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Playhouse Creatures, by by April de Angelis Directed by
Steve Evans
The Playhouse Theatre, Cheltenham
from Wed 14th - Sat 17th November 2007
from the
Playhouse Box Office on 01242 522852
THE BOX OFFICE is open 10am - 4pm Monday to Friday, 10am - 2.30pm on
Saturdays and from 6pm until curtain up on performance nights.
Rehearsal
photographs can now be seen in the
Gallery |
WOMEN
exploded onto the English stage in 1660 when Charles II returned to
claim his throne after the nation’s brief experiment with Republican
government. The first actresses soon became superstars and
audiences flocked to see their performances in parts written specially
for them. This is the story of four of them, including the most
famous of them all, Nell Gwyn, the orange seller who became a King’s
mistress. It’s dramatic, funny, sad, sexy, bawdy and revealing.
Contains strong language.
Download the music for the dance, written by Stephen Clayton, part
of the score for the Deep End Theatre Company's production of Playhouse
Creatures
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CAST:
Doll Common: Diana Palmer.
Nell Gwynn: Natalie Williams.
Liz Farley: Lisa Capener.
Mary Betterton: Judith Baker.
Rebecca Marshall: Anwen
Ashworth.
Street Entertainers: Tom
King, Annabel King, Josh Jones, Susan Bilbey.
Musicians: Neil Forrest
(Mandolin), Clare Bone (recorder), Cliff Hancox (keyboard). |
CREW
Director: Steve Evans.
Music: Stephen Clayton.
Production Secretary: Diana
Holliman
Stage Manager: Dinesh Patel.
Set Design & ASM: Rod
Holliman.
Lighting & Fight Direction:
Martin Oakes.
Sound: Richard Bishop.
Costumes: Liz White.
Make up: Helena Tudgay, Hazel
Tudgay.
Props: Jackie Smith, Steph
Dodsworth.
Choreography: Katie Evans.
Prompt: Lauren King.
Publicity: Sarah Evans.
Decor: Amanda Wilson and
Dinesh Patel.
Keyboard: Cliff Hancox.
Recorder: Clare Bone.
PAs to the cast: Meredith
Compton, Sarah Smith, Kez Cain, Cath Forrest.
Front of House: Geoffrey
Jackson.
Photography: Sarah Evans and
Dinesh Patel. |
Message from the Director
Preparations for Playhouse Creatures have been excellent
and the cast and crew have been working extremely hard to bring this complex
project to fruition. All the signs are that we have a great evening’s
entertainment to offer.
Dinesh, Rod and the crew have some exciting ideas for the
split set which will enable us to keep the action moving as swiftly as this
amazing play requires. Meanwhile, jugglers and diablo throwers, a mandolin man,
a keyboard player and a recorder player are all practising hard to create the
atmosphere of 17th century London.
Stephen Clayton has finished writing the
music,
which will bring an exciting and fresh feel to the play – he has a remarkable
talent for creating just the right mood.
For anyone new to the Playhouse, our Wednesday performance
would be a great place to start. Tickets are just £5 so please come and join us,
and enjoy a drink in our members’ bar afterwards. Equally you may choose to come
on the Saturday, which is always a great night with many friends in the
audience. We are sure you will be delighted by the quality of our production and
will come again.
Inquiries about the production or the company: Judith Baker
(secretary) 01242 253130, Steve Evans (director) 01242 263397 or use the email
link on this website. Steve Evans
Thomas Betterton,
leading actor of the Restoration period and husband of Mary, who appears in
Playhouse Creatures.
The author, April de Angelis. She wrote the play in 1993.
There are three versions, two of which include male characters, but the one we
are doing is the original.
Mary Betterton, one of the first women to appear on the
English stage. Although in the play her career appears to be over, she in fact
made a return to the stage in 1690 and performed leading roles for three years,
until her final appearance on stage in
Dryden's last play, Love Triumphant. Mary's career outlasted that of
the actresses with whom she had begun it, and even some of the generations after
her.
Nell Gwynne, the orange seller who became a star of the
Restoration theatre and made a particular name for herself as a comic actress.
Although she is best known as the mistress of Charles II, she was, by all
accounts both talented and utterly charming and generous.
Interesting Links relevant to Playhouse Creatures
Typecasting in restoration Theatre:
http://www.atlantisjournal.org/Papers/27_2/075-086%20Mora.pdf
Restoration Theatre:
http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/restoration_drama_001.html
Women in the Restoration Theatre:
http://www.lit-arts.net/Behn/theater.htm
Design of a Restoration Theatre:
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_se/murray/Restoration/Theatres/ThPlan.html
Excellent site including the warrant granted by Charles II for the re-opening
of the theatres:
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_se/murray/Restoration/Front.html
The First English Actresses by Elizabeth Howe (includes excerpts):
http://www.amazon.com/First-English-Actresses-Women-16601700/dp/0521422108