THE OLDLAND PLAYERS
Founded in 1967 the Oldland Players are a group in the Bristol area, who've been creating quality community theatre for over 50 years.
2002
Gala Night - The Dumb Waiter - Oh! What a Lovely War
Gala Night
A gala night was held in January at which four One-act plays were presented, three by the Oldland adults and one by the youth group.
'Chamber Music'
by Arthur Koppit
January 2002
Synopsis
This strange meeting features The Woman in the Safari Outfit, the Woman in Armour (she has barracks language down pat, wears rusty armour, is called Joan of Arc and carries a big crucifix), the Woman with the Gavel, and others. The business at hand is how to attack the men's ward before they attack the women and devour them like cannibals? A ruse is needed so they kill the Aviatrix named Amelia Earhart. This exercise causes them to lose the strand of their thought and forget why they did it.
Cast
Mrs Mozart (Jill Lawford); Osa Johnson (Christine Cooke); Gertrude Stein (Ann Patey); Pearl White (Kirsty Lovell); Amelia Earhart (Lisa Gaylard); Queen Isabella of Spain (Marilyn Davis); Joan of Arc (Maddy Southorn); Susan B Anthony (Gill Lewisohn); the man in white (John Mills)
Director: Kit Johnson
The adjudication for this show, as well as those for many others, is available in the members’ section of the site
'Blue Sky Thinking'
by Kevin Kirwan
January 2002
Synopsis
Blue Sky Thinking ‘is based around a Team Building Week-end in which 4 fellow workers have been sent to bond as a team! For those of you fortunate enough never to have been sent on one of these weekends, this play gives us on insight into the types of events that participants are confronted with. We believe all in the audience will be able to identify with at least one of the characters, and probably have met the rest at work!
Cast
Greg (Giles Brown); John (Dom Elliot); Graham (Kevin Kirwan); Nigel (Huw Williams)
Director: Kevin Kirwan
'Invitation to a Party'
by Bridget Derrett
January 2002
Synopsis
Set in a lift, stuck on its way up to the 33rd floor, where a big Millennium bash is taking place, the play explores the dynamics between the varied occupants.
Cast
Margery (Kit Johnson ); Gordon (Huw Williams ); Linda (Vanessa Cole ); Barry (Kevin Kirwan ); the Man (John Mills ); off stage DJ (Giles Brown )
Director: Christine Cooke
'Attitudes'
by David Campton
January 2002
Synopsis
Cast
??
Gemma Curry, Sophie Dyke, Jo Lawford, Jonathon Midgley, Angelo Moore, Emma Oliver, Tom Purnell, Louise Ponting, Stephen Slade, Howard Whiteside
Director: Graham Bradshaw
"Attitudes", "Invitation to a Party" and "Chamber Music" were entered in several of the local One Act drama festivals together with "Dumb Waiter" and came away with a number of awards and nominations including The Alexander Trophy for the winning play and Best Actress for Kit Johnson for "Invitation to a Party" at Avon.
'The Dumb Waiter'
by Harold Pinter
March 2002
Synopsis
Gus and Ben are on the job, waiting and listening. Into the waiting silence rattles the dumb waiter with extraordinary demands for dishes they cannot supply - and who is operating the dumb waiter in an empty house? In a while their victim will come and they will know what to do
Cast
Ben (Kevin Kirwan); Gus (Dave Fardon)
Director: Kit Johnson
'Oh! What a Lovely War'
by Joan Littlewood and the Theatre Ensemble
November 2002
Synopsis
Oh! What A Lovely War was created in 1963 and premiered 19th March at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. It was a noted satire, specifically in reaction to the First World War, but also relating to the topic of war in general, and so it remains very relevant especially with the news stories of today. Its groundbreaking unique style, with the combination of various different styles of theatre, members of the cast playing multiple roles and the classification of it as an ‘epic musical’, a play which has the goal of always making the audience aware that they’re watching a play, brought high regard from both audiences and critics.
Cast
Giles Brown; Alice Cleveland; Vanessa Cole; Christine Cooke; David Fardon; Lisa Gaylard; Kit Johnson; Kevin Kirwan; Jill Lawford; Gill Lewisohn; Rachel Lintern; Kirsty Lovell; John Mills; Emma Oliver; Stephen Slade; Kay Trenchard; Howard Whiteside; Huw Williams
Children: Laura Atkinson; Daniel Johnson; Hannah Johnson
Director: Kit Johnson