For
archival material click on Memories and follow the links
Tremend-mouse
fun
31st
December 2013
It’s
the night before Christmas and all around the house, something
is stirring and yes, it’s a mouse. Two mice, in
fact – a Granny and her grandson. And she’s
telling him a bedtime story about two other mice who,
in 1818, went on a big adventure across Europe in search
of the ‘eternal churner’ - a machine that
automatically makes a constant supply of cheese so no
mouse shall ever go hungry.
Along
the way they sing a few catchy songs; run into trouble
with the feline pirate, Captain Cat Sparrow and his ship,
the Black Purr; discover the first Toblerone; ruin a Christmas
Eve carol service by nibbling a bit of the church organ
and finally redeem themselves by inspiring the vicar to
compose the carol, Silent Night.
Badapple
Theatre brought this heart-warming tail (ha!) to life
with great charm and plenty of puns - among the best was
Cap’n Cat singing ‘I can’t get no Catisfaction’,
mention of the famous painting, The Mouse-a Lisa and that
well known Shakes-mousian character, Julius Cheeser.
With
a cast of only two, assisted by a handful of puppets and
an audience that enthusiastically boo-d and hissed on
cue, the show was a fresh alternative to the traditional
panto and went down a treat with the post-Christmas crowd.
Nice
mice.
31st
December
Autograph
hunters were out in force after the performance of ‘The
Mice who ate Christmas’ and the cast were more than
happy to oblige.
Zoe
and John of Badapple Theatre signed programmes for audience
members, including Gemma and Matthew.
Gemma
was making her first visit to the Spotlight with her Mum
and hopes to come back again soon. She thought the show
was really funny. Matthew said that he doesn’t really
like pantomimes but thought this show was brilliant. Meeting
the cast was a real treat and made a special night out
even more memorable.
Every
little helps the Spotlight
Stars
of the Spotlight’s annual panto put in a personal
appearance at Tesco’s one weekend, much to the amusement
of Saturday afternoon shoppers.
The
store is kindly providing a supply of sweets for the theatre’s
production of Jack and the Beanstalk which runs for 11
performances from 14 December .
Surprised
shoppers and delighted children found themselves face-to-face
with Jack and his cow, as well as staff members dressed
as Disney characters, as they wandered around the supermarket’s
aisles checking out the special offers.
Anna-Marie
Jenkinson, Community Champion at the Station Approach
store, took on the role of a snowman for a few hours:
‘Tesco
is pleased to support community projects like the Spotlight
and making sure their audience is kept topped up with sweeties
at Christmas-time is something we’re more than happy to
be able to do’.
Mike
Sheldon, chairman of the Spotlight, said that certain elements
of panto are now expected, and anticipated : ‘It’s
become something of tradition to gently throw sweets out into
the audience – it’s almost as important as shouting,
‘He’s behind you!’. And it’s not just
the kids that love this bit of the show. Mums, Dads, Grans and
Grandads too seem more than happy to try to catch a flying toffee.
In fact, that’s one of the joys of panto, everyone likes
to join in. We wish to say a big thankyou to Tesco for being
part of the fun‘.
Jack
and the Beanstalk runs at the Spotlight Theatre, West Street,
Bridlington from 14 December to 5 January. Tickets, priced
£8 adults/£5 children, are available from Bridlington
Blinds and Curtains at the top of Bridge Street.Pic;Bridlington
Free Press
A
laugh a minute !
10th
November
You
would’ve liked ‘Burt n Joyce’. A nice
married couple who run a charity shop in town and who
popped into the Spotlight on Saturday in the company of
Reform Theatre.
Burt
n Joyce plod along nicely until their world is turned
upside down when they make a surprising discovery in a
bag of bric-a-brac left on their door step.
There
were funny gags, neat use of local landmarks and connections
(like trying to think of famous folk from Brid and being
met with total silence). There was also a good running
joke with a member of the audience.
For
a Spotlight audience, there were some rather rude moments
– a line worthy of the best Carry On script (when
Burt reminisces about ’showing Esther Rantzen his
cock’*) raised barely a titter. Having said that,
Burt’s struggle to squeeze his tackle into a pair
of too-small pants had most folk in stitches. (Though
why, for a man who didn’t want to get undressed
in public, he didn’t use the shop’s changing
cubicle next to him was odd.)
While
the second half, with its more serious tone, wasn’t anywhere
near as entertaining as the first; while there wasn’t
much substance to the story; and while the theme about the impending
visit of an ex-employee who’s now a pop-star seemed to
disappear into thin air, the curtain call was met with raucous
applause.
So
what if there was no ‘message’ to take home. Who
cares if things seemed to jump around a bit. This was a bright
shiny bubble of a play that floated around for ninety minutes
or so. It made us smile, it made us giggle and then it burst
leaving nothing behind but a warm fuzzy feeling. And sometimes
that’s all that’s needed.
*(For
those concerned about declining standards on our stage, fear
not. Burt was referring to a prize budgie he’d appeared
with on ‘That’s Life’).
Calendar
Girls at Spotlight Theatre Bridlington; raise £2250 for
Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.
PRESS
RELEASE Nov 6th 2013
On
Wednesday the 6th of November a cheque for £2250
was presented to Judy King, regional coordinator of the
Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research charity by Pauline Pope,
Director of Calendar Girls at Spotlight Theatre in West
Street.
Mike
Sheldon, Chairman of the Spotlight Theatre said “It
has been a privilege to be part of a wonderful inspirational
play. Everyone involved in the play (a great team) gained
a huge amount from doing it and made many new friends.
This includes those whose lives have been touched by Leukaemia
or Lymphoma, which gave an added spur to the actor’s
efforts”.
The
£2000 was raised in many forms. Kenneth Davison, who played
John Clarke, shaved his hair off for the part and raised £506.
Liz Edwards who played Annie Clarke, painted six sunflower paintings,
which were auctioned off and raised £400. The late night
Pharmacy sponsored the programme, which raised £150. Rags
Restaurant raised £50 with their Calendar Girls pre theatre
meal. McCain foods of Scarborough donated £250. Lots of
raffle prizes were given by local businesses and patrons of
Spotlight Theatre. We thank them all.
Bridlington
Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, proud owners of Spotlight
Theatre, contributed the rest to make the £2000.
Mike
added “on behalf of Spotlight Theatre I thank everyone
who came to see the play; we had full houses all the week,
with many of the audience leaving with a tear in their eye.”
A time not to forget. “I saw Calendar Girls at Spotlight
Theatre!” The 2014 Calendar of the Girls are still on
sale for a £1.00 and are available at Bridlington Blinds
and Curtains, (top of Bridge Street) and Elizabeth’s
Jewellers in Queen Street, Bridlington.
Needs
more fire power
3rd
November
You
know when everyone laughs at a joke and you’re left
thinking, what?
This
was kind of how I felt after ‘Standing in Line’
took to the stage on Saturday night. I got the distinct
feeling I’d missed something .
Not
that this was a funny show, far from it. Billed as ‘a
story of the Great War told in songs, readings and images’,
the terrors of trench war-fare didn’t raise many
laughs. But for me, it didn’t evoke any kind of
emotion. And I’m not sure why.
The
musicians were more than capable; the songs an interesting mix
of original material and traditional ditties of the era; and
the readings ranged from the verses of the War Poets to letters
from Albert Scrimshaw (the Great Uncle of one of the performers)
who went to France to fight never to return. And yet….....it
all proved a surprisingly detached journey.
Certainly
I felt the narrator could have made more of the words - particularly
the powerful poetry of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. His
delivery throughout seemed flat. Where was the horror? Where
was the remorse?
The
singer admitted to having caught a cold so maybe that didn’t
help things either. And with such a wealth of imagery available
from the time, the slideshow at times was slow and repetitive.
Don’t
get me wrong. This wasn’t a bad night at the theatre.
It just seemed a bland night at the theatre. But maybe that
was just me. [Photo; Graham Whitmore]
Far
from bog standard
27th
October
Did
you know we spend three years of our life on the loo?
Thanks to Rich Seam theatre’s’ Royal Flush’,
which played at the Spotlight on Saturday, if that question
comes up in a pub quiz, I’ll get it right.
This
was an outstanding one-man performance by a familiar face
to Spotlight regulars, Matthew Booth, and written by an
equally familiar name, Nick Lane.
The
first half was given over to Thomas Crapper himself, who
didn’t invent the toilet but improved it no end.
Having successfully kitted out Sandringham Palace with
new bathrooms, he’s preparing to meet Her Majesty
Queen Victoria and explain the ins and outs of the new
sanitary ware he’s installed.
Fascinating
facts mixed with gentle reminiscence as the elderly Mr
C looked back on his life, from his early days in Thorne
near Doncaster to his later years when he opened the first
ever bathroom showroom in the 1870s.
Fast
forward through the interval to Act II and we find ourselves
in the company of Joe, a care home cleaner who’s
on the make. A royal visit gives him his chance to clean
up (so to speak).
Entirely
different in tone and feel, the two halves worked exceptionally
well together. And the central performance, which also entailed
performing as a dozen or so minor but important characters,
was brilliantly executed.
While
the toilet humour of the second act might not have been to everyone’s
taste, it did have the vast majority of the audience gurgling
like drains – especially the final revelation. Though
Lesley Garret fans might feel differently about it. Interestingly
for them, did you know most loos flush in the key of E flat?
Calendar
Girls show what they’re made of
20th
October
According
to google, around 1000 amateur drama companies up and
down the country have produced a version of Calendar Girls
this year. The Spotlight’s version must surely make
it into the top ten.
It
must be a daunting task to take on a play that virtually
the whole audience has seen (and loved) before on the
big screen. But the cast and crew rose to the challenge
delivering an engaging piece of theatre with some very
funny as well as truly touching moments.
The
script was smart, the set accomplished and the direction
reassuringly unobtrusive. But of course, it was the Calendar
Girls themselves who stole the show. And they were, to
a woman, magnificent. The relationship between the six
central characers felt entirely real. They were able to
laugh together, cry together and ultimately succeed together
with the audience believing every word as the Yorkshire
lasses revealed their secrets along with their bodies.
Which
brings us to the infamous nude scene? This was discreetly
done with each month’s girl being bathed in a pool
of light so flattering that if B&Q sold lamps that
replicated it, I’d be first in the queue.
Like
the bras the ladies of the Women’s Institue discarded,
it was uplifting stuff. And it encouraged the sell-out audience
to cast off their inhibitions too and give a much-deserved standing
ovation. It felt the least we could do.
Cream
of the crop
9th
October
Remember
when milk came in glass not plastic? And you poured it
out of a bottle not a carton? So does Badapple who brought
their latest production to the Spotlight on Tuesday.
‘Eddie
and the Gold Tops ’was as wholesome as the white
stuff at the heart of the story. This was a charming tale
about an honest-to-goodness milkman from Bottledale who,
against all the odds, makes it big in the world of pop
music in the swinging sixties.
Along
the way the Yorkshire lad manages to thwart his evil doppleganger,
win/lose/win back his girlfriend, as well as rescue his cart
horse Angelo from an appointment at the glue factory.
With
just three actors playing all the roles and a set that used
space more impressively than the Tardis, it was as inventive
as it was fun. And there were plenty of sound-alike tunes that
wouldn’t have seemed out of place on Juke Box Jury.
Oozing
nostalgia and charm, this was a show to snuggle down with on
a nippy autumn night and bask in its warmth.
Game
over.
5th
October
Love,
friendship and football. This was the theme of ‘Stand’,
Reform Theatre’s latest offering to their fans at
the Spotlight.
Two
couples do their thing one Saturday – the blokes
head to the match to follow their beloved United; their
other halves prepare for a night on the town.
And
while the lads mouth it off on the terraces, the girls
do the same later in the trendy city bars. But after years
of doing this week in week out, the question arose, is
there more to life?
The
answer to this was debated in a punchy play that was both funny
and frightening. The performances were entirely believable making
the ending all the more powerful.
Stinging
words with the accuracy of the Rooney free kick were complemented
by a set that managed to say it all with just a couple of appropriate
seats in each act and the same simple backdrop. Clever stuff.
Our
own ‘terraces’ were only half full on the night.
And it was a shame for both for the Spotlight and Reform. So
make an effort to get to the next show…quality like this
is worth switching off the telly for.
600
or bust!
26th
September
The
Spotlight’s very own ‘Calendar Girls’
are set to break records at the theatre.
With
just 49 tickets left out of 600, they are on track to
make the show a sell out well before opening night.
Chairman
Mike Sheldon said:
‘Playing
to a full house is always a great thing for a cast and
crew. The heightened sense of expectation from the audience
really gives everyone on stage a lift. And as a percentage
of the profits from this show goes to Leukaemia Research,
there’s even more reason for us to want as many
people as possible to come and see it.’
The
hit show has been in rehearsal behind closed doors for a number
of weeks and while there may have been more nerves than usual,
the team have now got over their initial shyness.
Helen
Nichols who plays Chris, the role made famous by Julie Walters
in the award-winning film, revealed:
‘Taking your clothes off in public does get easier the
more times you do it. You start by feeling very brave but eventually
it becomes routine. I think we’re all more worried about
learning our lines than any wobbly bits we might have’.
One
of the first amateur productions of the play took place earlier
year in Grassington, where the original events surrounding the
now iconic Women’s Institute nude calendar took place.
The Spotlight production is amongst a number taking place all
over the UK in the 18 months the performing rights are available
to non-professionals.
The
last few remaining tickets for Calendar Girls can be bought
from Bridlington Curtains and Blinds at the top of Bridge Street.
But they’re going fast.
Helen continued, ‘I would say if we get to that magic
600 figure that I’d stand naked on the stage - but there’s
no point as I’m already doing just that.’
A
shining example of community action
3rd
September
A
very special performance of one of the Spotlight’s
summer shows, ‘Starshine,’ took place on Monday
evening at the theatre’s home on West Street.
The
Rotary Club of Bridlington funded a visit to see the traditional
variety show for groups of people who no longer get out
and about as much as they’d like.
Members
of the Community Service Committee, including Chairman
Robin Taylor along with Harry Barnett, were on hand to
welcome guests brought to the theatre by The Salvation
Army, Christ Church, Arthritis Care and a number of local
care homes.
Robin
Taylor explained:
‘This kind of community work is exactly what the
Rotary Club spends its time – and money –
doing. All the activities and events we organise have
one purpose – to raise funds to allow us to help
local folk in any way we can’.
Those
being treated to a night at the theatre were looking forward
to the prospect of a great night of singing, dancing,
magic and comedy.
Amongst
the excited audience was Kathleen Newton who had enjoyed
last year’s show and admired the professionalism
of the amateur cast. Margaret Hall, who was joined by
friends Joan Braithwaite and Muriel Nordass, was looking
forward to another first-class evening of music and fun
, having also been wow-ed by the previous year’s
performance.
President
of the Rotary Club, Jeff Carling, said:
‘This is the fourth year we’ve brought members
of the community to the Spotlight and every show has been
thoroughly entertaining. Everyone comes out of the theatre
smiling and humming the tune to one of the songs. It’s
become a much anticipated annual event and we look forward
to many more’.
Photos from top and L to R:
Judith
Downing, Robin Taylor,Ann Clough
Kathleen
Newton and Anita Barnett
Muriel
Nordass, Joan Braithwaite and Margaret Hall
Harry
Barnett, Jeff Carling and Robin Taylor of Bridlington
Rotary Club.
Vive
Starshine
August
How
good is a Spotlight summer show? Good enough to travel
over one thousand miles to see. That’s the opinion
of Trish Keen-Confrey who, for the past three years, has
visited Bridlington from Spain and made Brid’s favourite
little venue a regular port of call.
Trish,
who lives in La Marina close to Alicante, hadn’t
been to this stretch of the Yorkshire coast until she
visited it in 2010 to attend the wedding of her friend’s
daughter.
Since
then she’s bought a caravan here and returns to
our cooler climes during the scorching Spanish summer.
High on her ‘To do’ list when she’s
back in town is a visit to the Spotlight and on Tuesday
evening she saw the BAODS in ‘Starshine’ from
the front row of the stalls.
Trish
really warmed to the production’s lively mix of
comedy and music:‘It’s got a real buzz about
it. And even though it’s an amateur cast, they have
definite talent and work extremely hard, and after spending
two hours in their company, you feel you know the actors
and singers personally because they put so much of themselves
into their performance’.
So
will she be recommending the show to the folks back home?
‘Definitely. This is one show everyone should see
because there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
As we say in Spain, it’s ‘mucho gusto’.
‘
Calendar
Girls Read Through
23rd April
Date: May 21
Time:
7.30 pm
Location:
Spotlight Theatre
Image - The real life
Calendar Girls - Photo: The Telegraph
And
the winner is…..
19th
April 2013
Bob
Downing will be dusting down his dinner suit this week.
Because our very own theatrical impresario has been short-listed
for a prestigious award.
A
wave of nominations for the Chairman of East Riding of
Yorkshire Council awards have been whittled down to just
a handful and Bob has been named in the Community Individual
category. This is in recognition of his 30 years of commitment
and dedication to the Spotlight theatre.
Councillor
Chad Chadwick, who as Chairman of East Riding Council
will be selecting the worthy winner. said:
‘I
would like to congratulate all those nominated. We received
dozens of nominations and it was a difficult task to compile
a shortlist with such a high calibre of applications’.
The
winners of the Chairman’s awards will be announced at
a glittering ceremony at the Spa in Bridlington on Tuesday 7
May. The champagne is on ice, Bob!
It’s
a Dad’s Life.
8th
April 2013
When
Dave’s Mum dies he returns home…to teach his
Dad how to cook. That’s the starting point of Reform
Theatre’s latest touring production, ‘ Me
and Me Dad’ - and it turned out to be another audience-pleaser
for the almost full house.
The
central characters of Dave and his Dad embodied the difficulties
parents and children face understanding one another –
and the two male leads worked well together. Their relationship
is a delicately balanced one – they rarely talk,
and when they do it’s in blokey questions like ‘
How did Luca Brasi die in The Godfather’ or ‘Which
two football teams play at Anfield’, or worst still,
through mono syllabic utterances, ‘Well’ or
‘Arh’. And their annual Subbuteo match, that’s
been taking place since Dave was 12, only serves to drive
another communication wedge between them.
How
the women in their lives affect their relationship is also revealing.
Dave’s Mum (who appears in flashback) treats her husband
almost as another child – but is heartbroken when he falls
seriously ill; Dave’s current girlfriend’s flirty-dirty
phone calls with his Dad confuse and embarrass the son as he
sees his father as a ‘woman’s man’ for the
first time while the achingly funny, Aunty Joyce, the next-door
neighbour who’s almost been part of the family –
whether they liked it or not – elicits sympathy in one
and irritation in the other.
With
plenty of laughs softening the serious insights into family
relationships – how we see our parents, how parents see
each other and how each of them sees their place in the family
unit – this was a hugely watchable play that gave every
Mum, Dad, son and daughter plenty to discuss in the pub afterwards.
Image: the Guardian
It’s
a Yes from NODA
3rd
April 2013
NODA
is the National Operatic and Dramatic Association and
its aim is to provide professional support for amateur
theatre. So it’s interesting (and scary) to have
them turn up to see a production and tell us what they
think. One of their representatives came along to see
our junior company perform ‘Bugsy’. Here’s
what he had to say:
“It’s
a long time since I saw this show and I had forgotten
how good it is, being an ideal vehicle for youngsters
starting out in amateur theatre, and for the adults who
help get the show on stage.This newly formed group did
the show full justice and the dialogue was delivered with
that lovely innocence that only youth can bring. SPOTS
is short for “Showing Potential on the Stage”
and this cast certainly did that with some performances
that made us sit back in wonder at how a production of
this standard could have been presented by such a young
team of over 30, some of whom had never been on stage
before.
Bugsy
was extremely well played by Sebastian Carvill Belt and
some of his comedic timing was excellent. Tallulah (Arabella
Carvill Belt) and Blousy (Chloe Gregory) were very good,
singing and moving nicely. Lucy Porter was a strong Fat
Sam, well supported by Izzie Fanshaw as Dandy Dan and
Maicy Coope really showed her vocal potential as Fizzy.
The
dance routines were well choreographed and executed and
it was great to see so many smiles on stage. The set was
simple (the cars looked really good) and the backstage
team worked extremely hard to maintain the pace that the
show moves at.
The
cast will have been told to watch their diction and speak
slower but that will come and the society deserves a lot
of praise for encouraging and teaching the young team.
This was a super production.”
Not
bad going for the very first production from a group of
youngsters who had little, if any, previous experience.
Looks like they’re going to have a bright future.
Top
photo; Bridlington Free Press; Others: G.Ansell
Performance
fit for a Queen
17th
February 2013
Had
Elizabeth R herself been sitting in the stalls at the
Spotlight last night, she would surely have been giggling
with the rest us at the antics of the ladies of the Great
Magna women’s institute, brought to life by the
U3A drama group.
Royal
Ructions, by Michael Lambe, centred on a visit by the
Queen to accept a portrait painted by a local artist.
Amidst much confusion and mistaken identities –
most notably a Duchess being addressed as the transvestite
brother of one of the committee members (yes, this is
a farce) – preparations are finalised. But, as is
usually the case, the best laid plans go awry and there
were plenty of laughs as the committee do their best to
avoid the royal visit turning into a complete disaster.
The
enthusiastic cast appeared to have as much fun as the audience,
even managing to get a laugh out of an occasional gaff and also
as they took their bow. And credit must go to director Celia
Lee for keeping the action moving at a cracking pace.
This
was the first collaboration between the Spotlight and the Bridlington
University of the Third Age. Hopefully it won’t be the
last.
Image
- The cast of Royal Ructions who impressed a sell-out audience:
Margaret Drysdale, Julie Marshall, Betty Raywood, Maggie Masters,
Di Western and Jean Wilson.
Oh
boy – what a show
16th
February 2013
Did
you know that the song ‘That’ll be the Day’
was inspired by the John Wayne film, ‘The Searchers’?
Or that ‘Peggy Sue’ was originally destined
to be ‘Cindy Lou’?
These
were just some of the fascinating facts neatly woven in
to a musical biography of Buddy Holly written by Bill
Western and performed by the U3Mix Party Band as the second
half of a double bill from Bridlington U3A on Saturday
night
.
With
a live band playing Holly’s hits, a narrator telling
his story plus images from his life projected onto a screen
at the back of the stage, this was a riveting insight
into a man whose brief career has left a lasting impression
on the world of pop music - even the Rolling Stones’
first big hit ‘Not fade away’ was written
by him.
Over
the course of the show the audience learnt a little, sang a
lot and some even took to the aisles dancing. As night’s
out go, this was definitely Buddy brilliant.
(Image:
U3A newsletter)
You’ve
seen the film, now be part of the play – casting
for Calendar Girls
8 February 2013
Everyone
knows the story – how a group of women from a Yorkshire
Women’s Institute raised millions for a cancer charity
by appearing naked in a calendar.
This
funny, heart-warming play will be staged by BAODS during
October 2013. So we will soon be looking for cast members
– and yes, that does include six women who will
be willing to appear in a discreet state of undress.
In
total we will need a cast of 14; 10 females and 4 males. The
playing range is between 30 and 70 with one male/female part
played by younger members. Part of the licence fee will be donated
to Leukaemia research.
If
you are considering coming forward for one of the roles made
famous by Helen Mirren, Julie Walters and Co, be assured that
the portrait photography scene will be set at the back of the
stage and the very front row of seats will not be used.
Anyone
interested can obtain a perusal script from Mike Sheldon. Or
join us at an open night to discuss the play after Oklahoma.
Date to be announced later.
Image - The real life
Calendar Girls - Photo: The Telegraph
Front
of House volunteers wanted
17 January 2013
It
takes all sorts of folk to get a production at the Spotlight
off the ground.
Equally
important as those that go on stage are those that stand
in front of it before and after performances
Our
Front of House team helps the audience find their seats,
sell programmes or raffle tickets and generally help make
a visit to the Spotlight special.
Commitee
member Bob Downing said, 'A warm welcome in the foyer or a helping
hand during the interval can really make a difference to a night
out. Our Front of House team play a really important role and
we value them immensely. They are just as much the stars of
our shows as the actors are.'
If
you think you've got what it takes to meet and greet our audience,
call Pauline on 01262 603543
web.JPG)
