Everything from Shakespeare to Whittington – a delightful mix of attractions awaits Island theatre-goers this month, and our columnist Maureen is here with the latest news from the scene and a sneak peek into what to expect!
As theatres have opened across the Island, and Ventnor Fringe returned with a bang, the words of Statler and Waldorf, the grumpy old Muppet men, in A Muppet’s Christmas Carol have resonated with me: ‘It’s good to be heckling again…..’, ‘It’s good to be doing anything again!’. I think all Island actors will know what I mean.
Bembridge Little Theatre Club
Talking of Christmas – oh yes we were – Bembridge Little Theatre Club is about to stage a pantomime… in August! Well, what with the December lockdown preventing Yuletide festivities, many families have chosen to get together this summer for delayed celebrations. Some shops are even stocking up on mince pies and Christmas trees, so what better to capture the madness than a pantomime set at Christmas, staged in summer?
Come along to Bembridge Village Hall prepared to, as the Muppets would say, heckle – and laugh a lot. There will be songs to join in with if you wish, lots of ‘Oh no he isn’t’ and booing and hissing to do, so you may need the interval to refresh yourself from the bar. There are raffle prizes to be won – and some truly bad jokes on stage, told however by an amazingly talented cast of actors supported by a fantastic 5-piece live band.
You will find plenty to entertain you, so come and see A Bard in the Hand at Bembridge Village Hall at 19:30 on 12th, 13th and 14th August: tickets are available from the BLTC box office on 07841950261 or by calling in at Splash, Union Street, Ryde or the Co-op welcome Store in Lane End, Bembridge.
The Savoyards
Well-known and well respected Island theatre group the Savoyards are also up and running again, with their Summer School based on the hit show We Will Rock You. The school runs from 24th -30th August, offering professional tuition to students aged 8-18.
For more information or to book a place, please call 07976 828462 or email [email protected]. If you are like me slightly over the age limit, you will be able to enjoy seeing what the young people have achieved at their Show Day on 30th, August at Shanklin Theatre – you can book tickets from the website at https://www.shanklintheatre.com or by calling the theatre box office on 01983 868000.
The Savoyards are also in rehearsals for their autumn show, the smash-hit musical, Little Shop Of Horrors. Presented with a live orchestra, unique set design, and a strong cast it will mark a welcome return to Shanklin Theatre after such a hiatus. Little Shop of Horrors will run from 21st – 23rd October at Shanklin Theatre and booking is now open!
Apollo Theatre
Booking is also open for The Apollo Theatre’s next show. A nostalgic story of unfulfilled dreams and unrequited love, Ladies in Lavender follows two aging spinsters, Janet and Ursula, who discover a young shipwrecked violinist washed up on a 1930’s Cornwall beach. They nurse him back to health, forming a deep attachment that unleashes previously restrained emotions of love and rivalry.
Ladies in Lavender will run from 17th – 25th September (not Sunday or Monday) at 7.30pm: tickets are available to book online at https://www.apollo-theatre.org.uk/a-london-affair/ or by calling the box office on 01983 210010.
Trinity Theatre
Meanwhile, Trinity Theatre are busy rehearsing for their (actually at) Christmas pantomime, Dick Whittington – more details coming soon – and are currently looking to cast an evening of one-act plays for staging next March.
They are hosting a read through on 1st September and auditions are on 6th September: further details and audition pieces are available from the directors: Cheryl May ([email protected]) is directing It Never Rains But It Pours, a comedy based around the Noah’s Ark story; Steve Taverner ([email protected]) is leading on Overtones, and David Ballard ([email protected]) is overseeing Men Behaving Bardly, a Shakespearean comedy.
Which is where we came in, I think!
Maureen Sullivan is a regular contributor to Island Echo’s coverage of the Arts on the Isle of Wight. Maureen has been actively involved in the Island’s amateur dramatics scene for several years, appearing in many different roles and guises with several theatre companies. In her free time, Maureen also writes and reviews at iwtheatre.org.
Catch Maureen’s column each month for the latest theatre and art happenings...
