The Ruling Class (2010)

Poster by Mark Davies

by Peter Barnes

Directed by James Hough

Performances: Tue 6th to Sat 10th April 2010, Bell Theatre

Introduction

After his father's death in a bizarre accident, Jack Gurney is released from the mental institution where he is being treated for paranoid schizophrenia, to become the fourteenth Earl of Gurney. His Christ-delusions wreak havoc on the horrified family and they scheme to have him committed for good. Absurdist, sharply written and satirical, Peter Barnes's tour de force pours scorn on the concept of inherited power and those who wield it. Also involves singing, dancing, sword fighting and is generally barking.

Cast

• The 13th Earl of Gurney - Michael Wilson
• Daniel Tucker – John Lyne
• Bishop Lampton – Alan Buckman
• Sir Charles Gurney – Peter Medd
• Dinsdale Gurney – Mattie Crowley
• Lady Claire Gurney – Helen Chadney
• The 14th Earl of Gurney – Gareth Rickards
• Dr Paul Herder / Lord / Pall Bearer – Matthew Lyne
• Mrs Treadwell – Alan Buckman
• Mrs Piggott-Jones / Choir Boy – Carole Coyne
• Grace Shelley – Jenny McLaughlin
• Mr McKyle /Pall Bearer – Bob Callender
• Toast Master / Kelso Truscott QC / Detective Inspector Brockett / Lord / Monster / Pall Bearer – Christopher Vian-Smith
• Matthew Peake / Detective Sergeant Fraser / Mr Shape / Lord /Pall Bearer – Richard Watkins

Crew

• Stage Manager – Graham Clements
• Assistant Stage Managers – Stuart Grimwood and Derek Dempsey
• Lighting and Sound Operation - Kathryn Ramsay
• Lighting Design – Mike Elliott, assisted with the rigging by Mark Ireson
• Sound Design and Engineer – Gerard Johnson
• Set Design – Alan Buckman
• Scenic Artists – Hazel Hindle and Michael Wilson
• Fight Director – Anton Krause
• Choreography – Brendan Matthew
• Costumes – Lisa Thomas
• Technical Research and Production Assistants – Anne Durrant & Juliet Holden
• Production Photographs – Phil Gammon
• Programme – Mark Ireson
• Poster Design – Mark Davies
• Set Construction – the cast, crew and Sam Dempsey
• Props - Alan Buckman, cast and crew

The director cast and crew would like to thank the following for their help: Naomi Liddle and the cast and crew of 'Darwin in Malibu'/Lorraine Spenceley and the cast and crew of 'Skellig' (for their charming co-operation and understanding; the bar, front of house and box office teams; Hadley Smith and Yeatman & Sons, funeral directors (for loan of the box); Andrew Chadney for the cassock and surplice; Caroline Doyle (for the caliper); Alan Brown (for technical support); Michelle Thomson (for the instrument); Anton and Chris from the West Norwood Emmaus Community (for loan of the tea trolley); The South London Theatre Committee (for letting us do it).

Reviews

Some review quotes go here

Gallery

• Production photos by Phil Gammon
• 

  Mattie Crowley, Helen Chadney

• 

  Mattie Crowley, Gareth Rickards

• 

  Matthew Lyne, Helen Chadney

• 

  Peter Medd, Jenny McLaughlin

• 

  Gareth Rickards, Jenny McLaughlin

• 

  Helen Chadney, Matthew Lyne

• 

  John Lyne

• 

  Bob Callender, Richard Watkins

• 

  Gareth Rickards, Mattie Crowley

• 

  Christopher Vian-Smith, Gareth Rickards

• 

  Helen Chadney, Gareth Rickards

• 

  Mattie Crowley, Alan Buckman, Peter Medd

• 

  Mattie Crowley, John Lyne, Richard Watkins

Click on thumbnail for larger image

All the shots are available via this link:

www.philgammon.co.uk/ruling_class

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.

See Also

Have there been other SLT productions of this play? Link to them here.

References

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