HHDS Newsletter September 2011
Showing next at the Playhouse:
My Fair Lady Oct 1 at 6.30 pm
As director’s ticket Amanda Peacefull will present a scene from this well known musical. The scene is fairly early on in the play – starting with Eliza Doolittle knocking on Professor Higgins’ door, to ask for speech lessons, and ending with him agreeing to take up the challenge, as a bet with Colonel Pickering.
The cast:
Eliza Doolittle: Jo Williams
Henry Higgins: Norman McFarlane
Colonel Pickering: Brian Peacefull
Mrs Pearce: Anne Walsh
The +/- 25 min performance will be followed by snacks and live music in the Green Room. First Option will provide “Much More Music”.
Entrance R25 for members, R35 for non-members.
Enquiries: Call Eppie 0825551014
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Days of Wine and Roses opens on 25 October
Days of Wine and Roses – Owen McCafferty’s revised version of JP Miller’s iconic film – made in 1962, and nominated for 4 Oscars.
Another first for HHDS??!! We are still trying to get confirmation, but it is probable that this is the first time this version will be performed in SA.
Rehearsal update.
The cast and the first members of the backstage crew are busy “strutting their stuff” in the Green Room and can’t wait to get on stage to finish polishing their performances under the “proper” conditions.
As well as the cast, director, and production secretary – we have been joined by Wendy Walsh who is the stage manager and we will soon be joined by Clifford Ekron who will set and operate the lights.
Once on stage we’ll need set builders and painters, scene shifters, fly gallery operators, props assistants. We will also need 2 dressers & 2 make-up artists – these are very important because the actors remain on stage 99% of the time, so scene changes – costume changes –and “aging” make up will be done in full view of the audience. The names of people who wanted to work backstage were collected at the time of the audition and they will soon be contacted, but more helpers are always welcome so please contact Penny (021 852 6445) if you want to assist.
Here is a reminder of what the play is about, but first a quotation to set the scene.
Donal: We were like movie stars — I used to imagine we didn’t walk we glided — now all we do is stumble — it wasn’t supposed to be like this
Mona: We have a laugh. That’s what we have, a laugh.
Donal: We’re alcoholics.
Mona: Don’t use that word. Don’t ever use that word.
Now a brief synopsis-
Donal, a bookie’s clerk & Mona, a civil-servant, living in an unfamiliar city fall in love – with life, each other and booze. Their life together starts as an exciting voyage of discovery but soon begins to spiral out of control as the bottle takes its grip.
Their mutual retreat into perpetual drunkenness has him arguing that he has to drink to keep his job, and she countering that she has to drink at home to be level with him when drinking friends arrive. At this stage Donal is more aware and in control than Mona.
Donal joins the AA, Mona refuses.
While Donal seeks the AA, Mona spirals disgustingly into the gutter. At this time, her proposition that he can only prove his continuing love for her by taking a drink and physically making love becomes the play’s most disturbing scene.
As a background to their life, the legendary Irish racehorse Arkle is full of symbolic significance, but when Arkle dies the realization of their own dream’s death is close at hand.
This is how the play ends, heart-breaking, exhausting, but never less enthralling.
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‘Are you being Served?’
directed by Ann Coetzee
showing 28 Nov – 11 Dec 2012
Are you being served was cast and rehearsals have started.
Bobby Bennet … Captain Peacock
Daneal Lowe … Mr Humphries
Martin Linnette … Mr Rumbold
Halima Beale … Lady Customer & Conchita
Stuart Mackinnon … Mr Lucas
Chris Williams … Mr Mash
John Thornton … Mr Grangier
Felicity Gallagher … Mrs Slocombe
Denise King … Nurse
Clifford Ekron … Cesar Rodrigues/ Male Customer
Mark Dentry … Don Bernado
Wendy Walsh … Teresa
Ahnestazia Borez … Miss Brahms
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AUDITIONS AUDITIONS!!
Fawlty Towers returns to the Playhouse Theatre in January 2012!
Auditions for a further two episodes of Fawlty Towers will be held on
Sunday 16 October at 7pm.
The core cast will retain their parts but there are many supporting roles needed. Interested? Please keep an eye on The Bolander, on Facebook and on http://www.theplayhouse.org.za or email/call Eppie hhdsinfo@gmail.com / 082 555 1014
AUDITIONS for parts in “Der Verkaufte Grossvater” a German play, are to be held on 30 October at 6.30 pm.
Do you know any German speakers who would like to audition for this show? We need 8 male and female actors of all ages, and lots of backstage helpers. Do spread the word around, please, especially among your German speaking friends and acquaintances. There has already been keen interest in this project from the German speaking community in Somerset West and as far afield as Cape Town! Director Bettina Horvath would appreciate your assistance. Please call her on 082 99 26 007 for further information or check their own Facebook page.
