An Isle of Wight Actor, Director, and Producer has returned to the Island with an all-new ‘outstanding show’ – which is set to take Ventnor Fringe by storm.
Graham Pountney is thrilled to bring this new work to the Island directly from Brighton with rave reviews. Described as a ‘superb play’ by Simon Jenner of the Fringe Review, this series of 3 linked plays offers fun, laughs, whimsy, pathos, and intrigue in 3 30 minute acts.
Time has a habit of taking its revenge… and having the last laugh. 2 men, 2 women. And a few closely guarded secrets. Relationships can be a delicate balance of hope, desire, memory, regret and much more besides. It’s never too late for change, though – or is it?
The professional theatre company is set to perform the 3 short plays, Weatherman, Still Dancers, and An Occasional Cup of Tea together under the umbrella name After All These Years – alternatively, the shows can be watched in pairs.
As a sailor, Graham says he is delighted that lead actor Nicholas Day (The Crown, RSC, ) whom he first worked with in 1988 as founding members of the British Actors Theatre Company is part of the company.
Nick is also Commodore of the Greenwich Yacht Club, he says:
“It’s a bit far to sail from Greenwich to Cowes for this show – but I have done the Round the Island race before!”
Another cast member, Cath Humphrys, says:
“I can’t wait to come back; we had such a lovely time when Graham toured the Alan Bennett play Green Forms to Quay Arts!”
Reviews of the show include that of Broadway Baby, which claims that these plays afford opportunities for exclusively older actors to display their talents and experience – for that, if for no other reason, a trip down memory lane is worth considering.
The show is set to take place between Monday 26th and Thursday 29th July 2021 at the Ventnor Fringe Festival and stars a well-practiced cast:
Nicholas Day as Alfred:
Nick has had a pretty full and varied career, starting in repertory over fifty years ago and fulfilling his dreams of working at the National Theatre and the RSC.
Highlights with the RSC include Cardenio, The City Madam, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Marat/Sade, Dido Queen of Carthage, and the acclaimed stage versions of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies, which were seen both in the West End and on Broadway.
Other highlights in his career have been Dealer’s Choice for the National Theatre, The Iceman Cometh with Kevin Spacey and, more recently, The Wild Duck at the Almeida.
On television, Nick appeared in two series of Minder, Poirot, Foyle’s War, Midsomer Murders, Brexit: The Uncivil War, and was thrilled to be in the latest series of The Crown. Films include The Wolfman, Amazing Grace, The Golden Bowl.
Judy Clifton as Marianne:
Hilary‘s acting credits include the RSC, the West End, Broadway, and as a founder member of Deborah Warner’s award-winning Kick Theatre. She has worked in TV and radio and has been a presenter for London’s LBC Radio (Drivetime slot).
She worked with The Noontide Sun to produce The Double Bass in London. In 2017 she produced, with Stephen Graham and Close Quarter Productions, the critically acclaimed Venus and Adonis at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and its subsequent run at the The Rose Playhouse, London.
In 2019, Hilary and Stephen Graham produced Wireless Operator which took the Edinburgh Fringe by storm and was selected to be part of Festival showcase seasons at both The Pleasance, London, and Park Theatre, London. Stephen Graham and Hilary Townley Productions are taking Jeremy Sassoon’s MOJO to this year’s Edinburgh Festival.
Catharine Humphrys as Joan:
Catharine’s stage appearances include Little Women, Way Upstream, Talking Heads, and Austen’s Artifice; pre-Covid roles in 2020 include understudying Miss Marple and Dora Bunner in a UK No.1 tour of Agatha Christie’s A Murder Is Announced, and Sylvia Pankhurst in The Independent Miss Craigie, a film coming to BFI in 2021.
Online roles in 2021 include Mrs Hawthorn in Hindle Wakes, Heather in Christmas Shopping, and Marilyn in Father’s Day.
In 2017 she appeared in an Alan Bennett double bill for Theatre Reviva! On TV she has been seen in The Strangers, Survive The Night, Bao Bao and Nation Down.
Graham Pountney (Director) as Charlie:
Graham is an actor, director, producer, and communications skills coach. His career has encompassed Rep theatre in the UK and International touring, working with the Royal National Theatre and in London’s West End.
He founded the British Actors Theatre Company in the late 1980s with Kate O’Mara and was a founder and director of The Original Shakespeare Company in the 1990s performing before Her Majesty the Queen in the opening ceremony of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
He has been creating, producing, and directing plays, films, workshops, radio programmes, and fundraising ‘edutainments’ for many years and continues to work as an actor with credits in popular TV series (e.g. Howards Way, Life Begins, New Tricks, Hustle).
In 2014 he founded the Surrey Hills Community Radio station, based in Leatherhead; He has recently established his own theatre company, Theatre Reviva! in 2017.
Performance Dates:
This series of performances is set to take place at the Ventnor Fringe Festival between the 26th and 29th July.
- Mon 26 July @ 16:00 Weatherman / Still Dancers
- Tues 27 July @ 16:00 Still Dancers / An Occasional Cup of Tea
- Wed 28 July @ 16:00 Weatherman / Still Dancers
- Thurs 29 July @ 16:00 Weatherman / Still Dancers / An Occasional Cup of Tea
Tickets cost £12. Find more information on booking tickets here.
