escapism3

Our Man by Dan Clucas
Directed by Mark Best

Over the Wall by James Saunders
Directed by Kevin Isaac and Tom Harris

After Midnight, Before Dawn by David Compton
Directed by Roland Ham-Riche

February  11, 12  2011

JG wrote: "The 1 Act Evening is traditionally a chance for emerging directors to gain experience of the rôle, before moving on to the challenge of a full-scale production.  However, the plays tonight are all directed by those with experience of the 'big stage' - Mark Best has frequently directed the Young Wick, and Roland Ham-Riche has previously taken charge of a musical for the company.  Kevin Isaacs, who co-directs with Tome Harris, has also recent experience of directing a big Christmas show.  This is fortunate because the challenge has been to bring a performance together in a very short space of time - the rehearsal period has been less than 4 weeks.  I know the actors, both young and old, have also worked really hard and I am especially grateful for the backstage and technical support that I have received over the last week.  I can feel a new team behind the scenes as well as on the floor!"

Pre-show publicity

Our Man by Dan Clucas is the story of a soldier's day as he wakes, receives his orders and goes into battle. The conflict between the real world and his tired mind is portrayed by the interaction between Nose, Ears, Mouth and Eyes, linked by Phones and overseen by their leader, Sir, who can never quite achieve the high standards he sets them all. A highly original play, very funny in places and bitingly poignant in others.

Over the Wall by James Saunders is a hilarious piece exploring our search for knowledge, the bliss of ignorance and the power of tradition. An island divided by an impregnable wall asks many questions and divides the opinions of our characters. Could going 'over the wall' shed some light on the mysteries of hope, belief, need and longing?

After Midnight Before Dawn by David Campton is an excursion into the power of chaos and confusion as six prisoners accused of witchcraft await their execution on the gallows. It is the late 1600s and only the Calm Woman remains unmoved.  On being questioned, she replies that she knows she will not hang, but does the Devil really look after his own?

And this emerged in Wick News March 2011- "Mark Saves the Day"

His choice of play [Our Man] went from script to stage in three weeks - quite an achievement.

Thanks to Mark and the cast, Wick was able to present a complete, and successful, one-act evening.

Barrie Jerram
[11:52am Tuesday 15th February 2011]

Sheena Campbell

Wick Theatre Company's latest offering, Escapism3, at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, was slightly different as all three plays were directed by members with experience of larger productions.  This showed in an evening of interesting theatre which overcame last-minute changes and the difficulties of making an audience connect with three different tales.

Despite completely different settings and styles all three plays - Our Man by Daniel Clucas, Over the Wall by James Saunders and After Midnight Before Dawn by David Campton - carried a theme of mortality and the pursuit of understanding. 

Our Man, directed by Mark Best, who has often directed Young Wick, was a last-minute addition to the programme after another play was withdrawn.  Set inside the head, or control centre, of Private Jones, the play is initially comic, but gradually descends into tragedy as the men in charge of controlling the soldier's body realise they are fighting a loosing battle against outside forces.  Given how many young men are currently serving their country, this depiction of the mechanics of a soldier was particularly poignant.  The lack of rehearsal time meant some of the performances were not  as polished as one would usually expect from Wick, but an experienced cast still handled the change in pace admirably.

Over the Wall, directed by Kevin Isaac and Ton Harris, was the highlight of the evening.  Without any set or props, the four actors had to portray a range of different characters who live on an island surrounded by a large and unexplained wall.  Sophie Lane was particularly admirable as she convincingly switched between a posh art critic, angry wife, commentator and bored teenager, with just a change in tone and stance.

After Midnight Before Dawn, directed by Rols Ham-Riche, portrayed a group of men and women due to be hung for witchcraft.  Initially innocent, four of the group rapidly make a pact with the Devil for a chance to save themselves.  The level of intensity built up in a short period of time was impressive and the feeling of an inevitable downfall carried the audience along with bated breath.

Wick should be proud of an interesting and thought-provoking evening of theatre.

Shakers

by John Godber and Jane Thornton

March  9, 10, 11, 12  2011

Directed by Guy Steddon

Sophie - Anna
Emma - Phoebe

The View from the Bar by GS: "Welcome all to 'Shakers'; the trendy wine bar from hell!

John Godber and Jane Thornton's play was first written and performed in 1985.  It has long been considered to be a companion piece to Godber's other famous works of that era - Bouncers and Teechers.  The writers revisited and 'Re-Stirred' the play in 1991, producing the play that we are performing for you this evening.

Shakers is an enormous challenge to perform in.  The four actors are on stage throughout, playing over 20 characters between them and delivering huge amounts of dialogue.  It is not an easy undertaking by any means and I am so pleased that this cast has risen to the test with aplomb and sheer determination.  I raise a glass to them all!

I have been thrilled that virtually everyone I wanted to help me get this play on stage has said 'yes!' I have had a dream team behind me covering everything from lighting, publicity and design.  Cheers to all concerned!

Special thanks to my long-suffering production assistant, Tom Harris [Cocktail of choice: Flatline - Sambuca, Tequila and Tabasco].  Tom Harris been an extra pair of eyes, ears and hands whenever I have needed them and has been invaluable all round.  Salut Tom!

Lastly, huge thanks to you, our audience.  Supporting theatre within this economic climate is not always an easy thing to do.  We appreciate your continued enthusiastic support and hope we can continue to be deserving of it.

Oh, and in case you were heading that way ..... Mine's a Dirty Mojito [Spiced Rum, Soda Water, Fresh Mint Leaves, Crushed Ice, Brown Sugar and Lime Juice].

Barrie Jerram
[6:47pm Friday 11th March 2011]

Amidst hilarious humour, serious threads appear as each girl delivers a soliloquy revealing their secret dreams and fears.  Mel speaks of her abortion and the dilemma of confessing to her latest love.  The loss of her child explains Mel's antagonism to single mum Adele, desperate to retain her job.

Nicky contrasts with Mel - one about to embark as a dancer on a cruise ship, full of hope but plagued with doubt and fear, whilst strongly determined Mel knows she will be a  successful photographer.

Talented Anna Quick, Phoebe Hine, Sophie Lane and Emma Parker imbue their monologues with vulnerability, pathos and quietness.  This marks them out as real figures, in sharp contrast with their workplace personas and cartoonish grotesques that are the customers.  Each impress as they make instant switches of character, aided by well-timed lighting changes.

Guy Steddon's direction ensures the action and transitions flow smoothly but one questions his decision to include a live band.  As good as the musicians are, they neither integrate with nor enhance, the show.

Sheena Campbell

Set in the trendy wine bar from hell, Shakers tells the story of four barmaids, Mel, Adele, Nicky and Carol, and a variety of obnoxious and drunk customers.  It was a challenging production, with the four actresses - on stage at all times - playing more than 20 characters.  For the most part, Wick pulled it off.  Guy Steddon's confident direction led the audience easily into the idea of four actresses playing both male and female characters, with lighting changes helping to define the scenes.

Phoebe Hine, as Adele, was excellent at portraying the bar's customers - particularly a bored supermarket worker on a night out - but was also remarkably vulnerable as a waitress trying to support her daughter.

Many women in the audience would also have recognised someone they knew, or maybe even themselves, on a really bad night, in Sophie Lane's drunken, 21-year-old birthday girl.  Impressively the actresses managed to pull off their male characters almost as easily as their female ones, delivering cheesy chat-up lines with confidence.

Anyone who has ever worked in a bar, or is willing to laugh at their own bad habits after a few drinks, would have enjoyed Shakers, which turned out to be a surprisingly poignant comedy.

Phillip Hall
NODA South East

It is impossible to comment on the individual performances as they were all of equal merit.  The four soliloquies were brilliantly delivered each with exactly the right pace and emotion.  The heated exchange between Mel and Carol was very real and almost a disappointment when it failed to develop into something physical.  Nicky's birthday party scene was also very slick with Sophie's drunken, lung-busting distress being quite memorable.

The setting was ideal in its simplicity with perfectly timed and subtle lighting to move from one sequence to the next.

Kittiehawk & The Jets provided an enjoyable introduction and closing to the evening with a more extended interval performance missed by those of us who chose to seek refreshment.  Pity - that was our loss.

This was an admirable performance of a very demanding play.  The language and frankness of the dialogue was, no doubt, not to the taste of all in the audience but this cast succeeded in making it perfectly natural for their characters.  The Shakers' customers were certainly an odd assortment.  One can only wonder what those who were less odd thought of the staff.

As an afterthought - mine is a pint of Harveys Best Bitter. Thank you!

The Vagina Monologues

by Eve Ensler

June  7, 8, 9, 10, 11  2011

Directed by Guy Steddon

GS wrote: " 'What the heck am I doing here?'  It's ma fair question and one we often find ourselves asking.  It was certainly the first question I asked when I found myself in my first meeting as Director of The Vagina Monologues!  The truth is I felt wholly unqualified to be in this position.  For one simple reason and yet enormous reason - I don't usually have a vagina! And yet; and yet ....

This is one of those scripts it is impossible to ignore.  It is one of those plays that has slipped into the common cultural conscious, where it has all but ceased to be a 'just a play', instead becoming a byword for strong and unashamed femininity in the modern era.  It is, in short, a phenomenon.  Unquestionably the most notorious and well known play of the last fifteen years.

The keyword I have used above is femininity, a word I have used quite deliberately instead of feminism.  I think that neatly summarises the appeal of this play, unlike much feminist theatre it has no hidden agenda, does not seek to vilify the entire male race and actually wants to entertain everyone that comes to see it.

When I first encountered this piece I found myself laughing aloud one minute and welling up with emotion the next.  Most importantly, I felt included rather than excluded in the proceedings.  That was when the truth of the matter hit me - this is, above all else, a brilliant piece of writing.  Still that hardly qualifies me to direct the piece!  So, once more, 'What the heck am I doing here?'

Well here's the thing - within 30 seconds of starting work on it, I felt comfortable helming this play.  I feel this is because I have been blessed to know many strong brilliant women in my life and, as a consequence, have never felt intimidation when faced by powerful femininity.  Besides I am here in this world thanks to a vagina so what possible good could come from being squeamish about them?

What is wonderful is that so many other people, of both genders, share my enthusiasm for this play.  As such, I have been able to recruit a fabulous cast of performers and a brilliant crew all of whom match the passion I have for this piece.

Particular thanks to my partner in crime on this production, John Garland.  Enormous thanks also to the uber talented Mike Medway and Jack Hudson - as well as to all the brave and dedicated performers you will see this evening.

I hope you also enjoy this rather special production and my thanks for supporting the Wick Theatre Company once again."

The Author - Eve Ensler

Ensler wrote the original version of The Vagina Monologues in 1996.  The idea for the play grew from conversations with her friends which led Ensler conducting over 200 'Vagina Interviews' with women of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities.  These interviews led to her creating the play to 'celebrate the vagina'.

Ensler first performed the play, as a sols piece, in October 1996 in New York. It was an immediate smash hit and exploded into a globally recognised and celebrated work.  The play earned Ensler immense critical praise; she was awarded 1996 Obie Award for best new play, the 1999 Guggenheim Fellowship ward for Playwrights and a Tony Award amongst many others.  It has subsequently been filmed to great acclaim by the HBO network and aired around the world.

Ensler used the success of her play to launch the 'V-Day' campaign charity that works on a global scale to help highlight and prevent violent and oppressive acts against women.  The 'V-Day' movement has been hugely influential and has grown at an incredible rate since its inception in 1998, raising in excess of $75 million.  Ensler has received numerous humanitarian awards in recognition of her work with the charity.

Ensler has since written a number of other successful plays including; Conviction, Lemonade, Floating Rhonda and the Glue Man.  She remains based primarily in New York and is the adoptive mother of actor Dylan McDermott.  In 2010 she announced that she was receieving treatment for uterine cancer but has continued to write and campaign as much as ever.

The Cast - Director and Producer

Isi Fink - currently studying performing arts, Isi is another actor that has graduated from our Youth Company.  This production marks her second appearance for The Wick following her hilarious performance in Maskerade.  She had previously caught the eye with her work in The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew as the mischievous Mazeppa.

Sarah Frost - currently studying Theatre at Chichester College, Sarah ahs been involved with theatre all her life.  She balances her acting work as a dancer and sought-after choreographer.  She has co-Directed the Pantomime Captain Righteous and the Christmas Crisis in Shoreham in 2009.  Previous acting rôles have included The Collector, Rent and a well received Wick debut in the multi award winning Richard lll.

Addie Marten - the youngest performer in our cast, Addie has risen up to the senior Wick Company from our Youth Group, where she featured in productions as diverse as Our Day Out and The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew.  After a cameo in The Happiest Days of Your Life she has gone on to perform the young lead in Maskerade and featured in the chilling After Midnight, Before Dawn.

Gill Medway - with an acting life that spans numerous genres, a puppet show and two continents, Gill has a whole host of exceptional performances to her credit.  In the local area, she is known for her celebrated work in The Graduate, Richard lll, Don't Look Now, and Talking Heads 2 to name but a few.  Her most recent Wick performance saw her deliver a wonderfully rye Granny Weatherwax in Maskerade.  She balances her acting work with her role as editor on the Essentially Worthing magazine.

Natalie Notley [nee Colgate] - first performed for The Wick as a child in Pinocchio some years ago!  Having obviously caught the theatre bug, she then trained at Drama School and went on to perform professionally throughout the UK.  Since returning to The Wick she has given a number of critically acclaimed performances in, amongst others, Abigail's Party, Blithe Spirit, Noises Off and Maskerade.  She also features for the improvisational troupe Over to You.  This production marks her return to the stage following her marriage in Spring this year and her debut as Mrs Notley!

Anna Quick - studied acting at Hull University before going on to perform for a number of different companies at venues across Europe.  Since settling in Sussex, she has made many notable appearances in shows such as Look Back in Anger, Teechers, Shakers and Popcorn for which she won the BHAC Best Actress award 2009 for her chilling and funny performance as the psychotic 'Scout'.  Also an accomplished director; she recently brought the critically acclaimed Maskerade to the Barn Theatre stage.

Guy Steddon - although better known for is works as an actor, Guy has directed numerous plays, including a national award winning production of The Accidental Death of an Anarchist [Special Award for Comedy - NSDF 2000].  For Wick he has also directed the much lauded productions of Harvey and Shakers.  As an actor he has featured in Richard lll, The Graduate, Popcorn, Talking Heads 2 and many others, including Look Back in Anger for which he won the BHAC Best Actor Award in 2006.

John Garland - John is, without doubt, the busiest man in the Wick Theatre company serving as our Chairman, one of our busiest actors and most prolific directors!  His recent acting credits include Noises Off,  Harvey and Popcorn.  His directorial successes include Art, Not Now Darling, Communicating Doors and The Secret Rapture.  He also produced the one act extravaganza Escapism 3 earlier this year and fits in watching the odd game of rugby when he has free time!!!

[Look Back in Anger and Talking Heads 2 were both Southwick Players productions - web ed]

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Paul Macdowell
Rating:

Jose Harrison
NODA South East

The lighting helped to build some atmosphere but on the whole the show was for too static.  With no scenery, no props, no costumes and very little movement the whole production depended on the actually lines for comedy or pathos.  As the majority of these consisted of then word vagina or similar I found the bulk of the show fairly boring and representative. I did not feel this was a suitable choice of play for a small village production with a reasonably small catchment area.  This particular show requires famous professional actors whose names would draw in a reasonably sized audience. 

Having said all that I thought that most of the cast spoke the words clearly and will feeling and should concentrate on future performing good plays with plenty of opportunity to show off their acting skills.

Sheena Campbell

Having seen it, I can only describe it as a rollercoaster - one minute packed with side-splitting laughs, the next truly moving.  All 17 scenes are based on real interviews with real women pf all ages and this makes this a truly intriguing piece of theatre.  It also means most women would be able to identify with at least one of the scenes (the group of women sitting behind me seemed to identify with nearly all of them).

Some scenes, including Hair, performed by Anna Quick and My Angry Vagina performed by Sarah Frost, evoked knowing laughs from women in audience who undoubtedly recognised their own experiences.  Others, particularly My Vagina was My Village, left the audience in stunned silence for moments afterwards.  As a young actress, Addie Marten handled the sensitive nature of this monologue - the account of a women who had been raped - admirably.

My only slight criticism would be: I felt it was a mistake for some of the cast to attempt American accents.  Accents can be very distracting unless they are entirely consistent and I felt the honest subject matter of the play would have rung truer, in some case, of delivered in a more natural voice.  Saying that, Isi Fink's accent in her monologue was flawless and her childlike movements mirrored the conflict between innocence and experience perfectly.

I would recommend anyone to see this play at least once in their lives.  It is unexpected, funny, uncomfortable, moving and more, and really has to be seen to be believed.

Views from the audience

I must also refer to the part of the review regarding 'well established actors' needing to stage The Vagina Monologues and not a 'small village company'.  Frankly I am at a loss as to the constructiveness of this comment.  The play needs to be staged by actors who are not 'celebrities', as it is the content and delivery of the lines that is important, and surely the acting ability of the company is crucial not how famous the actors are.

Personally I thoroughly enjoyed the play and thought the production and the actors were excellent as some of the monologues were challenging and sensitive."

Mark Flower wrote: "Last night I saw The Vagina Monologues.  What a lovely piece of writing and so well put together on stage by Wick.  It is a show that I have wanted to see for the last 3 years but have always been on holidays for other productions but now at last I have seen this play.

It was both very funny [and lovely to see the cast laughing and smiling on stage] and very poignant.  The item about rape, you could have heard a pin drop and Addie's acting was outstanding and full of emotion.  I'm saddened that what the actor said about rape being used in war is still true today. I don't think it will ever stop.

Well done to the three young Wick members - it was great to see you in such a wonderful play and I am full of admiration for how you all remembered such long monologues.  Everyone was so good - not a weak link anywhere.

Also for me a lovely short play to see and the best since Art - perhaps my top two plays in the last fifteen years!

Well done to you all."

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead

by Tom Stoppard

October  5, 6, 7, 8  2011

Directed by Natalie Notley

NN wrote: "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are constantly bewildered at finding themselves caught up in a much bigger drama - Shakespeare's Hamlet - in which they play only a minor part.  Their old college friend Hamlet happens to be the Prince of Denmark.  They are summoned to court to find that Hamlet's father has suddenly died, and that his uncle has taken over the throne and has promptly married Hamlet's mother.  The new king, Claudius, asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find out what they can about Hamlet's state of mind - which understandably is a bit unbalanced by recent events. Has Hamlet gone mad - or is he just pretending, as a cunning tactic before seeking revenge on Claudius and his mother?  When a troupe of actors arrives at court, Hamlet gets them to stage a play, revealing that he must have murdered Hamlet's father to seize the throne.  He packs Hamlet off to England, with secret instructions that the English king should have Hamlet put to death.  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are ordered to escort Hamlet there by sea, but Hamlet still has more tricks to pull.  By the end of Shakespeare's play, however, Hamlet himself is dead - and so are his wicked uncle Claudius, his mother Gertrude, his former girlfriend Ophelia, her father Polonius and her brother Laertes.  And so too, we are told in passing are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.  That's what tragedy is all about....

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Lee Stevens
Rating:

Sheena Campbell

One of the central themes of the play was the idea that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern came into existence only when they were mentioned in Hamlet.  Therefore, in this production, they have no memories from before the summons to court.  This idea of living outside of the action was reinforced by the set, designed to look like a backstage area.

Tom Harris and Guy Steddon should be congratulated on their mastery of the subtle word play in this production.  It was unfortunate Tony Brownings had to pull out of the rôle of The Player, owing to serious injury, but the director, Natalie Notley, filled the gap admirably.

My only criticism would be the second act seemed slightly long, without moving the action forward in the fluid way seen in the first act.

Louise Schweitzer
[1:32pm Monday 10th October 2011]

The Wick Theatre Company, based at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, have tackled Stoppard before with award-winning Arcadia in 1999.  This lively, enterprising and well-supported troupe stage drama, farce, comedy and musical theatre with four or five productions annually.  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is their 2011 entry for the Brighton and Hove Arts Council Drama Awards. 

It is difficult to believe they could have any serious competition.

Principals Tom Harris and Guy Steddon as the interchangeable Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are an astonishing tour de force.  Onstage for the entire, long drama, and frequently on their own, their range of vocal variety and the ratatat delivery of complex and confusing philosophy played as fast tennis had the audience on Wednesday shell-shocked.

Director Natalie Notley was obliged to wear two hats and take the rôle of The Player at short notice: her travelling troupe of actors swashed and buckled in barrels and boats to hilarious effect in a play within a play about a play.  Andy Etter's lanky Hamlet makes comic a rôle not normally regarded as such, leaving David Creedon with sufficient contrasting gravitas as Claudius.

Clever lighting and ingenious sound effects make props irrelevant - the minimal set serves to highlight the wondrous acting on show.

A little dated, very brave, breathtakingly well done.

Phillip Hall
NODA South East

I felt that the whole production was beyond criticism.  My own slow realisation that we were looking a t a backstage set may have added to my confusion over the many subtle lighting changes but neither were probably shared by the more informed members of the audience.

Having been privileged to be present during the profession adjudication, I feel that any comment I may have would be mere repetition and it might be presumptuous to add anything.  However, my one observation would be that the adjudicator was rightly generous in his praise of Guy Steddon's performance as Rosencrantz, but I am sure it was an oversight that Tom Harris was not given equal credit for his Guildenstern.  I thought that they both interpreted their rôles admirably dealing with vast amounts of dialogue with great confidence

It would be remiss of me not to extend congratulations to Natalie Notley, not only in her capacity as Director but also for her performance as 'The Player'.  At such short notice this was a remarkable performance.

Congratulations to all concerned.  This was first class entertainment with sound individual performances from all the cast with well judged changes of pace successfully bringing out all the humour.