December Update

Forthcoming.
On Friday 8th December a small group of us are going to the Point to see "The Visit" performed by EBYT. We so strongly enjoyed their last production and therefore have great expectations for this.
We are still booking for "Mack & Mabel at the Mayflower on the 31st Jan (See Christine)
For February I suggest the Bernard Shaw play "Arms of the Man" (Comedy) at the Playhouse Salisbury. Let me know if you are interested.

Write up of shows seen.
I have been very dilatory at my follow up reports of our outings - which is probably because I am still flummoxed by our visit to "Islands in the Stream" at the Nuffield in October! I still do not know what it was we actually saw. I waited to read the Echo report, but it seems their reporter was equally mystified! But I can say that all of our group were enraptured by the superb dancing, tableaux and lighting effects and overall thought it was an enjoyable experience.
The same could not be said for Martin Shaw's performance in Man for all Seasons at the Mayflower. How disappointing or should I say, disastrous. The fact that he was unable to project his voice meant that one could not hear what he was saying - thus missing one third of the dialogue. Nor did he convince me that he was Thomas More - only Martin Shaw, TV actor! The evening was lifted by the levity portrayed by Tony Bell and a bijou portrayed of King Henry V111 by David Flynn. So delightful was the latter that when he left the stage I wanted to go with him because I was sure I would have a better time than staying with the remaining cast!.
Still, those are my views. Have any of you other's got comments to make? - more flattering perhaps?

Julie Horsman 02380 862704

Forthcoming events

Tickets for the Islands in the Stream and Man for all Seasons are now booked. please see Julie for the former and Christine for the latter re: payment.

£18 Stall tickets now booked for Man Of All Seasons. Meet at St Winfrids Church, Salisbury Road, Totton at 6.45pm. and travel together in the community bus
£16.00 block booking for stall tickets row J & K have been taken for the musical Mack & Mable at The Mayflower Theatre on Tuesday 31st January.

The Winter Programme for the Nuffield is out and includes the following.

Island in the Stream on Friday 21/10 at 7.30 cost circa £15 A stunning visual by a Russian physical theatre company (This is proving popular within our group.)

Romeo and Juliet Thurs 7 Oct 7.30 Cost circa £15.

Translation on Friday 11 November 7.30 cost circa £15. Performed by the National Theatre company.

Shoah The holocaust disaster on Thurs 17 November at 7.30 cost circa £15

There are also 2 talks on Sundays 13 and the 20 Nov at 7.30 by Shirley Williams and Jo Brand respectively.

Please contact me ASAP if you are interested in going to any of the performances.

Julie Horsman 02380 862704

One evacuee in thousands

Theatre Trips

A small group of us visited the Playhouse, the delightful theatre in Salisbury on the 29th September. We were more than amply rewarded for the journey by the superb performance of "To kill a Mocking Bird" Unusually it was done "in the round" the audience surrounding the "stage", The cast rose to the challenge (and that of maintaining accents) and kept everyone spellbound from the start to the finish. It was simply magnificent production played out in front of a packed audience.


On another lovely July evening, 14 of us made our first visit to the delightful bijou theatre at Hanger farm to see "Confusions", 5 short plays by Alan Ayckbourn, producer by the Mountbatten Players. Sadly the performance in at least 3 of the plays did not do justice to the wit and astute observations always to be found in A.A's work. However we were certainly rewarded by the magical live musical accompaniment provided by the 5 piece Simon Burrill orchestra.
Our next outing hopefully, is in September to see "To kill a mocking bird" at Salisbury Playhouse.


Earlier in July, the theatre group went to the Point to see the Eastleigh Borough Youth Theatre's production of "Blackout", a musical written by the local playwright, Mark Wheeler.
It was a very warm , mellow July evening. The prospect of being packed into a small theatre was not enticing. However we were all more than rewarded by a scintillating and energetic performance revealing the lives of evacuee children during WW2. The individual performance of these young people, particularly those in the lead roles, was outstanding and very convincing as they revealed some of the problems faced by children of the era. With such sympathy and understanding did these young actors portray their story, that it not only stirred childhood memories of our own group but also must have served as a vivid history lesson to the cast's own peer group.
The theatre group is now looking forward to the next outing.


Please contact me if you are interested in going to the Mayflower (7 - 12 Nov.) to see "A man for all seasons" starring Martin Shaw.

15 September 11.00am Meet Producer & Cast - 2.30 Matinee
To Kill a Mocking Bird
Salisbury Playhouse