Bawdy, rollicking but poignant too... on the Horsham stage

Rollicking good fun, bawdy but also sweet and rather poignant, the play Nell Gwynn is coming to the stage courtesy of Horsham’s HAODS.

Roz Hall is directing the show for a performed reading for one performance only on October 2 at 19:30 at North Heath Hall, Horsham, RH12 5PU, with tickets available on https://www.tickettailor.com/events/haods/2299824

Promised as witty and uplifting, Jessica Swale’s play tells the remarkable story of Nell Gwynn, who rose from selling oranges in the theatre to becoming one of England’s most celebrated actresses and the beloved companion of King Charles II.

“Full of humour, heart and memorable characters, it’s a wonderful tale of determination, friendship and the magic of the theatre,” says Roz.

“Our performed reading puts the spotlight on the words and the performances, with scripts in hand and just a touch of staging to bring the story to life. It’s a relaxed and intimate way to enjoy this award-winning play and a perfect opportunity to experience live theatre in a welcoming community setting.

“It's a real banger of a play. A lot of it is set backstage in Drury Lane, and you have got all the banter of the actors and the actor managers and the chap that plays all the female parts and the dresser. They are all larger than life and there is a lot of humour. There's a little bit of Fawlty Towers in there. Things go wrong in a really funny way. It's written by the same person that wrote the current Paddington musical, and it is really funny.

“And into this theatre company comes the character of Nell who is a lovely and charming character who becomes one of the first actresses on the English stage. She's very strong and she's very grounded. Her mother ran a brothel. They are all real characters and that's what I love about it, the fact that it's real characters and it's real emotions.

“Nell charms the lead actor but at one of the performances in the audience is King Charles II. She catches his eye and she becomes his new mistress. But it is interesting. She does not want his power. She does not want to use him to advance herself. There is a genuine love story there. There are tender moments. I think they're the first people that really looked at each other for who they were. Nell has been around loads of men and Charles has had loads of mistresses, but they really do feel something for each other.

“There is a little bit of politics in it but not too much. In a way the king is quite troubled. He saw his father die and during the reign of the Puritans he had to go to France and live as an outcast. He has come back to power with the restoration of the monarchy and he is the king but he does have a certain vulnerability, and I think that's why he likes Nell so much. She makes him feel more confident.”

The reason it will be a rehearsed reading is lack of time: “People have been away for the summer and we didn't have an autumn show like we usually do. And this just fitted in. I've seen it before and I've been in it before and I think it will just really suit the company.

“We've just had our first rehearsal, and I don't think I've ever laughed so much. It's quite bawdy. It's very funny and I think people in the company really engaged with it. It's going to be great fun.”