user-registration domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/gordonth/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6170This updated show has had extra dialogue added by Michael Meyer, and lyrics modified by Andrew Lippa.
This two-hour, bright, lively, light-hearted spectacular is brought to you by a cast of young adult actors (14 – 20 ish), and is presented by the Garrick Theatre Club, at the Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, Guildford. The curtains go up every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8.00 pm, and Sunday afternoons 5th and 12th at 2.00 pm.
The Garrick has a three-hour class (TAG – teens at Garrick) once a month for youngsters who want to learn stage skills.
The set is a wonderful copy of the cartoon we all love. A background of blue skies, clouds, a path through the grass and a lone fir tree, all painted in primary colours (Nicole Tonkin, Cherie Tucker, Lisa Johnston). There is a big, red kennel with a flat area on the roof – for Snoopy to sleep. Each character has a wooden box, painted in their colour, adorned with their faces (artwork Annette Underhill).
The set construction was by Brad Hassett, Dave Stevens, Mirekle and Jennifer Bejr and Clayton Reichert. Amber Southall, who along with Celeste produced the colourful programme, also put a great deal of work into the foyer display of Peanuts cartoons and drawings.
Today is a good day. Everyone seems to like shy, insecure Charlie Brown (Liam Gobbert), but is he really a ‘Good Man’? Most days he is obsessed with the red-haired girl whom he sees each lunchtime. Some day he may have the courage to sit next to her.
Music student, Schroeder (Caleb Stevens) is obsessed with Beethoven, playing the ‘Moonlight Sonata’ on the piano, day in day out; but adoring Lucy (Brittany Isaia) doesn’t mind, she just watches him and drools – fanaticising about how, some day, she will become a Queen and marry Schroeder.
Snoopy (Liam Borbas) does not talk much; he prefers to lie on top of his kennel, gazing at the clouds. Genius Linus (Charlie Darlington) – Lucy’s brother – wanders past clutching his security blanket. He may be intelligent, but he is a dreamer and child at heart. His schoolyard friends try to steal his blanket, but in a delightful scene, he sits and imagines all the security blankets coming alive and dancing.
Charlie’s attractive but dumb sister, Sally (Tania Morrow) shows everyone her latest sculpture, made from coat hangers! Why did she only get a ‘D’?
Snoopy dreams and fanaticises of the years he was a fighter pilot in World War I and how he defeated the Red Baron.
We spend a few days with Charlie and his friends, enjoying their adventures and ‘living’ many of his cartoon strips.
The costumes (Celeste Underhill, Fran Gordon, with wigs by Lynda Stubbs) were colour co-ordinated and beautifully finished off. Clayton Reichert and Brad Hassett’s lighting was well planned and operated. Ben Anderson and Alexander Fleckner capably operated Geoff Holt’s fun sound design.
The cartoon syndicate and copyrighters supplied the quirky, lively music. Krispin Maesalu, Karl and Christina Dietrich gave the cast vocal and singing guidance. The cast were all very talented singers, who could belt out the song perfectly whilst dancing and smiling. Amber Southall precisely taught the New York accents.
Even though the director, Celeste Underhill, is a talented dance teacher and experienced director, for this unusual show, she had to find a cast that could speak with an American accent, sing well, dance gracefully, and have good stage presence, whilst displaying exuberance and energy throughout the show. Finally, an excellent comedic delivery was essential. With young actors, having one of these talents is admirable, but to find half a dozen players with all of these talents is amazing. This cast had huge chemistry, and engaged the audience from the opening scene.
This is a feel-good show for all of the family. 6 to 96 year olds will love it. Great fun.
]]>‘Silhouette’ is a thriller, written in 1997 by UK radio producer and playwright, Simon Brett. Brett won a prestigious ‘Edgar’ (short for the Edgar Allan Poe Award); he has also won – along with Raymond Chandler and John le Carré – the world’s most respected accolade for detective writers, a ‘Diamond Dagger’.
‘Silhouette’ premiered in Guildford west of London, but strangely, this ingenious play is only now having its Australian Premiere – 18 years later – again in Guildford, this time in WA. Presented by The Garrick Theatre Club as Fred Petersen’s swan song after 39 years of outstanding service, this gripping play can be seen at the Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, Guildford. The two-hour performances are at 8.00 pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights until 5th December. There is one matinee on Sunday the 29th November at 2.00 pm.
The theatre has just undergone a substantial refit. Outside there are LED cable lights – changing colour – leading to the front door. The two new air con units mean that the airflow is now silent and not battling against the actors.
The new seating has been installed, positioned to allow patrons to see more comfortably. LED strips are along the aisle for security. The insulation in the roof substantially reduced aircraft noise. Every happiness and success with your ‘new’ home.
The scene is late one Friday night in the Sussex country home of two famous actors.
The set is a comfortable sitting room with a small dining room at the back, separated from the sitting area by glass doors and curtains. To the right is a staircase going up to the bedrooms. The walls are covered in various weapons and trophies from Celia’s films and stage shows. Keith Abbott built Fred Petersen’s set design.
The room is in darkness, when a car is heard entering the drive. Blue flashing lights shine through the glazed front door. Voices are heard, and someone bangs loudly on the door. There is no response, but the door is found to be unlocked. It is the police answering a 999 call from the owner, drama queen and diva, Celia Wallis (Anna Head). She had called the police, as she had just found her obnoxious and volatile actor husband, Martin (David McGarr) seated in the dining room with a bullet through his head.
As the police, with torches in hand, stagger around the sitting room trying to find the light switch, Celia descends the stairs. She has been in her bedroom and not heard their knocking. Well-organised Detective Inspector Bruton (Rhett Clarke) soon has Fisher, his detective sergeant (Terry Brown) in charge of collecting evidence with the two SOCO (scenes of crime officers) – WPC Wilkins (Alison Burke) and WPC Carter (Tania Clohessy).
Bruton starts interviewing Celia, and finds that she and her jealous husband were not on the best of terms. The new, young WPC Leach (Amber Moore) stops taking notes when a nervous young man, dressed in Celia’s pink dressing gown descends the stairs. He is grasping his head, apparently the worse for wear due to drinking champagne. Bruton discovers he is BBC radio reporter, Martin Smallwood (Pearce McGrogan) a nervous mummy’s boy, who is infatuated by Celia.
An arrest is made at the end of Act One, and Act Two shows the strange circumstances leading to the arrest.
Director Fred Petersen, one of Community Theatre’s best-loved and respected directors has decided to make this play his last – for the moment? Nevertheless, what a way to retire – with a triumph.
Geoff Holt has produced his usual high quality lighting and sound design, sadly however, the operator for the night missed almost every cue, either pre-empting or delaying a cue when the actors turned lights on and off; one was so bad that the audience chuckled.
What a brilliant, flawless cast. Every actor completely understood his or her character. The red herrings and hints were dropped with subtle skill. The delivery and body language perfect. A special mention for the three main actors, Anna as the grieving widow, Celia, Pearce as the infatuated journalist, Neville and Rhett the persistent detective, Bruton. Three outstanding performances.
Simply the best mystery play I have seen this decade.
The first Act is an Old Time Music Hall, and after the interval – with its free, delicious and substantial refreshment (Lyn Devenish), there was a moving and hilarious melodrama, perfectly delivered tongue-in-cheek; eminent Guildford lad, Bernard Doyle, penned this cheerful piece.
This 130-minute, fast moving and topical production can be seen every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at 8.00 in the Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, Guildford. Season runs until 25th April.
The foyer has a splendid display of war postcards (Tom Goode, Terry Brown), the cast photos are quaint and there is a thoughtful tribute to the brave folk of Guildford, who lost their lives that we might live.
The whole theatre is strewn with bunting; flags of the commonwealth are everywhere (Robert Vincent). There is a magnificent series of sepia photos projected onto the cyc at the rear of the stage (Michael Bradford). The props are moved on and off the stage by a couple of army privates (stage managers Wendy Goodwin, Marion West). Tania Tehane’s superb costumes included evening dresses, basques and various army uniforms including nurses and that of a German Hun officer.
Geoff Holt’s lighting and sound were top notch.
The Music Hall Chairman introduced us to some of the soldiers about to sail from Albany. There was young, innocent Bertie (Ben Anderson) leaving his woop woop home, and we see Willoughby (Tim Sadleir) as he sings to his fiancée, Blossom (Colleen Bradford).
Soft-shoe nightclub dancer, Maisie (Colleen Hopkins) shows a new, young dancer, Merle (Jenna McGoughan-Shaw – great stage presence) how to please the punters. Outside the Club, pouting their wares, stand three of the world’s oldest profession. The sexily dressed, but aging girls, Sybil and Nellie (Susan Vincent, Kerry Goode) were hilarious as they struggled to entice the attentions of passing men. Is Miss Percia (Fiona Forster) the young innocent woman that she seems?
Louisa (Barbara Brown) sits in her sitting room reading her latest letter from her only son, now on his way to Gallipoli, when Estella (Ellie Bawden) brings in the latest postal delivery.
Private Ernest Birch (Alan Shaw) became the storyteller for the Second Act melodrama.
Directors Susan Vincent and Kerry Goode have done a magnificent job in creating the atmosphere of a heart breaking send off, the letters arriving home and a joyous homecoming. Probably all of the cast were born after World War ll, a couple of the younger members may not have heard of any of the songs nor even seen a Music Hall before the rehearsals, and yet they joined the rest of the cast in capturing the atmosphere. The whole troupe worked as one throwing all of their energies into the presentation.
There were a couple of teary poignant moments in the programme, but with Alan Morris as Chairman, the belly laughs poured forth. The live musical accompaniment from musical director Lyn Brown and her quartet of Miriam Wholer (woodwind), Robert Usaraga (guitar) and Terry Murphy (drums) all played at a sensible level to enhance – and not rule – the melodious singing.
How often have we seen a theatre chorus where half the ‘singers’ silently mime badly? Here, the whole cast sang powerfully, in tune and presented with plenty of lively choreography and movement. A magnificent cast, who really understood the confused atmosphere of the day.
I went to the theatre expecting a heavy, possibly depressing documentary; however, this spectacular was one of the most up lifting in years. The saddest thing about the show was that I knew most of the words to the wartime songs.
To have a warm welcome and a really good night out, go to the Garrick soon!
nty of lively choreography and movement. A magnificent cast, who really understood the confused atmosphere of the day. I went to the theatre expecting a heavy, possibly depressing documentary; however, this spectacular was one of the most up lifting in years. The saddest thing about the show was that I knew most of the words to the wartime songs. To have a warm welcome and a really good night out, go to the Garrick soon!
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