^
SOUTHWICK
PLAYERS
COMMUNITY THEATRE SINCE 1935
production photography by Miles Davies www.milesdaviessite.com
Click here for all online bookings, or call the box office on 01273 597094
Upcoming Productions | Our next shows & booking information
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 and rehearsals are underway: -
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
Felina, Queen of Sorrows - Mittens
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:
Show Meeting: Thursday 26th March
Auditions : Sunday 26th and Wednesday 29th April
Show Information pack - email : show.pack@southwickplayers.org.uk
Be My Baby
By Amanda Whittington
directed by Sally Diver
23-26 September 2015
Description:
England, 1964. Mary is 17, single and seven months pregnant. Bundled off to St. Saviour's, a Church-run mother and baby home, her concerned mother has arranged for Mary's baby to be adopted as soon as it is born. The girls in the home find comfort in each other's friendship, but ultimately they must face their individual tragedies alone.
Set to the uplifting sounds of sixties girl-group pop, "Be My Baby" follows Mary and her fellow inmates as they cling to fantasies of romance and marriage but instead are drawn inexorably towards outraged, powerless adulthood.
Show meeting and audition details to be announced soon.
About | Based at the beautiful Barn Theatre
The Southwick Players: Registered Charity No. 227937
"... the pitch perfect setting
of The Barn Theatre...
The cast are
breathtaking
... Southwick Triumph"
Louise Schweitzer
Evening Argus on
"Far From The Madding Crowd"
Best Overall Show
Best Director
Best Costumes
Best Set Design
Best Publicity
- Brighton & Hove Arts Council Drama Awards 2014
1
2
3
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 - PresidentIan Churchill - Vice-President
Ron Common - Artistic Liaison
Simon Armes - Treasurer
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
80 Years of Local Theatre
Southwick Players are offering free seats at their shows this year to octogenarians as part of their 80th Anniversary Celebrations. You may already know that Southwick Players was established in 1935 and over the years has built a reputation for producing first-class productions with a varied programme each year. Our repertoire ranges from contemporary pieces, classic plays, musicals, pantomimes and comedy evenings.
Ten pairs of complimentary seats will be released for anyone (you don't have to be a member) aged 80 years or over to attend matinée performances of our shows from April through to December 2015. Only one of each pair of seats needs to be used by an 80+ year old - the other can be for someone of any age to accompany them.
Our president, Nigel Bubloz, explained: "We wanted to do something to celebrate our 80th anniversary and also thank people living in the area who continue to support our performances. We hope these tickets will be taken up both by people who regularly support our shows and also by those who might be new to enjoying the theatre experience".
The Barn Box Office (01273 597094) is currently taking requests by telephone or personal visit for the complimentary seats for the matinée performance of our next production, Lettice & Lovage, an hilarious comedy of manners, history and architecture, written by Sir Peter Shaffer. The matinée performance starts at 2:30pm on April 18th, but do be sure to book your complimentary tickets before April 11th, as they will be released for public sale after that date. Anyone taking up the offer will be welcomed by a member of the organising committee and will receive a complimentary programme.
Complimentary tickets for other shows this year will be available six weeks before each performance.
News | social and other news
follow us on twitter or like our page on facebook to keep up to date with our latest news
< Our youtube channel offers trailers and behind the scenes glimpses
The Southwick Players: Registered Charity No. 227937
Website sponsored by Harcourt Accountancy, design by www.id-Brighton.co.uk
