Past Productions

We are very pleased to announce that our Spring 2024 production is Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. This classic comedy will be directed by John Goodman and will be performed at the Kenton Theatre from 20th to 23rd March.

Synopsis:

“I have created this thing out of the squashed cabbage leaves of Covent Garden; and now she pretends to play the fine lady with me.”

Eccentric phonetics expert, Henry Higgins, thinks he can pass off a poor flower girl in polite society with a few months of elocution lessons. It turns out that spirited Eliza Doolittle has a mind and personality of her own and is not willing to lose them as easily as she sheds her cockney accent. Strong characters and great wit animate this classic comedy, and the themes of social mobility and women’s empowerment are as relevant today as when Pygmalion was first performed, over a century ago. Whether you’re a lover of classic drama or a seeker of truth, this play promises an unforgettable evening.

Pygmalion spawned many adaptations for film and stage and was recently revived at the Old Vic.

Cast:

Professor Henry Higgins – Peter O’Sullivan

Colonel Pickering – Mike Mungarvan

Eliza Doolittle – Christie Southwick

Alfred Doolittle – Paul Gittus

Mrs Pearce – Liz McEwen

Mrs Higgins – Eileen Pinkarchevski

Mrs Eynsford-Hill – Caroline Hopkins

Clara Eynsford- Hill – Nancy Gittus

Freddy Eynsford-Hill – Joe O’Leary

Mrs Higgins’ parlour maid – Pam Pitts-Simmons

Nepommuck – Joe O’Leary

The Ambassadress – Pam Pitts-Simmons

The Henley Players are delighted to announce our Autumn Production for 2023 which is A Bunch of Amateurs by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman. This comedy will be directed for us by Julia Ashton and will be performed at The Kenton Theatre from 18th-21st October 2023.

Synopsis:

Ageing Hollywood action hero Jefferson Steele is looking forward to reviving his career by acting with the likes of Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench in a production of King Lear at the birthplace of Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon. What he hasn’t counted on is that the production is actually being staged in Stratford St John, a sleepy village in Suffolk, and his fellow cast members are an enthusiastic bunch of amateur thespians desperately trying to save their theatre. This laugh-out-loud comedy, written by Ian Hislop (Private Eye, Have I Got News For You) and Nick Newman (Spitting Image, Murder Most Horrid) is full of hilarious characters and snappy dialogue as acting worlds collide head-on.

Cast:

Jefferson: Peter O’Sullivan

Dorothy: Pam Pitts

Mary: Rowena McMenamin

Nigel: Steve Mappley

Jessica: Christie Southwick

Lauren: Michaela Evans

Dennis: Mike Mungarvan

Delighted to announce that our Spring 2023 production will be The Philadelphia Story.

We are fortunate to have a director new to the Players, John Timewell, well-known for the Garden Players’ Shakespeare productions and for numerous musicals for HAODS and other societies.

Readings will be held on 8th and 10th November in Harpsden Hall from 8.00p.m.. The first audition will be on 15th November (also at 8.00p.m.) and a potential second one has been booked for 22nd November as the cast is quite large. Rehearsals will not start till after the Christmas holidays. The theatre is booked from 19th-25th March, and the playing dates will be 22nd-25th. March.

Synopsis

Philip Barry’s sparkling comedy The Philadelphia Story is a compelling mixture of wit, satire and romance which explores family relationships, class prejudice and human weakness. Wealthy, proud and beautiful, Tracy Lord is about to get married for the second time to her stuffy fiancé George Kittredge. But she hasn’t counted on Mike Connor, a principled reporter reluctantly working for a gossip weekly who has been sent to cover her wedding, and her quick-thinking, roguish first husband C. K. Dexter Haven. The presence of both men at her pre-nuptial party, a drunken midnight swim and champagne-addled declarations, forces Tracy to learn some painful lessons which knock her off her pedestal.

The Philadelphia Story was memorably filmed 1940, with James Stewart and Cary Grant starring alongside Katherine Hepburn. The musical version by Cole Porter, filmed as High Society, had Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra in the leading roles.

Characters

Dinah – Mid-teenage sister to Tracy. Intelligent and precocious.

Tracy Lord – Rich, haughty and strong willed. Divorced from C.K. Dexter Haven and about to marry George Ketteridge.

Margaret Lord – Mother of Tracy, Dinah and Sandy. Wife of Seth Lord.

Sandy Lord – Brother of Tracy. Trying to avert a family scandal being reported in the papers.

Uncle Willie – Kind hearted uncle of Tracy who likes a drink and is very flirtatious.

Mike Connor – Quality writer slumming it with a gossip publication to earn money. Strong working class principles who disapproves of the rich.

Liz Imbrie – Photographer working with Mike.

George Kitteridge – Self-made millionaire who comes from humble beginnings. Very ambitious and wants to marry into high society.

C.K. Dexter Haven – Wealthy and privileged, he comes from the same background as Tracy and was her first husband.

Seth Lord – Father of Tracy, Sandy and Dinah and husband to Margaret. Is having an affair with a young dancer, a scandal which Sandy is trying to prevent being made public.

Thomas/Elsie – An amalgam of 5 small servant roles

Our Autumn production will be Ladies in Lavender which has been adapted for stage by Shaun Mckenna and is based on the film written and directed by Charles Dance. This lovely production will be performed at the Kenton Theatre from 19th to 22nd October 2022.

Image by Andy Marlow

Synopsis

Ladies in Lavender is a heart-warming story of unfulfilled dreams and unrequited love. Based on the hit film which starred Judy Dench and Maggie Smith in the lead roles, it tells the tale of two retired sisters Ursula and Janet living in a close-knit fishing village in picturesque Cornwall in 1936.

A handsome and talented young Polish violinist bound for America was washed up on the shore. The sisters take him under their wing and nurse him back to health however the presence of the mysterious young man disrupts their peaceful lives and the community in which they live.

This is a beautiful poignant and award-winning piece of theatre adapted from the film by Shaun McKenna

Cast

Ursula – Jan Corby

Janet – Julia Ashton

Dorcas – Jenny Haywood

Andrea Marowski – Dean Stephenson

Dr Mead – Mike Mungarvan

Olga Danilof – Siggy Lee

Director – Wendy Huntley

LADIES IN LAVENDER

The Henley Players are delighted to announce our Spring production, The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard which will be performed at the Kenton Theatre from 16th to 19th March.

Synopsis

Love is the focus of The Real Thing, a brilliantly constructed play within a play by Tom Stoppard at his clever, witty and poignant best. An early 80s West End hit starring Felicity Kendal, it was also a Tony Award-winning Broadway triumph, with Glenn Close and Jeremy Irons. Described by theatre critic Michael Billington as “that rare thing….an intelligent play about love,” its appeal endures almost forty years on as we watch four entertaining, emotional characters wrestle with the highs and lows of love and passion in their day-to-day lives. Playwright Henry is married to actor Charlotte and actors Max and Annie to each other; the drama unfolds as relationships unravel. But how do we know which relationship is the ‘real thing’? The main themes of love and adultery are underwritten with typical Stoppard questions about the influence of art on life. This pertinent, funny and touching play, which crackles with sharp dialogue and shines an unforgiving spotlight on marriage and relationships, is not to be missed. As Henry tells us: “It’s no trick loving somebody at their best. Love is loving them at their worst”.

Cast

Max – Ioan Havard

Charlotte – Donna Thomson

Henry – Tim Harling

Annie – Grainne Harling

Debbie – Sigourney Lee

Billy – Stephen Taylor-Brown

Brodie – TBC

https://kentontheatre.co.uk/event/the-real-thing/

Our Autumn 2021 production is the famous Italian comedy Saturday Sunday Monday by Eduardo de Filippo. The show dates are 20th to 23rd October 2021.

This will be directed for us by Teri Zambigli and is the final part of a project called Pane ed Eduardo (“Bread and Eduardo”), a documentary about Eduardo de Felippo’s legacy in the English-speaking theatre, which is being written and filmed by Teri. This is an exciting project for the Henley Players to be involved in and rehearsals will be filmed as will at least one of the shows. There is a big cast with parts for all ages so we are starting as soon as possible to cast the show. Please note that there may be further auditions later to complete the cast. We need as much support as possible so do come along and see what it is all about. Teri has asked us to make clear that no-one will be expected to assume an “Italian” accent, if your character has any short Italian phrases e.g. Bon appetite, buona note, buona sera, Tutti and so on, Teri will make sure you know how to pronounce them. Otherwise the action will be entirely in English!

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2024	Pygmalion
2023	A Bunch of Amateurs
2023	The Philadelphia Story
2022	Ladies in Lavender
2022	The Real Thing
2021	Saturday, Sunday, Monday by Eduardo de Filippo
2019	Love in Idleness
2018	BRASSED OFF

2010-2019

2018	Brassed Off	2018	Arcadia
2017	Seagulls	2017	After the Dance
2017	Sense and Sensibility	2016	Comic Potential
2016	The Constant Wife	2015	Maskerade
2015	The Ladykillers	2014	The Last Two Lines
2014	The Accrington Pals	2014	Quartet
2013	Great Expectations	2013	Say Something Happened
2013	Communicating Doors	2012	The Train Out of Cloon
2012	Harlequinade & The Browning Version	2012	Calendar Girls
2011	Bedroom Farce	2011	Roman Fever
2010	For Thine is the Kingdom	2010	A Voyage Round My Father
2010	The Country Wife

2000 – 2009

2009	The Vortex	2009	The Time of Year
2009	The Death of Cuchulan	2009	The Graduate
2008	A Murder is Announced	2008	Sixty-Love
2008	Wyrd Sisters	2007	A Separate Piece
2007	The Entertainer	2007	Jamaica Inn
2006	Lady Windermere’s Fan	2006	Hobson’s Choice
2005	Beside	2005	Humble Boy
2005	Too Long an Autumn	2005	My Cousin Rachel
2004	The Virtuous Burgler	2004	The Tow Path
2004	Playboy of the Western World	2004	The Winslow Boy
2003	Move over Mrs Markham	2003	A Streetcar Named Desire
2003	Three More Sleepless Nights	2002	The Reading Group
2002	The Hothouse	2002	Confusions
2001	Last Tango in Whitby	2001	Between Mouthfuls
2001	Can You Hear the Music	2001	Murder in the Cathedral
2001	Hay Fever	2000	Cavalcade
2000	Party Time	2000	Green Forms
2000	Wild Goose Chase

1990-1999

1999	Arms and the Man	1999	In Room Five Hundred and Four
1999	Words of Advice	1999	Blithe Spirit
1998	Fumed Oak	1998	The Deep Blue Sea
1998	The Lady’s not for Burning	1997	In by the Half
1997	Les Liaisons Dangereuses	1997	Ring Round the Moon
1997	One for the Road	1996	Arsenic and Old Lace
1996	Dancing at Lughnasa	1996	Peril at End House
1995	Ways and Means	1995	Still Life
1994	Rose and Crown	1994	Waiting in the Wings
1994	An Inspector Calls	1993	A Small Family Business
1993	Steel Magnolias	1993	Looking for Rosie
1992	The Lady Aoi	1992	Night Must Fall
1991	Born in the Garden	1990	Moby Dick
1990	Candleford	1990	A Collier’s Tuesday Tea

1980 – 1989

1989	The Shewing Up of Blanco Posnet	1990	The Vagabond Prince
1989	Noises Off	1989	Overruled
1989	Augustus Does His Bit	1988	California Suite
1988	The Fire Raisers	1988	The Happy Journey
1988	Harlequinade	1988	The Browning Version and
1987	Thank You, Henley and Goodbye	1987	Outside Edge
1987	Hello Out There!	1987	The Killing of Sister George
1986	Deirdre	1986	The Caucasian Chalk Circle
1986	Lark Rise	1985	Who Killed Santa Clause?
1985	A Jubilee	1985	Macbeth
1985	Seasons Greetings	1985	A Flea in Her Ear
1984	A Slight Ache	1984	The Threepenny Opera
1984	The Importance of Being Earnest	1983	A Bear Called Paddington
1983	Streuth	1983	The Captain of Kopenick
1983	Barefoot in the Park	1983	Gotcha!
1982	At the Hawk’s Well	1982	Hay Fever
1982	Absent Friends	1981	A Resounding Tinkle
1981	What the Butler Saw	1981	Streuth
1980	The Maids	1980	Flint
1980	The Funeral	1980	Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf

1970 – 1979

1979	Antigone and Lysistrata	1979	The Wanton Wife
1979	Cause Celebre	1979	A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1978	She Stoops to Conquer	1978	Habeas Corpus (Act 2)
1978	Blue Comedy	1978	Hotel Paradiso
1977	Mourning Becomes Elects	1977	Hello Out There!
1977	The Hollow Crown	1977	Habeas Corpus
1976	The Visit	1976	After Magritte
1976	Under Milk Wood	1976	The Importance of Being Earnest
1975	The Sword of Galanta	1975	Billy Liar
1975	Waiting for Godot (Act 1)	1975	Black Comedy
1974	Oh, What a Lovely War	1974	The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew
1974	The Rape of the Belt	1973	Toad of Toad Hall
1973	Hedda Gabler	1973	Dark of the Moon
1972	The Heiress (Act 1)	1972	Everything in the Garden
1972	A Penny for a Song	1971	Escape to Fear
1971	Wait Until Dark	1971	The Killing of Sister George
1971	Happy Journey	1970	The Killing of Sister George
1970	Black Comedy	1970	Spring and Port Wine

1960 – 1969

1969	Uncle Vanya	1969	The Bald Prima Donna
1969	The Crucible	1969	The Red Velvet Coat
1968	Le Malade Imaginaire	1968	The Laboratory
1968	Black Chiffon	1967	A Sunny Morning
1967	Hay Fever	1966	The Laboratory
1966	One Hour to Dusk	1965	Tartuffe
1965	The Proposal	1964	The Laboratory
1964	A Man for all Seasons	1964	All the Winners
1963	Doctor in the House	1963	Two Gentlemen of Soho
1962	The Princess and the Swineherd	1962	Grand National Night
1960	The Love Match	1960	My Three Angels

1950 – 1959

1959	Queer Street	1959	Sailor, Beware!
1959	Dry Rot	1958	It’s Never Too Late
1957	Pink String and Sealing Wax	1956	Golden Rain
1956	Thark	1955	Heaven and Charing Cross
1954	Family Affairs	1954	Corinth House
1953	Blithe Spirit	1953	Night Must Fall
1953	Ladies in Retirement	1952	Fresh Fields
1952	Love on the Dole	1951	If Four Walls Told
1951	The Merchant of Venison	1951	Grapefruit
1951	Waiting for the Train	1951	Four Stages in Matrimony
1950	Dangerous Corner	1950	The Torch Bearers

1948 – 1949

1949	Today of all Days	1949	The Dear Departed
1949	The House in Fern Road	1948	Wasn’t it Odd?

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