1999 productions

7–9 October 1999

Family Planning

By Frank Vickery

When young Tracy discovers she is pregnant she doesn’t know how to tell either her parents – dependable mum, Elsie and her hypochondriac dad, Idris – or her boyfriend, Bobby.

Her Gran, permanently in bed (on stage), knows all and sees all, helps to pave the way for her announcement. Unfortunately, Idris – overhearing part of Tracy and Elsies conversation, jumps to the wrong conclusion and believes he has but a short time to live!

Next door neighbour Maisey butts in when Bobby is speaking to Idris and after liberal measures of gin all round, proceeds to show her true affections for Idris

Misunderstandings and mishaps abound, not least with Gran, and events are brought to a riotous conclusion when Maisey tries to apologise and Elsie catches her at it!

13–15 May 1999

Salt of the Earth

By John Godber

‘Salt of the Earth’ charts the decline of the coal mining community from the promise of nationalisation after the Second World War, to the miners' strike and the end of the coal industry in the 1980s. Three generations of characters are brought to life in this poignant comedy.

The play focuses on the lives of the Parker sisters, Annie and May, whose hopes centre on May's son Paul, and his academic success.

As with much of John Godber's work, ‘Salt of the Earth’ contains a great deal of humour, but it also draws on the memories of his own childhood. It is primarily a family saga, and he uses his background to show its dreams, tensions and ambitions with pathos and warmth. At the heart is the community which shapes the family, but which is inexorably disappearing and changing.

27–30 January 1999

King Arthur

By Paul Reakes

Remember the dashing, brave King Arthur of folklore? Well that was quite a few years ago and now rather than fighting dragons he's fighting to stay awake!

The years of nagging from the once ‘beautiful’ Queen Guinevere have taken their toll and now he spends most of his time trying to avoid her legendary shopping trips but it will not take long for her to catch up with him. Meanwhile, Sally the kitchen maid is desperate to see her love Squirty the Squire but discovers he has a new female in his life – Smoulder, the baby dragon.

When the evil sorceress Morgana arrives with her son Mordred, King Arthur will not listen to sound advice from Merlin the wizard, and soon finds himself in a battle for his throne. Lancelot fights bravely but when Merlin’s wand is transformed into a toilet brush, who will save him from the fire-breathing dragon?