The play is cast, rehearsals have started and we’re raring to go. It’s our Spring Production: Beyond a Joke by Derek Benfield, from 29th April to 2nd May.

If you’ve seen our last productions – Bothered and Bewildered and The Ladykillers – you’ll know that we take complex, multi-level sets in our stride. Well, this is another split set, but it’s all at ground level, inside and outside a house. Expect some photos as rehearsals progress.

When we decided to put on Gail Young’s play Bothered and Bewildered as our 2019 autumn production we weren’t sure how the tricky subject of Alzheimer’s disease would be received by our audience. Although the audience numbers were down a little (we blame Strictly, X Factor and the rain!), the reactions from our audience were very positive, and there was an excellent review from the Newbury Weekly News.

We’re very pleased with the production. A big thankyou to our audience for their donations to the Alzheimer’s Society, to which we added £1 for every ticket sold, making a grand total of £361.95.

You can see the Newbury Weekly News review here.

Eric Saxton directed Bothered and Bewildered by Gail Young from Wednesday 20th to Saturday 23rd November about one woman’s struggle with Alzheimer’s.

The five main characters are all women, and all experienced CP actors: Liz Saxton, Brenda Prior, Mary Warrington, Ann Griffiths and Naomi Read.

The Ladykillers probably had the most complicated set ever for Compton Players. With three levels, plus a roof revealed by sliding panels, and a gauze front curtain made opaque or transparent by the lighting (described by the NODA critic as ‘a stroke of genius’) it was a challenge for the set builders and the actors.

We’re lucky to be able to start set construction three weeks before the performances and to rehearse on the stage as the set takes shape around us. Even so, we were changing the lighting right up to the last minute but as always it was alright on the night.

The sound and lighting was pretty complicated too and we were really happy with some great sound effects set up by Tony, our sound and lighting man.

Here are some of the things the critics (from ODN, the Newbury Weekly News and NODA) said: “excellent sound effects and choice of music… a well performed play, enjoyed by the enthusiastic audience… good timing and movement… an evening of joy… the audience went home with smiles on their faces”.

The audience reaction was excellent too: “Congratulations! A terrific performance… I was amazed at the scenery… please tell the actors how good they were… a great show and the most imaginative set… thoroughly enjoyed the show last night, well done to all the cast… the set was particularly well designed given the constraints of your stage… I thoroughly enjoyed the play and look forward to the next one… loved the play tonight, you all did a brilliant job! It was a great set too. Well done to everyone involved”.

24/03/2019: in January we were nominated for a NODA South East Region Award! It’s in the Best New Show category for our production of The Promise and Murdering at the Vicarage last year. At the awards ceremony, we were runners up – congratulations to H Connolly who wrote both plays and directed The Promise and Eric Saxton who directed Murdering at the Vicarage.

*Update*

Here’s a picture of Liz and Eric picking up the award!