Garforth Amateur Dramatics Society announce next production

Garforth Amateur Dramatics Society’s next production will be ‘An Evening One-Act Comedies’.
It will run for three nights from Wednesday 20th to Friday 22nd November 2013, commencing at 7:30PM at the Garforth Miners Welfare Hall.
There will be 3 separate play-lets – 'Blind Date' and 'The Holiday' – from 'Duets by Peter Quilter plus 'Split Ends' by Frank Vickery.
In addition there will be a brief presentation about GADS, plus a 'comic address' at the end of the second interval.
There will be a raffle during the first interval between the 2 'Duet' playlets and then a longer tea interval before 'Split Ends'.
Our licenced bar, serving beer, wine and soft drinks will be open from 6:45PM to curtain up and also during both intervals.
Tickets are available from any GADS member or on the door at the prices of £6.50 for Adults or £5.50 for Concessions.
Doors open at 6:45PM.
Tickets will also be available from Garforth Library from November 1st.

Review: Garforth Amateur Dramatic Society's Natural Causes

Pictured: the cast and director of Natural Causes

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Ever had a brush with death?

All the characters in Garforth Amateur Dramatic Society’s magnificent production of Natural Causes can say they have.

Eventually one did succumb to the cyanide that bumbling professional suicide merchant Vincent (both first and last name) had spent an hour-and-half trying to use on someone.

Arriving at the home of Walter Bryce (David Battersby) and his wife Celia (Lynda McCraight), Vincent (Mike Osborne) wrongly assumes he is there to poison Walter.

Vincent realises at the last second that the intended victim is Celia – resulting in the demise of a pot plant. Vincent then mistakes Walter’s secretary Angie (Kristen Limbert) for Celia and she is only saved by Walter’s reappearance.

Humour is prominent throughout and Osborne’s performance is delightful as he grows frustrated at the changing situation and not being able to administer the poison.

Martyn Drake also deserves a mention for his comical role as Withers the anxious Samaritan who tries to stop Vincent in his tracks, but ultimately fails.

The society deserves huge credit for a wonderful production. The cast were on top form and they were backed up by a fantastic set, which drew claps from the audience once as the curtain went up.

More information on the society can be found at http://www.garforthamdram.co.uk/



Shocks in store as 'Ghosts' comes to Adel

From L to R: Regina (Helen Duce), Engstrand (David Pritchard), Oswald (Chris Andrews), Mrs Alving (Dianne Newby), Pastor Manders (Rob Colbeck)

What is a woman to do? Seek love and self-fulfilment by abandoning a rotten husband, or obey society’s rules and devote herself to her family?

Mrs Alving, in Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama, follows the call of duty only to find the cost in human terms is cruelly high.

Poignant, laughable and very moving, ‘Ghosts’ touches nerves that are as sensitive today as they were a century ago.

'Ghosts' is performed at the Adel War Memorial Hall, LS16 8DE, from Wednesday 24 to Saturday 27 April (7.30pm).

Ibsen's masterpiece attacking the rigid social conventions of the time is the third and final play in Adel Players' 2012-13 season.

Alan Ayckbourn's 'Bedroom Farce' sold out its four-night run in January, while the October production of Arthur Miller's 'All My Sons' was described as "superb" by amateur theatre magazine Sardines.

Tickets for 'Ghosts' cost £7 and bookings can be made on (0113) 275 5585, or via the website at www.adel-players.org.uk.



Garforth Amateur Dramatics' production of Natural Causes preview

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Come and see judge whether it’s funny for yourself – that is the message from Garforth Amateur Dramatics Society for those thinking of coming to see their upcoming play Natural Causes.

Written by Eric Chappell, Natural Causes sees Vincent (Mike Osbourne), a professional suicide merchant, hired for his services by Walter (David Battersby).

Walter is in an unhappy marriage with Celia (Lynda McCraight) and at first, it is clear that Vincent’s ‘target’ is Celia.

However, confusion then reigns over who the client actually is and as director Erica Nicholls (pictured right) says, “there is a mix-up about who actually needs to take the poison so there are several times when the poison gets put into the wrong person’s glass”.

Natural Causes, a black comedy, follows on from last year’s production of Out of Focus and Erica claims the Society wanted an alternative type of play in 2013 and says they are looking forward to hearing the audience’s reaction to the jokes.

“How much humour there is difficult for me to say because when you have been rehearsing it week after week as we do, you get to the point where the jokes aren’t funny anymore and you need someone else to hear them,” she said.

“When we first read it, we laughed. So that is the best I can say at the moment. (When we choose a play) we sit down as a society and read as many plays as we can. We do two plays a year, but we have a quiet time during the summer and during that time we meet every week to read.

“(We chose this one) because of the difference to it. It isn’t a farce, it isn’t overtly hilarious, which the last one that we did was a very funny play. (Natural Causes) had something different to it that we liked.

“It has a bit of atmosphere and we could also cast it. We needed a play with a smallish cast with more men in it than women and from the ones we read, this is the one we chose.”

Natural Causes also stars Martyn Drake as Withers and local girl Kristen Limbert as Angie and Society chairman Mike Nicholls (pictured left) claims Kristen has made a major impact on ticket sales.

He said: “Ticket sales for this play are going fairly well mainly because we have a new member in Kristen who is at Garforth Academy.

“She has sold a lot of tickets. She has got all her classmates coming and has also got quite a few of her tutors coming as well. Her mother works at Ninelands Primary School and she has some staff coming.

“Hopefully we are going to get quite a lot through her because sometimes we do suffer as we are a small cast. You generally find that the people who are in the play sell the most tickets as their friends want to come and see them in the play.”

Natural Causes runs from Wednesday 24^th April to Saturday 27^th April at 7.30pm at the Garforth Miners Welfare Hall.

Tickets cost £6 and £5 for concessions and there will be a bar available.

Tickets can be bought from Garforth Book Shop and the society can be contacted on info@garforthamdram.co.uk

Adel Players hope Ghosts will be a success

By James Grayson (Twitter - @jamesAgrayson)

Adel Players will continue their tradition of “challenging” productions when Henrik Ibsen's classic play Ghosts premiers at the end of April.

Following on from the success of Bedroom Farce in January, chairman Dianne Newby, who plays the lead role of Mrs Alving, admits the amateur dramatic group try to push themselves.

And Ghosts represents a difficult play to produce, according to Dianne.

“It’s a challenging play in terms of setting, theme and language,” she said.

“It is an adventurous play, but it’s a classic and we tend to do challenging plays as we have done plays likes The Lady in the Van and Taking Sides.

“It’s a play which is serious, but it does have comedy within and a lot of the issues in it are very valid today.

“It was written in 1881 and it caused a furore when it was first staged.

“All I would say is come and see it if you have never seen it before.”

Ghosts revolves around untold family truths and Mrs Alving’s decision to send her son Oswald (Chris Andrews) abroad and without giving too much away, Dianne gave an overview of the play.  

“It’s about family values and a woman who sends her son away to Paris and away from the family environment,” she said.

“When he comes back, she the decision made comes back to haunt her.

“She realises what she has done to her son, in the best intentions, may have been a mistake.”

Directed by Beth Duce, Ghosts runs from Wednesday 24 to Saturday 27 April at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £7 and can be booked by email at tickets@adel-players.org.uk.

Review: La Cage Aux Folles

By James Grayson (Twitter - @jamesAgrayson)

Wanting to raise the bar was the reason behind why Yeadon Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society’s chose La Cage Aux Folles as their spring production. A brave move, some would say, based on the tools needed like sets, costumes and male dancers. But the decision has been a masterstroke as YAODS have produced a fabulous musical.

Colourful, humorous, mixed with fine acting and memorable musical numbers, such as Gloria Gaynor’s What Are What We Are, La Cage will live long in the memory for years to come. While the two main stars deserve the plaudits, there were superb performances from the whole cast and crew.

The chemistry of the leading men Georges (David Kirk) and Albin/ZaZa (Andrew Walton) ensure that La Cage’s star shines brightly throughout the production.

Kirk, who enjoyed a fantastic stage presence, is magnificent. His never-wavering smile and facial expressions light up the stage and the audience enjoy watching him perform. Walton, who has the harder task of dressing up in drag, is equal to him. Walton, who admitted it was his hardest role yet, is ZaZa, a world-renowned and temperamental drag artist.

The story is easy to follow. Gay couple Georges and Albin are enjoying life running their famous drag club, until Georges’ son Jean-Michel (Rob Durkin) announces his engagement to the daughter (Emma Fearnley) of a far-right politician. Albin is initially told he will have to be ‘uncle Al’ and ‘play it straight’ for when fiancée’s parents come for tea as Jean-Michel’s real mother will be there. In one of the most memorable scenes, Georges tries to teach Albin how to be a straight man and act like John Wayne.

All is going well until Jean-Michel’s mother fails to show which Albin forcing back into the role of ZaZa and become mother. And this is when the comedy reaches boiling point as Georges and Albin try, but fail to act normal towards Dindon (Garth Rookes), who soon sees through them, leading to a hilarious finale.

Alongside Walton and Kirk, the butler Jacob (Greg Silverwood) enjoys the limelight with a marvellous performance as Albin’s faithful ‘maid’. Jacob has his fair share of one-liners and the audience love his role.  

While the main actors take credit, praise should be reserved for the dancers, orchestra and backstage crew who ensured the difficult production went without a hitch. YAODS knew it would be tough, but La Cage has been a huge all-round success.   

Yeadon audiences have been given a treat and La Cage will be a hard act to follow next year when Me and My Girl will be performed at Yeadon Town Hall.

The bar has been set.

Theatre Review - God's Official - Harrogate Studio Theatre

By James Grayson (Twitter - @jamesAgrayson)

Don’t kidnap a football referee after a bad decision as they never change their minds. That’s what Degsy (Keith Hukin) and Cliff (Matthew Booth) found out during the botched kidnap of referee Greaves (Stephen Crane) in the excellent God's Official.

Inside the small and cosy Harrogate Studio Theatre, the audience are gripped as Degsy and Cliff struggle to cope with Greaves, who they discover is annoying off-the-pitch as well as on it. There are non-stop laughs throughout the Reform Theatre Company production and Cliff and ringleader Degsy’s description of the ‘goal that was not goal’ gets the play off to a fine start. You almost feel that you are there inside a stadium watching the game.

The decision to kidnap Greaves and make him replay the game comes after Cliff and Degsy’s team are relegated following a controversially disallowed goal. Degsy decides to take matters into his own hands and goes round to the referee’s house (after finding his address in the phone book) and take him hostage. The humour comes out as Greaves describes his kidnapping. He nearly escaped, but forget he had recently had an inside door fitted and knocked himself out on it as he tried to get away, which gets the audience laughing.

Degsy makes Greaves relieve the disallowed goal hundreds of times in an effort to persuade him that it should have been allowed as Cliff stands watching and wishing he wasn’t there. Cliff, who did not want to be involved, tries to walk away on several occasions. But he still ends up driving Degsy and Greaves to a different location in his van, which has his phone number on the side.

The change in place allows Greaves a second escape attempt, but this time he is halted by hilariously halted after sliding on some dog poo. He is then taken to the church for the finale.  

And even as the play looks set to end on a sad note, the play is pulled back from tragedy and ends on a humorous note as Degsy faces up to his crime.

While there are serious moments, God’s Official is a laugh-out comed and for any football fan, it is a must-see. However, there is a disclaimer: don’t follow Degsy and Cliff’s lead if a referee makes a bad decision during your team’s match.

God’s Official runs at Harrogate Studio Theatre until March 16^th.

Northern Ballet's The Great Gatsby Thrills Audiences

By James Grayson (Twitter - @jamesAgrayson)

Jazzy and stylish, Northern Ballet’s production of The Great Gatsby is unforgettable. Whether you have been to Ballet before or not, you will love it.

It does have its negatives, but on the whole, The Great Gatsby is marvellous. Such as a production like this – something that has never been done before – was always going to be difficult, but the mysteriousness of Gatsby (Tobias Batley) is well portrayed. His opening appearance as a figure with his back-turned to the audience creates the sense of mystery.

The Great Gatsby also has spontaneity. An outbreak of the song When the Midnight Choo Choo in the Myrtle’s Apartment is a pleasant surprise and engages the audiences during a fast-paced Act One. Act Two does not match the pace of the first, but does really spring into life during the final 15 minutes as the audience is gripped by the finale.

However, to understand the performance, the audience needs to have at least a basic overview of the story. Because it is Ballet, it is not easy to work out which characters are which and who is in love with who? It is difficult to work out how Myrtle and George Wilson fit into the story unless you have prior knowledge.  

How Gatsby made his money is told, but it is not obvious. Although the mystery men in long coats is a nice touch and does underline that Gatsby has a shady background. Why he is in love with Daisy (Martha Leebolt) cannot be explained in Ballet so adds another down point. Despite this, you grow to love Gatsby as he finds redemption and makes a real friend in Nick (Giuliano Contadini). And you feel the pain as the performance ends in tragedy.

But forgetting the few negatives, The Great Gatsby was fun and engaging. While certain things are unclear, the story is told well. But you have to have prior knowledge. The music is memorable and jazzy and the sets are magnificent and make you feel like you there. It is a production you would go and see again.   

The Great Gatsby runs until Saturday 9^th March at The Leeds Grand.

La Cage Aux Folles All Set for Yeadon Premiere

By James Grayson (Twitter - @jamesAgrayson)

They have pushed the boat out this year so Yeadon Amateur & Dramatic Operatic Society are hoping the local community turns up in force to see La Cage Aux Folles.

Led by new director Jonathan Tate, David Kirk stars as Georges, while Andrew Walton plays Albin who doubles up as drag queen ZaZa.

However, the society has taken a risk by deciding to pick La Cage as their spring musical in a bid to attract new followers.

La Cage is rarely performed by local amateur dramatic societies and secretary Linda Marshall explained why: “La Cage is a fabulous show that isn’t performed often and you hope it attracts new audiences.

“It is difficult to costume and difficult to find the right cast members, but you have to set yourself the challenge and that is what we have done by choosing La Cage.

“This year we have a new production team, musical, director and choreographer and we were looking for something that isn’t done often to introduce these new people to Yeadon audiences.”

La Cage revolves around the lives of gay couple Georges and Albin who are happily running a drag club until Georges’ son announces his engagement to a controversial right-wing politician.

Georges and Albin then have to meet their son’s fiancée’s parents, but their attempts to ‘play it straight’ descend into a farce.

Andrew (pictured above), who has previously performed in La Cage before, believes audiences will find the musical amusing.

Andrew, while doubling up as a Job Centre Business Manager for the Department of Work and Pensions, has starred in productions for a number of societies including the Ilkley Amateur Operatic Society.

He has appeared as Billy in Carousel, Bobby Child in Crazy for You and Roger De Bris in The Producers and Andrew says the role of Albin is the most challenging of his acting career.

“At the start of one of the songs, I start off as a man and get dressed throughout the song into a woman,” he said.

“You’re putting on the make-up, putting the dress on, the wig on, the shoes throughout the song. That is quite frightening at times to think that everything has to go in the right order because by the end of the song, I need to be there as ZaZa.

“It is daunting and it is my hardest role because I have to be something completely different.”

The musical contains a number of familiar songs including Gloria Gaynor’s hit I am What I am and Andrew insists people will enjoy La Cage.

He said: “Anyone who comes will find it entertaining. There is some very dialogue throughout the production and there are some fabulous songs in it.

“There are a lot of songs that everyone will know and the song I am What I am that was made famous by Gloria Gaynor in the 80s was actually written for this production.

“There’s a song called The Best of Times which a lot of people will know. There are all these songs out there that people don’t realise that they actually originated from a musical into mainstream pop songs.”

La Cage begins at Yeadon Town Hall on Tuesday 12 March and runs through until Saturday 16 March.

Tickets cost £12 in the stalls (£11 concessions) and £14 in the balcony (£13 concessions).



Otello, The Opera - A Sports Journalist's View

‘You’re a sports journalist, why are you going to opera?’ That was probably a question that many of Twitter followers were thinking on Thursday night. Everyone who knows me that I am football-mad from a supporter and journalist point of view. Apparently I have a reputation for knowing in-depth facts from who has a groin strain to who has a dodgy knee.

Not many people are aware that I do enjoy a trip to theatre, although I don’t get chance to go that often. I did go and see Oliver a few months ago with my friend which I thought was a marvellous production. So when my tutor at Leeds Trinity walked in the room and waved tickets to Otello at the Leeds Grand around, I immediately jumped on his back and put my name for one.

Now the main problem was that I had never been to opera before. I had my own preconceptions, people of the older generation dressed in black tie – all the stereotypes. Even my dad said when I told that I was said, ‘well you better get your suit out’. On the morning of the trip, he even told me that I couldn’t go to the opera with shoes looking like they were. This was before he wasted valuable minutes cleaning them. I don’t think during my time at the opera that anyone even looked at my shoes. So I can assure people that you can go to the opera in your normal clothes.

However, I did have concerns of my own. I wasn’t sure whether I would understand it and I must admit I was a little bit nervous. But myself and those given backstage tours were put at ease by the set manager and David Kempster, the villainous Iago in the opera, who explained details about the play.

For a first time opera goer, Otello is a fantastic performance to go see. It is easy to understand (there are even English titles in the corner of the theatre). Love and jealousy are the central themes from the start. Iago is jealous of the young captain Cassio and believes he should hold the position. Otello is jealous of Cassio as he believes that the captain is having an affair with his wife Desdemona.

Although I cannot compare the performance to other operas, I really enjoyed Otello. You have to also appreciate the talent of the performers. In sport, surprisingly I admire Rugby League players more than footballers. Rugby League players put their bodies on the line each week and must walk away from matches so heavily battered and bruised. Operatic singers have to really work their bodies to be able to belt out such wonderful tones. Opera stars even have special individual warm-ups and cannot perform every day because their voices need a rest.

The work and commitment is fantastic and something that should cherished and loved by the younger generation as well as the older one. Most of the audience were 60+ and that is a crying shame. Opera and theatre organisations need to look at attracting younger faces. Myself and one of my Leeds Trinity colleagues were receiving funny looks as we took our seats and that was probably because of our ages. Twenty-two year-olds at the opera is in all likelihood a rare occurrence. So I think age of the audience is a big issue for opera companies.

However, my message to those who have never been to opera is: give it a try.

I’m also sending a brief note to my tutor – when is the next one?

Although this doesn’t mean that I will stop knowing which player needed an injection in his toe 15 minutes before kick-off to be able to play!