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BOOK NOW FOR OUR NEXT PRODUCTION:
We are grateful to the local press and the Greater Manchester Drama Federation who support us during our season. These are extracts of their reports of our plays:
With bright costumes, colourful sets and many additional touches it was clear that a great deal of work had gone into presenting this year’s Panto. Jenny Whur, in her debut at directing Panto did a credible job and the laughter from the audience must have made her breath a huge sigh of relief – it was a success and a great nights entertainment – congratulations! Ian Taylor and Garth Waddup were excellent as the ugly sisters. They never outplayed one another and both soon created a rapport with the audience. Andrea Peters gave us a fine interpretation of Buttons and the audience warmed to her immediately. Shelley Tickle’s Cinderella was played just right and what a voice! The duet, “I Think I Wanna Marry You” with Prince Charming, played with style by Ingrid Folkard-Evans was a delight. I am not a great lover of pop songs in pantomimes, I find it untraditional, but I concede that this one did actually work! Whilst there is not space to mention every member of the cast, each person played their parts well and the sense of team spirit was rife throughout. Panto is all about having fun and enjoying yourself - it was clear that every member of the cast, from the principal roles to the competent chorus of dancers, did this as they all seemed to be having a fantastic time. The packed auditorium were well and truly entertained with this great start to the festive season.
When you think of nursery rhymes, many things come to mind, but is murder one of them? In TLT’s latest production, murder is definitely in mind as we work our way through a 10-verse nursery rhyme, each verse leading to the death of a guest. The 10 guests are invited to a mansion on the remote Soldier Island, but suspicion arises when the hosts are not there to greet them, leading to the assumption that one of the guests is pretending to be someone else – who could it be? Ian Hunter’s interpretation and depth of character was believable as General Mackenzie in a well-rounded performance. The scenes between Emily Brent, played superbly by Carly Lomax, and Vera Claythorne, played by the excellent Karen Ward, were exceptionally good. They gave the right mix of pathos, suspicion and cynicism and played their parts to perfection. Mike Jeffries’ interpretation of being above suspicion was expertly displayed in his role as Sir Lawrence Wargrave and his unsuspecting twist seemed to pay off until another guest got the better of him, much to his convincing shock. The simple but effective set was used well with particular attention to detail by use of an outer balcony area through patio windows. Ian Taylor’s well considered direction ensured we were taken along with the plausibility of each character and we were kept on the edge of our seats wondering who would be next. His idea to have music playing quietly in the background as each scene came to an end was genius. It gave the audience the signal that the demise of a guest was upon us – the anticipation throughout the audience was more than apparent. All in all, this was an excellent evening’s entertainment and lived up to the standard we have come to expect from this dedicated theatre group.
. Buddy (played by the excellent Paul Ward) is the hapless lad who decides to leave his parents’ home to live with older sibling, ladies’ man Alan. Sinatra must have had little trouble playing the man about town — and while Alex Clarke is no Ol’ Blue Eyes, he handled the role nicely. Buddy longs to be like his brother — who has a seemingly endless stream of women visiting his New York apartment — but Alan’s life is no bed of roses. A constant disappointment to his father (the superb Bill Rogers) Alan starts to rethink his outlook when the one gal he really does love — Connie, played by the feisty Ingrid Folkard-Evans – leaves him. This is a smart comedy, if perhaps a tad on the long side — am dram groups in general need to be a lot more brutal when cutting down their scripts. Come Blow Your Horn, with a booze-free interval, is a good two-and-a-half hours long. This minor gripe aside, there are nice turns too from the hilarious Joan Rogers as the boys’ mother and the stunning Gill Lingings as “the other woman”, Peggy. Ably directed by Ian Taylor, Come Blow Your Horn is a solid show, still fresh 50 years on from its first performance.
Written by Richard Harris and brilliantly directed by Paul Ward in a style that allowed the tension to build slowly through the first half and suddenly ramp up in the final half hour, everyone was left guessing exactly who the culprit was until one character — I won’t spoil it for you — revealed their true colours.
Karen Ward, as Julia Darrow, has a relentless part to play and does it with no small degree of energy, her character’s physical and mental problems increasing as the production moves on. Joyce Elder is excellent as the grieving Margaret Haddrell, gradually taking over Julia’s life, and planting the question in the latter’s mind: “Does she know I was having an affair with her husband?”
Things start to go missing in the house and odd-job man Gary, well played by Alex Clarke, gets the blame, while counsellor Kaye Taylor (Anne Bennett) makes little progress despite no small degree of persistence.
I’m not going to reveal who did it, but the end will have you spellbound.
A retirement home is not an obvious choice for the setting of a murder mystery, and a comical one at that, but it works! Eric Chappell, probably best known for the TV sitcom Rising Damp, is behind Summer End and it is Tyldesley Little Theatre’s latest offering. It tells the story of cantankerous Emily who believes the death of her former roommate was far from innocent. She points the finger at a host of different suspects, arousing suspicion herself. Will the truth come out? Well one night everything comes to ahead but I won’t spoil what happens. There are plenty of laughs along the way, the audience chuckled along, utterly drawn into the comical tale.
Winnie Beatty was fantastic as Emily, perfectly teamed up with Margaret Speakes, who plays May Brewer, her new roommate. The cast of just five did a superb job, just a couple of first night jitters.
Congratulations to all the behind the scenes team too. Another good show from Tyldesley, touching and funny. Lots of chuckles, you’re guaranteed to go home smiling.
You know you are within striking distance of Christmas when the children start to get that little bit more unruly and excitable than before. So what better way to channel all that excess exuberance than with an afternoon of pure unadulterated fun including lots of singing and shouting with no-one complaining about the noise?
That is the great thing about panto - you can be as noisy and silly as you want to be - and that includes the adults. This year's fun production from Tyldesley Little Theatre has all the right ingredients for a successful panto, from a hilarious dame in the form of Garth Waddup to the hero (Robinson Crusoe) played in fine style by Ingrid Folkard-Evans. Add to the mix Ian Taylor as the hapless Nutty Nick, Andrea Peters playing the evil pirate Cut-Throat and a very cheery competent chorus of super little dancers and you have got a recipe to be proud of.
Everyone had obviously worked incredibly hard on the production (the set design was great and the costumes first-class) and judging by the roar of approval from the capacity audience at all the right moments the cast would know they had produced something to be proud of. The corny, at times slightly risque, jokes, bright costumes and a great rapport among the cast made sure this was pantomime at its very best. The children thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the production - my nephew Liam was laughing from start to finish - and the adults were equally impressed.
SMASHED crockery is just one result when two opposites become roommates. The Odd Couple follows two friends who end up living together but couldn’t be more different, one is neat and is a worrier and the other is messy and relaxed. It is not a good combination and tensions start to show. Throw in a group of Trivial Pursuit players and two hilarious Spainards and it all comes to a head. My highlight was the flinging of crockery as a stressbuster! And in the end it was good to see both women had learnt something from their opposite number. Overall a great story, which got plenty of laughs from audience.
Tyldesley Little Theatre chose to put on the female version of the play and it worked a treat. The original featured two men becoming roommates, with Tyldesley Little Theatre putting on a male show in 1999. This time it was the women’s turn and Karen Ward, as Olive Madison, and Louise Robinson, playing Florence Unger, were superb. It was a faultless first night performance, you could tell they really knew their lines and characters, it was very impressive. The American accents weren’t bad either. And they were well supported by the other six cast members.
I really enjoyed The Odd Couple and could tell the rest of the audience did too.
I’m simply not a fan of Am Dram productions – or at least I wasn’t until tonight when six people changed my mind, perhaps forever. Picture the scene. I was slumped at the back of the auditorium, I knew football was on the tele, and I if truth be told, I would rather have been watching it. Then the curtain was raised – and they had me from the start. Tyldesley Little Theatre’s production of Ghost Writer was magnificent; a whodunit performed by a cast of six actors with consummate skill. The plot centres on a writer who is suffering from depression on the year anniversary of his wife’s death. His pal makes jovial attempts to perk him up, but it is the ghost of his former missus who eventually gets under his skin – and sets up what plays out to be a funny, and sometime touching affair. Director Jenny Whur has been devilish in her inclusion of more than a smattering of double entendre - and in some cases pure comedic filth. Many of the risqué elements are a bit too racy for a family publication; but if I were to say superglue, glitter and a man’s unmentionables, you might just get the drift.
This was a production that simply relied on the skills of the cast. There were no gimmicks, just the passion and ability of the six performers. Ian Taylor held things together well as the despairing playwright, Edwards. His leading lady, Ingrid Folkard-Evans was magnificent as the ghost of his dead wife, Ruby, with her well-timed catty putdowns a true highlight. Alex Clark delivered just the right amount of ‘comedy camp’ to play the role of Edward’s gay pal and landlord, Alex, while Rachel Hill, who was making her debut for the TLT as Edward’s new love interest, Glenda, impressed. Tribute must be paid to the ability of the impossibly pompous alcoholic jobbing actor, Hedley, who was played to perfection by Tony Thompson, while Joyce Elder did a solid job in the role of Frances, an apparent cosmetic surgery addict. There are enough twists and turns in this production to keep the audience on their toes. And while the sound of applause rang out at the end, it was the sound of laughter that ruled the evening. Am Dram…twee? Who said that? Certainly not me. This could well be the start of a long-lasting love affair.
A good effort by all concerned, not least the hard working director. This had many positive things about it – from well-stage scenes to nicely judged performances – and a real degree of commitment and conviction from the actors.
- DANIEL (Glenn Robinson)
- As you mentioned, it is never easy directing yourself in something, especially when the character is onstage the entire time. You did really well in these conditions with such a huge responsibility – as director and actor – and it is to your credit that everything moved well and you did wonder what was happening to Daniel, sharing his frustrations and genuine reason for suspicion, and thinking the odds were really stacked against him.
- THE INSPECTOR (Alex Clarke)
- A solid and consistent performance throughout, nicely laid back and seemingly uninterested in the machinations of the plot when, of course, you were behind it all. You had a genuine Policeman quality about you, which ensured people thought you were the real thing, even if some suspicion might fall upon you… You delivered a good ‘straight’ man to the goings on around you.
- THE PRIEST (Ian Taylor)
- A nicely judged performance, which started with a totally convincing appearance of the warm, friendly priest, upping the ante when the suspicious behaviour began…a great, consistent and well pitched performance throughout.
- THE WOMAN (Joyce Elder)
- You made the most of your appearances, and were convincing as both the distressed wife, and the manipulator of the plot…a good performance…
- THE TRAMP (Ken Berry)
- …conveyed the tramp like qualities and made the most of your scene, bringing some humour to the situation.
- THE NURSE (Kaye Taylor)
- A strong cameo, and two really nice appearances made this role both memorable and believable. There was a nice shift in the second appearance, as a really convincing ‘money grabbing’ character was seen…. You have a good clear voice, and a confident stage presence, which really brought this character to life, and gave a new energy and impetus to these scenes. Well done.
A missing wife, a suspicious imposter and a man pushed to the brink of insanity - the ingredients of Tyldesley Little Theatre’s latest production have all the hallmarks of the tensest of thrillers. When Daniel Corban’s new wife vanishes just days after the couple arrive at a chalet in the French Alps, the police fear the worst. When a woman claiming to be Mrs Corban appears it seems their fears are unfounded - but when Daniel claims he has never met the woman before the stage is set for a twisty plot that keeps the audience guessing until the very last moment. Some of the plot devices are a little contrived, requiring a bulldozer attitude to push through, and first night nerves stopped the cast carrying them off as confidently as they otherwise might. Nevertheless the six-strong cast certainly won the audience’s approval. Alex Clarke stood out as the police inspector whose apparent faith in Corban’s version of events keeps the poor man hoping until the very end, while Joyce Elder is suitably scheming as the so-called “Mrs Corban”. Ian Taylor is grave as the priest who seeks to reunite the couple, while Ken Berry adds a touch of comedy as the tramp and Kaye Taylor has a small but important role as the nurse who, having seen the real Mrs Corban when she was sick, could shed some light on the whole matter. Glenn Robinson, who directed the play, could benefit from toning his performance down a little – James Stewart in Vertigo should spring to mind, rather than his occasionally cartoonish Daniel Corban – but as a last-minute stand-in he manages admirably.
Before I comment on individual performances, I would like to say something about the 4 ladies themselves. I thought you worked brilliantly together. Your obvious trust and enjoyment in each other’s company came across superbly, and you had a natural rapport, which made it really feel as if you knew these characters, and cared for them as people. It was also good to hear such clear diction, and different tones and infections, so each character was unique, but blended into a believable and cohesive quartet. Well done.
- PEARL (Joan Rogers)
- An experienced and obviously gifted actor, you have a real warmth and naturally expressive tone, which really brought this character to life. I liked your reactions to people saying you were retiring in the first scene and your revelations to Jan in Act 1 Scene 5, which were sincere, real and heartfelt.
- JAN (Louise Robinson)
- The over-caring mum who has a secret crush on the supervisor, you played this really well in the opening scene, and the constant ‘what did you have for your tea?’ lines were a delight throughout. Your reactions to being at Ascot were real and genuine, and, even if your bag wasn’t as full as it might have been, you were a real ‘mum’ providing sustenance to the other ladies… this was another strong performance, and the final scene with Joe and the girls back at the factory was a delight.
- LINDA (Andrea Peters)
- This was a superbly judged, natural and well-timed performance, with a real emotional kick, and loads of great humour. Your Tony Christie obsession was lovely, and the (supposed) lack of intelligence in the character wasn’t overdone or unkind. This was a real person, struggling with a real problem (her mother), and being slightly out of her depth in a fast-paced world. I loved your reactions throughout, and your down-to-earth and honest reactions to what was happening around you. Your scene with Patrick and obvious thrill at being ‘chatted up’ by him, was another delight. The whole build up to finding out about your mum was thoughtfully paced and sensitively explored, and this was one character you really wanted to see in a better place, and always happy. Well done on a memorable, genuinely funny, and beautifully touching performance of a lovely character.
- SHELLEY (Karen Ward)
- Another fine actor, you totally made this part your own, and dominated (in the right way) your scenes with your energy, forthright language, and expressive views. As a catalyst for some of the conflict in the play (buying champagne, goading Linda, pretending to be someone she isn’t to Jim), you made the most of all these moments, without overdoing it. In other words, Shelley was a real believable character despite her sometimes exaggerated and overblown behaviour. From the opening scene, you made your mark, and, as the play progressed – from insisting on the champagne, to flirting with Jim, to your obviously genuine affection for the other ladies – gave a full-on and honest performance. Shelley is obviously someone who uses her body to get what she wants and, again, you had the confidence and attitude to show this. Great stuff.
- JOE/PATRICK/KEVIN (Bill Rogers)
- A nice variety of roles to get your teeth (and accents) into, I thought you did really well to make each one different and memorable. Joe was solid and relaxed, seemingly a genuinely good and friendly guy; Patrick had the right attitude and accent, and you delivered the opening Act 2 speech, as well as your ‘triumphant win’ speech with good shifts in tone and pace… Kevin was a very nicely judged drunk, with a good appearance and great movement.
- FRED/JIM/BARRY (Glenn Robinson)
- Your appearance as the tout from the audience was unexpected, but memorable, and you made the most of this small role. Jim was a great role – a little bit smarmy and over-confident, but a smooth and assured tone of voice really captured the TV commentator, and you did wonders with the Tic-Tac scene.
- The Director (Ian Taylor)
- From the moment the strains of The Enemy’s ‘We’ll Live and Die In These Towns’ kicked in, I knew this was going to be a well thought out and carefully directed production, and I wasn’t wrong. The opening scene was a joy, as each character had their own set movement, and you really got the feeling of a monotonous and unrewarding factory line of fish filleting! Once the dialogue kicked in, it was obvious that a great deal of work had been done on characters, and each soon came into their own. It’s there in the writing, of course, each woman having her own voice, personality and quirks, but it was great to see the director and the actors had worked so hard – and to the good - in bringing individual tones, mannerisms, inflections, etc to the fore.
Posh frocks and fancy hats are the order of the day for Tyldesley Little Theatre’s latest production. The story centres around four friends who work in a fish plant in Hull, who find tickets to Royal Ascot at York. As the champagne flows and the horses keep winning, we start wondering how long their luck can hold out. Karen Ward is a hoot as the crass, fame-obsessed Shelley, whose heart of gold and misplaced pride almost lead to her ruin. In contrast, Andrea Peters plays quiet, downtrodden Tony Christie-loving Linda. Her performance was touching in its simplicity. Joan Rogers was marvellous as the older, wiser Pearl who is hiding a huge secret that inevitably spills out. And mothers everywhere could sympathise with Louise Robinson’s portrayal of Jan, the single mum who had dedicated her life to her daughter, and was at a loss now university meant she had her life back. Glenn Robinson sported an array of odd wigs and hats as Fred, the creepy racing commentator Jim and the mysterious Barry. As the villain of the piece, his portrayal of Jim turned the stomach a little bit - just as it should. Bill Rogers also took on three roles - his Irish jockey Patrick was probably the most likeable, but it was definitely the drunkard Kevin, who had lost his money, his wife and his sense of personal hygiene, that got the biggest cheer. Although parts of the plot might be somewhat predictable, you still can’t help being pulled along with the characters on their rollercoaster . . . and crossing your fingers for them on that last race.
This was an entertaining evening, lots of comedy, silly business and some good performances. Congratulations to all the cast and I assure you that all your hard work was fully appreciated by your audiences.
- King & Queen (Ian Hunter & Winnie Beatty)
- These characters were very much a twosome…played very straight.
- Princess Rose (Shelley Tickle)
- Well done Shelley you grew from 12 years of age to 18 without any difficulties. Your line delivery was very clear and well paced…your costumes were excellent and you should be proud of your achievement.
- Nurse Dottie Dettol (Ian Taylor)
- Well done Ian this was how a Dame should be played. Only slightly camp but very believable. You sometimes reminded me of John Inman with your slightly falsetto voice and your asides.
- Muddles (Alex Clarke)
- For a first pantomime this was a very good performance… ten out of 10 for learning those songs for the song sheet.
- Prince Alexander/Alexis (Michael Joseph)
- Michael played two princes and quite rightly tried to give each one their own character…movement around the stage was generally good.
- Fetch & Carrie (Denis Beardsworth & Hannah Speakes)
- Another two that should be played as a team; the straight man and the comic…comfortable in the schoolroom scene.
- Good Fairy Lilac (Joyce Elder)
- An excellent performance from this lovely actress. Her two costumes were perfect with everything from tiara, glitter handbag and shoes. Joyce has a very melodic singing voice and her scenes with Witch Hazel were ‘spot on’…you were delightful.
- Bad Witch Hazel (Ingrid Folkard-Evans)
- Another sterling performance from this award winning actress. Ingrid really commands the stage, she has excellent stage presence and awareness. She slips into the role of the villain with ease, but I am sure that she is really a very nice person.
- Pointy-Headed Knight (Lisa Taylor)
- The ‘He’s behind you’ business was fine with ‘Who’s afraid of the pointy headed knight’ replacing bad wolf.
- Rainbow Fairies (Roma Etherington, Jack Bigland, Lisa Taylor, Kaye Taylor)
- Their costumes and illuminated wings were humorous…’Oh it’s Magic’ was well performed by Fairy Lilac and the 4 Fairies.
It was our first panto of the season and you would struggle to find such an expertly put together amateur production as this. My nephew Liam, and I, declared this the best pantomime we had seen in ages and believe me 10-year-old Liam is an expert on matters of slapstick, jokes and sing-alongs. Lines were delivered without falter, songs sung with gusto and the audience responded with bags of enthusiasm.
This was Alan P Frayn’s adaptation of the famous fairy tale which tells of a beautiful princess who is cursed by an evil witch — played to perfection by Ingrid Folkard-Evans. Thankfully good Fairy Lilac (Joyce Elder) was on hand to ensure there could be a happy ending. Some of the most captivating moments came when Joyce and Ingrid faced each other and delivered — with beautiful singing voices — witty exchanges.
Ian Taylor was wonderful as the obligatory dame — this one was called Nurse Dottie Dettol — and when he picked a member of the audience to be the object of his affection it was pure comic genius.
The rainbow fairies were lovely and Shelley Tickle made a very pretty Princess Rose. Alex Clarke did his job perfectly and had the children cheering, shouting and singing in his role as Muddles, the palace handyman.
Sadly on the afternoon we went the theatre wasn’t full. Make sure you book your tickets and get down there. You won’t be disappointed.
‘Good Old Summertime’ is a comical tale of capers by the seaside which is well acted by the nine-strong cast. The action takes place over four days at the Bella Vista guest house. Battleaxe landlady Mrs Austin has recently taken over and is desperate to impress an inspector who is due to visit to get on the recommended accommodation list. Two couples, the Peppers and the Pearsons, who previously experienced her strict rules at her last guest house, arrive and are devastated to discover that she is in charge. But they decide to stay after she persuades them things will be different this time – with hilarious consequences.
Every member of the cast impressed but Winnie Beatty was particularly good as the domineering Mrs Austin. Kaye Taylor was hilarious as the maid, Florrie, and Alex Clarke, provided plenty of funny moments as Spanish waiter Mario. Ian Taylor played bumbling Henry Pepper to perfection, complimented by Louise Robinson who played his wife Daphne — a job well done. Ian Hunter delivered some brilliant lines as dry-humoured Wilf Pearson and Jenny Whur was good as Ethel Pearson. Rising star Hannah Bloor did well as Sally Pearson and Tony Thompson played a great Professor Smith. A lot of hard work and enthusiasm has clearly gone into the production.
The show runs until Saturday. I recommend you to go along and have a good laugh.
Lemon Street
Tyldesley
Manchester
M29 8HT
Ticket Line: 01204 655619
Theatre: 01942 886908
(not continuously manned)