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Am Dram Man »
Banbury Cross and Brassed Off..........
Posted on 11:02am Sunday 6th March 2011
No one can accuse Banbury Cross Players of lacking courage when it comes to choosing their productions.
Am Dram Man »
A Christmas Carol: Cratchit if you can.........
Posted on 10:06am Wednesday 1st December 2010
Ventured out last friday night to Lain’s Barn to witness the Domino Players take on A Christmas Carol. What finer production for this time of year? Review herewith: A Christmas Carol, the timely seasonal offering from Domino Players centres round old miser Ebenezer Scrooge who refuses to accept the Christmas spirit and generally spreads gloom and misery in his wake with money as his sole purpose for living.
Am Dram Man »
I may not know a lot about Mozart but I know what I like.......
Posted on 9:31am Wednesday 24th November 2010
Review of Banbury Cross Players' Amadeus by Peter Shaffer. For their first offering of the 2010/11 season, Banbury Cross Players chose Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, the highly fictionalised story based on lives of the composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri.
Am Dram Man »
Neville's Island's a shore fire hit......
Posted on 10:26am Sunday 25th July 2010
Went to see Neville’s Island staged by the Banbury Cross Players last week and I have to say they made a great job of it.
Am Dram Man »
The party's over, it's time to call it a day.......
Posted on 10:30am Friday 9th July 2010
Nearly three weeks since my last blog eh? Why is that? I hear you cry. Well I’ve been contemplating my navel along with much gnashing of teeth and finally came to the decision not to renew my subscription to the Drama Group. Before another scribbling under the heading of Am Dram Man I thought I had better sort things out drama wise. Now bearing in mind I have been a member since 1972 this was no easy conclusion to come to.
Am Dram Man »
If you don't have a sense of humour, you probably don't have any sense at all.....
Posted on 10:38am Sunday 20th June 2010
Thursday matinee and we’re sat in the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham watching the Calendar Girls. I thought well I saw the film and enjoyed it so let’s see how they do it on stage. The answer is they did it very well. Tim Firth’s excellent and comic script transfers very well to the boards and the show was one of the best I have seen on the stage.
Am Dram Man »
Oh dear, what can the matter be......?
Posted on 5:50pm Sunday 13th June 2010
Well I didn’t get to the Unicorn Theatre in the end to see any of the ODN festival for reasons I won’t bore you with. I understand our play ‘The Summer of my Thirtieth Year’ is now to be put on as part of the Wallingford festival this week. I shall hopefully be able to write a few lines about our performance and at this and the ODN festival soon. We used to get a brief synopsis each week as to what is happening at group headquarters but no more it seems. Surely I won’t have to attend a club night?
Am Dram Man »
Evening Parking in Oxford is Twilight Robbery.............
Posted on 5:13pm Monday 24th May 2010
As mentioned last week six intrepid souls trekked to Oxford on Wednesday night, pooled our resources to buy a car parking ticket, (how they justify taking this kind of money for parking in the evening I don’t know. The last time I was robbed at least they had the courtesy to wear a mask). Anyway I digress, the point of the exercise was to see Fun Run at the Old Fire Station by local playwright Joe Graham.
Am Dram Man »
Volcanic Ash? Hold your breath and count to Tenerife......
Posted on 1:03pm Sunday 16th May 2010
So who missed me? No one it seems well thanks a lot. Two weeks in Tenerife called so that’s where I have been hiding. Sun, sea and……well that’s it really. Narrowly managed to avoid the old Icelandic ash situation, I felt for some folk at Tenerife airport who had been stranded for a couple of days due to no fault of their own, or the airline come to that. On things relating to drama, keen types will know from previous blogs we and a few selected chums are orf to see Fun Run by local playwright Joe Graham at the Old Fire Station this week. As previously mentioned the play is being staged by the Balancing Act theatre company. A fully detailed review of this brand new comedy will be featuring in next week’s blog, so keep paying attention. Fun Run is at the OFS Studio from 18th-22nd May. Due to my much-needed break in the Canaries, retirement is such hard work you know, I missed the drama group AGM but I hear Mike Lacey was voted in as Chairman, congratulations Mike. Whatever else was discussed I haven’t heard but rest assured all facts will be passed on as soon as I know. We are entering a short play into this Tuesday, 18 May. The play is called The Summer of my Thirtieth Year by Mark Rees and is directed by Susi Dalton. All are welcome to come and see the open dress rehearsal at the Hall at 8pm. Entry is free and we should be glad if you would stay and join us for a drink and a chat afterwards. The cast would welcome an audience, which always makes such a big difference to those performing, and we would appreciate your feedback afterwards. Talking about the ODN festival, this year it is on from 31st May until the 5th June. Well worth a visit to the Unicorn Theatre in Abingdon. More details on www.oxfordshiredramanetwork.org. Glad to see the election is over at last and we have got the Lib-Dem influence in government, something nobody voted for, the next few months/years will be interesting if nothing else. At least it can’t be as bad as the last thirteen years under Labour. To more educational matters:On the first day, God created the dog and said: 'Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.' The dog said: 'That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?' So God agreed. On the second day, God created the monkey and said: 'Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span.' The monkey said: 'Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?' And God agreed. On the third day, God created the cow and said: 'You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.' The cow said: 'That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?' And God agreed again. On the fourth day, God created man and said: 'Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years.' But man said: 'Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?' 'Okay,' said God, 'You asked for it..' So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone. Life has now been explained to you. There is no need to thank me for this valuable information. I'm doing it as a public service.
Am Dram Man »
Hastings and all that........
Posted on 11:45am Wednesday 28th April 2010
Every year I bang on about the ODN (Oxfordshire Drama Network) Festival held at the Unicorn Theatre in Abingdon. This year the dates are May31st- June 5th. Two or three plays are put on every night and a good time is had by all. The adjudicator puts their slant on the performances after each play and a thing or two is learnt by all. A great way to while away a summer’s evening I can tell you. Further details can be found by visiting www.oxfordshiredramanetwork.org.
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