All change at Playhouse as turf is laid for drama (From Wharfedale Observer)

All change at Playhouse as turf is laid for drama

2:10pm Tuesday 8th May 2012 in Leisure By Newsdesk

David Keighley’s impressive set for Measure For Measure came down on Sunday, courtesy of the efforts of the Working Party and already the set for Stoppard’s The Real Thing (another of David Keighley’s designs) is taking shape.

The very favourable critical response to Measure For Measure was supported by excellent second week audiences demonstrating that the appetite in Ilkley for Shakespeare, even his lesser known plays, is healthy.

The next production at the Playhouse will be in the Wildman Studio where a resplendent lawn has already been laid down to represent part of a Brooklyn park, the setting for Marvin Chernoff's enchanting comedy-drama Chaim’s Love Song.

Chaim Shotsky is a retired Jewish mailman, and Kelly a teacher from Iowa who has accompanied her husband, an English professor, on a research trip to New York. At their early morning meetings over a few weeks, Chaim tells her his life story and we see his memories come to life. We are introduced to his friend Oscar Birnbaum, his wives, his children, a matchmaker, several other characters and the park pigeons.

It is a tale of happiness and sorrow, tragedy and comedy, but, ultimately, of humanity and an abiding love.

We thoroughly recommend you see this play, directed by Ray Williams and starring Stephen Forman as Chaim, Miranda Armitage as Kelly, supported by Malcolm Taylor, Alan Carmichael, Emily Strange, Kay Vann and Ann Bradley. The production opens this coming Monday and runs until Saturday, May 12.

As advertised extensively last week, our next touring group production in the Wildman Studio is Playhouse Creatures by April de Angelis, presented by Blue Aces Theatre Ltd, a touring theatre company run in association with Helmsley Arts Centre and based in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire.

Set in Restoration England, it tells the story of the first actresses to tread the boards following the Puritans’ closing of all playhouses throughout the land and involves a cameo appearance by the infamous Nell Gwyn.

As mentioned earlier, the next Wharfeside production is Tom Stoppard’s well-known comedy/drama The Real Thing, a story of love and infidelity in 1980s theatreland.

Written before Stoppard’s divorce from Miriam and subsequent relationship with Felicity Kendall, the play is surprisingly prescient, concerning marital squabbling, falling in love, jealousy and enduring love, all with a background of Thatcher’s Britain and a soundtrack from, surprisingly, the Sixties. Starring Walter Swan, Sarah Potter, Geraldine Woodhouse, Lee Russell, Will Lambert, May Hughes and Jason Evans, directed by Jacquie Howard, the show opens on Wednesday, May 30, for a ten-night run.

The next social event is the Fleapit Cinema showing a screening of Made in Dagenham, on Sunday, May 20, at 2pm. Tickets are £5 each and include tea and cakes. All are welcome.

For tickets for all these events, ring the box office on (01943) 609539 or visit ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk