August 2017

Registered Charity Number 227035

OAST NOTESOAST THEATRE

TONBRIDGE August 2017

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Tuesday 1st August Subscriptions & Season Ticket

renewals due

Friday, 4th August Audition: Brontë

Sunday, 6th August Audition: Brontë

SUNDAY, 6TH AUGUST LAST DAY FOR COPY FOR

SEPTEMBER OAST NOTES

Sunday, 13th August Summer Lunch

Friday, 8th September Auditions for Festival entry

plays

Saturday, 9th September First Oast Music Show

Thursday, 26th -

Saturday, 28th October

New Play Readings on stage

Saturday, 30th September Coach trip to Bletchley Park

NEXT MONTH’S PLAY – The Oast Youth Theatre present “Our

Country’s Good” by Timberlake Wertenbaker, 16th – 23rd September.

Based on a true story of the first play ever to be staged, in 1789, in

Australia. With a cast of convicts and a leading lady who may be about

to be hanged. Directed by a young lieutenant.

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SUBSCRIPTIONS & NEW MEMBERSHIP CARDS

FOR 2017/2018

Subscriptions for the new season are due to be paid on 1ST

AUGUST!!

As you should be aware by now subscriptions for EVERYONE,

Youth Theatre Members and Hoppers included, are now £20.00 per

person.

For an additional £60.00 you can purchase a season ticket for

2017/2018.

Unless you pay by Standing Order, all cheques should be sent to the

Oast for the attention of the Membership Secretary, Brian Perryman.

It would be helpful if current Membership numbers/Season Ticket

numbers could be written on the reverse of all cheques which should

be made payable to TTAC.

No new Membership Cards or Season Ticket Cards will be issued as

the numbers will remain unchanged.

For those who currently (or who propose to do so) pay by Bankers

Order, please ask your Bank to include a reference which should be

your name and Membership Number. Our Bank details are:-

HSBC – Sort Code 40-44-20 – Account number – 21656422

Brian Perryman

Membership Secretary

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GEORGE KIRK

Members and friends and all visitors to the Oast Theatre have been

saddened to hear of the passing, on 4th July, of George Kirk.

George had been involved in many guises with our theatre since the

1960s – indeed he was the Chairman when we purchased our

wonderful oast house home and was much involved in the planning

and early execution of the conversion from a derelict farm building

into the theatre we love so much. Over the years the building has

been modified and extended so that now it bears only superficial

resemblance to the redundant hop drying kiln that it was when George

and his Committee had the vision and audacity to make the decision

to purchase it with a view to making a theatre rise from the derelict

hulk.

George was, over the last 50 years, one of the most respected of our

actors who always brought a spark of believability to the roles he

played. Even in the early difficult days when financial constraints

meant that staging and the scenery were sometimes rudimentary, his

characterisations and use of his costumes and props were thoroughly

thought through and presented in a manner that enabled audiences to

imagine that it really was his character speaking and not just ‘good

old George’ delivering a few lines.

For me his roles as “Sir” in “The Dresser”, “Sir Tristram” in “Dandy

Dick”, “Norman” in “On Golden Pond” and “Henri” in “Heroes”

stand out in my memory, but there were, of course, many more and

I’m sure we all have our favourites.

Apart from his stage appearances, George played a full part behind

the scenes, acting as our legal counsel when we had difficult or

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GEORGE KIRK contd.

awkward decisions to make or were struggling with officialdom, and

always gave his time willingly to present us with a clear idea of the

best way forward.

He was an almost ever-present cleaner and recycling man on

‘Wednesday worker’ morning sessions, cheerfully clearing up other

folks’ mess and thoughtlessness. He supported his wife Lee and her

maintenance team and together they made the whole premises

sparkle.

Away from the theatre George had a professional life as a solicitor –

one of his better known clients being the Rugby Football Union at

Twickenham, and he was a member of the Worshipful Company of

Salters, serving them as a warden for some years and eventually as

Master of the Company. During his tenure of this prestigious office

he arranged for several groups of Oast Theatre members to visit the

Company’s Hall at London Wall for tours and teas and to marvel at

their collection of silverware.

George will be remembered as a fine actor, a willing worker, a wise

advisor, and most of all as a lovely, unassuming gentleman. We send

Lee our heartfelt condolences at this sad time and we know that

George’s legacy will be the love and appreciation of thousands of

Tonbridge people for the fabric of our super theatre.

Chris Wickham

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AUDITION

“Brontë” by Polly Teale

Auditions: Friday, 4th August – 8.00pm in Ken’s Place

(River Drama have their annual show that night

so please park off site and be as quiet as possible

when arriving and leaving)

Sunday, 6th August – 3.00pm in the Janet

Young Room

Performance dates: 20th-27th January, 2018

Director: Barbara Smith – 01732 882221 or

barbarasmith1011@gmail.com

Very much an ensemble piece, “Brontë” explores the possible

background to the writing of some of the most famous and passionate

writing of the Victorian era. How did the three Brontë sisters,

Charlotte, Emily and Anne, growing up within the cloistered confines

of Haworth Parsonage, come to write these amazing pieces of fiction?

The characters:

Charlotte Brontë – the eldest of the sisters. Her underlying passionate

nature is only revealed in some of her characters.

Emily Brontë – the middle sister. The most rebellious of the sisters.

Her fictional character, Cathy, (in ‘Wuthering Heights’) is seen as the

embodiment of her longing to return to the freedom of childhood.

Anne Brontë – the youngest of the three. She has more of a concern

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“Brontë” contd.

with the social and political issues of the day, a longing to expose

injustice.

Bramwell Bronte – the brother. A not particularly successful artist;

fond of drink, consequently falling into bad company. Also plays

‘Heathcliffe’ from ‘Wuthering Heights’ and ‘Arthur Huntington’ (the

dissolute husband from Anne’s ‘The Tenant of Wildfell Hall’)

The acting age for all four should be late 20s – early 30s.

Patrick Bronte – their clergyman father. In his old age he lost most of

his sight. Also plays ‘Mr Rochester’ from ‘Jane Eyre’. ‘Arthur Bell

Nicholls’ (Patrick’s curate who is actually in love with Charlotte) and

‘Mr. Heger’ (a schoolmaster).

(If sufficient people audition, I may consider splitting up the male roles

further..)

One further actress who plays ‘Cathy’ from ‘Wuthering Heights’ and

‘Bertha’ (‘Mr Rochester’s mad wife from ‘Jane Eyre’). A very physical

role.

All of the cast will need to be versatile, even those playing just one role,

as they also play these roles both as children and as adults.

We will be videoing the actress playing Emily with a live hawk at Eagle

Heights in Eynsford, hopefully in September, so don’t audition for this

part if you are nervous with birds!

Scripts and further information available from the Director.

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ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVALS – 2018

OXTED

SEVENOAKS

LEATHERHEAD

Are you interested in performing in the Oast’s entry(ies) in next

year’s festivals? The dates as known at present are:-

Oxted – 19th – 24th February, 2018

Sevenoaks – early March 2018

Leatherhead – early May 2018

It is no easy ride performing in these plays as those that have

performed before can attest. However, if you are interested I shall be

holding auditions on Friday, 8th September, time to be decided but it

will be early evening.

I haven’t decided on the plays as yet but if you are interested do come

along and read those that I will have chosen by then.

For further information and maybe to arrange an audition if you

cannot make the above date, please contact me:

Sandra at sandrapbarfield@gmail.com or 07973657311

Sandra Barfield

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NEW PLAY READINGS – ON STAGE!

A note for your diaries – Thursday, 26th – Saturday, 28th October

Following our successful afternoons over the last few years with new

plays being performed as rehearsed readings in the Janet Young Room,

we are now going a step further. Three different plays will be presented

as rehearsed readings over three nights on the stage.

As usual we are looking for unpublished works of either one or two act

plays that are ready to be performed as rehearsed readings. If you have

sent in works previously and have written something else, please let us

read it. We still have some works on the short list for forthcoming

readings.

Please support this new venture. Tickets will be available from the Box

Office from 15th August at £5.00 (not available on Season Tickets) .

Please note the performances will start at 7.30pm.

If you are interested in either directing or performing on these particular

dates please let either Sandra or Sara know.

Contact – Sara Lacey – sarajlacey@gmail.com or 01732 742533

or

Sandra Barfield- sandrapbarfield@gmail.com or 07973 657311

SUMMER LUNCH

Don’t forget our Summer Lunch coming up on SUNDAY, 13TH

AUGUST. If you still haven’t booked but would like to come, contact

Valerie Armstrong on 07792079451 or 01892 723459

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THE FIRST OAST MUSIC SHOW

‘Simply good songs’

Saturday, 9th September – 8.00pm – 11.00pm

The Oast bar lounge – and the bar will be open!

End of a hard week, holidays over, schools back……but good times

are just around the corner!

Time to de-stress and relax in the lounge with your friends, and

enjoy an eclectic mix of songs from Ed Sheeran and Adele to the

Beatles or the Eagles, performed by acoustic/semi-accoustic artists.

Tickets - £7.50, Students £5.00

Numbers limited, so pay on the door, but reserve in advance from:

Andy Leggatt

By email: alleggattor@hotmail.com

‘Phone: 01732 368311

Mob: 07976 216434

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COACH TRIP TO BLETCHLEY PARK

In September 1938 the first of a select band of mathematicians and code

breakers, including Alan Turing, arrived in secret at Bletchley Park, a

country estate lying 50 miles north-west of London. They were destined

to crack the Enigma cipher, the backbone of the Nazi military

communications. Colossus, the world’s first semi-programmable

electronic computer, was also developed here by the brilliant General Post

Office engineer, Tommy Flowers, to break the complex Lorenz cipher.

Tonbridge Art Group have arranged a coach trip to visit Bletchley Park

on SATURDAY, 30TH SEPTEMBER. You will be able to experience

the stories of the extraordinary achievements of the men and women who

worked there, see the restored Code breakers’ huts, the new visitor centre

with an introductory exhibition and hands-on displays, Enigma machines

and a rebuild of a Bombe, the electromechanical device used to mechanise

the process of breaking Enigma. You will also be able to see the re-build

of the Colossus computer, although it is now housed in a separate

museum, the National Museum of Computing (NMC), with its own

charges.

The cost of the trip is £33.00 (includes coach and admission to all

activities on the Bletchley Park site). The entrance fee to the Colossus

gallery in the NMC is £3.00.

If you are interested in coming on this trip, please contact Mike Insley for

further information and to book a place(s).

Tel: 01732 355573 or email m.insley@btinternet.com

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ONE POINT OF VIEW

THE HOPPERS’ SUMMER SHOW

The Hoppers learn stage craft!

This year they made full use of all the Oast’s stage equipment and

technical facilities to create illusion and surprise. We had magically

disappearing beds, a jungle flown in from the skies, a zip wire and a

tidal wave. To say nothing of a passenger jet airliner flying to its

doom through the auditorium! All handled with aplomb by our most

junior members.

Once again these young people delighted us with their enthusiasm

and expertise in presenting two very different plays. Both under Phil

Burns’ by-line but I understand “The Tale of Two Beds” was devised

by the Hoppers themselves during workshops.

“The Tale of Two Beds” made full use of the aforementioned beds

and Health & Safety were rigorously observed as brakes were applied

to the castors when the beds were stationary. A wise precaution when

considering how much energy the young performers used when

leaping on and off the same. This tale of make-believe, lost parents,

lost children, lost houses and, ultimately, lost beds, provided

excellent opportunities for the suitably clad cast to appear as

princesses (I loved Fairy Godmother – a suitable spouse for the

Mafia’s Godfather!), pirates, soldiers with guns and an ill-equipped

medic. All to confuse four very frightened children who only got

there because one of them decided to tell the others a story.

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THE HOPPERS’ SUMMER SHOW contd.

“The Spirit Within” also depicted lost children, this time as a result

of a very believable air crash. I do hope this scene does not put off

the young members from flying for the rest of their lives! This time

we had the children wandering around a tropical island with another

band of raggedy children, who had been there for ages, trying to

evade capture by a wicked black clad ‘Doctor’ who was trying to steal

their spirits to ensure he lived for ever. Shades of ‘Harry Potter’!

Here again we had surprise and illusion especially when said Doctor

appeared in the midst of the children who had foiled his plans and

when they drew apart – there he was gone!

I admit I only saw these performances during dress rehearsal but I

was struck, as always, by their excitement at being on the stage as

well as their commitment and energy. Phil Burns deserves high

praise indeed for providing these children with inspiration and

opportunity to express themselves and gain in confidence. Thanks

must also go to the several Mums who bravely turned up to do

‘chaperone’ duties over the two dress rehearsals and two

performances, supplementing our own licensed members. We are

very lucky indeed to have such a vibrant and enthusiastic junior

section but this could not happen without Phil Burns. Thank you Phil

and all your loyal backstage crew ably assisted, as always, by our

ever present Playgroup.

Ed.

A total of 219 seats were sold for these shows being 98% of the capacity.

193 (88%) of these were booked online.

Brian Perryman

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ONE POINT OF VIEW

“Murder, Margaret & Me” by Philip Meeks

One of the delights of seeing a play you’ve never heard of, but which

features characters that you think you know, is that you are always

waiting for the revelation – the true story. This play didn’t disappoint

and blended humour, a mystery and biographical details along the way.

A wordy play, sensitively directed by first-time Oast director Nadia

Higson, it revealed layer after layer of the true characters of author

Agatha Christie and especially of actor Margaret Rutherford.

The night I attended, the opening seemed uncertain. I suspect the

lighting board was channelling one of Margaret Rutherford’s other

famous roles (Madame Arcati in ‘Blithe Spirit’!)

The wordless opening section seemed intended to tell the audience

something of the relationship between Christie and the Spinster. In fact

this emerged perfectly well during the ensuing dialogue so, perhaps,

was over long. In any case, it may have been undermined somewhat

by slight technical issues.

However, once the opening dialogue hit its stride, it was clear this was

an unsettling, and not at all cosy, play. It was, in fact subversive and

reflected on the choices that even successful women had to make in the

early-to-mid-twentieth century. Neither Rutherford nor Christie had

quite the marriage they might have wished for. The running joke of

Rutherford’s ambiguously-sexual husband ‘Tuft’ (and his relationship

with John Gielgud) seemed (on the night I was there) to pass the

audience almost unnoticed. Not the actors’ fault!

15

“Murder, Margaret & Me” contd.

This was a well-cast play with three of the Oast’s most accomplished

female actors in the (equal) leads.

A bespectacled Agatha Christie was captured well by Barbara Smith

who took obvious delight in the author’s fascination with macabre

ways of despatching her characters. This was a large part (inevitably

with just three actors) and so it was not easy to keep up the intensity

of this clearly very intelligent and inquisitive woman. This was a

kind portrait of Agatha rather than the more fearsome and forensic

thinker sometimes depicted.

Karen Dix clearly enjoyed the role of “the Spinster” – perhaps the

spirit of Miss Marple, but also various incidental characters – a device

to direct the destiny of the two protagonists. Her reappearance in

various guises and her tantalising revelation of the murder in

Margaret’s past was entertaining.

Valerie Armstrong from the beginning adopted the sturdy stance of

Rutherford, described by Time Magazine as “the funniest woman

alive”. Rutherford was also described as a ‘Dreadnought with

manners’ and Valerie succeeded in capturing this exuberant woman

in all but one regard – she is too slim to replicate the actress’ jowly

blustering. Otherwise her transition from the ebullient comedienne

to the child-like depressive, coping with her troubled childhood, was

seamless and moving.

Minor criticisms concern the sound effects and the use of music

which were, at times, intrusive and sudden. The play itself was

16

“Murder, Margaret & Me” contd.

subtle and demanded attention from the audience. Though the music

was atmospheric, perhaps it competed too much with the actors.

The costumes (and wigs), as always, worked well, being in period,

but not intrusive. It was especially pleasing that Margaret wore her

familiar cape and tartan scarf. I hope the actors enjoyed the fresh (?)

cake every night for afternoon tea – well done props.

It was no surprise to read, in the programme notes, that “Murder…”

started at the Edinburgh Festival and as a one-woman show. There

was a simple story-telling drive in the dialogue (which I like) directed

almost entirely to the audience, but this sometimes replaced action.

Very often we were told what was important. A notable exception

was the very effective (and funny) reveal of Margaret’s ‘family’ – a

cupboard of soft toy animals.

The script’s expansion into two acts and for three actors works, but

I’m confident any one of the three on stage would (and could) have

carried the entire show, given the chance.

Phil Holden

BOX OFFICE RESULTS

A total of 782 seats were sold for “Murder. Margaret & Me” being 87%

of the capacity. There were 171 (22%) Season Ticket holders, 258 (33%)

Members, 346 (44%) Non Members and 9 (1%) Associate Members. 517

(66%) of the bookings were made online.

Brian Perryman

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100 CLUB – JUNE RESULTS

£100.00 – TOP PRIZE OF THE YEAR! – Kate & Bill Izzard

£25.00 – Mrs D Denman

£10.00 – Mr Geoff Daniels

£10.00 – Mr Brian Winter

£10.00 – Mr & Mrs Ron Adamson

£10.00 - Mr Arthur K Carpenter

You can join at any time, but why not make it NOW!

Be IN for a chance to WIN!

It only costs £13.00 a year and helps raise money for your theatre.

Prizes every month.

Numbers available: - 19: 81: 82: 145: 150

Ring Rita Carpenter on 01732 358282 or email on

100club@oasttheatre.com

Welcome to those who have recently joined – Good luck!

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MORE AUGUST FRONT PAGES PLEASE!

This year’s August front page was designed and executed by Phil

Holden. – (With apologies to W Shakespeare and, no, there is no

spelling mistake !).

As you are aware August is always our ‘dark’ month when there are

no ‘Plays of the Month’ and necessary works and decorations are

carried out.

I am, therefore, looking for alternative designs for these front covers.

I have one more depiction for next year – 2018 but no more after that.

So I throw open to all those of an artistic bent (or even none at all) an

opportunity to produce front pages for the August editions of Oast

Notes from 2019 onwards.

We know, from their annual exhibitions, we have a talented Art

Group and I would love to see entries from these members.

Submissions to be in A5 size and remember to leave room at the top

of the page for the header and also the bottom for the registered

charity number. These details will be filled in by Pamela Murphy

our C. in C. of posters.

So, let me have your submissions please by email preferably to

editor@oasttheatre.com.

Ed.

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OAST YOUTH THEATRE

WORKSHOPS

Wednesday, 2nd August – “Our Country’s Good” workshop, everyone

welcome.

Thursday, 17th August

Thursday, 24th August

There will also be some social activities as well as plenty of opportunities

to get involved in prop making, set building and other parts of “Our

Country’s Good” and “Wendy and Peter Pan”. The days will be great

fun.

All of these will be emailed out and posted on the Facebook group.

IMPORTANT – subscriptions Subscriptions are due on 1st August. They are now £20.00 for everyone.

For this you get workshops, rehearsals, socials and many more things.

Unlike other groups, we do not charge show fees. If you have not paid

up, you will not be able to take part and run the risk of being re-cast in

plays. Neither will you be covered, in the event of an accident at the

theatre, by the Club’s insurance.

CALENDAR All our upcoming dates can be found in the OYT calendar:

http://oastyouth.co.uk/oyt-calendar

Jason

youth@oasttheatre.com

OAST THEATRE

TONBRIDGE

THE OAST THEATRETonbridge Theatre & Arts Club

OFFICERS

Box Office: (01732) 363849 boxoffice@oasttheatre.comLONDON ROAD TONBRIDGE KENT TN10 3AN TEL: (01732) 350261

www.oastheatre.com

Tonbridge Theatre & Arts Club Registered Charity No. 227035

PHIL PORTER chair@oasttheatre.com

DAVID KEITH treasurer@oasttheatre.com

ELIZABETH PORTLOCK secretary@oasttheatre.com

BRIAN PERRYMAN membership@oasttheatre.com

ANNIE YOUNG editor@oasttheatre.com

PHIL PORTER

LYN PORTER hire@oasttheatre.com

MAGGIE HOILES marketing@oasttheatre.com

JO PIERCE wardrobe@oasttheatre.com

JASON LOWER youth@oasttheatre.com

Chairman

Honorary Treasurer

Honorary Secretary

Membership Secretary

Editor

Premises Manager

Hirings and Rehearsal Bookings

Publicity

Wardrobe Representative

Youth Theatre

01732 835460

01732 458876

01732 300551

01732 354368

01732 352084

01732 835460

01622 813573

01892 528166

07812061753

01732 835460