Print Post Approved
PP333729/00013
ISSUE 312
APRIL
2014
General Correspondence:
PO BOX 2100,
Mt. Waverley 3149
www.peridot.com.au
All Bookings, Ticket Enquiries, Returns,
write to PO BOX 1026, Box Hill 3128 or
[email protected]
Auditions
Cameron’s
Cameron’s Getting Organized
Organized for Season 3
********
We may all be looking forward to seeing Heroes soon but
Cameron South, the director of our Season Three thriller,
House Guest by Francis Durbridge, probably has his
Auditions more on his mind. He will be holding them at the
theatre on MONDAY APRIL 28 at 7.30pm and will be
looking to cast four females and four males as follows:
Females:
Jane Mercer: 40-45, typical secretary who can influence
people
Vivien Norwood: Journalist with a dark secret
Stella Drury: early to mid 40s, Hollywood movie star of
British heritage. Wealthy, attractive, devoted mother and
wife
Dorothy Medway: 50s, Robert’s dotty cousin, loves to shop
and generally gets in the way but has a heart of gold. Is
always having job interviews. Cockney, Londoner or similar
regional accent.
Males:
Robert Drury: Also a Hollywood movie star. Italian heritage,
tall, dark and handsome. Resourceful. Extremely wealthy
and well connected.
Crozier: 40-45ish. A weasel. Common English upbringing,
including his accent.
Inspector Burford: Inspector with a dark side, Very
organized and does maintain control at all times. Heavily
built. North Country or similar related regional accent
Sergeant Clayton: Sergeant with a dark and violent side.
Knows a lot of film history and is a film buff. Tall, knows the
Drurys very well.
Philip Henderson: Robert’s look alike. Is not as talented an
actor but can play a part. Is a tad arrogant. Has some
nervousness in his speech. This role will be played by the
same actor as Robert.
All characters have Standard English accents except as
shown (Dorothy, Crozier and Inspector Burford).
There will be no pre-casting for House Guest.
Any Enquiries, call Cameron on 0407 342 692.
*
So, what’s House Guest all about? Well, Robert and Stella
learn that their son has been kidnapped - not for ransom, but
to force them to allow one of the kidnappers to remain in
their house. Two other men, supposedly police officers,
arrive and reveal that one of the kidnappers has been
murdered. Soon, however, it is clear that these two are far
from what they seem.
A highly exciting thriller, first seen at the Savoy Theatre in
1982 with Gerald Harper and Susan Hampshire in the lead
roles, it is a fine example of the prolific work of a playwright
who wrote numerous plays for radio and theatre.
“House Guest” Play Reading soon
We will be holding a Play Reading of House Guest at
the theatre on Wednesday April 16, from around
7.30pm. Always an entertaining evening, coming to a PR
is also a smart way to get to know the play and its various
roles if you might be considering auditioning on April
28.
We’ll lay on a spot of supper so think about coming
along for a fun evening.
For more details, contact our Play Reading Guru Alison
Knight on [email protected]
******
We have been holding these Play Readings
regularly, under the enthusiastic organizing of our
PR Guru Alison and they are well received, as the
following clearly states:
“I attended the Social Play Reading, “An Evening with
John Tilbrook”, in March, always an enjoyable way to
spend an evening. But this time I had the added bonus
of rubbing shoulders with the playwright himself. John
Tilbrook was there and he had brought two short plays,
including the hilarious “The Passionate Plumber”, and
one full length play, “Kidnapping Susanne”, for us to
read. All very enjoyable plays with great character roles
for us to get engaged in.
The group that attended was an interesting collection of
actors, directors, playwrights, and those who aspire to
being all of the above. One participant was very new to
the amateur theatre scene and had a great
many interesting questions, all of which added yet
another dimension to the evening. Thanks to Alison
Knight for organizing these entertaining evenings. I'm
looking forward to the next and the next.
Gillian Holley”
__________________________
The initial welcoming faces of Peridot are our lovely Front
of House volunteers who look after our audiences at every
performance. Our FOH Organizer Bev Matthey has the
important job of compiling the roster for every
performance so, with “Heroes” coming up soon, if you
would like to help out for just one performance she would
love to hear from you. You can catch her on 9882 9985 or
email her on [email protected]
We are delighted to bring, as our second
production for 2014 a French comedy, Le
Vent des Peupliers by Gérald Sibleyras
which has been translated and adapted by
the great English playwright Tom Stoppard
and comes with the simple title Heroes.
*
Winner of the Laurence Olivier Best New
Comedy Award in 2006, in Tom
Stoppard’s
hilarious
and
poignant
translation set in 1959 we meet three
World War I veterans, an idealist, a
pragmatist and a fence-sitter who pass
their monotonous filled days in a French
military retirement home by engaging in
verbal battles of long-forgotten military
campaigns, grumblings about the staff,
and reflecting on their lives. Henri is
afflicted by a gammy leg, Gustave suffers
from agoraphobia, and Philippe passes
out because of a piece of shrapnel lodged
in
his
brain.
Their
cantankerous
camaraderie becomes strained when
Gustave conjures up an escape plan.
Looking over the cemetery to the poplars
beyond, they dream of freedom. Will today
be the day they finally make it to Indochina
or perhaps only as far as the top of the
hill?
*
Heroes opened in London’s Wyndhams
Theatre in October 2005 with a splendid
and highly experienced cast including Richard Griffiths, John Hurt and Ken Stott (would have been interesting to hear
how Ken, as a Frenchman, managed with his natural and strong Scottish accent!) with excellent reviews and a
successful and Award-winning run.
*
We are equally delighted that this fine play is being directed by Geoff Hickey who has directed many of our finest
productions in the past but has not been in the director’s chair at Peridot since he presented the multi-Award winning
Our Town in 2004. Peridot regulars with long memories will also recall Noises Off (1993), Dancing at Lughnasa (1995),
Crossing Delancy (1998) and the powerful drama The Freedom of the City (2000). Geoff is widely regarded as one of
the finest directors on the non-professional theatre scene and we’re delighted to have him back at the Unicorn Theatre.
He has cast three splendid and experienced actors, George Werther, John Keogh and Kirk Alexander and we are sure
they will present a fine evening’s theatre.
Heroes will run from April 25 to May 10 at 8.00pm with Matinees on April 27 and May 3 at 2.15pm and a Twilight
performance on May 4 at 4.00pm.
*
P.S.: The literal translation of Le Vent des Peupliers is "The Wind in the Poplars". During the adaptation into English,
there was concern this might cause confusion due to being too close to the popular children's title The Wind in the
Willows, so Heroes was agreed as the English title. At the time, Tom Stoppard said, "To tell you the truth, if Charles Wood
hadn't written a play called Veterans [in 1972], we would have called it that!
_____________________________________
Wrapping up our first production this year, the
cheerful “The Hallelujah Girls”…
It's been an absolute joy
working on this show and
also to work with Peridot. It's
my first show with the
Company and I've been very
impressed
with
the
professionalism
and the
attention to detail in every
aspect of the production. I
hope I might get the chance
to tread the boards again at
Peridot one day.
Cheers
Joan Krutli, (who played Mavis Flowers).
(Joan also presents a weekly Theatre programme on the
splendid Golden Days Radio at 95.7FM at 5.15pm each
Monday).
*…and from Bernie
Bernie Walsh, one of the hard-working back stage ASM
crew for The Hallelujah Girls, and was involve with us for
the first time, left this message for his fellow hard
workers:
“Dear Cast, Crew and Front of House –
Thank you all for making me real glad,
Oh what a time we have had!
Laughter and fun
Have all been done.
Greetings with smiles and cheer
Were always found here!
You are all stunners,
Even in the hottest of summers!
We should all be treated at Spa-de-Dah
Or perhaps just frequent a bar!”
(Bernie’s Iambic Pentameter may be a little awry, but the
warmth of his message is clear!)
_______________________________________
Great News from the Kelly Household
Our Artistic
Director Robyn
Kelly and her
husband John, our
Ticket Manager,
are over the moon
at the arrival of
their second
grandchild,
Alexander Finn, in
mid-March to their
daughter Fleur
and husband
Chris.
This elevates their
first son, Matthew,
to the important
role of big brother,
and we offer our
congratulations to this lovely family on their great news.
_____________________________
Thought for today…
It’s hard to lose your lover
When your heart is full of hope
But it’s worst to lose your towel
When your eyes are full of soap.
Our June Stage Management Workshop
We mentioned in our February Newsletter that we were
planning another Stage Management Workshop and we are
happy to announce that it will be held on Saturday June 21
at the theatre. It will be run by Marion Egerton, who has run
a couple of these at Peridot before and who is highly
regarded on the local non-professional theatre scene for this
most important part of mounting a play. Marion has stage
managed many productions at Peridot and elsewhere and is
extremely experienced, and her school-teaching background
helps her get her knowledge and ideas across clearly,
succinctly and enthusiastically.
The workshop will run from 11am to 3pm, with a spot of
lunch laid on, and the cost will be $20 for Peridot nonmembers. This will be a great opportunity for those who
would like to get into stage managing, for those who already
are involved but would like to share thoughts and
experiences, and for anyone interested in how things work
back-stage.
For more information, or to book a place in the workshop,
contact Alison Knight on [email protected]
---------------------------------------------
Getting our June One Act Plays Organized.
Organized.
The Auditions for the three plays that will make up our
programmed of June One Act Plays were finalized in March
and we are delighted to let you know who you will be seeing
when you come along.
For No Strings by Jimmie Chin, director Lisa McNiven has
cast as Glen and Jenny two actors you will doubtless
remember from The Hallelujah Girls, the leggy Greg
Barison, who played Bobby Dwayne Dillahunt and Cathie
Lee, who was splendid as the thrice-married Carlene Travis.
Warren Burford makes up the trio as an unnamed man.
Alison Wright has a strong cast for In By the Half by John
Tilbrook featuring Patricia McCracken in the lead role as the
Madam, with Cheryl Ballantine Richards (last seen at
Peridot as Ellen in The Shell Seekers) as Doris, Stephanie
King as Ursula, Damian Jones as the Doctor and Asja
Sarajlic, who was Hilda Whittaker in our recent Easy Virtue,
is playing Sylvia.
The third play, written by Peridot Committee Member
Alison Wright, is a new drama, Peter Stone, and director
Bruce Cochrane has cast another Committee Member, David
Lawson- Smith, in the title role along with Susan Rundle as
Martha, Lynne Elphinstone-Gray as Rose and Robert
Warburton as Kane.
We think this is a good and varied mixture of plays, which
will run from June 12-14 at 8.00pm with Matinees on
Saturday June 14 and Sunday June 15 at 2.15pm.
______________________
Remembering Our Lovely Sponsors!
We haven’t mentioned our kind Sponsors lately, so we will
rectify that now:
Tobin Brothers of East Burwood (“Celebrating Lives”)
Kita-Ku Designs of Box Hill providing fresh chic women’s
fashion at 12 Clarice Road, Box Hill South 3128, Thursday
and Fridays from 10-4 plus the first Saturday of each month
from 11-2. Our lovely Robyn Kelly will be there to help you
out.
And those lovely people at Kookas Country Biscuits have
been generously giving us lots of lovely biscuits.
Our sincere thanks to all these supporters.
We received this lovely
letter from a valued longtime Peridot Member:
“Dear Peridot,
This is to notify Peridot
Theatre that I have now
moved interstate to the
above address (Palm
Beach, Queensland –
Ed.) and am no longer
able to attend the excellent plays produced at the
Unicorn Theatre. It is with regret I must cancel my
yearly subscription.
I thank you all, Management, Directors, Producers,
Stage Technicians, casts and everyone involved for
the many years of enjoyment and entertainment. May
Peridot continue for many years to come.
Sincerely,
Dorothy Milsom.”
Dorothy was a longtime and valued Subscriber and we
thank her for her support over the years.
----------------------------
*WhatsOn*WhatsOn*WhatsOn*WhatsOn*
Some interesting plays being staged by our theatrical
friends in the Eastern suburbs might interest you, such as:
Hartwell Players are presenting William Shakespeare’s
The Comedy of Errors from April 4-12 at the Ashwood
College PAC, Vannam Road, Ashwood. Bookings can be
made on 9513 9581.
Malvern Theatre Company is bringing a fine Australian
play Wicked Sisters by Alma De Groen from April 25 to
May 10 (bookings on 1300 131 552)
For the same period, the Mordialloc Theatre Company
is presenting three monologues, A Chip in the Sugar, Her
Big Chance and A Lady of Letters, from Alan Bennett’s
much loved TV Series Talking Heads (9587 5141 to book).
Another challenging play from Swampfox Productions,
Motortown by Simon Stephens, will be on at 1812’s Bakery
Theatre from April 9 to May 3. Our good friend John
Bishop will be directing, so it’s bound to be good, but we
should mention that the play contains violence and
frequent coarse language and a gun will be discharged at
one time. Book on line at swampfoxproductions.com.au or
9758 3964
______________________
“When the spirits are low,
when the day appears dark,
when work becomes
monotonous, when hope
hardly seems worth having,
just mount a bicycle and go
out for a spin down the road
without thought on anything
but the ride you are taking.”
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
(Hear, hear!
“Gems” Editor)
…the last word
A few Odds and Ends from here and there
As a teenager the conductor, pianist, composer and four time
Oscar winner André Previn used to play the piano at a cinema that
specialized in showing old silent movies. One afternoon he was
pounding away the appropriate music for a 1920s film Flaming Youth,
did not watch the screen and was blithely unaware that the main
attraction had begun; it was a revival of D.W. Griffith’s biblical
masterpiece about the life of Jesus Christ titled Intolerance. He was
enthusiastically playing a Charleston number during the scene
depicting the Last Supper when the manager of the cinema came
storming down the aisle.
Previn found himself unemployed two minutes later.
*
The first night of Noël Coward’s This Happy Breed was performed
in 1939 at Windsor in the presence of Coward, the King and Queen
and the entire Court, all wearing long dresses and dinner jackets.
Someone gave the wrong signal so that the lights went down with the
Royal family desperately trying to find their seats in the dark. Noël
Coward said to the Queen Mother, “Ma’am, I think it would be a
good idea if you were to move forward,”
“I would like to move forward, Mr. Coward,” she replied, icily, “but
you are standing on my frock.”
*
Perhaps an odd coupling but Laurence Olivier and Marilyn
Monroe once starred in a film together – The Prince and the Showgirl
(1957). In his autobiography, Olivier complained of the extent to
which Monroe’s acting coach, Lee Strasberg, controlled her. When
Lee was not there, his wife deputized and exerted huge influence on
the star, but even Olivier may not have realized just how devoted
Marilyn was to her teacher. When she died in 1962 at 36, she left an
estate valued at $1.6 million. Her will specified that 75% of that
should go to Lee Strasberg and 25% going to her psychoanalyst, Dr.
Marianne Kris. Her mother, Gladys Baker Eley, was left just $5,000 a
year in a trust fund.
*
Not sure if this is a true story, but it’s possible! A visitor to
Picasso’s studio found the artist gazing disconsolately at a painting on
the easel. “It’s a masterpiece,” said the visitor, hoping to cheer Picasso
up.
“No, the nose is all wrong,” Picasso said. “It throws the whole picture
out of perspective.”
“Then why not alter the nose?” his visitor asked.
“Impossible,” replied Picasso. “I can’t find it.”
*
And then there was another great painter, Paul Cézanne, who
worked very slowly. His friend, the famous art dealer Ambroise
Vollard, underwent no fewer than 115 sittings for a single portrait.
When asked why it was taking so long, Cézanne commented, “I am
not entirely pleased with the shirt front.”
*
Well, you can’t rush some things. In 1900 Octavio Guillen met
Adiana Martines and; two years later he announced his engagement
and everyone said they made a lovely couple. They still made a lovely
couple in 1969 when they cast caution to the wind and got married in
Mexico City. They were both 82 and had been engaged for 67 years.
*
There was panic one evening a few years ago at Paris’s famous and
risqué Moulin Rouge when the lights failed and a lift stuck between
two floors, trapping ten topless dancers. Fortunately lift attendant
Jules Grimper found the emergency button on his twenty-first attempt.
*
And finally: an amazing fact about the Titanic recently appeared in
the Irish Times. Apparently, after over 100 years lying on the sea bed,
Irish divers were amazed to find that the swimming pool was still full.
______________________________