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An Evening With ETC, comments from Rebecca Shields

Well, the Weather Gods threw everything at us on Saturday night. Bright red, perspiring people everywhere I looked, hot, frantically fanning themselves… and yet… we put on a great show!!! From the first really enthusiastic applause, I knew we would be alright on the night, so to speak!

In Part One, using a series of clever sketches, song and poems, we depicted a monumental travel through time. I especially loved the opener with Mr Ramsbottom, Mr Miller and Mr Weaver and the audience did too. The demise of poor King ‘Arold went down a storm and Bill’s Best Bits (Shakespeare revisited) made people chuckle.… Read the rest

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An Evening With ETC

A couple of days in the Ste Dode Sauna
(a personal view from a relieved but happy participant)

Last week, in full canicule, I was regularly looking at the weather forecast and rejoicing that the temperatures for the next few days were supposed to be no more than a refreshing 30C. But, as is usually the case with weather forecasts, it was wrong, wasn’t it?

So on Friday morning I turned up at the Salle des Fêtes in Ste Dode to find that most of the set for An Evening With ETC had already been built and that the crew were happily working away.… Read the rest

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The Theatre Anti-Gods

Sometimes the excitement of preparing another production isn’t quite exciting enough.
When the Theatre Anti-Gods come out to make their mischief, this time in the form of Storm Nils that hit us all during Wednesday night, we all suffer. Torrential, persistent rain meant that buckets were in full use by those who suddenly discovered leaks where there had been none before. Storm force winds made short work of anything that hadn’t been tied down and Thursday morning found us hard at work with chainsaws, ladders, spare roof tiles and tarpaulins and looking for outside furniture that was still heading eastwards. Nevertheless, the weather conditions were somewhat better than a fine day on the west coast of Scotland.… Read the rest

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February Theatre Lunches

So, our rehearsals are underway! I’m in the first of the two one-act plays A Dog’s Life ..and I’m more than qualified to write about this as most of the time as a mere male mortal my life is precisely that – A Dog’s Life! Sit! Shut up! Stop snoring! In the words of Rumpole of The Bailey (remember him?), she who must be obeyed, must be obeyed! I’ve always had a dog so I know what to do amongst an unruly pack of mongrels, which is my best description of my fellow actors in this case. My role as Warden of a dog refuge therefore comes quite naturally but I admit it’s a bit strange to be shouting at committee members to “sit”, “behave” and to “be quiet.”
… Read the rest
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Our final event of the year

Over the last ten years I have been lucky enough to participate in many of the plays put on by the ETC. There are so many different roles to play when making a successful production- and it’s not always just about treading the boards you know! Sadly, due to my travel plans I was unable to audition for a part in Murder at Checkmate Manor so I was quite excited when on my return, I had a call from Maggie to see if I could help by taking on the role of the Dresser for the Boudrac performance. Of course, I jumped at the chance to be a part of the action again and even better – I was invited to join the lunch before the dress rehearsal so I could see exactly what my new role of a dresser entailed.

… Read the rest
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(Work + work + work + SHOW + work + work + sleep) x 3 = Success

As our latest play “Murder Mystery” only had female cast members don’t believe for a moment that it was an excuse for a lazy, boozy feet up period for mere male mortals. In a moment of unthinking madness, this particular elderly gentleman offered his services in setting up and striking set. In his rose coloured, but dirty, spectacles he failed to see just how much work was involved in just simply clearing up and sweeping the floor.

The process took a full day’s work for six people. Imagine, it took all morning just to strip out all the cabling for the lighting and sound systems, roll them up and store them where they could be easily relocated.… Read the rest

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Dresser at Boudrac

Over the last ten years I have been lucky enough to participate in many of the plays put on by the ETC. There are so many different roles to play when making a successful production- and it’s not always just about  treading the boards you know!  Sadly, due to my travel plans I was unable to audition for a part in Murder at Checkmate Manor so I was quite excited when on my return, I had a call from Maggie to see if I could  help by taking on the role of the Dresser for the Boudrac performance. Of course, I jumped at the chance to be a part of the action again and even better – I was invited to join the lunch before the dress rehearsal so I could see exactly what my new role of a dresser entailed.… Read the rest

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Farndale Murder Mystery

One show down, two to go…
Time to stand back for a moment to see how it went and how we all feel.
BEFORE
Getting a show ready is a really time intensive process. The journey from conception to delivery is long, twisty and bumpy and yet, somehow we have reached this point with no major disasters…
When I think about how far we have all travelled as a group, I am amazed. All our characters are fully formed now. Our work is nearly done!
I realise I am now thinking more about the ‘down’ off camera moments more than the slog of rehearsals.… Read the rest

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One show down, two to go…

….. time to stand back for a moment to see how it went and how we all feel.

BEFORE
Getting a show ready is a really time intensive process. The journey from conception to delivery is long, twisty and bumpy and yet, somehow we have reached this point with no major disasters…when I think about how far we have all travelled as a group, I am amazed. All our characters are fully formed now. Our work is nearly done! I realise I am now thinking more about the ‘down’ off camera moments more than the slog of rehearsals. I think nostalgically of making teas and coffees for everyone in the kitchen of the small hall.… Read the rest

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Time running out!

Only two weeks until our first curtain-up at Ste Dode on Saturday 15 November but there’s still time to book to see Murder Mystery.  This is most definitely not your average whodunnit for sure.  We take you back to the 1970s when The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society is staging a performance of Murder at Checkmate Manor in their own inimitable style.  A cast of five ladies from the Guild play fourteen widely differing characters with up to six costume changes each.  They have congregated at Checkmate Manor in the hope of being beneficiaries in the Will of the recently deceased Sir Reginald Bishop.  … Read the rest