Play On !

Play On! by Rick Abbott (b 1931, d 1993) was staged at the Millennium Hall on Friday st and Saturday nd June 2003.

 

Introduction A brief plot outline and scenes The Cast and Crew
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It is based on an amateur theatre company preparing for a play called Murder Most Foul. Of course, being a company preparing for a show means everyone one gets to play two characters - the actor and the part in the play. Given that we are a company rehearsing a play about a company rehearsing a play that meant three voices each.  I've always said some of our panto rehearsals are better than the performances. 

Anyway, it was  great success and in 2004 we had hoped to perform the sequel, Sing On!. However the demands of Sing On! far exceed those of Play On! and we ran out of time to do it justice .... Maybe some time in the future.

If you are thinking of doing this play, let me know and I/we'll give you the benefit of our advice.

I can say that one of the things is to make the actors in 'performance' sound wooden but in 'rehearsal' they should sound fluid and different. A friend in the States just did this with a High School class with great success, partly because they could change accents from US in 'rehearsal' to English in 'performance'.

No special props are required - just some chairs and general living room furniture.

Synopsis Introduction Synopsis Castlist Pagetop Home

Starting with the rehearsals of an amateur theatre company we see them progress, with difficulty, to the first performance of 'Murder Most Foul'. A progress which isn't helped by the author constantly rewriting the script, props that work when they shouldn't, and props that don't work when they should. It's too complicated to explain - but it is very funny.

Our performance had the added feature of the gun failing to go off right at the end of the show!

The plot behind the play .... Lord Dudley has acquired the Delhi Diamond - a fabulous gem set in a necklace but one which is apparantly cursed.

 

Cast Introduction Synopsis Castlist Pagetop Home
The 'technical' side of Murder Most Foul
Jerry, the Director  Steve Tarpey
Louise, the Sound and Lights person Jackie Bruce
Lawrence (Larry), Stage Manager Richard Merriman
Phyllis Montague, Author  Mary West
   
The 'acting' side
Polly Beamish playing Lady Margaret Jan Treacher-Evans
Henry Beamish - Lord Dudley Tony Robinson
Saul Watson - Dr Forbes, famous scientist and villain Derek Laybourne
Violet Imrie - Diana Lassiter, an inguene  Maggie Tarpey
Billy - Steven Sellers, millionaire David Jenner
Marla 'Smitty' Smith - Doris, the Maid Sue Calvert
 
Photos Introduction Synopsis Castlist Pagetop Home
Some of these were taken in rehearsal, some are from the actual performances, so you may see two different angles of the same thing. They are not necessarily in the right order!
Act 1 - 1 Act 1 - Director and Smitty Act 1 - Script Changes
Act 1 - Director and Phyllis Act 2 - Opening Act 2 - Script changes
Act 2 - rh of Act3 Act 2 - Hold Up Act 2 - Death
Act 2 - He`s Dead 1 Act 3 - Smitty Act 3 - Tape
Act 3 - The necklace Act 3 - Where is it Act 3 - 1
Act 3 - 2 Act 3 - 3 Act 3 - Violet
Act 3 - 4 Act 3 - 5 Act 3 - The Curse
Act 3 - The denunciation Act 3 - Death 2 Act 3 - Hes dead 2
Act 3 - Phyllis speech Act 3 - Louise collects

 

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3 February 2006