From Gillian Porter

Mark - Please post the following message on the Barts spot.

A few words to everyone involved with "The Lady" - What a shame we didn't manage to gain more recognition from adjudicators for all our achievements and make it to this year's finals.

However to my mind we did our level best and performed a great show which the audiences thoroughily enjoyed.

I would personally like to thank all of you for your good humour, serious engagement with the material and hard work. I was delighted to watch the show every night and fascinated to see the performances became more assured as our tour progressed.

To those of you who worked backstage, once again you did a fantastic job quietly and tirelessly delivering the goods again and again.The sheer professionalism which allowed those of you facing ill health and personal trauma to ensure that the show went on regardless was a humbling privilege to witness.

I'm sorry to have waited so long to send this message but Easter and Percy French got in the way.

Anyway the Van is going through it's MOT so you never know if it passes where it may turn up next!


Gillian

Lady in the Van photos

There are now some fantastic photos of Lady in the Van supplied by Terry McDermott - these can be viewed by going to the following site :

LADY IN THE VAN PHOTOS

"Break a leg" to all the cast and crew for the remainder of the festival run!! Bring us all home a winner!!

Results so far for Lady in the Van

Congratulations to all concerned on the performances and productions to date. Three down and two to go. The audiences have loved the shows.

Results so far:

Larne

Overall 2nd place for the production. (Well done Clarence 1st)
Best Actress Award to Barbara Jeffers
Best Set Design - Alan Marshall
Best Costumes - Caroline Mercer

Portadown:

THE GATEWAY THEATRE AWARD - Stage Management

Newtownabbey

Overall 3rd place. (well done Newtownabbey 1st. Clarence 2nd)
Best Actress Award for Barbara Jeffers
Best Supporting Actor for Alan Martin
Nomination for Best Actor for Norman Turkington
Technical Award Ian Hastings for Van
Adjudicator’s Special Award to Gillian Porter for bringing the play to Ulster audiences

Next:
Rehearsal – Tuesday 21st March at 7.30pm for ‘Lady in the Van’
Rehearsal – Tuesday 21st March at 8.00pm for ‘Sailor Beware’
Performance – 31st March, Newry Town Hall, 8.00 pm

A few points...

CDL Drama Workshops

The Churches Drama League are organising several workshops and the dates for the coming two are confirmed as Saturday, April 8th 2006 from 1.00 pm to 5.00pm at Belvoir Rehearsal Studios, 94 Belvoir Drive. The cost is £5 per head to members of Barts.
1. Technical - Lighting & Sound. This workshop is aimed at those with little or modest knowledge of technical craft and may be particularly useful for those thinking of directing but also those wishing to be more closely involved with these practices.

2. Stage Make-Up. This workshop is one where nearly everyone can learn a lot, experienced or otherwise.

Many of you showed interest before but if you wish to be allocated a place on either workshop then either contact Alan Martin, Barney Gadd or possibly better still go straight to the horses mouth by ringing 02890 649 835

Lady in The Van

As June has been telling you, we need all of you to urge your friends and colleagues to come and see this superb play this week in Barts, Thursday to Saturday at 8 pm. We are indeed fortunate to be given the World Amateur Premiere (also the Irish premiere) and the production is well worthy of that honour. So get the crowds in. please

Sailor Beware

The summer play is cast and rehearsals will be starting on 21st March. I'm still open to offers of help in any and all departments - including the loan of a sofa bed for the set. More details later


An Evening of Percy French
8.00 pm, 21st April 2006
This acclaimed show has been produced on several occasions in recent years much to the huge enjoyment of those fortunate enough to attend. Happily for Barts the Percy French Concert Party have agreed to reprise their successful show to assist us in raising funds to go towards the necessary upgrading planned for the Canon Lindsay Hall.

To make the evening even more enjoyable we shall convert the hall into a salon-style theatre and provide a light supper.

Tickets incl. supper £12 – 028 90623241 or click here

Lady In the Van - Book Now!!!

An online booking form is now available for THE AMATEUR WORLD PREMIERE of Bart Players production of "Lady In The Van" by Alan Bennett - Simply by clicking on THIS LINK

Performances will be on 9th, 10th and 11th March 2006 Nightly at 8pm

Admission: All Tickets £6.00

Alternatively, please telephone June Silcock on 028 90623241 or e-mail her by clicking HERE

Lady in the Van

Our next festival play “The Lady in the Van” will be performed on the amended dates of 9th, 10th and 11th of March in the Canon Lyndsey Hall of St Bartholomew’s church on the Stranmillis Road.

Our cast list is as follows.

Miss Shepherd – Barbara Jeffers
Alan Bennett – Norman Turkington
Alan Bennett 2 – James Burns
Mam – TBC
Rufus – Terry McDermott
Pauline – Lynne Taylor
Social Worker – Louise McWilliams
Underwood – Alan Martin
Mam’s Doctor – Barney Gadd
Miss Shepherd’s Doctor – Michael Fee

Other parts to be played by members of the cast.

Lady In The Van Readings

Gillian Porter will be holding readings for 'The Lady in The Van' for the Festival on Tuesday 13th Dec and Thursday 15th Dec. Anyone interested should attend.

A synopsis of the play:..

When a decrepit Bedford van grinds to a halt opposite Alan Bennett’s house in Camden Town, little does the writer suspect that its next parking place will be his own garden, where its evil-smelling occupant is to remain for a further fifteen years.
The genuinely eccentric Miss Shepherd is a trained concert pianist, ex-nun and would-be Prime Minister, and is described by the author as “a bigoted, blinkered, cantankerous, devious, unforgiving, self-centred, rank, rude, car-mad cow”.
Forced to turn down his music to her complaints, recharge her van’s flat battery and become her reluctant carer, Alan Bennett uses his vivid observations to create a wonderfully funny play.

Details of readings for other productions, including the proposed summer play will be announced in due course.

Amateur and Northern Ireland Premiere

Many of you will know that Gillian has been trying to gain permission to perform The Lady In The Van by Alan Bennett for festivals.

This year in desperation, on learning it was still not available for amateurs she decided to make a direct appeal to the author himself and..... she received a reply from Alan Bennett's agent and Samuel French to say that special permission had been granted for Barts to perform the play in local festivals. Happy Days!

Casting readings will therefore be held after the panto so work can begin on the script straight after Xmas. This is good news indeed for Barts - Hurrah!!