BP News

Private Lives

I am delighted to announce that, in November, we auditioned, cast and started rehearsing Private Lives. Thanks to all who helped with auditions we have a splendid cast and have already made significant progress in blocking and characterisation as well as refining our choice of biscuits and developing the usual set of corny jokes!

This small cast play is entirely dependant on having the right people to play the right parts and we have that in our cast. Leanne Phillips, our popular shy, retiring redhead (!), is playing the flamboyant and flirtatious Amanda with Doug Brooker, a relative newcomer to the Bancroft Players, playing opposite her as the attractive but capricious Elyot. Don’t expect to see Noel and Gertie with their stylised acting techniques, our pair is definitely flesh and blood with an exciting tempestuous relationship which is like a roller coaster ride!

Playing opposite Leanne and Doug are Charles Compton and Chloe Maddox who provide perfect foils to their particular partners making this a small but perfectly formed cast!

This play, one of Noel Coward’s most popular, is so beautifully written that it still resonates, without changing a word, from the 1930’s when it was written to the present day. After all, what is life about if it isn’t about relationships?

With Rosemary Bianchi designing the set I am sure that this production will live up to its early promise to provide an evening of dazzling entertainment. Added to the show itself, to brighten up those dreary February evenings, Roger Nobes, Charles Plester, Maureen Nobes and Alison Hudson will be presenting some of Noel Coward’s songs in the foyer prior to the show so don’t miss this added extra which comes absolutely free to our audiences!

And if you would like a really special evening, for only one extra pound, you can come to the Gala Evening on the Saturday night. Gladrags are not compulsory but if you want to ban those February blues put them on and enjoy a free glass of wine by courtesy of our sponsor Vintage Wine Cellars, a Noel Coward concert and Private Lives! What a combination!!

Don’t forget, Monday – Saturday 19th – 24th February 2007 - See you there!