LOOT - Joe Orton's black farce
playing 15th - 18th May - Ring Box Office 01282 661080

LOOT

a comedy by Joe Orton:  Directed by John Cummings

to be presented at the ACE Cente, Nelson - 15th - 18th May, 2013

An embalmed corpse in the cupboard and a coffin full of cash:  a puzzle that can only be explained by an arresting officer attached to the Water Board !  - This is Orton's satirical portrayal of everyday life.

Nurse Fay, already with seven marriages behind her, has her sights set on wedding number eight to her late patient's husband.  But when bungling Inspector Truscott, cunningly disguised as the man from the Metropolitan Water Board, arrives looking for the thieves, secrets from Fay's murky past come to light.  Keeping the loot and ther body away from the Inspector involves everyone in an increasingly tangled web of conspiracy and deceit.

NIGHT MUST FALL

a psychological thriller.

Emlyn Williams: directed by Carolanne Connolly

to be presented at the ACE Centre, Nelson -28th November - 1st December, 2012

When a rich but cantankerous lady in an isolated house hires an engaging handyman, her niece/companion becomes suspicious of his motives.

"An intriguing foray into the mind of a killer.  Murderous intent is clear from the outset as Dan, a charismatic and disarming young man, ingratiates himself into the household of wealthy Mrs. Bramson.

Olivia Grayne, Branson's niece and companion, is not fooled by hius charming ways and is the only one to suspect his duplicity.  Olivia, both repulsed and fascinated by Dan, refuses to succumb to his constant flattery even as their relationship grows with dangerous intensity.  This complicated game of cat-and-mouse propels the play."

But is Dan the real killer, or are we being tricked into thinking so?

HEROES

(The Wind in the Poplar Trees)

Gérald Sibleyras translated by Tom Stoppard: directed by Martin Chadwick

to be presented at the ACE Centre, Nelson - 20 - 23 March, 2013

Rehearsals are going well for Heroes, the fourth play in The Garrick’s 2012/13 Season. It is a funny yet very moving play, translated by Tom Stoppard from Le Vent des Peupliers (The Wind in the Poplar Trees) by the French playwright Gérald Sibléyras.  

The play is directed by Martin Chadwick, who is well known to Garrick audiences. He has directed and appeared in many productions, as well as being a hard working member of the back stage team. His last production for The Garrick was directing two of the four playlets which together made up Duets which was presented at The ACE Centre in May 2012.

Heroes is set in a French retirement home for First World War veterans. Gustave, Philippe and Henri pass their time grumbling about the staff, dreaming about young women, and arguing over whether a statue of a dog is really alive. They also hatch a plan to make a break for freedom – if not to Indochina, then at least as far as the poplar trees on the hill. However, escaping will be no easy matter, owing to the nature of the difficulties they will have to overcome. Henri lost his leg in the War; Philippe is both paranoid and regularly faints without warning because of an old shrapnel wound; and Gustave is afraid of open spaces.  Each one of them is full of character, and drawn with warmth and affection.
Heroes has a cast of only three, so needs actors of exceptional ability and experience. Martin has been able to secure the services of three of Pendle’s best known and most talented actors.

Playing the part of Henri is Peter Allen. Peter is a well-known local actor making his second appearance with The Garrick. His first was in February 2009 in the courtroom drama Nuts.  He has directed and appeared in numerous plays for Pendle Borderline and other local societies, his most recent being the director of A Christmas Carol for Borderlinelast November.

Alan Hargreaves, who takes the part of Philippe, is a Garrick favourite.  He co-directed and appeared in An Inspector Calls (March 2011) and his last appearance for The Garrick was in Alfred Shaughnessy’s Love Affair (March 2012). He has also performed with Pendle Borderline (Scrooge in A Christmas Carol) and has been involved with many other local societies including Colne Dramatic Society.

The role of Gustave is played by Alan Bailey, fresh from his success as the drunken Irish priest Father Molloy in this month's Garrick production of Mike Harding’s Fur Coat and No Knickers. Alan has also directed and appeared with many local Pendle societies. He too was in Borderline’s production of A Christmas Carol.

Heroes is a richly satisfying play that is funny, enthralling, and ultimately thought provoking.  Don't miss it.

CALENDAR GIRLS

Tim Firth; directed by Lesley Jackson

to be presented at the ACE Centre, Nelson - 24 - 30 September, 2012.

When Annie's husband John dies of leukaemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow Women's Institute members, Cora, Celia, Ruth and Jessie, to pose nude with them for an "alternative" calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer Lawrence. The news of the women's charitable venture spreads like wildfire, and hordes of press soon descend on the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales. The calendar is a success, but Chris and Annie's friendship is put to the test under the strain of their new-found fame.

Based on the true story of eleven WI members who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund, Calendar Girls opened at the Chichester Festival Theatre and has since become the fastest selling play in British theatre history.

FUR COATand NO KNICKERS

Mike Harding: directed by Alan Miller

The ACE Centre, Nelson, 6th to 9th February 2013.

Rehearsals are going well forthe third play in The Garrick’s 2012/13 Season. It is the hilarious and fast moving farce, Fur Coat and No Knickers, written by ‘The Rochdale Cowboy’ himself, Mike Harding, and directed by Alan Miller.
The plot concerns two northern families, The Ollerenshawes and the Greenhalghs, whose beginnings were in the same estate. One family has gone up in the world, with the father a town councillor and the mother a 'lady who lunches'.  The other is still in the same street.

Trouble begins when Deirdre Ollerenshawe and Mark Greenhalgh fall in love and decide to get married. The action of the play covers the night before the wedding, followed by the wedding day itself. The stag party involves high jinks with a stripper and a blow-up doll, a drunken Irish priest, and a father who thinks Mussolini’s political philosophy is the answer to the country’s problems. Add a revolutionary layabout, a pot-smoking younger brother, and a grandfather that can drink everyone else under the table. Finally, mix in the mothers of the bride and groom meeting to do battle with handbags at noon. You now have the perfect recipe for a great evening of fun and frolics.
For this hilarious production, Alan has assembled a strong cast that includes some new faces as well as actors more familiar to Garrick audiences.

Playing Edith and Harry Ollerenshawe are Carolanne Connolly and John Cummings. Carolanne directed The Garrick’s latest production, Night Must Fall, and John directed Charley’s Aunt, the first play to be performed by The Garrick at The ACE Centre. Their three children, Kevin, Deirdre (the bride-to-be) and Peter are played by Paul Cunliffe, Laura Yates and James Bateman. Paul last appeared in An Inspector Calls, Laura was in The Flint Street Nativity and James was the photographer in The Garrick’s recent Calendar Girls. The grandfather in the family is Gordon Ingleby, who plays the part of Nip. Gordon’s last role for The Garrick was also in An Inspector Calls.

The Greenhalghs, Muriel and Ronald, are played by Viv Thornber and Steve Royle. Viv last appeared in Calendar Girls,but Steve is playing his first role for The Garrick. Their son, Mark (the bridegroom) is played by Kevin Kay and his best man, Hamish, by Gary Leonard.  Kevin co-directed Duets andGary was in The Flint Street Nativity. The drunken parish priest, Father Finbar Molloy, is played by Alan Bailey, whose last role for The Garrick was in Charley’s Aunt.
The smaller cameo roles are played by Leigh Palfreeman, Hannah Rigby, and Alan Bullock.

Fur Coat and No Knickers will be presented at The ACE Centre, Nelson, at 7.30pm from Wednesday 6th to Saturday 9th February 2013.

Individual performance tickets are available from The ACE Centre Box Office Tel. 01282 661080, priced at £9 each (or £6 for students and under 16s.)

For information regarding Season Tickets for the remaining two plays, please contact the Ticket Secretary, Martin Chadwick on 07825 017243 or 01282 439997.