New Directors' Showcase (2004)
Performances: Tue 2nd to Sat 6th March 2007, Bell Theatre
The New Directors' Showcase featured three very different pieces by some of the most talented and respected playwrights of recent years.
Contents
One For The Road
Directed by David Lomas
Introduction
"One For The Road" is short, sharp and disturbing - a pitch-black fantasy of power abuse within a carefully unnamed police state. It seems to have important echoes of real life situations from many countries and eras, from modern day Iraq to Soviet Russia, from Apartheid South Africa to Belfast. An all-powerful interrogator, who claims to talk on behalf of God and who knows personally the man who runs the country, interviews in turn a young husband and wife and their seven-year old son who are held as helpless prisoners within the system. The play is intensely dramatic and written with extraordinary power.
Harold Pinter was inspired to create it in a state of white hot indignation in the mid 80’s, after meeting at a party "two extremely attractive and intelligent young Turkish women, who seemed casually indifferent to the use of torture in their country, and the pain and anger are all too evident. Yes, it is upsetting at times, but it's also a timeless and very persuasive condemnation of human rights abuses and an exciting challenge for both its actors and its director.
Cast
- Nicolas - Christopher Vian-Smith
- Victor - Brian Yansen
- Gila - Joanna Molloy
- Nicky - Arthur Hannah
The Duck Variations
By David Mamet
Directed by Emma Connolly
Introduction
On a park bench, overlooking a lake, two elderly gentlemen discuss the matters of life, death and ducks in the form of 14 variations. Their hilarious discourse is framed by the universal scene of two people setting the world to rights with all the odd twists and turns a conversation may take.
This lovely little divertissement, depicts these two gentlemen as cyphers and yet.. They are something more and something less than two old men. We know very little about them but that of which they represent. Waiting for Godot or Waiting for God? The never ending chase for that elusive duck, that elusive something. Not forgetting this is an incredibly funny play and beautifully deconstructs the notion of what is theatre, how a play should be written.
Cast
- Emil Vare - Peter Medd
- George S. Aronovitz - John Lyne
Green Forms
By Alan Bennett
Directed by Marie Hull
Introduction
Set in a time before the computer completely took over the workplace. The more paper you have the more efficient and busy you are. The world of downsizing and rationalisation is about to rear its ugly head in a little office somewhere in North Yorkshire.
Doris and Doreen are comfortably installed in an obscure department of a large organisation. It is a cushy little number: on a normal day the girls keep busy by flirting with nice Mr Titmuss in Appointments or pursuing their bitter feud (over a wash-basin plug) with Mr Cunliffe in Personnel. Work is nowhere. However, this is not a normal day and slowly Doris and Doreen realise that someone elsewhere in the organisation has his (or her) eye on them. A shadow falls across their tranquil lives. Is it redundancy?
Who is Dorothy Binns? Can the Union help?
Cast
- Doris - Marcelle Clow
- Doreen - Eileen Coan
- Mr Lomax - Bernie Bullbrook
- Dorothy Binns - Sophie Elliott
- Boswell - Paul Fortune
- Mr Cunliffe - ???
Crew for all three plays
One For The Road
- Production Assistant - Beth Smith
- Stage Manager - Graham Clements
- Set Design - Mark Bullock
- Set Construction - Mark Bullock, Mike Elliott, Lisa Marsh, Graham Clements
- Lighting Design - Mike Elliott
- Sound Design - Paul Hurley
- Lighting/Sound Operators - James Little, Liam Dorrity, Shea Ross
- Costumes - Marie Hull
- Props - Alan Buckman, Graham Clements
- Poster Design - Will Howard, Steve Ellis
- Special thanks to Emma Connolly, Marie Hull, Stuart Flitton, Pauline Tilbury, Alistair Hannah, Jack King, Elinor Morgan-Jones, Anton Krause
Reviews
Some review quotes go here
Gallery
Reminiscences and Anecdotes
Members are encouraged to write about their experiences of working on or seeing this production. Please leave your name. Anonymous entries may be deleted.
