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The finishing touches are now being added to the premiere of our forthcoming, funny, flamboyant, family production. Please book your tickets early to get the best seats!

Thursday 11^th December – 7.45 p.m. – All tickets £6

Friday 12^th December – 7.45 p.m. – Tickets £8 (£6 concessions)

Saturday 13^th December – 2.30 & 7.45 p.m. – Tickets £8 (£6 concessions)

Tickets can be obtained from Jill Summerfield, 01442 832770 – Call Now!

The Cripple of Inishmaan, by Martin Mc Donagh

Performance dates – 26^th, 27^th, 28^th March 2009

Auditions for this fabulous play will take place on Wednesday 7^th January. A cast of 9 is required of various ages (5 male, 4 female). Attached to this newsletter is a description of the play and details of the cast. For further information please contact Stewart Woodward – 01442 240674.

The cast includes three young people (2 male, 1 female) with a playing age of 16 – 18 years. Please encourage anyone you know who may be suitable to come along to the auditions, or give Stewart a call for more information.

There are still some of you who have not yet paid your subs – this is essential income for us, which is used for admin costs, insurance premiums etc.

No, it’s not traditional. No, it’s not original. But…it will be fun.

And at £8 a head a bargain!

Fish and chips, salt and vinegar, ketchup, napkins and mince pies all provided.

Please bring your own plates, cutlery, and booze!

To book a meal please call Nicky - 01442 240674 or e.mail Liz - li_zlewis@yahoo.co.uk

(If you prefer an alternative to fish please say when you book). Let us know by Monday 8^th December at the latest – go on send me a message now, or pick up the phone.

Congratulations to Stewart Woodward who won the ‘Best Actor in a Drama’ award for his fantastic performance as King Lear in our production last year. You see him below receiving the award.

Mr Woodward was heard to comment “This certificate is made of the most exquisite quality paper, I’m a lucky man.”

This is an extremely funny, heart rendering and beautifully written observation of life in the far western isles of Ireland in the 1930s. It combines the true story of the making of the film ‘Man of Aran’ by Robert Flaherty with the fictional tale of ‘Cripple Billy’ who sees this film as his opportunity to escape from the insular life on the Island of Inishmaan, and from all its wonderfully quirky inhabitants.

As a hastily edited internet review says: “For the orphaned, crippled Billy - living with his obsessional adopted aunts, who run the local store - the future is running out. When a Hollywood film company pitches up, he seizes the opportunity to escape and make his dreams come true. In a reflection on lies and truth, realities and fantasies, the face we show to the world and the heart we hide, McDonagh offers a cast of characters whose frail humanity is tested by the fictions that they weave. "Don't go romanticising it," declares village gossipmonger Johnnypateenmike when Billy, trying to discover the truth about his parents' drowning, suggests that his deformities might have been caused by his father punching his pregnant mother in the stomach.”

Newsletter – November 2008 This page displays the latest Bovingdon Players Newsletter (previous newsletters can be found here)
Tickets Please! JB & the Top Secret Parrot – 11^th, 12^th, 13^th December 2008 The finishing touches are now being added to the premiere of our forthcoming, funny, flamboyant, family production. Please book your tickets early to get the best seats! Thursday 11^th December – 7.45 p.m. – All tickets £6 Friday 12^th December – 7.45 p.m. – Tickets £8 (£6 concessions) Saturday 13^th December – 2.30 & 7.45 p.m. – Tickets £8 (£6 concessions) Tickets can be obtained from Jill Summerfield, 01442 832770 – Call Now! The Cripple of Inishmaan, by Martin Mc Donagh Performance dates – 26^th, 27^th, 28^th March 2009 Auditions for this fabulous play will take place on Wednesday 7^th January. A cast of 9 is required of various ages (5 male, 4 female). Attached to this newsletter is a description of the play and details of the cast. For further information please contact Stewart Woodward – 01442 240674. The cast includes three young people (2 male, 1 female) with a playing age of 16 – 18 years. Please encourage anyone you know who may be suitable to come along to the auditions, or give Stewart a call for more information. Subscriptions There are still some of you who have not yet paid your subs – this is essential income for us, which is used for admin costs, insurance premiums etc. £20 full membership £10 backstage or Newsletter-only membership £5 children’s membership Please send your payments to Tony Sidell, 33 Patmore Link Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 4PX Christmas Gathering - Monday 15^th December Fish and Chips in The Memorial Hall, 8.00 p.m. No, it’s not traditional. No, it’s not original. But…it will be fun. And at £8 a head a bargain! Fish and chips, salt and vinegar, ketchup, napkins and mince pies all provided. Please bring your own plates, cutlery, and booze! To book a meal please call Nicky - 01442 240674 or e.mail Liz - li_zlewis@yahoo.co.uk (If you prefer an alternative to fish please say when you book). Let us know by Monday 8^th December at the latest – go on send me a message now, or pick up the phone. Stop Press NODA District Awards 2007/08 Congratulations to Stewart Woodward who won the ‘Best Actor in a Drama’ award for his fantastic performance as King Lear in our production last year. You see him below receiving the award. Mr Woodward was heard to comment “This certificate is made of the most exquisite quality paper, I’m a lucky man.” ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ by Martin McDonagh This is an extremely funny, heart rendering and beautifully written observation of life in the far western isles of Ireland in the 1930s. It combines the true story of the making of the film ‘Man of Aran’ by Robert Flaherty with the fictional tale of ‘Cripple Billy’ who sees this film as his opportunity to escape from the insular life on the Island of Inishmaan, and from all its wonderfully quirky inhabitants. As a hastily edited internet review says: “For the orphaned, crippled Billy - living with his obsessional adopted aunts, who run the local store - the future is running out. When a Hollywood film company pitches up, he seizes the opportunity to escape and make his dreams come true. In a reflection on lies and truth, realities and fantasies, the face we show to the world and the heart we hide, McDonagh offers a cast of characters whose frail humanity is tested by the fictions that they weave. "Don't go romanticising it," declares village gossipmonger Johnnypateenmike when Billy, trying to discover the truth about his parents' drowning, suggests that his deformities might have been caused by his father punching his pregnant mother in the stomach.” This is a break-your-heart, cruelly funny play. The characters are as follows: Billy Claven, a crippled orphan, desperate to spend his life more effectively than by reading or staring at cows (must look no older than 20) Kate Osborn, Billy's adoptive, hypochondriac aunt who has been known to talk to stones (between 40 and 70) Eileen Osborn, Billy's other, more sensitively preoccupied adoptive aunt and Kate's sister, (between 40 and 70) Johnnypateenmike, the hilarious town gossip, desperate for attention, apparently entirely self-seeking but with a secret that shows him to be so much more than he seems (between 40 and 70) Helen McCormick (Slippy Helen – so known for her propensity to smash eggs, usually on other people) – an extremely tough girl with a deep inner fragility whom Billy has had a crush on for some time (must look no older than 19) Bartley McCormick, Helen's brother, loves sweets and annoying everyone, especially his sister (must look no older than 18) Babbybobby Bennett, a powerful, insular boatman, capable of extreme violence, whose wife died of tuberculosis (late 20s to late 30s) Doctor McSharry, the harassed, perceptive, no-nonsense town doctor (40 to mid 50s) Mammy O'Dougal, Johnnypateenmike's utterly awful, side-splittingly funny alcoholic 90 year-old mother