely new and different portrayal. The cast gave the strongest performance of the play with a real feel for pace and panache.
The
Adjudicator’s comments were, again, long and varied. Keith Patrick was
singled out as giving a highly-charged performance as the Devil. It was also
suggested that next year there should be a ‘Most Memorable Moment’
award as, for this year, it would have gone to the entrance of Keith’s
very camp Devil. The set design and costumes were given full marks with the
‘all-black’ theme giving a sense of place and atmosphere. Kathryn
Hopkins protrayal of Grimelda felt ‘real’ and ‘it really
felt like you did live in a House of Death’. The relationship between
Grimelda (Kathryn) and Grim (Barnaby Eaton-Jones) remarked upon – showing
a couple who really did feel they’d been together for all eternity.
Barnaby Eaton-Jones was mentioned in his performance of Grim, with praise
for his ‘manic energy’ and ‘comic timing’. James Barrasford-Lane
was singled out in the Best Actor category for his poor Lost Soul. His performance
was rightly singled out as top-notch. The writing, again, was called ‘clever’
and ‘witty’. The only criticism being there may have been too
many jokes, sometimes not allowing the audience to pause for breath. But,
all in all, both performances were highly praised and gained many plaudits
from fellow actors from different theatre groups and bags of laughs from two
different audiences.
OVERALL PRODUCTION CREW
Make-Up -Sue Hosler, Set Design - Kim Jones, Props & Set Painting - Kim Jones & Jo Ellis, Bar Staff - Ali Drake & Hazel Roberts, Production Assistant - Ian Kubiak, Announcer - Brian Clarke, Lights - Tim Cox, Costumes - OFFSTAGE & FANCY PANTS (Sonia & Tom)
Thanks also to, Geoff Whitton, The Cranham Players, Peter & Staff (The Victoria Inn), Martin Quinn, Ray, Diane & Sophie Jones
Image by David Ratty
Click here for photos - CRANHAM
Click here for photos - GLOUCESTER
(Written by Barnaby Eaton-Jones)
Commissioned by The Cranham Village Players for the traditional Cranham Feast Festivities. In conjunction with The Cranham Players.
An irreverent, affectionate trip through the history of Cranham Village, Gloucestershire. Through the Dawn Of Creation, the Iron Age, The Domesday Book, William The Conqueror and King ‘One-In-The Eye’ Harold, King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Highway Men, Gustav Holst, George Orwell, Aviation History (the Gloucester Meteor), Hippies, Punks, Harry Potter, and into the Millennium (and beyond). Everything mentioned played a part in Cranham history. Allegedly.
‘A Note From The Author’
I was originally asked to write this irreverent, affectionate tribute to Cranham for the annual Cranham Feast. I’m not from Cranham, I said. They won’t blame you if it’s rubbish, they replied. So, don’t blame me. David Clarke supplied me with my research. He gave me the Cranham Millennium Tea-Towel and told me to get on with it. Luckily, I’d spent a large part of my youth hanging around Cranham with friends who lived there, which has allowed me to pick up on a few idiosyncrasies and oddities that I thought might amuse. I hope they do.
THE CAST:
David Clarke, Nathan Drake, Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Kim Jones
Directed by Barnaby Eaton-Jones. Produced by Kim Jones, David Clarke and Nathan Drake. Lighting: James Puttick & Tim Cox. Sound: Alex Durston.
Written by Barnaby Eaton-Jones
Winning awards in the Best Actor category of the Gloucester One-Act Play Festival 2002, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress in the Gloucestershire One-Act Play Festival 2003, and taken on a short tour by popular demand. In conjunction with The Cranham Players.
A lonely man is sat on a Park Bench and holds conversations with whoever sits down next to him.....
Produced & Directed by Barnaby Eaton-Jones
Barnaby Eaton-Jones & Bob Roberts with Bob's Best Actor award.
(Written by Barnaby Eaton-Jones)
Commissioned by AYME, for a performance in London
A subtle re-working of the fairytale, all in rhyme and with original songs, performed for a Working Party of MPs, Doctors, Scientists and Psychiatrists, who then went on to fundamentally prove that M.E. is a very ‘real’ illness – something which M.E. sufferers could have told them years ago - Ahem! An extension of a fifteen-minute sketch into a play.
THE CAST:
Barnaby Eaton-Jones as The Minstrel, David Clarke as Doctor Clarke, Alison Pyne as The Secretary, Kim Jones as Miss Beauty, Ruth Thomas as Doctor Pratt, Nathan Drake as Doctor Pratt, Sophie Jones as Doctor Jones, Emma Bevan as Doctor Bevan, Katie Parks as The Nurse, Martin Vogwell as The Guitar Man
Produced & Directed by Barnaby Eaton-Jones. With thanks to Sidsel Kreysberg for planting the seed and Jill Moss for suggesting that it should be turned into a play.
| Virtual Insanity - 1999 |
(Written by Paul Birch, Tracey Leake and Barnaby Eaton-Jones)
Commissioned by and for the International AYME Conference.
‘VIRTUAL INSANITY’ was essentially a sketch show, with M.E. as the linking theme. It was trying to put across facts and promote awareness within comedy boundaries, hoping to entertain and educate at the same time. The production ran across two days and involved dancing, singing, acting, a large video screen with specially filmed footage, and a performance by ‘Maybe Angel’ (disguised as ‘The Revengers’) and ‘The Spillage People’. The ‘VOX POPS’ were scripted responses to the question "What is M.E. or, as it’s sometimes known, C.F.S.?" and a report from the M.E. Olmpics. The ‘M.E. OLYMPICS’ were two Canadian commentators, taking the audience through the events with sound and sometimes vision. ‘SELLING M.E. TO THE MASSES’ was an advertising agency meeting about how to get the ‘young people’ in tune with this debilitating illness. ‘THE BIGGER SLEEP’ was a detective spoof, where a client mistakenly walks in through the wrong door and tries to unintentionally hire a detective (instead of consulting a Doctor) about the mysterious M.E. and it all gets very confusing. ‘FRIEND’ was a monologue about the frustrations within friendships due to the illness. ‘SLEEPING BEAUTY’ was a fifteen-minute parody, all in rhyme, with the main character having M.E. and the ‘suitors’ were Doctors, who were not able to wake her.
PART ONE:
'Vox Pops 1 – 5': Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Jonathan Allen, Paul Birch, Ruth Thomas, Tim Baldwin, Emma Hartwell, Charlie Hartwell (The Dog), Claire Nicklin, Donna Marshall, Raymond Jones and Diane Jones.
'M.E. Olympics': David Clarke as Robert Rinkletinkle and Barnaby Eaton-Jones as Bob Spiedlebuyer.
'Selling M.E. To The Masses': Sophie Jones as Helen Highwater, Alison Pyne as Hilary Pratt, Lisa Wellington as Phoebe Gruntfuttock, Kim Jones as Tanya Hide, and David Clarke as Dick Smalls.
PART TWO:
'The Bigger Sleep': Barnaby Eaton-Jones as Jake Easy and Lisa Wellington as Miss Demeanour.
'Friend': Alison Pyne as Melanie
'Sleeping Beauty': David Clarke as Doctor One, Barnaby Eaton-Jones as The Storyteller, Kim Jones as Sleeping Beauty, Alison Pyne as The Secretary, Lisa Wellington as Doctor Two, and Sophie Jones as Doctor Three.
'Maybe Angel': Barnaby Eaton-Jones (Guitar and Voice) and Emma Wellington (Voice)
'The Spillage People': David Clarke as The Workman, Alison Pyne as The Indian, Kim Jones as The Cowboy, Sophie Jones as The Biker and Lisa Wellington as The Policewoman. Including Barnaby Eaton-Jones as Big Blues Brother and Emma Wellington as Little Blues Brother.
Directed and produced by Barnaby Eaton-Jones. Video screen technician – Richard Moss. 'Maybe Angel': Music & Lyrics - Barnaby Eaton-Jones & Emma Wellington.
(Written by Barnaby Eaton-Jones)
Commissioned by and for the International AYME Conference.
‘TRAVELLING WITHOUT MOVING’ was commissioned as a sort-of sequel to ‘RUNNING TO STAND STILL’. However, we like to refer to it as an ‘equal’. It is a tale of an M.E. sufferer – who is 70% recovered – who is trying to ease back into ‘normal’ life. It shows how difficult life can be within the confines of recovery.
THE CAST:
David Clarke, Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Kim Jones, Alison Pyne, and Lisa Wellington.
Directed and produced by Barnaby Eaton-Jones. Script, music and lyrics written by Barnaby Eaton-Jones.
| The FLOOR SPOTS - 1994 to present |
Comedy songs, performed by David Clarke (Voice) and Barnaby Eaton-Jones (Guitar & Voice).
Including ‘Voila’, ‘The Crusoe Calypso’, ‘Elvis Lives (Not Really)’, ‘PC World (A Song About Political Correctness)’, ‘Nice Legs’, ‘A Psycho’s Song’, ‘Sweet Talk’ and many, many more. Written by Barnaby Eaton-Jones. ‘The Floor Spots’ usually perform as an audience warm-up act before OFFSTAGE plays, but they have been known to appear at the Cheltenham Festival Of Literature. They sometimes get accused of being funny.
(Written by Barnaby Eaton-Jones)
‘RUNNING TO STAND STILL’ was an autobiographical, educational piece of experimental theatre. It followed a year in the life of an M.E. sufferer, showing how the illness can affect and alienate friends and family. It began life as an entry in a One-Act Play Festival before being picked up and promoted by the Gloucester City M.E. Group. Publicity was provided by various Gloucestershire newspapers, Central News South, and BBC Radio. After a commission to adapt and perform the play on BBC Radio, it toured schools and colleges for a year before giving a final performance at AYME’s International Annual Conference. It included original songs, poetry, and some stark images. The story, script, audio adaptation, original music and songs were all written by Barnaby Eaton-Jones (who suffers from the illness that the play was trying to increase awareness of).
National tour followed initial performance, sponsored by the AYME and the Gloucester City M.E. Group. Adapted for and performed on BBC Radio (1996). Tour ended at the International Annual AYME (Association of Youth with M.E.) Conference, 1997.
THE ORIGINAL CAST:
Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Sophie Jones, James Driver, Ruth Thomas and Alison Pyne.
THE BBC RADIO PRODUCTION CAST:
Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Sophie Jones, James Driver, Ruth Thomas and Donna Marshall.
TOURING CAST:
Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Sophie Jones, Matthew Dunne, Lisa Wellington and Kim Jones.
Produced & Directed by Barnaby Eaton-Jones