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| Streuth Directed by Steve Marshall |
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| v | |
| Cast | |
| The Inspector | David Hampton |
| Mr Oliver D'arcy | Marshal Anderson |
| Mrs D'arcy | Vera Robinson |
| Hubert D'arcy | Toby Moore |
| The Major | George Everett |
| The Vicar | Paul Jennings |
| James | Cliff Williams |
| Cook | Maureen Hardwen |
| Prompt | Susan Hampton |
| Sergeant | Laurence Olivier [sic] |
| Corpse | Martin Shaw |
| v | |
| Crew | |
| Stage Manager | Pearl Ayling |
| The Cherry
Sisters Directed by John Midlane |
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| v | |
| Cast | |
| Veruka | Eve Sutch |
| Basha | Fay Rose |
| Gnasha | Stephanie Dungate |
| Babushka | Felicity Masters |
| Footrotski | Dave Phillips |
| Piles | Steve Marshall |
| Captain Sodov | Derek Goulding |
| Schoolmaster | David Churchman |
| Stationmaster | Andy Blackburn |
| Prompt | Jean Gordon |
| v | |
| Crew | |
| Stage Manager | Paul Jennings |
| A Collier's
Tuesday Tea Directed by John Midlane |
| v | |
| Cast | |
| Ida Hepplethwaite | Brenda Winn |
| David Obadiah Hepplethwaite | Cliff Williams |
| Victoria Hepplethwaite | Freda Phillips |
| Albert Hepplethwaite | Marshal Anderson |
| Joseph Clegghorn | Shirley Andrews |
| Margery Hackforth | Jean Gordon |
| Lionel Headbracket | George Everett |
| WPC Clemantine Boothroyd | Felicity Masters |
| Jed Throttle | Martin Shaw |
| v | |
| Crew | |
| Stage Manager | Jeremy Pallet |
| All's Well
That Ends As You Like It Directed by Steve Marshal |
| v | |
| Cast | |
| Frederigo | David Churchman |
| Dronio | Dave Phillips |
| Testiculo | John Midlane |
| Mud | Derek Goulding |
| Bronchio | Paul Jennings |
| Friar Crucible | David Hampton |
| Delia | Catherine Bateman |
| Lute Player | Derek Goulding |
| Grot | Derek Goulding |
| Dracula | Brenda Winn |
| Messenger | Derek Goulding |
| The God Pan | Jeremy Pallet |
| Bolio | Derek Goulding |
| Soldier | Martin Shaw |
| v | |
| Crew | |
| Stage Manager | Freda Phillips |
| For all four plays: | |
| Assistant Stage Managers | Caroline Hobin, Joanne Colyer, Jane Sanderson |
| Sound | Keith Dungate |
| Lighting | Toby Moore |
| Costumes and Properties | Stephanie Dungate, Fay Rose, Vera Robinson, George Everett, Caroline, Hobin |
Review
The worst show ever performed at the Alderton Theatre!
Edward Alderton Theatre, Bexleyheath, presented what was probably the worst show ever performed there — but they had an excuse!
The production in question was The Coarse Acting Show by Michael Green, which gave the company ample licence to indulge in the kind of mistakes they spend most of their time trying to avoid. What seemed like a cast of thousands (or at least the entire acting population of the theatre) took it in turns to appear in four sketches based on popular themes.
There was the inevitable thriller Streuth, the dismal Russian-style Cherry Sisters, an amateur version of Coronation Street, called A Collier's Tuesday Tea, and a most irreverent take-off of Shakespeare entitled All's Well That Ends as You Like It. As even the most experienced members of the cast thrashed their way through missed cues, forgotten lines and misplaced entrances, the show began to look like every amateur producer's nightmare, which of course was what it was all about.
Perhaps David Hampton, as the bungling Inspector, and his colleagues had the hardest job trying to give the audience a taste of things to come without encouraging them to walk out altogether. Even I had to convince my companion on a first visit to the theatre, that it was meant to be funny, and no, they were not usually that bad!
But by the second sketch the pace was set and it was time to settle down for a good belly laugh. No-one could fail to be tickled by the three Russian sisters, Eve Sutch, Fay Rose and Stephanie Dungate, with their ham accents, or Steve Marshall's antics with the deadly tea urn.
Then there was a wonderful bit of teamwork by the cast of A Collier's Tuesday Tea, as the table legs fell off one by one during what was meant to be an everyday scene of domesticity. Brenda Winn appeared as busy Ida Hepplethwaite, and Cliff Williams was her dour Yorkshire husband.
A grand finale to all this was the Shakespearian offering, with David Churchman as the deposed duke, miserably ranting about his misfortune. His followers included John Midlane as Testiculo, the obligatory bawdy and suggestive clown, which he played with great gusto. Then there was the energetic Derek Goulding, who played a variety of 'loons' and a lute player, and whose legs in tights defy description.
All credit to directors Steve Marshall and John Midlane who coordinated the proceedings as well as appearing in some sketches. Also to the team of stage managers with Keith Dungate and Toby Marshall on sound and lighting, who had to organize several complicated stunts. For all concerned it must have been more effort rehearsing to get things wrong than it usually is to do it right on a normal night!
E J
Bexley Times | 22 October 1981
