Information about Trowbridge's Amateur Dramatics Society
We have decided that we will make “Hi-de-Hi!” our Autumn production, if we can cast it. The directors will be Jo Ziegert and Chris Pollock.
We will be holding auditions on Friday 22nd June and Monday 25th June, from 7.30pm at the Trowbridge Tesco Community space.
Our Autumn production will be ‘Hi-De-Hi!’, A stage adaptation of the hugely popular British TV series, which revisits the 1950’s and Maplins Holiday Camp with its host of colourful characters.
It’s the start of a new season and founder Joe Maplin announces that he is setting up a camp in the Bahamas and needs female yellowcoats (entertainers) to go and work there. The annual “Miss Yellowcoat” competition will decide who. Imagine the rivalry! Camp cleaner Peggy, meanwhile, is thrilled at the prospect of a vacancy for a new yellowcoat and convinces Entertainments Manager Jeffrey that she is the ideal candidate for the job. Ted is forced to employ numerous money-making schemes when his ex wife turns up at the camp with a bailiff in tow and Yvonne and Barry Stuart-Hargreaves send the rumour mill into its usual overdrive when Gladys is overheard escorting Jeffrey into his chalet late one evening. Hi-de-hi, campers!
Characters
Ages are character ages
JEFFREY FAIRBROTHER – Entertainment Manager – 48 – Professor of Archaeology at Cambridge but joined Maplins holiday camp as Entertainment Manager, hoping it would give him an insight into the lives of everyday people.
TED BOVIS – Camp Host – 49 – Ted is very popular with the campers even though he is always running scams to cheat the campers out of money.
GLADYS PUGH – Chief Yellowcoat/Sports Organiser/Radio Maplin Announcer – 26 – Welsh – she is passionately in love with Jeffrey, although he does not reciprocate this.
SPIKE DIXON – Camp Comic – 20s – Spike is best friends with, and shares a chalet with Ted.
PEGGY OLLERENSHAW – Chalet Maid/Yellowcoat – 38 – From Lancashire, Peggy is the maid who looks after the staff chalet lines under the supervision of the fearsome Miss Cathcart. She always aspires to be a Yellowcoat, and tries her hardest to get involved with the entertainment in any way she can.
FRED QUILLY – Riding Instructor – 40s – A qualified jockey whose licence was revoked under dubious circumstances he shares a chalet with Mr. Partridge.
YVONNE STUART-HARGREAVES – Dancing Instructress – 45 – Yvonne is very supercilious and believes she is socially above all other members of the entertainment staff, with the exception of Jeffrey Fairbrother.
BARRY STUART-HARGREAVES – Dancing Instructor – 40s – Barry was born Bert Pratt in Nottingham, the son of a bus inspector. He took Yvonne’s last name, and changed his first name to Barry, for the sake of their careers.
WILLIAM PARTRIDGE – Children’s Entertainer – 74 – After leaving school he began a successful music hall career under the stage name of “Whimsical Willie, the Juggling Joker”. Fought in WW1 and was in ENSA during WW2. Now a children’s entertainer but he dislikes children. Drinks a lot and is always grumpy.
SYLVIA GARNSEY – Yellowcoat – 28 – Known for her long legs and attractive appearance, she regularly clashes with Gladys over Jeffrey Fairbrother.
BETTY WHISTLER – Yellowcoat – 21 – She previously attended drama school and is a qualified swimming instructor. She also has a dislike for Gladys, who she sees as bossy.
HILARY BOVIS – Ted’s Ex-Wife – 40s – She is chasing him for money
BAILIFF – Male – any age
MR. PRITCHARD – 30s/40s – Policeman on holiday who has feelings for Gladys
There are 3 other Yellowcoats who appear but have few, if any, lines.
GARY BOLTON – Yellowcoat – 20s
DAWN FRESHWATER – Yellowcoat – 20s
TRACY BENTWOOD – Yellowcoat – 24 – Attractive brunette
We have another reading of ‘Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood’ which will be our Panto for January 2019. This will be at the Tesco Community room on Friday 15th June at 7.30pm. Auditions will be in July. Dates to be announced soon.
Characters
Sheriff Of Nottingham – The Baddie
Maid Marian – Principal Girl
Stewy – Buttons Character
Nanny Dora – Dame
Monty – Nanny’s Dog (Youth/child in dog suit)
Rosie – Babe
Pete – Babe
Picket – Comedy Henchman
Pocket – Comedy Henchman
Robin Hood – Principal Boy
Will Scarlet – Merry Man
Little John – Merry Man
King Richard – King
Fairy Sparkle – Fairy
Chorus of villagers. Dancers of evil sprites and woodland animals
Monday 14th May – Tesco Community room – 7.30pm
Reading this panto by Angela Giddings for possible production in January 2019
Friday 18th May – Tesco Community room – 7.30pm
Reading this comedy by Robin Hawdon for possible production in October
Comedy / 3 male, 2 female
Geoff Tippet has arranged a special birthday treat for his old friend, Bob. The treat is a hotel room for the night, a double-bed which folds up into the wall and an attractive girl called Mimi. Add a shy Kate who anxiously awaits her computer agency…
We will have a reading of the Alan Ayckbourn comedy ‘Bedroom Farce’ at the Tesco Community room on Friday 11th May at 7.30pm.
Performance dates are Wednesday 10th to Saturday 13th October
Characters:
Ernest: A birdlike, bumbling man of about 60. Husband of Delia, father of Trevor.
Delia: A well preserved, talkative woman of about 60. Wife of Ernest, mother of Trevor.
Trevor: A self-obsessed, not too intelligent man who drives other men crazy but who women can find charming and funny. He can be in his mid to late 20’s – 30’s. Husband to Susannah, son of Ernest and Delia, ex-boyfriend of Jan.
Susannah: Also in her 20’s or 30’s, Susannah is Trevor’s (also self-obsessed) wife. She is slightly unbalanced and volatile.
Jan: Wife to Nick, ex-girlfriend of Trevor. Is happy with Nick, as theirs is a marriage of equal minds, but holds a lingering fascination with Trevor. Jan and Nick have a “point scoring” kind of relationship full of put downs and gentle insults, but ultimately it works for them. Also can be in her 20’s – 30’s.
Nick: Jan’s husband who spends the play complaining, as he in bed with an injured back. Insult is added to injury when Jan kisses Trevor at a party that Nick cannot attend. Also in his 20’s – 30’s.
Kate: Malcolm’s wife and hostess of the housewarming party taking place. A kind soul that offers Trevor a place to stay even when he ruins the party with an epic fight he has with Susannah. Also can be in her 20’s – 30’s.
Malcolm: Kate’s husband. Upset with Trevor for ruining his housewarming party, he vents his frustrations by spending the night putting together furniture. Kate and Malcolm have a lively relationship and are always playing pranks on each other. Also in his 20’s – 30’s.
This moving drama takes to the stage next week from Wednesday 25th to Saturday 28th April at The Arc Theatre. Move in is on Sunday 22nd April from 9am at The Arc.
Saturday 24th March 2018: With a fantastic effort from 15 or so members, ex-members and associates we completed our transfer from the Glove Factory in Holt to our new temporary home at a unit in Steeple Ashton. Having filled up two skips worth we transfered the remaining chairs, tables, flats and a piano to our new store. We will look to have a working party at some time in the near future to have a tidy up there as there is still quite a mess to clear in some of the other rooms before we can make the most of the space.
