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SOUTHWICK

PLAYERS

COMMUNITY THEATRE SINCE 1935

production photography by Miles Davies www.milesdaviessite.com

Upcoming Productions | Our next shows & booking information

Click here for all online bookings, or call the box office on 01273 597094

Lettice And Lovage

By Peter Shaffer
directed by Nettie Sheridan and Susanne Crosby

April 15-18 2015

 

Description:
The theatrical Lettice Douffet is tour guide at Fustian House, potentially the dullest stately home in England. Acutely aware that all the visitors are thoroughly bored by the experience, Lettice decides to spice up the property’s history. As her imaginative tales begin to enthrall and entertain the tourists she is inspired to embellish ever more wildly, eventually drawing the attention of her prim boss, Lotte Schoen with interesting consequences!

Peter Shaffers’ comedy, Lettice and Lovage is a warm, engaging tale of friendship in the unlikeliest of places.

 

Casting is now finalised:


Lettice Douffet - Teresa Carlile

Lotte Schoen - Debbie Creissen

Mr Bardolph /tourist -Steve Darvill

Miss Framer / tourist- Phoebe Cook

Surly Man Tourist - David Aitchison

Tourist - Nigel Bubloz

Tourist -Sally Diver

Tourist - Andrew Wesby

 

Click to Book Now

A Midsummer Night's Dream

By William Shakespeare

directed by Harry Atkinson

22-25 July 2015

 

Description:

Four lovers, Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena run away from the oppressive laws of Athens into an enchanted wood ruled over by Oberon, the Fairy King. Oberon and his Queen Titania are in the middle of a quarrel so all is not well in the wood. The four lovers are squabbling amongst themselves and Oberon orders Puck to help untangle the mess, which is a mistake, because Puck simply makes matters worse.

Meanwhile, a group of workmen also repair to the wood to rehearse a play designed to celebrate the wedding of Duke Thesius to Queen Hyppolita.They too become mixed up in the general melee.

The play can best be described as a romantic comedy, full of confusions, misunderstandings, lovers’ quarrels, fairy tricks and magic potions, but which ends happily with three marriages and great celebrations.

A Midsummer Night's Dream has been loved by audiences for centuries and is one of Shakespeare's most performed plays.

We bring it to you in a 1920s setting because this era provides the perfect vehicle for its exuberance, its zany humour, and its larger than life characters.

Southwick Players are pleased to bring this Elizabethan faery tale to the stage.

 

Show Meeting & Audition Details available soon.

About | Based at the beautiful Barn Theatre

The Southwick Players: Registered Charity No. 227937

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We aim to

Produce a varied programme of 5 plays each year, with a varied repertoire ranging from contemporary productions, classic plays, musicals, pantomimes, comedy evenings and more

Our heritage

Established in 1935, the Southwick Players have a rich and award-winning history in amateur theatre in the area. The range of productions we have put on over the years is second to none, and we are looking to continue and enlarge on our enviable reputation for quality. You can peruse our past productions here

We are always looking for

Enthusiastic new members from the Southwick, Hove, Worthing and Brighton area.

And not just actors! We are always looking to expand out backstage team, and offer opportunities at all levels for training and mentoring in lighting, stage management, direction, sound and everything else associated with putting on a show...

Our History

'Emergency Exit’ was the Players’ first production in March 1936, written by Gordon Brice-White. Gordon was a member of the Sussex Playwrights Club, with which the Players had strong links at the time. ‘Emergency Exit’ was performed over 2 nights at Southwick & Shoreham Senior Girls School.  Among the cast was Gordon’s sister Venetia, who later married another cast member, George Baker, with the couple continuing life long membership of the Players.  Also in the cast incidentally was George’s brother Stanley, who after the War was the main driving force behind the setting up of Southwick Community Association.  In 1945, Southwick was one of the very first Community Centres to be set up in the country, and Stanley Baker MBE remained at the helm as Hon. Sec until his retirement in the 1990’s.

 

On Friday, 25th July 1935 a meeting, under the chairmanship of Charles Walker, was held at Southwick Town Hall.  As a result of this meeting Southwick Amateur Players came into being.  At the meeting it was asked if the Players would have their own theatre, and Mr Walker replied that “I hope that Southwick will be able to provide a ‘barn’ as a permanent home”.

 

The following Thursday a meeting was held to discuss preliminaries at the Barn, Southwick Green.  This is the flint building, now converted to houses, immediately north of King Charles cottage on the west side of the Green.  That is where the Barn Theatre was earmarked to be, until the intervention of the War. The Players’ first officers were elected at another meeting a week later.

 

Following ‘Emergency Exit’, regular Southwick Players productions took place in a number of halls in the area. In the autumn of 1936 4 One Act Plays were presented.  These were ‘The Colour Question’, ‘Tennis Party’; ‘Rizzio’s Boots’ and ‘The Gardener’.  The latter was entered into the British Drama League Festival and received the award for best play written & performed.

 

In October 1937 the company staged ‘Young Soldiers’, again written by Gordon Brice-White.  However, owing to the nature and tone of the piece Mr Kenneth Loader, the President, resigned in objection to the production.  ‘Young Soldiers’ though, was well received by audiences and gained 2nd place in the Sussex Rural Drama Festival.

 

There followed another series of One Acts in 1938 but then came the War, and the Players, like the majority of drama companies, closed down.  This remained so until the company was reformed on 1st Feb 1946.

Contact Us | There are many ways to get in touch

  • Contacting Southwick Players

    For General Enquiries, or to contact Committee Members other than Membership or Publicity, please email info@southwickplayers.org.uk or use the contact form above.

  • Southwick Players Committee Members

    Committee Members 2014-2015
    Nigel Bubloz - President

    Ian Churchill - Vice-President

    Ron Common - Artistic Liaison

    Simon Armes - Accounts

    Nettie Sheridan - Membership Secretary

    Anita Jones - Secretary

    Gary Cook - Publicity

    Mandy Reeves - Minutes Secretary

    Martin Oakley - Technical

    Sue Gullen - Social

  • Contacting Southwick Players - Membership

    For membership enquiries, please contact Nettie Sheridan (Membership Secretary) by emailing membership@southwickplayers.org.uk

  • Contacting Southwick Players - Publicity

    For enquiries relating to publicity (or helping with publicity!), press or sponsorship, please contact Gary Cook (Publicity Officer) by emailing publicity@southwickplayers.org.uk

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The Southwick Players: Registered Charity No. 227937

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