We are a North East based local scaffold company offering competitive rates for commercial and domestic scaffold services of the highest standard. The company is newly formed, although i myself have over 20 years experience in the industry at all levels. We are fully insured, operate with a full Health & Safety package, TG20.21 compliant, CISRS compliant and offer a wide range of scaffolding expertise. So if any of your upcoming projects require any Scaffold services at all, whether it be access, edge protection, woking platforms, supports, you name it. Please don't hesitate to get intouch for a free competitive quote.
Rehearsals have started, and so has the fun but one thing that makes a good panto great is live music - we really need a pianist/keyboard player so if you can play or know someone who can then PLEASE get in touch. If you have ever wanted to dip your toe into amateur dramatics then perhaps join our chorus for the panto- spaces are limited so let us know, young or not so young -age is not important and all you need is enthusiasm In uncertain times very few things are guaranteed- but we GUARANTEE that if you join us you will have fun, meet a friendly bunch of people and give pleasure to hundreds at showtime. Hope to see you soon.
Synopsis: A murder mystery in the form of a short play for the audience to solve later. A serial businessman and his wife, Harry and Heidi Wink, fake his death by drowning for the life insurance money, and to escape creditors. Now he’s in hiding, waiting to flee the country, and to begin a new life, but things aren’t going to plan, and everybody has a motive for murder!
7 actors (F4 M1 E1).
Lasts approx. 53 minutes.
Published by Scripts for Stage. See scriptsforstage.co.uk/wp/auth/janet-smith.
Fully readable online. Very reasonable to download and can be photocopied or passed to cast digitally. Extremely reasonable priced performing license.
THE ANTIQUITIES ROADSHOW
Synopsis: A fun easy to stage surreal sketch lasting 16 minutes, based on the popular television series ‘The Antiques Road Show’. Performed as if being recorded for television. Unusual items brought along for valuation include a Granny.
Actors (6F 2M, with extras for ‘watching crowd’).
Published by Scripts for Stage. See scriptsforstage.co.uk/wp/auth/janet-smith.
Fully readable online. Very reasonable to download and can be photocopied or passed to cast digitally. Extremely reasonable priced performing license.
THE GREAT BIN ROBBERY
Synopsis: A fun eco-friendly & versatile sketch for children to perform lasting 8 minutes. The residents are in uproar! After the bin lorry has been round emptying their bins, someone has come along and pinched them! And right under their noses! A desperate gang are suspected! Detective Inspector Nutter arrives on the case. With the help of the residents, a few colourful clues, and a song to help him on his mission, he tracks down the culprits! What will he find?
10 actors (E).
Published by Scripts for Stage. See scriptsforstage.co.uk/wp/auth/janet-smith.
Fully readable online. Very reasonable to download and can be photocopied or passed to cast digitally. Extremely reasonable priced performing license.
THE GREAT BIN MIX UP
Synopsis: A fun eco-friendly and versatile sketch within a sketch, for children lasting 10 minutes which can be performed live, or via a virtual medium. The dustbin men/ladies leave the rubbish bins in a bit of a muddle. Can the residents sort out whose bin is whose? And can they learn to work together? Includes song.
7 actors (E).
Published by Scripts for Stage. See scriptsforstage.co.uk/wp/auth/janet-smith.
Fully readable online. Very reasonable to download and can be photocopied or passed to cast digitally. Extremely reasonable priced performing license.
SMEE
Synopsis: A sketch adapted from the short ghost story by A.M Burrage (1889-1956).
Lasts 15 minutes.
A party game set in the 1940’s turns into something ghostly! Suitable to fit into many themed evenings. Fun!
11 actors (6F 5M).
Published by Scripts for Stage. See scriptsforstage.co.uk/wp/auth/janet-smith.
Fully readable online. Very reasonable to download and can be photocopied or passed to cast digitally. Extremely reasonable priced performing license.
FATHER CHRISTMAS & THE TROUBLESOME SOCKS!
Synopsis: Father Christmas is in a spot of bother. It’s Christmas Eve and he’s run out of socks! Can his friends (and the audience) help him find a pair to deliver the toys in? A fun interactive short play for children to perform lasting 15 minutes.
10 actors (E).
Published by Scripts for Stage. See scriptsforstage.co.uk/wp/auth/janet-smith.
Fully readable online. Very reasonable to download and can be photocopied or passed to cast digitally. Extremely reasonable priced performing license.
The Worthy Players, an amateur dramatic group specialising in comedy, light drama and pantomimes, were founded in 1973, opening with that panto favourite, Cinderella. It is centred on ‘The Worthies’, a group of villages to the north west of Winchester in Hampshire, Kings Worthy, Headbourne Worthy, Abbots Worthy and Martyr Worthy. Productions are based at the Jubilee Hall in Kings Worthy. Membership, however, is not confined to these villages and new members are welcome from all surrounding districts, as indeed are audiences. We usually stage two or three productions per year, with all members pitching in as a team to tread the boards, construct and decorate sets, make and adjust costumes, stage manage, provide the technical backup on sound and lights, prompt, and support the Front of House activities. It takes a multitude of different skills to produce a show and each member can contribute their individual expertise to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of a community having fun. In the last couple of years, we have introduced a ‘Radio Variety Show’ in the early autumn to coincide with the biennial Worthies Festival. It comprises a number of comedy sketches, songs and drama skits with the actors all dressed formally (very traditional BBC!) and, since many of them are already learning lines for the December production, they are allowed to read from scripts. The formula has been much enjoyed by audiences. For more details of what we’re up to and of our latest production, see The Worthy Players on Facebook or go to our website
Bored of daily life and longing for adventure Little Red and her best friend Butters sneak out of Mumma’s Bakery to make a special delivery to Granny Crumbs, who lives on the other side of the Paul Holly Woods. The journey to Granny’s is far from straightforward and Red’s fun adventure faces a grim turn as she runs into her Mumma’s rival, Wenzel the Big Bad Wolf. He has his own plans to become the town’s star baker. Little Red and the new friends she meets in the woods quickly need to step up to the plate in order to stop the wolf ruining Christmas!
Posted 20/10/2021
Recently Posted on the NoticeBoard
NFTS looking for volunteer extras in HIGH WYCOMBE
This Sunday 24th OCTOBER - Monday 25th OCTOBER - Tuesday 26th OCTOBER – you do not need to available on all three dates
The National Film and Television School is looking for volunteer extras for our student film SMILE SCHOOL. This is an absurdist horror, about a Tony Robbins-esque cult leader who pushes one individual too far in the pursuit of an extraordinary life.
We are shooting this Sunday, 24th October to Tuesday, 26th October – this is a big crowd project, and you’d get a chance to perform and experience a film set - and support us with a central aspect of our story.
SELF-HELP SEMINAR PARTICIPANT
Diverse ages, all types – anyone who might show up to an event with a famous self-help guru.
Volunteer extras are unpaid, and on this project we are unfortunately unable to reimburse travel expenses. We provide breakfast and lunch on the day.
Audition date: Sunday 21 November 2021 13:00 - 15:00 (Please note the unusually early start time) This show is open to members of all ages! Performance week: 14 - 20 February 2022, King Alfred Phoenix Theatre
PANTO IS BACK in 2022!
Bring a joke! It doesn't matter how bad a joke it is, we want to see how over-the-top and "panto" you can be and to hear your biggest voice. And to steal the best jokes for the script, of course! Contact Us
The story of Treasure Island - (the panto)! Jim Hawkins, our young hero, discovers a mysterious map showing the whereabouts of the buried treasure of infamous pirate Captain Flint. In his quest to recover the stolen loot he sets sail for Skeleton Island with a crew of desperate cut-throat pirates, a one legged man, three French cooks, a parrot and his mum! Join Jim and his Ma as they battle buccaneers, plundering pirates and marauding mermaids in this hilarious re-imagining of the most famous pirate story of them all - Treasure Island (the Panto)!
We will be rehearsing twice a week in the evening (probably Wed and Thur, ensemble not usually required for these) (7.30 – 9.30pm) and Sundays for all cast (3pm - 6pm), starting at the beginning of December.
The characters: Firstly we of course need an ensemble of silly, swashbuckling pirates and mermaids of all ages and sizes. Ensemble will be needed on Sunday afternoons only until the week before show week. Plus...
Main Characters : - will usually be needed two evening rehearsals each week plus Sundays
Jim Hawkins (m or f) (14+) - Son of Ma Hawkins and the young hero and adventurer of our story. Ms Arrow (f) (14+) - Second in command of the pirate ship; she is fierce and determined. Wants to get ahead and knows girls are best! Ma Hawkins (Sarah) (m) (The Dame) - Jim’s mother and Inn keeper at the Admiral Benbow. Loves her little Jimmy. Long John Silver (m or f) (20+) - Cook and loveable baddie. His first loves are treasure and food. But mostly treasure. Has a leg of wood and a dark side. The Three Daft Pirates: - will usually be needed one or two evening rehearsals each week plus Sundays Blind Pew (m or f) (14+) - Blind Pew (the worst assassin on the high seas). Accident prone. Gets more bandages by the day. Nerdy and a bit creepy. Leader of the three pirates Billy Bones (m or f) (older) - A salty old sea dog. Full of rum and and scared of his own shadow. Very deaf and uses an ear trumpet. The oldest of the three pirates Black Dog (m or f) (adult) - The maddest and cut throatiest pirate this side of the Bristol Sound. Not the brightest Buccaneer in the bunch. The thick one of the three pirates Other Characters: - will usually be needed one evening rehearsal each week plus Sundays Captain Brad Smellitt (m) (30+) - A proper ship’s Captain with an airline pilot's voice to match. He’s more Sergeant Wilson than Brad Pitt. Ben Gunn (m or f) (14+) - A hippy dude. Been on the island too long. Former pirate. Characters with fewer lines: - will sometimes be needed one evening rehearsal each week plus Sundays The Ghost of Captain Flint (m or f) (30+) - Our ghostly narrator. Much like Keith Richards. Fairy God Mother (m or f) (30+) - A fairy godmother! Young Squire (m or f) (9 - 14) - An obnoxious young upstart. Landlord of the Benbow Inn and money mad. Not afraid of anyone, but still needs a nap now and again. (Perfect for the youngest and most confident cast member.) Parrot (m or f) (30+) - This actor has played the same part for the last 20 years. Wearing the the same parrot outfit, which is now just a bit too small. Pirate Annie (f) (60+) - Anne Bonney. Pirate and Scourge of the Caribbean. Single line/non speaking characters (ensemble) - Sunday rehearsals only 5 x Customers (m/f) Customers in the Benbow Inn - 3 x Sailors (m/f) - A sailor looking for a job - 1 x Stranger (m/f) A stranger in the wrong Inn Young Ben Gunn / Billy Bones / Blind Pew / Black Dog (7+) Pirates / Sailors in the Inn and on the Ship Mermaids Skeleton Island Cannibals / Rappers Pirate Annie’s Gang
Registering for the audition Please register in advance for the audition by filling in this quick form here: AUDITION REGISTRATION
This will be a workshop audition so there are no prepared pieces needed prior to the audition - just come and have fun :-)
Posted 19/10/2021
Recently Posted Performance & Rehearsal Space
Thundersley PCC
UK Benfleet Essex
Available
Contact: 07763352857
Large church hall with excellent stage for hire. Flexible arrangements by negotiation. Please call for further details. Robert Watersone email Treasurer@thundersley.org
We are based in the stage@leeds theatre on Leeds University campus, in West Yorkshire. If you are between 10-17yrs and have an interest in theatre and sustainability then the stage@leeds young company may be just what you’re looking for. stage@leeds young company meet every Saturday morning at stage@leeds. At the end of each ten week term we have a showing of the work we have created or are currently working on. stage@leeds young company rehearse and perform at our state of the art theatre complex with full lighting, sound and audio visual equipment. If you would like to become a member of the stage@leedsyoungcompany or would just like more information about the group please contact stage@leeds Artistic Director Steve Ansell: s.ansell@leeds.ac.uk
Why not join us for a taster session on Saturday 16th October at 10:00am? There is no commitment, but if you like what we do, you could be on a stage and in a show by this December. 5 sessions: £37.50 (£20.00 conc)
Havescripts Blue Moon Plays is a play publisher and licensing service serving English speaking theatre groups around the world, from amateur and professional theatre companies to church, school, college, university drama classes and theatre studies departments. Plays and musicals are written by award-winning playwrights and authors. Plays range from ten minutes to two hours. Some hand-picked plays are awaiting a premier production.
Play categories include, elementary school, middle school. high school, college, university, professional, theatre for the soul, spoken word poetry, children's theatre, family theatre and senior theatre.
Some playwrights are available for Zoom talks with groups and schools
The first of another new type of event in the BCP Calendar certainly proved a hit with members – both acting and non-acting - this week.
Professional practitioner, Richard Kidd, introduced us to the Laban Movement theory. We had plenty of opportunity to put our learning into practice on the night with pieces we had taken along. There has been so much positive feedback on the session, we will be inviting Richard back in 2022 for a further session. Richard is an excellent story-teller and tales of his experiences in the profession added to the entertainment for all who attended. The evening was inspirational and great fun! Be sure to keep an eye on the Calendar on the BCP website for details of the next session.
We know you all love to scream if you want to go faster so there will be no Thursday Session this week (14 October) as we step aside for the Banbury Michaelmas Fair. We will be back in the building on 21 October at 7.30pm where our own in-house expert, Terry Gallager, will be running a Character Development Workshop showing a variety of methods of developing your character for a show.
TWWCHH rehearsals move on apace. Over 50% of tickets have been sold currently so clearly word is getting out. With a cabaret-style layout, this is an ideal introduction back into a theatre if you’re feeling a little Covid-cautious. My sources tell me the set design team have begun to build, and I don’t know how true it is but there’s a rumour of a Juke Box. Rock ‘n’ Roll!
That's all the news that's fit to print for the moment. See you next time!
Posted on 10/10/2021
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Recently Posted Off/Back Stage Requirements
Macmillan Cancer Support (Eastbourne Branch)
UK Eastbourne East Sussex
Wanted Amateur Co-Director male or female.
(You could be an actress wanting to try your hand at directing) to help direct occasionally one of my plays at the Grove Theatre in Eastbourne in 2022 to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support (the Eastbourne Branch of which I am on the committee). First play is just a short sketch about 4 pages long (the front part of an all singing show), which is being staged in March 2022. Preferably you should come from Eastbourne or the surrounding area. Email me johncollings50@hotmail.com if interested and I will send you the script. Expenses plus small bonus paid. Thank you. John Collings
Posted 07/10/2021
Recently Posted CostumeSwap
North Tawton Guides
UK Devon
Wanted
October 2021
2 Man Cow Costume
Having been let down by a local drama group we are looking for a 2 man cow costume for our Guide and Brownie pantomime in October, so are contacting theatres and drama groups to see if anyone can help us out. Thank you. JANE SIMONS janesimons368@btinternet.com
First filmed during lockdown the original series of five short plays were filmed and available on YouTube. There are four short plays featured on the staged version, one of which made its debut. These pieces are firmly based around the “human connection” and how some people react in stressful situations, mind games and situations encountered by some.
Beautifully performed by Madhav Vasantha gave a convincing performance of the drunk and violent Man Ray. Who has found after an accumulation of events with his ex-partner finds himself homeless? Despite being a character that you might not like his love for his dog Bella is heart rendering.
Vasantha’s performance directly broke the fourth wall talking to the audience from the position of living on the street. Right down to begging for change as he made his way onto the stage. One audience member thought he was genuinely asking. Outstanding performance.
Chains directly address the effects of coercive control and the firm grip that a perpetrator will hold over their victim. The fear, urgency desperation in Laura’s (Marie-Claire Wood) voice when she finally realised the time after spending a short length of time out for a drink with her friend.
Her anxious body language and aggressive tone towards her friend struck a chord with me. It was clear that she would be facing arguments and abusive behaviour once she finally got home.
When we spoke afterwards, Jayne explained to me at the end of Chains that she “hopes to open people’s eyes into the trauma caused to somebody in this situation”. As a society, there is still much work to be done to raise awareness. There is a clear trigger warning on the programme.
Woebot the voice-activated “Alexa style” voice activation system called Joy (Carmen Ali) who knows more about Matt’s (Calum Robshaw) loves and life than he appears to. After Jessica and Matt finish their relationship. He is feeling lost and alone. Taking the day off to gather his thoughts and mope. Joy takes charge of his day and he finds out more about his past relationship than he ever suspected. Leaving him feeling slightly disturbed at Joy’s announcement.
Part two saw the debut performance of the new play by Jayne Woodhouse, A Perfect Crime where Jess (Kayleigh Rainton) and Matt (Neil Gardner). As lockdown fever kicks in the couple are at the point of annoying boredom. Matt wants to binge-watch a cop drama and Jess wants to go out for a walk.
As the story unfolds Jess describes how easy it “might” be to perform the perfect murder and get away with it after all there was a local unsolved murder a few years ago which never had any leads.
Performed on stage at Brown Street, The Chapel Nightclub in Salisbury. It is an absolute delight to finally see life returning to venues across the country that have been closed for many months. Stages back in use, the buzz of an audience and performers no longer banished to working online.
Writer Jayne Woodhouse and director Calum Robshaw led the Q&A session afterwards. Expressing how much it meant to the entire team to be back on stage and the difficulties they had faced while performing rehearsals over zoom. One very clear thing is that everyone is thrilled to be back in business.
Hopefully Lost Souls will be taken on a tour at some point in the future, where others can also enjoy these short plays. With four in one night, it’s excellent value for money too.
For more information on Lost Souls and other work by the company please use the link below.
We've a table and 6 chairs going free to a good home - just needs collecting - if any of the drama groups need a table and chairs for props?
Table in good condition. Chairs are useable (some bottom rungs have been attacked by the dog)
Our eircode is V94 V48R. My number is 0851531147.
Many thanks, Steve
Posted 31/08/2021
Recently Posted Script Swap details
Eileen Norton
UK
Available
I have a number of copies of well known plays, (in good condition) looking for a home. These include Noel Coward, ‘ Private Lives’ and Chekhov ‘ The Cherry Orchard’ and various others.
Do you know of any group that would like them? If so, please get in touch, my email is: elnorton49@gmail.com
Posted 03/05/2021
Latest from our Advice Column Click here for the complete Advice Column
Post 68
Recent Post from one of our readers - 05/10/2020
Name: Claire Brown
Hi, I’m not sure if this is the right place to enquire, so apologies in advance if so.
I am trying to find info on a distant relative. I have a newspaper cutting saying she belonged to the West Sussex players. She played in The Queen and the Rebels, I think early 60’s, and Witness for the prosecution in 1959. Her name is Elizabeth Marriott.
Is there any kind of archive for past plays/actors and actresses in amateur dramatics? Or could you point in a direction where I might find more info, would love to know what other parts she played.
Many thanks,
Claire
Peter's response:
Hi Claire,
I'm afraid I don't have any information on the West Sussex Players and I don't know of any archive for actors / actresses appearing in amateur theatre. Certainly in the early 60s there wouldn't have been digital records. I have found a website http://www.westsussex.info/theatre-groups.shtml West Sussex info which contains a section on theatre groups. I couldn't see the Players listed but they may have someone on staff who might remember?
I will post your query in the #Advice section of www.dramagroups.com asking anyone who is able to help to contact you directly via your email address.
I wish you luck in your search and would be interested to hear if you are successful in tracking your relative down.
I’m Amanda. I’m currently doing make up artistry at West College Scotland. I am in my first year level 6.
I am looking for any work experience I could do. Anything at all would be great. Any local groups who need makeup artists for their productions do please get in touch.
