Newbury Dramatic Society |
The Newbury Dramatic Society web site is at www.newburydramaticsociety.com. Facebook. Twitter: @NewburyDramatic
Last production
London Suite, 5th July 2018 at the
Croft
Hall, Hungerford. Part of
HADCAF.
6th July
at Hampstead Norreys Village Hall
7th July at Sutton
Hall, Stockcross
8th July at St John's Church, Newbury
By Neil Simon. A Hyde Park hotel suite provides the fashionable
setting for four individual short plays, each with a different
tone. As London Suite veers from thriller to farce we meet an
array of different characters, including a novelist holding his
accountant at gunpoint, a rich widow on a rather odd date, a
talk show host being reunited with her ex, and “the man on the
floor”.
Box Office
See our web site for ticket details.
Review of London Suite
5th July 2018
Review from the Newbury Weekly News.
Hadcaf checks in to Simon quartet
Neil Simon’s London Suite, first performed in 1994, consists of four short plays taking place in a hotel overlooking Hyde Park. The plays have a variety of styles: thriller, comedy, love story, farce.
Settling Accounts starts dramatically with Brian pushing his adviser and manager Billy into the room at gunpoint. He is understandably narked that Billy appears to have embezzled a large amount of his money. This was a strong performance from Neil Padgen as Brian; good stage presence and Welsh accent, well varied in pace and volume. Nick Card as Billy had a good range of facial expressions but an odd plummy accent and a performance that was totally over the top. I didn’t understand what director Ian Martin was aiming at here.
Going Home was a gentle two-hander between Emily Browne as Lauren and Ruth Tibbetts as her mother. I really enjoyed this play with strong acting and chemistry between them, giving a believable mother-daughter relationship.
Diana and Sidney was the most interesting of the four. Ageing actor and talk-show host Diana is waiting nervously to meet her ex-husband Sidney, who has come to ask for money to support his dying gay lover. This was a poignant story with twists; well acted, particularly by Sarah Enticknap as Diana, conveying her range of feelings extremely well. Neil Taylor was good too as Sydney and right for the part (but do think what to do with your arms). Elizabeth Hewett had a small part as Diana’s PA.
The Man on the Floor was an amusing one to finish with. Mark and Annie have flown in with tickets for Wimbledon, which they have lost. Mark and others end up on the floor, in pain or unconscious. Andrew Smith was excellent as Mark, with the best American accent of the night. There was fine support from Emma Morrisen as Annie and Maureen Prince with a nice Irish accent as Dr McMerlen, with cameo parts for Polly Emberlain and Mike Brook. This was a funny play, but as a farce it needed to be slicker.
A well-matched set of plays with some good acting from Newbury Dramatic Society.
PAUL SHAVE
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NDS is the oldest established amateur theatre group in the Newbury area. Current membership is around 45, and we stage a variety of shows each year in local venues, and also enter regional drama festivals. Between rehearsals we have an active social calendar - events planned include bowling, a car treasure hunt and group outings to other theatres. |
Previous productions
The Interview, 7th to 12th August 2017 at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Stanley, 5th to 9th July 2017, on tour
Maskerade, 17th to 20th May 2017. See the review in the archive.
Just So Kipling, 13th to 15th July 2016. See the review in the archive.
The Interview, 21st to 23rd April 2016 and 7th to 12th August. See the reviews in the archive.
A Tale of Two Cities, 27th to 30th May 2015
Revolution and Revelations, 20th to 22nd November 2014. See the review in the archive.
The Local Heroes of 1914-18, 13th July 2014. See the review in the archive.
Tess of The D’Urbervilles, 3rd to 6th April 2013
Entertaining Angels, 8th to 10th November 2012 at ACE Space
The Taming of the Shrew, 2011 at New Greenham Arts
The Dog It Was That Died, 2011 at the Watermill
Curtain Up, 2010 at New Greenham Arts
Confusions, 2010 at the Watermill
Outside Edge, 2009 at New Greenham Arts
Ladies' Day, 2009 at New Greenham Arts
The Recruiting Officer, 2008 at the Watermill
Ladies Who Lunch, 2008 at New Greenham Arts
Far From the Madding Crowd, 2007 at the Watermill
A Fishy Business, 2007, Festivals
Abigail's Party, 2006 at the Watermill
What's for Pudding, 2006, Festivals
Racing Demon, 2005 at the Watermill
Babysitting Calvin and A Radio Reminiscence, 2005 at Waterside, Newbury
Whose Life is it Anyway?, 2004 at the Watermill
2004 Review, 2004, on tour
An Ideal Husband, 2003 at the Watermill
Arms and the Man, 2003 at New Greenham Arts
Taking Steps, 2002 at the Watermill
Sganarelle and People ARE Odd! A joint revue and radio play with Kingsclere Players, 2002 at the Mencap Centre
Sganarelle, 2002, Festivals
The Crucible, 2001, Thatcham and The Watermill
World Première, 2001, Festivals
Love Begins At Fifty, 2000 at New Greenham Arts
Is It Something I Said?, 2000, Festivals
It Could be Any One of Us, 2000 at the Watermill
A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1999 at Kintbury
Habeas Corpus, 1998, at the Watermill
Parentcraft, 1997, Wallingford Festival
Move Over Mrs Markham, 1997 at the Watermill
Caught On The Hop, (Festival Winner) 1996, Wallingford Festival
Flying Feathers, 1996 at the Watermill
Contact Us
If you are interested in joining us in any capacity - whether as an actor, director, stage manager, backstage helper or programme seller - get in touch for details! Contact Ann Davidson at .