2009 productions
22–24 October 2009
Abigail’s Party
By Mike Leigh
Beverly Moss invites her new neighbours, Angela and Tony, who moved into the road just two weeks ago, over for drinks. She has also invited her neighbour Susan, divorced for three years, whose fifteen-year-old daughter Abigail is holding a party back in their house. Beverly's husband Laurence comes home late from work, just before the guests arrive.
The gathering starts off in a stiff, insensitive, British-middle-class way as the virtual strangers tentatively gather, until Beverly and Laurence start sniping at each other. As Beverly serves more drinks and the alcohol takes effect, Beverly flirts more and more overtly with Tony, as Laurence sits impotently by. After a tirade about art, Laurence suffers a fatal heart attack. Within this simple framework, all of the obsessions, prejudices, fears and petty competitiveness of the protagonists are ruthlessly exposed.
15–17 July 2009
Bedroom Farce
By Alan Ayckbourn
The play is set in three bedrooms which are all visible at the same time, moving from bedroom to bedroom as the story unfolds over one night and the following morning.
Bedroom one belongs to Ernest and Delia, an older couple who are more thrilled by the idea of eating sardines on toast in bed, than doing anything more romantic.
In bedroom two, Malcolm and Kate are preparing for a party, and bedroom three is where Nick is laid-up with a bad back and his long-suffering wife, Jan, has to minister to his needs.
Tying together the three bedrooms and their respective couples is the final husband and wife team, Susannah and Trevor who are having marital problems.
28–31 January 2009
Aladdin
By Roger Cryer
Aladdin is living a happy but poor life with his lazy brother Wishee Washee and his Mum Widow Twankey, who runs the Chinese laundry in Old Pekin. Aladdin falls in love with Princess Jasmine the daughter of the Empress of China, but being poor he has no chance of winning her hand. They are visited by the evil Abanazar pretending to be Aladdin’s long lost uncle.
Abanazar convinces Aladdin to help him retrieve an old lamp from a cave in return for untold riches, but when Aladdin refuses to hand over the lamp Abanazar seals him inside. Aladdin tries to clean the lamp by rubbing it, and the genie of the lamp appears, allowing Aladdin to wish for escape.
Helped by the Genie of the Lamp a happy ending is ensured with Aladdin gaining riches and winning the hand of Princess Jasmine.
