Previous Productions > 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023
January 2020 - Sailor Beware! - by Philip King & Falkland Cary. Directed by Gill Brain
Click here for the Sailor Beware! Showography.
This lovely bitter-sweet romantic comedy was written and set in the mid-1950s. It was first performed in the Strand Theatre in London in 1955 and after a long run there, was so successful it was made into a hugely successful film starring Peggy Mount as arguably the most famous fictional mother-in-law ever. Such was its success that an American film version was also made.
A young sailor, Albert Tufnell, travels from his ship with his best friend and soon to be best man, Carnoustie Bligh, to the home of his bride to-be, Shirley, on his wedding eve. This is the longest time that Albert has spent at his bride's home and wedding preparations are well under way. Albert, brought up in an orphanage, is very much looking forward to a real homelife but all is not well...
His mother-in-law, the strong-willed Emma Hornett, is suspicious of him and is certainly not welcoming but it seems she is bad tempered and harsh with everyone – "that's just how she is". She dominates the household: her husband Henry who escapes to his ferrets in the shed, her very eccentric sister-in-law Edie constantly making tea and even her daughter Shirley and Shirley's bridesmaid, Daphne Pink.
Albert gets cold feet. He is even more disturbed to learn about a secret that is being kept from him. Can he go through with this wedding? Does he love Shirley enough? Can Rev. Purefoy the vicar help with his dilemma? What should he do? The story unfolds...
| Cast: | Backstage: | ||
| Emma Hornett | Lily Dunkley | Stage Manager | Sandra Gilbert |
| Henry Hornett | Vern Dunkley | Assistant Stage Manager | Steve Keogh |
| Edie Hornett | Marlene Poole | Properties | Deborah Watkins |
| Albert Tuffnell | Danny Robins | Prompt | Clare Brown |
| Carnoustie Bligh | Joey Stevens | Sound | Martin Lawrence |
| Shirley Hornett | Abigail Perkins | Lighting | David Jell |
| Daphne Pink | Sue Whiteley | Front of House | Daphne & Dennis Breakspear |
| Mrs Lack | Jean Belt | ||
| Rev. Purefoy | Mark Harris |
May 2020 - Laying the Ghost - by Simon Williams. Directed by Sally Lovejoy
Margot Buchanan is a witty ex-actress in a retirement home. She is visited by a young actress who is having an affair with Leo, Margot's ex-husband - and by Leo's current wife Judy.
Leo arrives but suffers a fatal heart attack thus the scene is set for chaotic hilarity as Leo's ghost appears, anxious to sort out matters between his three women while visible only to Margot's psychic friend Freda...
| Cast: | Backstage Crew: | ||
| Freda Deacon | Marlene Poole | Stage Manager | Steve Keogh |
| Mrs Kidd | Deborah Watkins | Prompt | Emma hartup |
| Margot Buchanan | Sandra Gilbert | Props | Margaret Price |
| Sadie Croft | Abi Perkins | Sound | Martin Lawrence |
| Sir Leo Buchanan | Nic Gratton | ||
| Lady Judy Buchanan | Sue Marett | ||
| Superman | Joey Stevens | ||
| Orderlies | Steve Keogh & Joey Stevens | ||
September 2021 - London Suite - by Neil Simon. Directed by Sally Lovejoy
Click here for the London Suite Showography.
For the first Phoenix production in the new season of plays we welcomed our loyal audience back with Neil Simon's London Suite. A quartet of one act plays, set in a London hotel's Suite 402.
Each scene had different characters at a pivotal moment in their lives...
Settling Accounts: Writer Brian has discovered that his trusted financial manager is not the friend he'd thought him.
Going Home: A loving daughter comes to realise that role reversal needs only go so far and perhaps, after all, her mother can deal with life in her own way.
Diana and Sidney: A British actress who has made a success of her life in America returns to England to meet up with her ex-husband in a scene of understanding, tenderness and poignancy lightened with laughter.
The last scene, The Man on the Floor, is straightforward farce when a hunt for precious tickets to Wimbledon allied with back problems afflicting not only patient but doctor culminates in four bodies, not just one, on the floor.
Whatever the story, all plays had a strong vein of humour throughout and a thoroughly entertaining evening was assured to engage the emotions.
| Cast: | Settling Accounts: | Cast: | Going Home: | |
| Brian | Mike Sly | Lauren | Annie Sly | |
| Billy | Joey Stevens | Mrs Semple | Sandra Gilbert |
| Cast: | Diana and Sidney: | Cast: | The Man on the Floor: | |
| Diana | Margaret Price | Mark | Joey Stevens | |
| Sidney | Colin Wilkins | Annie | Annie Sly | |
| Grace | Jodie Redwood-Maloney | Mrs Sitgood | Deborah Watkins | |
| Housekeeper | Charlotte Phillips | |||
| Dr McMerlin | Mike Sly |
| Crew: | For all performances: |
| Stage Manager: | Steve Keogh |
| Prompt: | Stephanie Trinci |
| Props: | Deborah Watkins |
| Lighting: | David Jell |
| Sound: | Martin Lawrence |
| Box Office: | Daphne & Dennis Breakspear and Pauline Eldridge |
April 2022 - Ding Dong - by Marc Camoletti adapted by Tudor Gates. Directed by Sandra Gilbert
Click here for the Ding Dong Showography.
For the first Phoenix production of 2022 we welcomed our loyal audience back with Marc Camoletti's Ding Dong
.Bernard is married to Jacqueline who is having an affair with Robert who pays a call-girl, Barbara, to pose as his wife... Add in a surprise appearance by Robert's actual wife, Juliette, mix in a maid who can only cater with what she finds left in the freezer and you have the perfect recipe for one very awkward dinner party!
| Cast: | Backstage Crew: | ||
| Bernard Marcellin | Mike Sly | Stage Manager | Steve Keogh |
| Jacqueline Marcellin | Nicky Ashdown | Prompt | Deborah Watkins |
| Marie-Louise | Margaret Price | Props | Colin Wilkins and Margaret Price |
| Robert Regnier | Joey Stevens | Sound | Martin Lawrence |
| Barbara | Melanie Roberts | Lighting | David Jell |
| Juliette Regnier | Emma Hartup |
September / October 2022 - Steel Magnolias - by Robert Harling. Directed by Mike Sly.
Based on a true story it depicts a bond of friendship that exists between a group of women.
Witty, warm, uplifting with laugh out loud moments and, just as you thought it was safe, utterly heart-breaking. A wonderful tribute to friendship and the power of the human spirit.
| Cast: | Backstage Crew: | ||
| Truvy | Steph Trinci | Stage Manager | Steve Keogh |
| Annelle | Charlotte Phillips | Prompt | Joey Stevens |
| M’Lynn | Emma Hartup | Props | Jean Belt & Sally Lovejoy |
| Shelby | Annabel Sly | Sound | Martin Lawrence & Ian Edwards |
| Clairee | Marlene Poole | Lighting | Dave Jell & Bobby Seymour |
| Ouiser | Sandra Gilbert | Set Design | Colin Wilkins |
| Set build | The Company |
April 2023 - The Business of Murder - by Richard Harris. Directed by Ian Edwards.
The Business of Murder takes place on a single day in London. Stone asks Hallett (a detective) to come to his flat ostensibly to meet and help his son, a supposed drug dealer. However, the son has apparently left the apartment and will not return until later that evening so the detective also agrees to return later. After Hallett leaves, Dee, a detective fiction writer arrives and chats to Stone.
In the conversations and actions which follow, we witness a twisting and turning plot through a maze of false trails as the story reaches its surprising and shocking conclusion.
| Cast: | Backstage Crew: | ||
| Stone | Nic Gratton | Stage Manager | Steve Keogh |
| Superintendent Hallett | Mike Sly | Prompt | Steph Trinci |
| Dee | Emma Hartup | Set Design | Colin Wilkins & Michelle Spielberg |
| Lighting | Dave Jell & Bobby Seymour | ||
| Props | TBC |
