Edward Alderton Theatre Home | News |  This Season | Next Season | Bookings | Auditions | Members | Archive | History | Location | Links | Contact Us   2007/2008 Season This new season at the Edward Alderton Theatre, our 32nd, promises to be an engaging blend of drama, variety, comedy and real-life political intrigue. From the hilarious Ray Cooney farce, There Goes the Bride, and the classic comedy of middle class mores, Abigail's Party, via the inner workings of our current government in Justifying War, and the chilling thriller Wait Until Dark, to one of Shakespeare's most enduring and popular comedies, Much Ado About Nothing - all this and a traditional Christmas variety show thrown in for good measure - we hope you will find something to suit your tastes. Mark Campbell  Artistic Director 13-20 October 2007 There Goes the Bride by Ray Cooney and John Chapman Directed by Viv Stapleton When harassed advertising executive Timothy Westerby hits his head on the morning of his daughter's society wedding, he awakes to find himself in the company of Polly Perkins, a 1920s Flapper girl straight out of his current advertising campaign. It soon becomes all too clear that no-one else can see or hear her, and when another bump on the head transports Timothy back to 1926 and the Savoy hotel, the carefully planned wedding preparations disintegrate into chaos as friends and family attempt to lead Timothy back to reality and his daughter down the aisle before the newly arrived Australian in-laws' abandon the wedding... Cast Eileen Warner (Ursula Westerby)  Rachel De Silva (Judy Westerby) Horry Stapleton (Dr Gerald Drimmond) Maureen Hardwen (Daphne Drimmond) Michael Martin (Timothy Westerby) Ian Saxton (Bill Shorter) Linda Gay (Polly) Richard Gooderson (Charles Babcock) 1-8 December 2007 Christmas Variety Show at the Edward Alderton Devised and directed by Wendy Marsh A variety of sketches, songs and recitations plus much, much more for your seasonal enjoyment... 2-9 February 2008 Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott Directed by Paul Lay Sam innocently agrees to deliver a doll to a sick child. When a group of con-men arrive in search of the doll, they are confronted with the resilience and ingenuity of Sam's wife, who is blind...   Cast Fiona McGahren (Susy) Matt Clowry (Roat) Andrew Kelly (Mike) Clive Madel (Croker) Hannah Jacobs (Gloria) Paul Friett (Sam) Please note: This production is now completely sold out 2-12 April 2008 Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare Directed by Richard Banks One of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, this is the tale of the feisty Beatrice, who wants never to get married and be submissive to a husband, in particular Benedick - or so she says. And so he says. But they are tricked into believing each is in love with the other, and this brings about a genuine sympathy between them. Meanwhile a contrasting love match is brought into jeopardy by conniving and lies, when Hero is slandered and Claudio believes what he hears... Cast Sarah Hills (Beatrice) Rachel De Silva (Hero) Viv Stapleton (Ursula) Karen Friett (Margaret) Mark Campbell (Benedick) Steve Padgham (Claudio) Tony Donnelly (Leonato) Horry Stapleton (Antonio) Paul Grimshaw (Borachio) Matt Clowry (Conrade) Paul Friett (Friar Francis) Roger Gollop (Don Pedro) Andy Kelly (Don John) Matthew Friett (Balthasar) Richard Gooderson (Dogberry) Clive Madel (Verges) Nick Sibley (Sexton/Lord) David Hampton (Seacoal) Jacob Friett (Watchman) Michael Clark (Watchman) Ella Banks (Attendant) Nicola Clark (Attendant) Craig Dowding (Messenger) Book now! 24-31 May 2008 Justifying War by Richard Norton Taylor Subtitled Scenes from the Hutton Enquiry, these edited transcripts focus on the alleged suicide of weapons inspector Dr David Kelly, revealing much of the inner workings of Downing Street, the Ministry of Defence and the BBC. Key witnesses are challenged and questioned on the compilation of the so-called 'dodgy dossier' of Weapons of Mass Destruction, the releasing of Kelly's name into the public domain and the British government's case for war in Iraq...edited transcripts focus on the alleged suicide of weapons inspector Dr David Kelly, revealing much of the inner workings of Downing Street, the Ministry of Defence and the BBC. Key witnesses are challenged and questioned on the compilation of the so-called 'dodgy dossier' of Weapons of Mass Destruction, the releasing of Kelly's name into the public domain and the British government's case for war in Iraq... Cast Tony Donnelly (Lord Hutton) Chris Manning-Perry (James Dingemans QC) Craig Dowding (Patrick Lamb) James Turner (Andrew Gilligan) Rebecca Mason (Susan Watts) Mark Campbell (Alistair Campbell) Ken Swan (James Blitz) Ian Saxton (Wing Commander John Clark) Clive Madel (Gavyn Davies) Eleanor McEnery (Janice Kelly) Book now! 12-19 July 2008 Abigail's Party by Mike Leigh Directed by Mark Campbell Hideous suburbanites Beverley and Laurence are entertaining their new neighbours Tony and Angela, along with Susan, who is growing ever more anxious as to what is happening at her unseen daughter's riotous party... Cast Sarah Hills (Beverly) Ian Long (Laurence) Matt Clowry (Tony) Sam Griggs (Angela) Wendy Marsh (Susan) Book now!