Recent News from the Phoenix Players.
Our President
Congratulations to our new President Daphne Breakspear BEM!
The Phoenix Players are delighted to announce that Daphne was invited to be and accepted the role
of our new President of the Society. We are all thrilled!
Rehearsal photos from the final stages of preparation for January's Sailor Beware!
Rehearsal photos from May's The Perfect Murder
Rehearsal photos from January's House Guest
Phoenix Performs at the RAF100 Centenary Dinner
Phoenix members Mark, Lilly and Vern gave a successful 'Hancock' performance at the prestigious 'Royal Air Force Centenary Dinner and Gala Night' in Swindon.
Emma heads to the Edinburgh Fringe
Emma Skane-Lawrence, who performed with us in Cat's Cradle last year and then went on to win 'Best performance by a junior actor' in the One Act Festival in April 2017 with Playhouse Creatures will be performing the same play at the upcoming Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August this year. Great news for Emma and no doubt proud Dad, Martin.
Daphne Breakspeare's surprise!
Once upon a time, not so long ago – the 29 October 2017 – Daphne reached the grand age of 90.
As a stalwart of The Phoenix Players both as an actor and Director with so many productions over the years, there are not enough fingers and toes to count them, the company decided to throw a surprise party for Daph on Friday 3 November 2017.
The pictures below show Daph arriving with Dennis and the shock of seeing many of her friends gathered to make sure she had a great evening of celebration, as well as recovering from the initial shock to cutting her delicious cake and finally a room full of happiness and enjoyment. Click any to see a larger image.
Image 1. Daph, with Den. Arriving. No, she is not sucking her thumb, it's a reaction to her surprise party.
Image 2. Having recovered, Daph shows her obvious happiness. Den too!
Image 3. Now Daph is really happy, the thought of that delicious cake!
Image 4. And a great time was had by all!
At rehearsals for Recipe for Murder
"Bit soon with the flowers son, they're all still alive!" "It's just a Gin & tonic with ice, honest!"
New Director asks members to read two plays for 2018...
Rather than sit on their hands and let things happen, when a new director, Gill Brain, could not decide which of two plays she would like to see Phoenix perform, she asked the members to read both plays so that she could settle on one for April 2018. The Phoenix members duly obliged in July 2017 and Gill has now decided on The Accrington Pals. Our January 2018 production is The Ladykillers.
Emma Skane-Lawrence teaches the more mature thespians a thing or two.
Emma, being one of the younger talented members of The Phoenix Players, recently performed in 'Playhouse Creatures' by April De-Angelis with Commonweal School in the Harold Jolliffe One Act Play Festival. For her performance Emma was presented with the 'Beryldene Hunt Cup' for the best performance by a junior actor.
Good stuff Emma, Phoenix is proud of you!
Happiness is collecting £ 60.00 on Red Nose Day
The ladies of the cast of Ladies of Spirit (who all look as though they have had plenty!) along with a couple of 'Gay Caballeros', who are part of the production crew, agreed to these "portraits" and in return made a contribution to support Red Nose Day.
We are not sure that anybody is really impressed with the impression of Rudolph, but if it gets some money in the pot, that's all to the good.
International Womens' Day - Wednesday 18 March 2017
Although well into rehearsals for their next production, Ladies of Spirit, these ladies, the cast of the play directed by The Phoenix Player's own special lady of spirit, Daphne Breakspear BEM, still took time out on International Women's Day to show how happy they are to bend the gender 'rules' now and again!
Nigel was 80 last week and after our committee meeting on Thursday we presented him with a cake and some vouchers as a THANK YOU for everything he does for us. Still an active Stage Manager and sometime performer.
Sadly, Nigel passed away in November 2019.
