PAST PRODUCTIONS - THE TURN OF THE SCREW

'Cider With Rosie'
By Laurie Lee
Adapted by James Roose-Evans

23rd, 24th and 25th July 2009
Lincoln Drill Hall

For our summer 2009 production we opted for another ambitious and innovative staging with a cast of thousands - James Roose-Evans' adaptation of the first part of Laurie Lee's autobiographical trilogy, Cider With Rosie.

Once again Common Ground Theatre Company proved itself to be a group which can absorb new members and take on
complex and at times daunting productions: of the 21 actors in the cast 11 were newcomers to the company, and between
them they tackled some of the trickiest bits of stage business Common Ground has attempted to date!

Tim Bradford held the show together with a star turn as Laurie Lee narrating the action, and he was ably supported by Teana Hutchinson (Mother Lee) and the rest of the family.

One of the biggest challenges faced by the cast - apart from recreating rural Gloucestershire between the wars with only a few props, costumes and 18 wooden chairs - was the fact that all the children were played by adult actors, including some as young as three or four.

The Market Rasen Mail described the production as 'a worthy introduction to Laurie Lee’s trilogy, which will have made many in the audience want to read or re-read the book'.

Narrator, Laurie Lee - Tim Bradford
Mother - Teana Hutchinson
Loll, the young Laurie Lee - Jez Ashberry
Phyll, Loll’s half-sister - Lisa Smith
Marge, Loll’s half-sister - Alex Thornton
Doth, Loll’s half-sister - Becky Fawcett
Jack, Loll’s older brother - Tony Smith
Tony, Loll’s younger brother - John Leighton
First teacher - Emma Atkin
Miss Crabby B, Mrs Davies - Kate Townsend
Spadge Hopkins - Dave Hewitt
Miss Wardley, First Spinster, Mrs Pimbury - Chrissie Hughes Walt Kerry - Chris Matthews
Granny Wallon - Carolyn Jones
Granny Trill - Su Toogood
Vicar, Mr Davies - Christopher Adams
Vincent - Jason Hippisley
Uncle Sid, Squire - Ian Smith
Second Spinster, Baroness von Hodenburg - Eileen Finningley
Jo - Melissa Monks
Rosie - Dani Isaacs

Director - David Lintin
Producer and Assistant Director - Su Toogood
Original music composed by Mark Scales
Stage Manager - Helen Fleshbourne
Crew - Helen Fleshbourne, Bill Bartlett
Properties - Bill Bartlett
Wardrobe - Carolyn Jones, Su Toogood
Sound effects - Mark Scales
Technicians - Ed Purle, David Lintin
Set - David Lintin, Bill Bartlett
Poster design - Mark Scales
Programme & publicity - Jez Ashberry

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