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In the June
Chairman: Graham Virgo The Gazette now has its own email address: email: GamlingayGazette@tesco.net The Gazette is produced on a PC using Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher. If you are providing a disc, and are not using Microsoft Word, please save your file as a TEXT file not in your word processor’s native format. Thank you. Your letters and items for articles can also be dropped in at the Village College Library. Just mark them for The Gazette. Every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the items included but the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the Committee.
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The Gamlingay Players has been presenting plays in Gamlingay for over 35 years. It presently has 21 adult members. This article reminisces about some key events in the history of the Players, describes their next production and looks forward to the future. The Past What makes a good actor? Good timing: Once upon a time a young woman sat in front of the mirror putting on the last of her stage make-up. A final critical look; yes, that was fine. She crossed her room to look at the dress she was to wear. It was pretty, strapless, with a boned bodice and a lovely sweeping hemline. It was time to put the dress on, but it would go over the curlers in her hair? The door opened and she picked up the nearest thing to hand, her jumper, and draped it over her head. Nobody, but nobody, was going to see her in jumbo curlers. Wolf whistles accompanied the apologies, ‘Sorry miss - wrong room’ said the footballers as they backed out through the door, leaving her dressed only in black tights and briefs, somewhat embarrassed. Stage presence: Put a play on in the open air? What an idea! Shades of Regent’s Park and all that jazz! It was a lovely evening with the sun just setting. People sat at tables in the car park at the back of the pub and others drifted in to join them from the bar carrying pints. What was going on? A slight mist drifted across the hedge as if by magic. The perfect setting for the ghost who also drifted with it and sat on the wooden stile which had been placed there for the performance. The noise of a car engine broke the silence and a car drove up and stopped between the ghost and the audience. Nobody spoke. Nobody could believe it; was it part of the play? The ghost slowly raised his draped arm and pointed his white hand at the driver. ‘Sorry mate’, called out the driver as he backed out again. The round of applause was well earned by that ghost. Versatility: ‘To be or not to be?’, that was the question everyone was asking. Could we put on a musical? Have we the voices? Who is going to perform the music? What about the ten changes of sets? ‘My Fair Lady’ was the most rewarding production for everybody concerned. The hats, ranging from pill boxes to great swirls of black and yellow silk so large the girls could not get through the curtains and onto the stage without their partners holding them on as they bent their heads to get through the gap. Higgins, who threw his hat into the air a little more excitedly than usual, and there it stayed in the overhead fringed curtain. How do you tell 25 children that you do not want them when 50 turn up for an audition of Oliver? You cannot do it. So you have two teams of 25 acting on alternate nights, two Olivers and two Artful Dodgers. It was hard work, but very satisfying. Take criticism: Do not enter Drama Festivals says the experienced amateur actor. There are truthful people in Drama: they are called adjudicators. They examine the play, the actors, the set etc. and then give you their opinion – in front of the audience. Some are cruel and the experience can be devastating. But there are moments when a glow of triumph steals over you as you watch a member of the Players receive the award for Best Actress in Cambridge. Enthusiasm: There were drama groups in Gamlingay before 1965 but with the opening of the Village College the ‘Village College Amateur Dramatic Group’ was born and has been in existence ever since. It is now called the Gamlingay Players and is based in the Community Centre. Over the last 36 years members of the group have been entertaining villagers with over 120 productions. For each production the Players start in an almost completely empty hall and by the time the audience walk in a few days later it has been transformed with a stage, curtains, set, chairs, tables, bar and refreshments. As the members of the Players stand on the stage and listen to the audience on the other side of the curtain, they are wondering what reaction they will receive. Will they laugh or cry, applaud or sit in stony silence? Has it been worth it? they ask themselves and when the curtain falls on the last night they know that the answer is ‘yes’ and they cannot wait to start it all over again. The Present The ‘Gamlingay Players’ have chosen a play by one of the country’s most popular playwrights, Alan Ayckbourn, for their next production. ‘Confusions’ is a set of interlinked one-act plays, dealing with human eccentricities and the dilemma of loneliness in both a comic yet sharply observed way. A whole spectrum of human emotion is explored: a mother trapped at home with her young children, an unsuccessful seduction attempt, a fraught dinner encounter and a disastrous village fête! Alan Ayckbourn has written four very funny scripts, with thought-provoking undertones so typical of his work. The four directors will be bringing the work to the stage on Thursday 28th, Friday 29th and Saturday 30th June at Gamlingay Community Centre. Tickets are priced at £5 adults and £3.50 concessions and will be available from Gostlings and Andy’s by the beginning of June. Performances begin at 7.45pm, and will have table seating. So do come and join the Players for their next production of the season. The Future Gamlingay Players have run very successful Drama Workshops for their junior members for over two years. The junior members are taught theatre skills, improvisation, drama games, voice techniques and general stage crafts. The junior members have joined in with the adults for pantomimes and have also performed in their own productions. Drama workshops are open to youngsters aged 9 and above and will resume in September. If you are interested in joining the Players as either a senior or a junior member or if you would like to obtain more information about the Gamlingay Players please contact one of the following:
Pam Young (Chairman): 01767 650071
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