Edward Alderton Theatre Home | News | This Season | Next Season | Bookings | Auditions | Members | Archive | History | Location | Links | Noticeboard | Trailers | Awards | Newsletters | Contact Us   Archived News: 2011 20.12.11  Strippers further auditions  A second audition date for Strippers — in performance 19-26 May 2012 — has just been announced. It will take place on Sunday 22 January 2012 at 2pm at the theatre. Details of cast requirements can be found by clicking here . 02.12.11  Strippers auditions  Full details of cast requirements can be found by clicking here . 28.11.11  Christmas carols  Christmas carol singing will take place in the bar on Wednesday 21 December at 8pm approx. All welcome. 28.11.11  Strippers auditions  Auditions for Strippers by Peter Terson, directed by John Hart, will be held on 18 December 2011 at 2pm. Audition pieces and character outlines will follow. 23.10.11  Get Carter praise  Playwright Jonathan Holloway, who adapted Get Carter from the novel by Ted Lewis, came to watch our production on Friday. He was extremely pleased with what he saw, and kindly allowed us to circulate his comments: I enjoyed the production very much.  The acting was very convincing - unflashy committed performances kept the story moving forward and quickly established the gritty world of the play.  Even though I know the play backwards, I was sometimes drawn into the action in a way that made it feel I was seeing it for the first time.  The direction was clear and I could spot where sound, sophisticated, interesting decisions had been made.  The scene in which Jack Carter said his final goodbye to Doreen was, possibly, the best version I have seen.  Altogether it was hard to watch the show and believe the company weren't professionals of a high order. Congratulations to the cast and crew, under the direction of Dan Cox, for such sterling praise. 23.10.11  Hi-de-Hi! postponed  It is with regret that we have had to postpone the last show of our new season, Hi-de-Hi!, due to director Roz Betts finding herself with unforeseen commitments during the run-up to the show. Please watch this space to see what else will take its place. 28.09.11  September newsletter available online  Our September 2011 newsletter is now available to download. Please click here to read it.  26.09.11  Get Carter trailer  A 1970s-style trailer for our next production, Get Carter by Ted Lewis, adapted by Jonathan Holloway and directed by Dan Cox, is now available to view on YouTube. Click here to watch it. Please note that it contains language that some viewers may find offensive.  26.09.11  Arts Council awards triumph  It was another excellent year for the EAT at the annual Arts Council of Bexley awards. We won five awards between our two nominated shows. Betty Bailey Award for Scenic Design: The Revenger's Tragedy (dir: Ian Long) Kentish Times Trophy for Technical Achievement: Seconds Out! (dir: Terry Williams) Certificate of Merit for Best Male Actor: Michael Martin as Favours in Seconds Out! Wilson Trophy for Best Male Actor: Richard Self as Lussurioso in The Revenger's Tragedy Certificate of Merit for Best Female Actor: Rachel de Silva as Vendice in The Revenger's Tragedy 12.09.11  Arts Council awards  Casts and crews from Seconds Out! and The Revenger's Tragedy have been invited to this year's Arts Council of Bexley Drama Awards which will take place at the Edward Alderton Theatre on Saturday 24 September at 8pm. Attendance is by invitation only. 02.09.11  Michele Yianni resigns  We are sad to announce that Michele Yianni has resigned from her role as Treasurer. She has had a difficult year with a family bereavement and will be working in a different area of the country.  16.08.11  Macbeth director seeks old clothes  Richard Self, the director of our December 2011 production, William Shakespeare's Macbeth, is seeking old, unwanted clothes and footwear for his show. If you are about to throw some out or give them to a charity shop, please contact him ASAP by emailing him here or phoning him on 0208 854 3477. 21.07.11  Revenger's Tragedy special offer  In order to encourage more theatregoers to come and see our next show, we are offering a special discounted ticket price of £5 (a saving of over 30% off our usual price of £8) for Monday 25 July and Tuesday 26 July only. To take advantage of this offer please call our Box Office ASAP on 020 8301 5584. 14.07.11  Revenger's Tragedy cast change  The role of Sordida, played by Jennifer McCarthy, will now be replaced by the role of Nencio, played by David Puckridge. 11.07.11  Revenger's Tragedy trailer on YouTube  A trailer for our next production, The Revenger's Tragedy by Thomas Middleton, directed by Ian Long, is now available to view on YouTube. Click here to watch it. 07.07.11  RUR cast  The cast for the third show of our next season, Rossum's Universal Robots [RUR]  by Karel Capek, is as follows: Geraldine Mullins — Helena Kevin Coward — Domain Shirley Andrews — Nana Maureen Hardwen — Fabry  Viv Stapleton — Dr Gall Anne Hempstead — Dr Hellman TBA — Busman TBA — Alquist Stephanie David — Sulla (robot) Louise Ody — Marius (robot) Helen West, Gill Peters — Robots The director is Mark Campbell. The performance dates are 4-11 February 2012. 06.07.11  Loot cast  The cast and crew for the fourth show of our next season, Loot by Joe Orton, is as follows: Jennifer McCarthy — Faye Richard Banks — McLeavy Ben Cowen — Hal  Rod Henderson — Dennis Richard Self — Truscott TBA — Meadows Sarah O'Hanlon — Stage Manager Sam Joyce — Assistant Stage Manager Mick Taylor — Technical Helen Banks — Costumes The director is Viv Stapleton. The performance dates are 24-31 March 2012. 01.07.11  Credit and debit card payment  Tickets can now be paid for by credit* or debit card (*not American Express).  Please note there is a minimum transaction of £10 for credit and debit cards. To book and pay for tickets please call the Box Office on 020 8301 5584. 16.06.11  Work weekend  The theatre's work weekend will be over the August Bank Holiday. We will be working Saturday, Sunday and Monday (27th, 28th and 29th August), with a barbecue on the Monday. The committee obviously doesn't expect everyone to turn up every day, but they hope everyone will contribute a few hours of their time to get the jobs done.   The major job this weekend will be to sort out the props. We will be replacing the work light in the auditorium, touching up paint, plastering (any volunteers?), etc. If you know of a job that needs doing, please contact Karen Friett who is our coordinator this year.  Sausages and burgers will be supplied by the theatre for the barbecue.  If you want to bring any other protein food for your own consumption please do so.  Some salads and rolls will also be provided, but please bring perhaps a salad or pudding or something else of your choice to share. 31.05.11  Revenger's Tragedy needs officer  Director Ian Long is urgently seeking someone to take on the small role of Officer in The Revenger's Tragedy by Thomas Middleton, in performance 23-30 July 2011. Rehearsals will start on 13 June. If you are interested, please contact him on 07948354314. 05.05.11  Macbeth cast  The cast for the second show of our next season, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, is as follows: Michael Martin — Macbeth Rachel De Silva — Lady Macbeth Mark Campbell — Porter (and other characters)  Emma Stewart, Anne Hampstead, Eileen Warner— The Three Weird Sisters (and other characters) Eleanor McEnery — Hecate Martin Gilby — Duncan (plus others)   Andy Masters, Kevin Coward — Various Roles  The director is Richard Self. The performance dates are 10-17 December 2011. 05.05.11  Get Carter cast  The cast for the first show of our next season, Get Carter by Jonathan Hollaway, adapted from the novel by Ted Lewis, is as follows: Stuart Keil — Jack Carter Ian Long — Frank Carter/ Les Fletcher Charlotte Jacobs — Doreen Carter Keith Dunn — Gerald Fletcher/ Cliff Brumby Tom Mapleson — Keith/ Various Claire Kingshott — Margaret Eileen Warner — Edna Garfoot Kevin Coward — Eric Paice/ Eddie Natalie Walker — Glenda Steve Hunt — Cyril Kinnear/ Thorpey David Puckridge — Albert/ Peter the Dutchman/ Maurice The director is Dan Cox. The performance dates are 15-22 October 2011. 20.04.11  And Then There Were None cast changes  The part of Rogers will now be played by Mick Taylor, while Ron Hardwen will be playing Fred Narracot. For further cast information, see This Season page. 20.04.11  Get Carter further auditions  A second, and final, round of open auditions will be held for Get Carter on Friday 22 April at 4pm at the theatre. The production dates are 15-22 October 2011. Please see Auditions page for more details. 17.04.11  Pamela Reeves  The author of Soldiering On, Pamela Reeves, flew over from America to visit the Edward Alderton Theatre last week to watch the UK premiere of her play and was very pleased with what she saw. The photograph below shows her with Maureen Hardwen (Margaret Wilson) and Viv Stapleton (Pauline Churchill). 15.04.11  Richard Curtis  Richard Curtis, co-writer of Blackadder, has sent us this email on our Comic Relief fund-raising for Blackadder II: “I’m so glad that something good finally came of Blackadder! £6,000 is a brilliant amount – I spent most of the start of this year working on appeal films for Red Nose Day – and they have made me believe more than ever that small amounts of money can really change and save lives at home and in Africa. So we’ll spend your money well and I thank you on behalf of all the people with tough lives that you will be helping – the children in Africa whose sight you’ll restore, the young carers in the UK, to whom you’ll give support and advice and happiness. We can only thank God that there isn’t a Blackadder involved in the charity – he would have just nicked the cash and gone on holiday with it." ~ Richard Curtis    06.04.11  Comic Relief total for Blackadder  The sums have finally been done, and we're very happy to announce that our recent production of Blackadder II raised a whopping total of £4,962.35 for Comic Relief. Congratulations to everyone involved for giving up their time to raise money for such a good cause.  04.04.11  Auditions for Get Carter and Macbeth  Open auditions for Get Carter by Ted Lewis, adapted by Jonathan Holloway (directed by Dan Cox) and Macbeth by William Shakespeare (directed by Richard Self) will be held on Sunday 17 April. For more details and downloadable audition pieces, please go to the Auditions page.  10.03.11  AGM news  At a fun-packed AGM held on Tuesday 8 March, Jenny Devonshire (Treasurer), Mark Campbell (Artistic Director) and Viv Stapleton (Member without Portfolio) stepped down from the committee. They were replaced by Michele Yianni (Treasurer), Wendy Marsh (Artistic Director) and Roz Betts and Karen Friett (Members without Portfolio). Details about the forthcoming season were also announced — this can be found on our Next Season page.  04.03.11  Cast member needed for And Then There Were None  Director Richard Banks is urgently looking for an actor for his June 2011 play And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. The role is the butler Rogers, age late 40s/50s. If you would like more information, please email the director by clicking here . 02.03.11  Extra performance of Blackadder on last day  Due to overwhelming demand, there will be an extra matinee performance of Blackadder II on Saturday 5 March at 3pm. All other remaining nights are now sold out, so book fast if you would like to see this very well received show. Box Office: 020 8301 5584. 22.02.11  Blackadder in the Broadway  Some of the cast and crew of Blackadder II turned up at the Broadway Shopping Centre in Bexleyheath on Saturday 19 February to publicize the show and raise money for Comic Relief. The show will run for ten nights from Thursday 24 February to Saturday 5 March, evenings at 8pm with a Sunday 27 February performance at 5pm. All profits go to Comic Relief. To book tickets, call 020 8301 5584.           13.01.11  Annual General Meeting  The AGM of the Edward Alderton Theatre will be held on Tuesday 8 March 2011 at 8pm. The meeting will include the election of committee members. Mark Campbell (Artistic Director), Jenny Devonshire (Chair) and Viv Stapleton (Member without Portfolio) are standing down; all other members are seeking re-election. CURRENT COMMITTEE Chair Richard Banks Treasurer Jenny Devonshire Membership Secretary Maureen Hardwen Artistic Director Mark Campbell Technical Director Rebecca Mason Bar Manager Tony Donnelly Front of House Manager Shirley Andrews Member without Portfolio Wendy Marsh Member without Portfolio Viv Stapleton Click on the above titles highlighted in blue for role descriptions. Please note that the Bar Manager will be required to be the Theatre’s licence-holder. If you wish to stand for any position on the Committee please write a letter of your intent, giving your reasons for wanting to serve on the Committee, together with the names of your proposer and seconder.  This letter should be given or posted to the Secretary at 7 Chaucer Road, Sidcup, Kent, DA15 9AP to be received not later than 8 February 2011. Current Committee members do not have to submit a letter. Your letter will be read out at the AGM in the event of more than one person seeking a position. This procedure is a requirement of our new Constitution. The proposer and seconder must be paid-up members of the theatre.