Up For An Award… Again.

Congratulation to our own Helen Haygarth who has been nominated for “Best Supporting Actress” for her role in our version of Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Time Of My Life…

A thoroughly deserved nomination I think you will agree!

First Sight Review

We performed my play ‘First Sight’  recently at the Matchbox short play festival and at the risk of looking like we’re blowing our own trumpets I wanted to show you the review that appeared in the recent NODA magazine.

“First Sight written and produced by Cliff Gillies and performed by Too Friendly Theatre Company was the first play. Cliff took the part of Matthew, the main character, who delivered the dialogue mainly as a monologue. He tells the story through a number of love letters  he has exchanged over many years with Emily, his love at first sight. His delivery was an emotional roller coaster which could not be faulted. The parts of Dave, played by Mark Haygarth and Emily plated by Helen Rawcliffe are important to the story…

…However the writing was excellent with  an unexpected twist in the denouement. This was a good short play well presented.”

Edited from the full NODA review.

A Brave Choice Which Came Off…

Well it’s a bit late getting it up here but here is another review of our performance of ‘It’s Now Or Never” from the NODA magazine.

“This comedy which borders on farce was a brave choice for the group and it came off… The set was very good indeed and the pace was fine. The cast worked hard and came across well with good characterizations. But what can I say about Rocco, played by Mark Haygarth, who doubled as Elvis. The poor man was pushed from pillar to post throughout the play… and handled the role extremely well. Rob Darby gave us a believable police inspector with a good accent.  Sue Thomas played Daphne for all it was worth and added to the fun. There were good performances, which I have come to expect,  from Cliff Gillies and Helen Haygarth. Lydia, played by Dot Scott and Keith, played by John Windsor, who along with Cliff led the team in what was a very enjoyable evening.”

Edited from the full NODA review.

Snow White Panto Review

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
All Souls Dramatic Company

The All Souls annual pantomime is like a big family reunion party. The cast greeted the audience like old friends and everyone in the seats around me seemed to be related to someone on the stage. This made them all the keener to join in with the action, doubtless trying to incite their offspring to greater effort, and allowing their exuberance to almost outshine the hard-working cast.

And, like a Ken Dodd show, don’t expect an early exit as the cast seemed to be having such a good time, they didn’t want to leave.

Joanne Stafford shone as Snow White, her plaintive singing being well suited to numbers like Inside my heart and Someday my prince will come.

She wins the heart of Prince Alexi, played by Jaen Pierre Meyer, though one feels she could have done better for herself with one of the more rugged villagers.

This was Peter Roney’s seventh reprisal as the Dame, a part he has perfected over the years, although there was little suggestion of a woman inside his voluminous skirts. He’d make a much better stand-up comic than a drag artiste.

Cliff Gillies obviously enjoyed every minute of his part as Muddles, getting the audience to clap and sing along, as if they needed any encouragement. His version of The Brook Brothers’ Ain°’ gonna wash for a week was one of the few songs that was instantly recognisable, along with Thriller and Hi Ho Hi Ho.

Busiest performer was Katie Watkinson as Ramsbottom, the Wicked Queen’s henchman, who darted maniacally about the stage plotting the victory of Snow White. She will surely have run the equivalent of the London Marathon by the final performance. Katie also led a sixties girl group interpretation of Connie Francis’s Robot Man, accompanied by The Wicked Queen (the suitably evil Stephanie Verite) and Prince Alexi.

Sue Thomas could be dimly glimpsed through the Magic Mirror as the Spirit therein whilst June Weights was charming as Fairy Goodheart.

Most popular of all were the dwarfs and the dancers, a veritable army of children, whose costumes, singing and dance routines were a delight.

My only quibble was with the music. I would have much preferred real musicians rather than the synthesised backing tapes which lacked the spontaneity and showmanship of a live band.

This was a traditional pantomime with, thankfully, little smut and few of the political references that small children rarely appreciate. Karen Edge, who directed and choreographed, must be congratulated for putting together a show well up to the standard of All Souls.

Book your ticket now before they sell out.

Star Rating 3/5

Review by Ron Ellis

Reviews For Saving Grace

“A well constructed play that has a real sense of power and tension; it is obvious that a considerable amount of time has been spent developing the plot and structure of the scenes. The character of Charles is all too believable and real. Grace constantly strives to reconcile her own needs with surviving her husband’s instructions and it was good to see a development in the relationship between Grace and David… The play manages to tread the right line between sentimentality and real emotion…”

Andrew Brereton, Watermill Theatre, Newbury.

 

 

” Saving Grace is indeed a triumph… gripped you until the end with a roller coaster of emotions…”

David Kay, National Operatic and Dramatic Association.

 

 

“…could not believe how thoroughly the audience enjoyed the play, which is of course half the battle… an interesting balance between drama and sentimentality… some inventive moments in the drama which really bought it away from any cliché… a very, very enjoyable night at the theatre.”

Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.

 

 

“A fantastic play and one which I’m not embarrassed to say made me cry.”

Kelly Arrowsmith, TLP

Blood Brothers Review

Blood Brothers, Too Friendly Theatre Company, Director: Cliff Gillies

 

The sign of a well written and well acted play is when you become so absorbed with the characters and story line that you forget you are there primarily to review the performance. This was definitely the case with Blood Brothers. Willy Russell was originally asked to write the play specifically for performance by Merseyside Youth Peoples’ Theatre Company. The dynamics of the story line shift from humour through despair, anger, joy and tragedy and the competent cast was skilled in carrying out every subtle change of mood of the piece.

The play held the eyes and ears of every audience member. The source of the drama is social conflict, with class and moral issued being addressed. The five main characters allowed the story to unfold with forceful credibility.

Helen Haygarth as Mrs Johnston gave an outstanding performance. Her mannerisms, especially showing nervous tension and anguish, helped to define her characterization. Cliff Gillies as Mickey, her son, also gave us a believable character. Mickey’s gradual change throughout the play from a seven-year old to adulthood was most skilfully portrayed, Eddie, played by John Windsor, added just the right tone as Mickey’s twin brother. He is brought up in a more affluent environment, as his mother, unable to cope with another mouth to feed, gives him to the Lyons family. The scenes between Mickey and Eddie were full of rhythm, movement and action giving us more than the required energy to carry the play along.

Adding to this duo is Linda, played by Joanne Wasilew. Her actions and reactions to the eternal triangle, which developed between Mickey, Eddie and herself, were played with sensitivity.

Sue Thomas as Mrs Lyons was a force, albeit delivered gently, to be reckoned with. Her love for Eddie – her adopted son – was acted throughout with conviction. Added to this strong cast was Mark Haygarth as the Narrator. He set the mood and rhythm of the piece from the beginning.
The scenery and lighting were adequate, the programme was rather a mishmash, no cast list, no setting of time or place for example. As much as the Company is familiar with the plot it cannot be assumed that everyone in the audience knows the play. But these are minor points after seeing a well-crafted piece of theatre where all the elements came together to give the audience a night to remember.

Barbara Worrall, NODA.

Saving Grace Review

Found this older review… this time for my play ‘Saving Grace’

 

Saving Grace (was presented along with Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime)

Too Friendly Theatre Company

 

Saving Grace was indeed a triumph. The performance gripped you until the end with the roller-coaster of emotions portrayed excellently by the three actors involved. The portrayal of Charles was bullish and he brought out the very worst in the character. Conversely John Windsor’s David was full of sadness, remorse and feeling. Helen Haygarth superbly played the part of Grace; she really got under the skin of the character, a mammoth performance that ebbed from sadness to joy, from despair to assertiveness, finally finding true love. Both plays were well staged with a minimal set.

 

David Kay

Les Miserables Review

This was a brave choice. It is a long play and could have done with starting earlier. Staging the play just using lights and blacks worked well as we moved through the many scenes.

The less the scenery, the more prominent the costumes became and on the whole it was well staged. …

 

there was a large cast of 14 and, in no particular order, Mark Haygarth (Marius/Paul) played both parts well with a nice distinction between them. Sister Suplice was played well by Lisa Morgan .Tom Hancox’s Fauchelevent and John Hardiker’s Quink were both nice cameos. The Main roles of Javert and Valjean were in the safe hands of John Windsor and Cliff Gillies who both gave strong performances.

 

The masters of the house were just as nasty as in the musical with Peter Roney and Sue Thomas filling the roles – black teeth and all. Joanne Wasilew grew into her role and Helen Haygarth, once again, gave an impressive performance as Fantine. I would also mention a lovely cameo from Andi Culkin who was Eponine. These were well supported by Simon McCarthy, Rob Darby and Dott Scott.

 

This was a long, but extremely good piece of drama with some superb individual moments.

Review – Murdered To Death

MURDERED TO DEATH

TOO FRIENDLY THEATRE COMPANY

LITTLE THEATRE

There have been over 500 productions of Peter Gordon’s popular parody of an Agatha Christie 1930’s country house mystery and this one by the Too Friendly Theatre Company could stand alongside any of them.

The play is just one of a popular trilogy featuring the imbecilic Inspector Pratt and director Cliff Gillies took centre stage as the manic policeman, a comical interpretation which owed much to Tony Hancock. He did it so well that it was a pity some of the dialogue he was forced to speak was cringeworthy in the extreme.

Helen Haygarth played the part of super sleuth Miss Maple although, with legs Betty Grable would have died for. She looked far too attractive and sprightly to convince as a Joan Hickson look-alike, despite the grey wig.

Similarly, Mark Haygarth perfectly captured the voice and mannerisms of the bluff Colonel Craddock, henpecked by his acerbic wife (Lisa Mogan), but, again, he looked a good 50 years too young, not to mention too thin, for the role. Perhaps the Too Friendly company ought to start recruiting at the Derby and Joan.

John Windsor played the part Sergeant Thomkins as if he had been a policeman all his life although the ‘joke’ about him being called ‘Thomson’- (‘No, Thomkins, Sir’) palled after the 200th utterance.

For me, the standout role of the evening was that of the butler, Bunting, superbly played by Peter Roney with a clever line in dry humour. Bunting is the bane of his mistress’s life, his mistress (in the servile meaning of the word) being Sue Thomas as the posh hostess, Mildred, anxious to resurrect her long-dead affair with the Colonel.

As the high class piece of eye-candy, Elizabeth , Joanne Wasilaw effortlessly switched accents between Mayfair and Billingsgate Market whilst Rob Darby, complete with beret but without the onions, was able to try out his pidgin French in his role as her artist boyfriend, Pierre, Andrea Culkin shone as the enigmatic Dorothy who was odds-on to cop for the money should Mildred meet with an untimely demise. Which, of course, we knew she would.

The actors all acquitted themselves well and the audience laughed constantly throughout the evening, even breaking into applause at some of the lines, making the night a great success.

For myself, I have trouble with farces. There are no characters, just caricatures. Plots are meaningless so who cares what happens anyway? The audience around me may be convulsed with mirth, and the cast onstage look like they are having great fun, but I sit there thinking how ridiculous the whole thing is.

I would much rather see this talented company perform a serious play rather than infantile dross like this. But then, that is the nature of farce.  And I have trouble with farces.

Rating 2.5/5 Acting better than the play deserved.

Fanmail

“Firstly, let us congratulate all of you on a wonderful performance. This is truly a great play/show, and your troupe of players did it full justice….. Cliff and Mark were superb, and their loud and prolonged applause was richly deserved…“ K & S. W. (Formby)

“…A truly great performance…a great night was had by all…..it’s nice to know we have so much talent in Liverpool…..Well done…“  D.H. (Liverpool)

“What a fantastic play! (Wuthering Heights) I can honestly say it was just fantastic in every sense!…I cried and cried…Truly amazing“ (A.B. Crosby)“

“Last night we went to see “Wuthering Heights” by the Too Friendly Theatre Company… I just wanted to say well done to the cast because I never enjoyed a show so much in my life” (B.M. Southport)

“..just thought I would drop you a line to let you know how much my friends and I enjoyed your production last Thursday at the Rose Theatre… You seem to do quite a variation of plays, from Wuthering Heights to Breezeblock Park. Quite an achievement “ L.G. Parbold)