Home Free Christmas Party

It was with great pleasure that I was invited to report on Tollesbury Amateur Players after a three year absence.  This friendly, village society, has had numerous problems over the recent past but have now fully surmounted them. Last night they gave the full house a really excellent night’s entertainment.

This group showed that hard work and commitment from cast & crew really paid off, as it seemed if the whole village where supporting them. I met with Director Joanne Smith, who was one of the authors of the production, during the interval and after the show.  The pride she showed for the entire group was obvious and I now hope they will once again thrive.

For this opening show, Joanne wrote a half an hour sketch, setting it in a retirement home. This very funny, clever sketch used a very talented mature cast, who were all word perfect and with projection crystal clear. Here we had five elderly residents going off in tangents to each sentence that was uttered. Edith (Allison Taylor) with her wonderful continual line of ‘ I can smell smoke!’, Gladys (Jackie Quilter) with her knitting, Keith (Paul Galbraith) being naughty with the washing up liquid, plus Arthur and Jim (Jonathan Salmon and Richard Maxwell) having great fun swapping Christmas presents. All five were super and gave great characterisation to their roles.

Also involved were Peter, the Manager (Ian Clark) and the Nurse (Alison Murray) who tried to keep all five from getting up to mischief.  Throw in a grumpy Caretaker (John Dorsett) and you have a good mixture of cast to make this half hour sketch a good fun opener to the evening.

To keep continuity to the evening the young TAP youth were brought in to sing to the residents. Now down to just five they sung carols and Christmas songs to the delight of the audience. After the interval they were given the chance to do a small sketch called Santa’s Cookie Problem. This was a charming piece with Father Christmas concerned he would not get into his suit and one naughty little elf changing it constantly to a smaller one.  The children, one as young as seven, gave confident performances and it was so good to see TAP back on stage.  Well done to Tori Mullenger, Jazmin Spooner, Hayleigh-Sue Inwood, Grace Johnston, Lilly-Anne Mullenger and Narrator Nicki Tofts who is one of the TAP leaders.

Following this the residents were treated to a half hour potted and slightly adult version of Cinderella by another of the group’s members, John Dorsett.  Narrated by him from the floor with various signs to get the audience and residents booing and cheering this worked incredibly well.  Welcomed by a very confident, pretty Cinderella (Vanya Punchyard) who I was told had just come to help out with no thoughts of acting; she bloomed on stage with a lovely smile and good projection. Her dress at the end was gorgeous. Her sidekick called Zips (not Zits!) played by Paul Galbraith made this a good team.

This time no fairy godmother but A Fairy Godfather or Super Fairy in Superman costume (Richard Maxwell).  With the Coach being a sports coach (Alison Murray)  in sparkly tracksuit, this was a very clever idea. The Prince (Gillian Summers) was suitably attired and regal.

The two stars of the show were definitely the Ugly Sisters – Jonathan Salmon and Nick Summers. Coming on with bright over the top costumes and wigs they ruled the stage and brought the audience to tears with their dialogue and antics. This was a show that was very tongue in cheek!

Looking at the programme, I saw a huge list of names of people who had helped behind the scenes. I learnt from Joanne, that as this venue is usually a church they have to erect the stage and put up the flats in just one day. Painting and dressing it and then taking it down in just three hours before the church service on the Sunday. This shows just what a supportive collaboration of local people there is, who value this local entertainment and are there to give their time for this group.

The set was superb, with book cases on flats, Christmas decorations and tree, and a feel of it being in a care home. All the cast were in Christmas jumpers for the care home scene with the other sketches having excellent costumes, make up  and wigs. The lighting and sound were fine and I loved the Ugly Sisters song, ‘Hit me with your Evo Stick’ which they got the audience to sing.

What a really enjoyable evening for everyone. I am so glad you invited me to come and if ever NODA can help you, we are always there for you. Congratulations to all.

 

Christine Davidson NODA East District 8

 

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