It Runs In The Familywritten byRay Cooneydirected byJeff Gravesperformed atThe New Wimbledon Studio TheatreTues 20th November to Sat 24th November 2007 |
|
It Runs In The Familywritten byRay Cooneydirected byJeff Gravesperformed atThe New Wimbledon Studio TheatreTues 20th November to Sat 24th November 2007 |
|
It's three days before Christmas. In the Doctor's Common Room of St Andrew's Hospital in London, David Mortimore is composing the speech he will give to a distinguished gathering of neurologists, a speech which may well make or break his career. All he needs is a little peace and quiet to finish it...
Unfortunately for our hero peace and quiet is in very short supply. A nurse with whom he had an affair years ago turns up to confront him with the fact that he is the father of her daughter, who is now eighteen.
Not only that, but the said daughter is now downstairs in the hospital and is desperate to meet the Dad she has never seen.
How on earth can Mortimore keep this catastrophic news from his wife and the hospital authorities, and still deliver his speech?
This hilarious farce reveals the sorry tale, and involves Mortimore's hapless colleague, a police sergeant, a senile patient, an assortment of matrons, a syringe full of tranquiliser and costumes from the hospital Christmas pantomime.
| Dr David Mortimore | ~ | David Hall |
| Dr Mike Connolly | ~ | Aubs Tredget |
| Rosemary Mortimore | ~ | Toni Conyers |
| Dr Hubert Bonney | ~ | Andrew Candish |
| Matron | ~ | Celia Gatward |
| Sir Willoughby Drake | ~ | James Grayston |
| Jane Tate | ~ | Claire Hoult |
| Sister | ~ | Aisling Stevens |
| Lesley | ~ | Katy Wey |
| Police Sergeant | ~ | Alun Goodman |
| Bill | ~ | Mike Norman-Smith |
| Mother | ~ | Debbie Fowler |
This is David's third role with Carlton having played Mr Basford in last autumn's 'Teechers' production and Dr Petrie in 'Fred & Madge' earlier this year. He also made his directorial debut this year with 'There Are Smiles' in the Carlton Showcase. David had various roles in his younger years appearing in Oliver (at Wimbledon Theatre) and as Androcles in 'Androcles and the Lion', and was involved in a variety of productions with different groups after that including 'Early Morning', 'Guys and Dolls', 'Still Life', various revues and in a singing troupe at Claremont. After a break he started acting again in 2006 with the part of Inspector Craddock in Parish Players 'A Murder Is Announced', directed by his stage wife in this production. Ever since then he's mainly been cast as a pompous professional - no idea why...
Aubs returns to Carlton Drama and indeed, the stage, after a small hiatus of 4 years. During that time he played "15th-spear-carrier-backstage" for the R.O.H, "cadaver-under-car" for Working Title and "bin-bag-in-restroom" for Virgin Atlantic. Such diversity of experience makes his casting as "second-doctor-in-room" a veritable triumph by the Director. He looks forward to working with the cast on this exciting production before returning to his full time act as a producer of old fashioned romantic comedies and children's horror stories.
This is Toni's first production with Carlton and her first role in a farce. She has been in other local productions, the most recent being the Good Fairy in the Pantomime Sleeping Beauty (when at last she got to wear a fairy dress), and she also turned her hand to co-directing an Agatha Christie play. Previous roles have included Alice in Hobson's Choice, and singing and dancing as a Kit Kat girl in Cabaret.
This time last year Andrew was a 16-year-old who liked drama (playing Salty in John Godber's Teechers). He's now a fully fledged doctor. The Carlton's fast-track career development service has certainly been kind to Andrew - just don't ask him for any medical advice! On the way up he's also been a hypochondriac (Habeas Corpus by Alan Bennett), a cricketer (Outside Edge by Richard Harris) and a very, very philosophical beachcomber (The Sea by Edward Bond). You could begin to mistake Andrew's theatrical career for a series of Mr Benn, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Look out for The Shopkeeper!
Having just joined Carlton, RUNS IN THE FAMILY, marks Celia's return to the stage after ten years. Previously, Celia has appeared in productions as diverse as a challenging cockney take on Johnson's VOLPONE, and a modern day twist on A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. During the intervening years, Celia has been focusing on her professional career in commerce, as well as busily writing for print media and the stage with one of her plays, A DAY IN A PROBLEM WITH FRED, being professionally produced at the Swan Theatre in Worcester."
James has been an active member of the Society now for Nineteen years, in which time he has played various Law Officers and Clergy, including God!! This is however the first time he has ventured into the medical world.
Claire's dramatically amateur career has always involved as little acting as possible; it was not hard to play depressive suicidal mad women in her teens, nor tragic heroines in her early twenties. A bit of comedy arrived not a moment too soon in her late twenties, but she is delighted that now, in her prime, art continues to mimic life and she has finally graduated to farce. She is very grateful to Jeff and to Carlton for the opportunity to go back to the stage as it had been far, far, far too long.
This is Aisling's sixth year with the Carlton. In that time she has had many varied roles including a violent outlaw in Shakespeare's, Two Gentlemen Of Verona and as the loud scouse Berni in Willy Russell's Stags and Hens. Aisling is delighted to be playing the Sister, a role that yet again involves dressing up and putting on another challenging accent!
Since joining The Carlton, Katy has become known as something of a 'character' actor, having played many an oddball and prat faller. These include the hobby horse riding Speed in Two Gentlemen of Verona, the fainting false boob wearing Connie in Habeas Corpus, The funny looking, intoxicated Maureen in Stags and Hens and the victim of four separate murders in Arturo Ui. Katy is looking forward to playing Lesley because the promise of hair dye and girlie makeup finally suggests a hint of glamour... maybe!
Alun made his debut with Carlton at the 'Showcase' in February 2007, and went on to perform in a song and dance number for the Carlton's 80th birthday celebrations, 'It Runs in the Family' sees Alun taking his first part in a full production with a view to this being the first of many. His 'day job' is as Director of his own company running activity weekends for singles and when he has any spare time he is also working on a script for a dark new TV sitcom with fellow Carlton member Neil Kelly
From Dr Wickstead in Habeas Corpus, in Jeff's last production, Mike switches to the role of patient. He retains his mode of transport from Arturo Ui, and is wheely looking forward to splashing out this time. All will be revealed, well maybe not quite all.
Although perhaps not feeling 21 these days, Debbie hadn't quite bargained for the other extreme, but now she's donned the outerlayers of 'Mother' she's loving it - a small but perfectly formed role! Other Carlton plays include: (acting) - 'The Hypochondriac', 'Low Level Panic', 'Macbeth' 'Blood Wedding'; (directing) - 'Two', 'Taming of the Shrew', 'Outside Edge'.
| Asst. Stage Managers | ~ | Louise Blackman, Naomi Sasse |
| Director | ~ | Jeff Graves |
| Light and Sound | ~ | Simon Harris |
| Poster & Programme Design | ~ | Kristen McGory |
| Printing | ~ | Ian Ward |
| Producer | ~ | Kathie Arundell |
| Publicity | ~ | Alun Goodman |
| Stage Manager | ~ | Louisa Court |
| Webpage | ~ | Jeremy Wray |
I am very pleased to be directing my third show here at the Studio, for and on behalf of the Carlton Dramatic Society. For some unknown reason I find myself having selected yet another comedy to be performed, having previously directed Trivial Pursuits in 2002 and Habeas Corpus in 2004.
I find the whole concept of comedy quite challenging. From the very moment you first read a play that you find amusing, to the point where you find yourself having to lift those words from the page and onto the stage. All of a sudden it becomes real and a whole lot funnier. The challenging part, particularly in comedy, is the timing. Timing is everything from making a good comedy into a great comedy. The pace, correct timings of entrances and exits, are all just as important and vital as the actors getting their lines right.
Cooney's plays have been described as farce's, but I believe they are so much more than that. In my opinion some people's conception of farce is similar to what you may find at the seaside, 'at an end of a pier show'. So for those people to merely just look upon this piece of work as a farce is belittling the play and the content within. The writing and imagination deserves higher praise. If you have ever watched the U.S comedy series Frasier, you'll understand how complicated, laugh out loud funny and well written scripts can be that contain elements of farce. So I hope that in this production you'll find yourself laughing at the comedy as well as the more 'farcical' moments!!!
Everyone involved with this production has worked extremely hard. From the actors and the backstage crew, to the people you don't see who have helped me with the design of posters, printing and publicity. But last and by no means least, a big thank you to my ever so hard working Producer. To you all for your endeavor and support, I thank you.
Jeff Graves - Director
a quickr pickr post
