Challenging time for Players

The Regis Players tackle Sir Alan Ayckbourn for the first time as their 15th production in the five years they’ve been running.

Company co-founder Peter Green who is both acting and co-directing (alongside John Covey) for the latest show, said: “We have always tried to go for the more demanding, the more challenging plays, but we have also got to satisfy what people want to see.”

They are now intending to do more Agatha Christie-style whodunits, with And Then There Were None coming up in December; and also more comedy, kicking off with Ayckbourn’s Confusions (May 6-8), a play consisting of a series of five interconnected one-act plays.

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As Peter says, at times they are riotously funny, with perhaps Gosforth’s Fête the best known of the five; but at other times, the pieces are quite poignant in the way they touch on the difficulties of communication and on the theme of loneliness, particularly in the last A Talk In The Park, which the Regis Players will be performing as the first of the five.

“We took the decision to set it there at the start because it sets the scene for the theme of human relationships and also because it allows us to finish with Gosforth’s Fête

which is extremely funny.”

The five plays call for a minimum of five actors but in this production the 23 parts are shared with 19 members to showcase the acting talents of the society, Peter said.

The company is also looking at a supper theatre evening in July to bring in the actors not featured in the current production.

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Confusions breaks new ground for the company in several ways, not least the fact that it offers The Regis Players their first tour, with a date in Pagham as well as their usual Felpham base.

“One day we would like to embrace the festivals in Chichester and also Arundel perhaps,” Peter added.

A Talk In The Park features David Rosser, Chrissie Lester, Peter Green, Di Hiblen and Paul Ramsey, directed by Peter Green; Mother Figure features Lucinda Dearlove, Sandy Knight, Peter Green and Doug Hammond, directed by John Covey; Drinking Companion features Doug Hammond, Abbi Holdsworth, Becky Moore and Matt Coone, directed by Peter Green

Between Mouthfuls features Trevor Roman, Clive Curtis, Liz McNally, Steve Hutchings and Becky Moore, directed by John Covey; and Gosforth’s Fête features Julia Webb, Deborah Addicott, John Covey, David Rosser and Chris Armstead, directed by Peter Green.

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Performances: Friday May 6, 7.30pm, Pagham Village Hall, Pagham Road, Pagham; Saturday, May 7 and 7.30pm Sunday, May 8, 2.30pm, Felpham Memorial Village Hall, Vicarage Lane, Felpham.

Tickets £8 available from Bernard Taylor on 01243 262414 and Julia Webb on 01243 266866 for Pagham; and Felpham Post Office, Felpham Rd, and Margaret Burbidge on 01243 823082 for Felpham.

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