Ivy's Opening Night Looms

My name is Myra Thomas and I've become addicted to Blackwood Little Theatre! I joined a few months ago, to help behind the scenes. Then began the preparation for Dads Army. I was asked by the lovely Peta Maidman (Director) to prompt, and happily agreed. Within a few weeks I had become further engrossed and was sooo pleased to be asked to play the small part in Mums Army (with lines too!) of Ivy Samways, the obliging lass from the sweet shop. Rehearsals have been great, plenty of laughs and lots of good company.

So here I am a few days before opening night and hoping that all goes well. If Captain Mainwaring lets me join the ladies section then I will get to spend time with that lovely lad Frank Pike!

Myra Thomas will be playing Ivy Samways

It's going to be a great production, with lots of laughter, so please come along to see my stage debut with the wonderful actors that are part of Blackwood Little Theatre.

Permission to Speak, Sir?

Permission to speak, my name is Steve Dobson and I am playing Corporal Jack Jones, the butcher that doesn’t panic – well not much anyway!  Last time I was in uniform on the Blackwood Little Theatre stage I was playing a Nazi General in 'Allo 'Allo and the role must have been extremely taxing because I fell asleep in the changing rooms and missed my cue!  There won’t be a repeat of that ignominious episode this time around; Corporal Jones is far too hyperactive for that to happen.  I will leave the sleeping to Private Godfrey. 

Steve Dobson as Corporal Jones in Rehearsal.

As always rehearsals have been a lot of fun and watching the talented cast develop their characters is nothing short of inspiring, although I wish Private Fraser would be careful with that Whiffling Stick, they don’t like it up ‘em you know!  

Clive Dunn as Corporal Jones

I remember watching Dads Army as a kid, it was one of my father’s favourites, and it is surprising how fresh and interesting the characters still are.  It is wonderful to see comedy that can achieve belly laughs without the need to descend to the level of most of today’s profanity strewn humour.  

This truly is family entertainment, so round up the kids, put on some 40’s attire, wave your Union Flags and come along and enjoy some great value fun.

Dads Army and the Newbie

I am the new  kid on the block! At 61 new is probably not the correct word but new to the Blackwood Little Theatre stage.  

I have been involved with BLT for a couple of years,  firstly as an audience  member and then helping with fund raising and now on the executivecommittee.  Almost for fun and something to do on one Tuesday evening, I attending the casting reading  for  Dads Army. To my great suprise, Peta then offered my the part of  Private Hancock which  I was well chuffed with! 

After 3 weeks of rehearsals,  Peta  came to me and said  that they were not keeping Hancock  in  and I felt somewhat deflated that my acting career finished before I had even learn't the line (singular)!

However, she explained that I was being 'bumped up the ranks'  from private to Colonel Pritchard!   Not even in my years at KFC did I get promoted that fast !! 

Robert Raglan.  The Original Colonel Pritchard in Dads Army

Also,  in 'The Godiva Affair', I get to play the role of  'Mr Gordon', the Town Clerk of  Walmington on Sea.  Watch out for the word 'Fleshings' in that one!  

So after one school nativity play 1956   ( I was a sheep)  then a school play (as the Judge in Toad of Toad  Hall) I am back with a credit rating of -6.... so beware! 

Eric Longworth as Mr Gordon, the Town Clerk.

In all honesty, there is more than  a little pride in keeping up my  family tradition -  not acting though!  My Grandfather was a sergeant in the Kenley Home Guard in 1942.    He was rather like  'Wilson' in that he  a bit of a ladies man!   Sadly,  I took after my mothers side of the family and can cook well!

Do come along and see my long awaited return to the stage....its been a while.....and join in the fun of Dads Army at Blackwood Little Theatre.

Colonel Graham Harrison!  

THE MORRIS DANCING BOOK KEEPER

A few years ago I bumped into our esteemed chairman who mentioned, in passing, that the theatre were thinking of putting on Dad’s Army and asked if I fancied a part. Of course I replied positively. Fast forward to the present day and I am not only on the cast list but also an integral member of the exec committee as treasurer. I often scratch my head asking how this all happened but that is the wonder of Blackwood Little Theatre. Once the door is open you never want to walk out. I have thoroughly enjoyed being back in the fold and am extremely excited to be back on the stage twenty five years after my last jaunt. Back then I played the title role in Terence Rattigan's The Winslow Boy and was baulked at and stared at every night by a very scary Peter Musto. It was a wonderful experience and a fond memory of both my younger days and smaller waistline! That play was directed by mum and I can only imagine how happy she would be to see her little boy back on the BLT stage.

In Dad’s Army I’m playing the part of Private Cheeseman (a photo journalist for the Eastbourne Gazette) who was played by Talfryn Thomas in the original tv series. Whilst it is a small speaking part I am on stage throughout including the morris dancing! When I googled the character I discovered that David Croft once wrote that, whilst there was nothing wrong with Thomas’ ability as an actor, the character was “irritating without being funny”. I can only imagine that I am therefore type-cast into this role!  

 

Talfryn Thomas - Pvt Cheeseman

All in all it’s been great fun to be back on stage with such wonderful and seasoned actors and I was made to feel at ease from the very first get-together. It’s been very educational to see the experienced cast members filling their roles with ease. Whilst we have had a smaller rehearsal period than normal all the cast have pulled together quickly and a great camaraderie has been built between us all. We have certainly had many laughs along the way which I hope the audience will gauge when the curtain goes up in a few weeks time!

Tim Bennett

Capt Mainwaring on Parade

Now pay attention men.  Mainwaring here.  I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but rehearsals are well under way for our September production of Dad’s Army and anything less than a full house for each performance would be pretty bad for morale here in Walmington-on-Sea.  Tickets are on sale and available through the usual source, but I would urge you all to beware of black-market forgeries.  Yes, I’m watching you, Walker! 

Arthur Lowe as George Mainwaring

The entire platoon will be expecting to see you there as, under my firm leadership, they grapple with a Nazi U-boat crew; recruit a bunch of women to take over the making of tea and cocoa, etc; resurrect the stirring tale of Lady Godiva and generally put a spanner in the works of that jumped up little fascist, Hodges.

All your old favourites are rehearsing like mad for the big day: Wilson, with his silver spoon upbringing and what he believes are his winning ways with the ladies; Jones with his cry of, “they don’t like it up ‘em, Mister Mainwaring”; Frazer as a fore-runner of a particularly gloomy Alex Salmond; Godfrey, whose sister, Dolly has promised to be there; our resident spiv, Private Walker and, of course, that stupid boy, Pike.

The Nazi hordes may be massing over the channel, but Sergeant-Major Peta Maidman promises to have the entire company ready to repulse them by curtain-up on September 17th.  Or as we military types prefer to call it, D A Day (Dad’s Army Day)

Carry on.

Captain George Mainwaring. 

Aka Graham J. Evans 

We're Doooooomed, Dooooomed I tell ya!

As an actor I have never been keen on the idea of performing in a stage version of a popular TV series: one is on a hiding to nothing - s/he is nothing like...or - s/he is just an impersonation of...

John Laurie - Frazer in the TV series

But I find myself playing Frazer in Dads'  Army and enjoying the familiarity of the script and characters, as well as the creativity of interpretation from some of the actors, who are definitely bringing something of themselves to the role.

The scripts are cleverer than I remember them being and the comedy is very much character based. The pieces are technically difficult on a small stage, but that is adding to the creativity of the process. 

I think audiences will relish the familiar figures played somewhat differently and the combination of episodes selected is excellent - contrasting the lovely character comedy of Mum's Army with the out and out farce of the other two pieces.

This will provide an evening of pure joy for audiences. 

Vic Mills

Attention Men!! The Director is Speaking!

My name is Peta Maidman and I am directing this production of “Dad’s Army” which is such a joy as where else could you get away with telling a large group of men what to do?!

We haven’t had a long rehearsal run but the cast have all done a magnificent job of learning their lines and special mention must go to Steve Dobson aka Lance Corporal Jones who was the first with his book down!

Casting a play with such familiar characters courtesy of television is tricky since there is a fine line between parodying the television series and allowing performers to bring their own interpretation of the character to the stage. I know that we have achieved this critical balance with just enough deference to the well-loved characters from the television series to bring back some fond memories for you.

There are three “episodes” in total: “Deadly Attachment”, (Don't Tell Him Pike) “Mum’s Army” and “TheGodiva Affair” which provide a brilliantly contrasting set of stories for you to enjoy and allow the ladies to step to the fore as well. Poor Captain Mainwaring blunders his way through the all plots in his usual fashion, ably supported by his troops.

There have been many moments during rehearsal for Dads Army when we’ve all collapsed with laughter thanks to the brilliant writing (and, of course, acting) and it’s hard to restrain ourselves from joining in with the immortal lines such as “stupid boy!”

On a slightly more serious note, we are supporting two charities with this production; Help for Heroes and the SBSA (Special Boat Service Association) who both do tremendous work in supporting members of the armed forces and their families who are in need. So come along, have a great time and support two brilliant causes!

Peta x