S p o t l i g h t

 

Hall:  444 Brighton Road, Brighton SA
Mail:  PO Box 52, Brighton SA 5048
Phone:  (08) 8296 2628
Email: info@stjudesplayers.asn.au
Website:  stjudesplayers.asn.au

Official newsletter of St Jude’s Players Inc.
    March 2002 – No. 114
Registered by Australia Post    
PP532154/00002

“The Deep Blue Sea”
by Terence Rattigan

Terence Rattigan made plays the way Thomas Chippendale made furniture – very carefully.  One of his best, “The Deep Blue Sea,” proves a perfect example of how extraordinarily good a play can be.

Rattigan’s exquisitely crafted piece is set in bleak 1950’s London.  A few years have passed since the end of World War II, but in England it is still a chill age of austerity and ration books, and a cold climate for love.

The Deep Blue Sea must be unique as the only play centring on a conflict of two men over a woman in which love, as a sentimental emotion, is hardly considered.  At the three corners of the traditional triangle are Hester Collyer, the wife of a High Court judge; Freddie Page, a wartime pilot in the RAF; and the judge himself, Sir William Collyer.  Sir William, a decent public man, has a wife in the way that he has a house and a collection of pictures and a motorcar.  They are what is called ‘happily married’; and though Hester is still in her thirties they have been married for seven years.

Hester has lived this life without a hint of complaint, when, like a thunderclap, she is overcome by desire for Freddie.  Hester has a consuming passion for Freddie, while Freddie, charming and jobless loves her in his fashion of convenience—inertia and boyish affection.

Hester, lost in this hopeless relationship, feels caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

“This play works very well.  Rattigan certainly knew how to make them.  Just like Chippendale.”  Says Director, Geoff Brittain.

 

 

Award winning director Geoff Brittain

 

 

Performance dates - 24th April to 4th May

(Excluding Sundays and Mondays)

Evening performances at 8pm

Saturday matinée (27th April only) at 2pm

Preferential bookings

Please complete the enclosed form, or the form on our website, and return it to the above address by Monday 8th April.

Ordinary bookings

Ordinary bookings open on Wednesday 10th April at Brighton Stationers, Brighton Shopping Centre, 525 Brighton Road, Brighton, phone 8296 8902.

Opening Night Bonus

Book for 24th April and pay only $15 for two tickets (usually $20).

Website

Log on to our web site for information about our current season, last season, next season, history, membership (including Subscription Membership form and Green Room membership form), Green Room, bookings (including Preferential Booking form), Spotlight, general information and links to other sites.

Getting all your information online and no longer require this newsletter?  To be removed from our mailing list, please email us.

“Nunsense”

by Dan Goggin
25th July - 10th August
(Note extended season)

The Little Sisters of Hoboken are in a deadly bind.  Sister Julia, Child of God, the chef, accidentally killed 52 nuns with her tainted vichyssoise soup. Luckily, 17 nuns were out playing bingo and were spared from the poisoned broth.  Unfortunately, the surviving sisters only had funds to bury 48 of the 52 stiff sisters. They're holding the remaining four nuns in the freezer, hoping to raise enough money for the burials before the health inspector catches up with them.  Your help is desperately needed!  Come out to Nunsense, the surviving sisters' musical fund-raiser, and lend your support!

Directed by Barry Hill and Rosie Aust.

 “Move Over Mrs Markham”

by Ray Cooney and John Chapman
6th – 16th November 2002

The outrageously funny bedroom farce that electrified London and New York, has since delighted audiences all over the world.  You will hardly have time to catch your breath between laughs.  The Markham's fifteen year marriage seems just about undone, along with everything and everybody else in this wild, zany free-for-all.  There is no message - just "laughs," "laughs," "laughs."

Directed by Ian Rigney.

Subscription Membership

It’s not too late to become a subscription member for 2002 and enjoy our fabulous program at members’ prices.  Send back your form now, print one from our website or contact us and we’ll mail you one.

St Jude’s Church Coffee Spot

You are invited to join us for a game of cards, Mah Jongg (we’ll teach you), Scrabble, etc. or for just a chat or a read of the daily paper.  There is always a nice cuppa to enjoy as well.  We are open each Friday morning from 10am to 12 noon in the hall behind St Jude’s Hall.

Annual General Meeting

On 13th February the players held their 53rd AGM.  The new committee is Les Zetlein Chairman, Jude Bushby Secretary, Andrew Horwood Treasurer, Kerry Edwards Publicity Officer, Rosemary Taylor Membership Officer, Ric Mepsted, Christie Richards and Andrew McLean committee members.

Rosie Aust spoke on behalf of the committee regarding the Players’ future.  We are at a crisis point.  As an organization we have many strengths.  Audiences, subscription members, money in the bank, sound management structure, plays, actors and directors.  Our problem is we desperately need more volunteers to under take the tasks of stage managing, lighting, sound and building sets.  The committee firmly believes that if we cannot get this commitment, then 2002 may very well be our last performance year.

To discuss this, you are invited to attend an Ideas Meeting on Wednesday 27th March at 8pm in St Jude’s Hall.

Please come along and share your ideas, or offer your help!

Diary Dates - 2002