Frinton Summer Theatre 2012

Details for 2012
provided by Edward Max:

Here is the playlist for the 72nd season of Summer Repertory Theatre in Frinton. In this Olympic Year we have strived to put together a programme that offers you the spice of new ventures as well as the comfort of old favourites. Last year saw some remarkable work, with a very well-received "Turn Of The Screw", a hilarious Ayckbourn, our first music theatre since "The BoyFriend" way back in the 80's, and Patrick Marlowe's hilarious beach-hut comedy "The End Of The Line". Pat is writing another one for us this year, and we are going to try our hand at musical entertainment again with "Tomfoolery", a hilarious satirical show from the famous songs of Tom Leherer. We also have some Agatha Christie for you! Six of this year's plays are brand new to the McGrigor Hall, with only the Ayckbourn play providing a revival. Some of our favourite friends will be returning (Actors Pat Marlowe, Nicola Goodchild, Sofia Linden, Stephanie Day, Tom Attwood and Matthew Townshend, as well as Directors Jonathan Holloway and Tom Littler, Designer Martin Robinson and Technician Matt Coombes). In addition, we will be touring Tomfoolery to Suffolk and maybe even Salisbury.

The Plays........

ART
By Yasmina Reza
Serge has bought a painting - for a small fortune. His friend, Marc, is horrified - but is he truly upset by the painting, or because Serge hasn't asked him his opinion before buying it? Yvan, dreading his marriage to a woman with two mothers and a return to his boring job, wants his friendship to remain unchanged - but can he smooth over the waters, or will he only make it worse by agreeing with everyone? This wry and witty comedy of relationships has mesmirised audiences throughout the world, and now comes to Frinton.
Opens 10th July.

TOMFOOLERY
From the songs of Tom Lehrer, adapted by Cameron Mackintosh and Robin Ray
A celebration of the genius of Tom Lehrer; an evening of subtle humorous delights. Four actors, stools, a piano and a healthy dose of attitude are all you need to enter this witty, wicked, offbeat and thoroughly twisted world. The Harvard-educated math professor delighted millions of fans during the 1950s and ’60s with his dry, cynical but good-humoured attacks on the A-bomb, racism, pollution, pornography, the military, the boy scouts and, of course, mathematics. Nothing is sacred in this hysterical revue featuring such Lehrer favourites as “Poisoning Pigeons In The Park,” “When You Are Old And Grey,” “The Masochism Tango,” “The Old Dope Peddler,” “The Vatican Rag” and an unforgettable Gilbert and Sullivan-esque recitation of the table of elements, linked together with his own inimitable concert patter.
Opens 17th  July

ROUND AND ROUND THE GARDEN
By Alan Ayckbourn
The final part of our greatest living playwright' seminal trilogy about the dangers and delights of extended family life in the English Home counties. We finally see Norman's arrival at Annie's house, and he brings with him romance, passion, mayhem and bare-faced dishonesty. Will Reg ever get a game of tennis? Will Tom ever get the cat down from the tree? Will Norman revisit the brown rug? Will Sarah, Ruth and Annie finally work out what he is up to? Always a favourite playwright, it concludes our staging of this marvellous cycle of plays over the past five years.
Opens 24th  July

THE RATS and KNIGHTSBRIDGE
By Agatha Christie and John Mortimer
A modern flat, a series of mysterious arrivals and anonymous messages, a secret affair, a jealous lover - all the classic ingredients of a tense and chilling tale from the doyen of the thriller. After much negotiation we have managed to secure the professional rights for one of Agatha Christie's plays! This is paired with another gem from the pen of one of our most loved authors and dramatists - who has also got a conundrum for us to untangle. Henry Bulstrode is a middle-aged TV journalist marrying a young and attractive researcher. On meeting her mother, he thinks he detects a secret life in her, and wants to explore it in his work. But is she in fact something quite different? Sharp observational comedy and delightful misunderstandings make this one of his most joyful plays.
Opens 31 July.

SIGN OF THE TIMES
By Tim Firth
From the pen of the author of "Soldier, Soldier" and "Calendar Girls" comes this sharp and heart-warming comedy. Frank Tollit puts up giant letters on the sides of buildings. From a forty foot 'IKEA' to a five foot 'Comet', Frank's been the master for thirty years. But in his heart, he always yearned to work with slightly smaller letters...novels. Spy novels, in fact. Stories of espionage, treachery, unexpected encounters in dangerous places, disasters, explosions and daring rescues. Problem is, they never felt authentic. That is, until the day Frank turned up for work and found all those things starting to happen for real. A comedy about a fifty-seven year old man of letters learning the greatest lesson in life - how to live happily ever after.
Opens 7th August.

GOOD INTENTIONS
By Patrick Marlowe
It is with great excitement and pride that we welcome Pat back for his fourth new play in four years! Adam and Celia work together in the world of high finance, wheeling and dealing across the world to get their clients the best possible return on their money - or do they? Adam is more concerned with the charms of Emily, his new girlfriend - when he is not being distracted by the seemingly uncontrollable activities of his many smartphones. Celia is more concerned with the cooking at Alfredo's and the future of the company. Neither are quite ready for the revelations that a night of Champagne and Clafoutis at Adams Docklands flat will bring!
Opens 14th  August.

CHARLEY'S AUNT
By Brandon Thomas
To round off the season, we present a revival of one of the best loved plays in the english language. The glorious rumpus of what happens when Charley's Brazilian (where the nuts come from) Aunt announces her arrival to the town of dreaming spires has never before been performed at Frinton (at least within living memory) and in response to requests for larger cast plays, we thought that this would be a suitable way of closing the ninth season of Connaught Productions' residency at the McGrigor Hall.
Opens 21st August.

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