Category: Spotlight

PRESENT LAUGHTER

March 25, 2026

Forthcoming Production

Present Laughter by Noel Coward

Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th October 2026 @730pm

Saturday Matinee  31st October @ 2.30pm

No Saturday evening performance

Join us for an evening of wit and sophistication with Noel Coward’s Present Laughter, a sparkling comedy that follows the charming yet self-absorbed actor Garry Essendine as he navigates an endless parade of admirers, ex-lovers, and eccentric visitors—all while preparing for a theatrical tour. With sharp dialogue, larger-than-life characters, and plenty of farcical moments, this delightful play offers a hilarious glimpse into the world of show business and the chaos of celebrity life.

Don’t miss this stylish and fast-paced comedy, filled with Coward’s signature charm and razor-sharp humour !

 

AMATEUR DRAMATICS, HERE I COME!

June 18, 2025

Joining a  local Amateur Dramatic Society was always on my list of things to do. I had been thinking about doing it for a while but kept putting it off, but then….

We all need a hobby. However, when we want to do something different it is difficult to find someone else to come along with you, so you just give up. That is what happened to me. However, I dealt with the problem directly and joined my local Am – Dram Group. In plain English, Abbey Foregate (SURC) Drama Group.

However, was it the right decision?

DEFINITELY!

Well for starters, it’s a lot of fun. The group are lovely and friendly. In addition, they are all different ages. So I did not feel out of place. Some work full time, a few are retired, and others have been acting for so long they cannot remember a time when they haven’t ‘Trod the boards’ so to speak.

So I thought, ‘Why not?’ In for a penny…..! So, after sending the email, I arranged to go down to their rehearsal room for my first sojourn into acting! The first night I ventured into the rehearsal room, I was terrified! But, everybody was so nice.  So far so good!

The first thing I noticed was how easy it all was. In fact everyone there is so laid back and has a great sense of humour. Making a fool of yourself is part of the fun!

Was it worth joining?

 OH, YES!

For anyone who really wants to act, work behind the scenes or just generally help, just contact us. We will welcome you warmly with open arms, so don’t be nervous, we are all in it together, helping each other out.

Oh, and  did I  tell you, its GREAT FUN!

THE PLAYS THE THING

June 18, 2025

It’s really an odd thing, if you consider we gather in groups and sit in the dark silence. And another group gets up on a raised platform and proceeds to create make-believe situations that might be potentially from our lives. It’s a pretty bizarre form of entertainment.

DANIEL MACIVOR

I love that with a play, a writer creates the script, and then directors and actors pick it up, interpret it, and bring it to visual realization. It isn’t written, and then read by readers quietly, in the dark of spooky night, all alone. Seeing and making theatre is a communal experience.

JEN DIAMOND

 

An Actors  Revenge

He had positioned himself stage centre

And was giving the audience his all.

When suddenly a seat went up with a “Crash!”

And a lady walked down from the stalls.

Ignoring the audience hissing

And the thespian’s renderings too.

She crossed in front of the Footlights.

And disappeared into the Loo.

Feeling decidedly slighted

The actor waited, enraged.

So when she came out of the Loo,

He walked to the front of the stage.

Adopting a theatrical posture

And in a voice filled with venom and bite.

That carried its way clear up to the Gods

He delivered the best of the night!

He said, “Madam”. Whilst there in the privy.

Could you hear my excellent King Lear?

You couldn’t? Well I find that amazing.

For we heard you quite clearly out here!

PASS THE CAKE

June 18, 2025

Pass the Cake.

I joined the Abbey Foregate (SURC) Drama Group because  I saw a production that was of such stunningly high quality, I wanted a piece of THAT CAKE. The production was of such high quality in terms of acting, directing, stage set, lighting, and costume. Staged in a church hall that was anything but a church hall, being transformed as it was into one of Oscar Wilde’s elegant interiors, on a small thrust stage with raked seating for 100 transported audience members. I was massively impressed, and I was only able to witness the dress rehearsal because all of the actual shows had already sold-out weeks ago. Don’t take my word for it; check us out as soon as you are able.

Our foundation is community based, supportive, and respectful of others and welcoming and I am more than happy to be part of that. We are passionate about our productions, committed to telling the writer’s story and great fun to work with. We are simply kind, compassionate, creative folk who just happen to love putting on a show and are really quite good at it!

However, one should never pass up the opportunity to encourage membership enquiries from young blood and from as diverse a background as is possible in our lovely Shropshire backwater.

So, do you WANT SOME DRAMA IN YOUR LIFE?

Whatever your interest in the theatre is, you will receive a warm welcome at Abbey Foregate (SURC) Drama Group.   Whether you want to tread the boards, develop your artistic skills or just make some new friends, there will be something for you to enjoy. We are always delighted to talk to anyone wishing to learn and take part in all aspects of drama. Perhaps you would like to try your hand at some of the many backstage roles – lighting, props, costumes, make-up, and front of house. In addition, we hold play readings, workshops, theatre visits and social events throughout the year.

INTERESTED? Please get in touch.

 WE GENUINELY WANT YOU TO JOIN US.

 

 

WHAT DOES A STAGE MANAGER DO?

June 16, 2025

A director does exactly like it says: s/he directs. They decide the direction of the show. The look. The outlook. The way they want a patron to view the show. They decide choreography, how lines should be delivered. They determine emotions that they want to come across (Actors typically can tell, but a director helps lead them in the right direction). And so, so much more. This is their vision coming to life.

A Stage Manager does exactly like it says: s/he manages the stage, and everyone within that vicinity. They help make sure the lights are running on time.  That the backstage crew moves when they need to move. They listen to make sure quick changes are going as planned. They know the show backwards and forwards and know when they need to adjust the length of a blackout because Suzy is stuck in her jeans from the last scene, when she needs to be in her skirt for this scene. They make sure the actors are in place before the lights come up, they make sure that they have the  crew needed to make the show run smoothly. The actors know their jobs, the stage manager makes sure the rest of it goes off flawlessly.

As a Stage Manager, dressed head to toe in black, you live in the wings, the shadow of the theatre (like the Phantom, but more tone-deaf and a little less angry). You grace the stage in darkness alone and, while the cast go out to meet their adoring fans after the curtain has fallen, you drag the half-broken chairs back into their place and slip out quietly into the night. You will be called upon to locate the most critical prop which has mysteriously vanished and, on finding it, become the backstage hero no one knew they needed.

Here are some humorous Jokes , you’d probably have to be a Stage manager to get them! 

An actress, a costumer and a stage manager found an old bottle in a pile of junk backstage. The actress rubbed it against her sleeve, and poof! A genie appeared.
“You got me fair and square,” the genie said. “So you each get one wish.”
“I want a world tour in a starring role,” the actress declared.
“Granted,” said the genie, and poof! The actress was off on her tour.
“I want a yacht and unlimited funds to cruise the exotic ports of the world,” wished the costumer.
“Granted,” said the genie, and poof! The costumer was off on his cruise.

The Stage Manager rubbed his chin, thought for a minute and said, “I want them back after lunch.”

Help Wanted: Stage Manager
Individual will be responsible for monitoring the crew, calling cues and scene changes, while shushing actors locating missing props and children, and duct taping broken set pieces all in the dark and attached to a headset, all without tripping, swearing, or murdering anyone.

THE HISTORY OF AMATEUR DRAMATICS

August 26, 2024

Have you ever thought of joining an Amateur Dramatics Group?

The history of amateur theatre in Britain begins in the Middle Ages, when enthusiastic storytellers rose from their seats and gathered friends to help them bring their stories to life. This developed into the mystery and miracle plays of the fifteenth century, which were designed to teach the general public, who typically did not speak Latin, stories from the Bible. These plays were performed by troupes who travelled around the country, and by 1500, many towns and villages had designated theatre spaces. After the Reformation, religious plays were no longer allowed, and troupes of actors had to get patronage from noblemen to perform.

Throughout the ages theatres were built around the country until Oliver Cromwell ordered their closure. This led to a rise in private theatricals, where wealthy people would perform plays etc for friends in their houses. These performances are largely considered to be the beginnings of amateur theatre as we know it today.

In 1801, the first amateur dramatic society in Britain was formed. Called the Pic-Nic Society, it was a group of upper-class amateurs who performed in the Tottenham Street Theatre. They put on variety shows, with short plays, parables, and singing, and a large picnic at the end. These were sociable affairs, where actors and audiences mixed together, and performances would often happen within the audience space rather than on a stage. Whilst they were popular among the public, professional actors were not fond of them, and in 1802 a Pic-Nic performance was interrupted by a group of professionals holding a protest against them. This is our first example of negativity towards amateur theatre. Towards the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, various amateur theatre associations were formed, The formation of these associations demonstrates that amateur theatre was a valuable part of British culture at this time.

. In rural areas, amateur was the only type of theatre that was easily accessible, so many small towns and villages formed their own amateur groups.  The growing number of amateur theatre groups did not go unnoticed. In 1940, the Council for Encouragement of Music and the Arts (now the Arts Council) was formed to help maintain British culture during the Second World War. Initially, CEMA were positive about amateur theatre and recognised that it was an important part of British culture, and that it offered great social and therapeutic benefits for those who took part. However, the biggest blow to amateur theatre was dealt in 1956, when CEMA decided to stop funding amateur theatre productions. Since this decision, amateur theatre has been left to fund itself – which may explain why people have this image of amateur theatre being rough around the edges. 

The decision to stop funding amateur theatre productions really was the beginning of the end for amateur theatres’ reputation. It appears that during this time, amateur theatre was not worth writing about. Despite this, groups were still popping up around the country, and performing regularly to audiences, though we do not know much about the nature of these performances.  It seems that those who take part in amateur theatre tend to be very passionate about it, and those who do not take part, if they think about it at all, consider it to be a shoddy mess. The word amateur itself has changed meaning, beginning its life as a term of endearment – coming from the Latin amare, to love – to now being seen as an insult
 call a professional actor an amateur and see how they react!

The rivalry between amateurs and professionals seems to be one of the main drivers for amateur theatres’ bad reputation, as does the decision to stop funding amateur theatre productions. Both of these things together have created a culture of snobbery towards amateur theatre, but this snobbery does not seem to bother or discourage those who take part in it. Many people to whom amateur theatre is their life,  will not accept any negative talk about it. Amateur theatre has survived throughout the centuries – even when professional theatres were closed. No one can deny that amateur theatre is deeply entrenched in British culture, and hopefully will be, in whatever form, for many centuries to come.

Lucy Henderson

REVIEWS

April 26, 2024

Review of “Daisy Pulls it Off” May 2026

Congratulations to the Abbey Foregate Drama Group, who transported us to a 1920’s prestigious private girl’s boarding school, as depicted in children’s books of that era. This is the world of “play up and play the game”, “best chums”, “jolly hockey sticks”; of the school song and motto – in this case “How great are noble things” (in Latin, of course).

The heroine, Daisy, is the first scholarship girl to attend the school, i.e. entering through merit and not fee paying. She finds a good and steadfast friend, Trixie, but also the prejudiced Sybil, and her devotee, Monica. They make her life a misery, and resort to lies and subterfuge to have her expelled. Daisy and Trixie however combine their efforts to try and find a rumoured hidden treasure, which would save the school from being closed.

Along the way we join the journey to school by train (Harry Potter style), sit at desks in class, take part in a hockey match, and witness a perilous rescue of the two rotters, who have fallen down a nearby cliff.

All of this is accomplished through our imagination, since there is no scenery, other than a raised dais against a plain backdrop. Throughout there is an ingenious use of the said hockey sticks, which are not just “jolly”, but essential – they are the pistons of the train, the lids of the desks, a drumming sound when required, and …even, in the hockey match.

The principal players were accomplished – conveying Daisy’s emotional ups and downs, Trixie’s irrepressible good humour, Sybil’s snobbishness, and Monica’s sycophancy; the Headmistress was spot on, determined with not-to-be questioned authority to preserve the highest standards.

Suffice to say that Daisy finds the treasure, scores the winning goal, rescues her detractors (who admit to their wrongdoing), and all-in-all Pulls it Off.

However, the playwright has intended, amidst all the jolly japes and heroic endeavours, to make a statement of principle, which is Daisy’s closing speech – that scholarship girls become the norm,

that the school learn from them, and that all “Public” schools (so-called), become truly open to all.

So, to all concerned, all the 48 people named in the programme, and especially the Director, Nick, and all the cast – Rest on your laurels and receive our applause, your labours are appreciated.

Thank you.

Review of “Cheshire Cats” OCT/NOV 2024

All credit to the Abbey Foregate Drama Group. From the narrow confines of the St.Nicholas’ Hall we were taken in imagination to Chester railway station, a train carriage,and the streets of London by night.
The actors brought to life the individual personalities of the five women who were the ‘Cheshire Cats’ of the title, each with their own motivation for joining together to do the Moonwalk – walking half the course of the London marathon, by night, sponsored to raise money for a breast cancer charity. Not forgetting the male, who stood in at the last moment when one of their number couldn’t come. Each projected a persona which covered their real reasons for being there, but from time to time the scene froze, as each one, in the form of a poem, reflected on their inner feelings about their lives – serious and poignant interludes.
The comedic cameo roles were in the form of those whom the ‘Cats’ encountered on the walk – a frenetic fitness instructor, local route marshalls with Cockney banter, a drunken yet chivalrous ‘toff’. All played their parts with gusto, and the whole performance moved at a lively pace. There was a real sense of the main characters overcoming their differences so that they became a true team, looking out for each other. It ended (spoiler alert) with one of the women, revealing in her soliloquy that she was awaiting tests for cancer, and the coda – the following year – shows the other women going on the walk again, for her.
So, well done, one and all, not least the Director, Helen, and the large team necessary for it all to be possible – lighting, sound, wardrobe, set design and construction, front of house and publicity, all pooling their talents and expertise – like in the play itself, a true team.
Ken Chippindale

Watched the Cheshire Cats play last night with friends – fantastic performance by all! We laughed, cried whooped and we’re in awe of you guys it was a lovely story beautiful told!, congratulations and thank you for another great nights entertainment.
We all felt like we’d been on the walk with you ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

All 6 of us thoroughly enjoyed last night’s performance – it went with a zing! Such a strong cast and some amazing cameo performances. Please pass on our appreciation to all concerned.
Andy

The Bard at SURC- June 2024

The latest Abbey Foregate Drama Group production of Twelfth Night was certainly different. It took place in church on a deceptively simple set of which the cast took full advantage. Rather than have a lot of prop changes the presence of different characters indicated where the scene was set. This very clever device worked well. Although by Shakespeare the drama was set in the 1960/70s as indicated by the CND logo and picture of Twiggy. This made the costumes so much easier to arrange as it did away with the need for complicated Elizabethan garb. The main provision was much easier however I am not convinced that putting the original songs into the 1970s quite worked.

It was nice to see many old friends in the cast, but the master stroke was Jo Bullock as Viola, and Caroline Hamer as her twin Sebastian. They are of similar height and build, and with identical costumes and wigs they could easily be mistaken for each other, as they were. We were tricked into thinking that Lady Olivia was marrying Viola! Shakespearian iambic pentameters do not fall easily on the modern ear, but everyone was word perfect, and it was easy to follow the plot. The entire cast and production team are to be congratulated on pulling off a resounding success on what could so easily have missed the mark.
Lesley McNeil

Review of ENCHANTED APRIL –November 2023

April in November

The Abbey Foregate Drama Group production of Enchanted April at the beginning of November was another resounding success. Set in the 1920s, it is a story about self-discovery and renewal. The stage sets were very clever. The first act had nine scenes, and all were achieved using two tables and four chairs. The second act had one set, and the backdrop was the one used in their Agatha Christie production. The casting was excellent with the characters true to the script, starting off very constrained and gradually relaxing. Caroline Hamer playing Constanza the housekeeper must get a special mention as her entire part was spoken in Italian. But seeing Andrew Sandilands in a towel after the boiler blew up was worth the entrance money on its own. This was a wonderful evening out. Long may the Drama Group continue to give us quality productions.

Lesley McNeil

Review of ‘Quartet’

What a fabulous evening! It was hard to remember that this was actually Sue Hughes’ directorial debut; it was such a polished show and the comic timing was superb. The backstage team had ingeniously created the world of a retirement home for professional musicians.

The play itself told us that, ‘Art isn’t Art if it doesn’t make you feel’, and indeed, we felt the joy of recognition; we laughed; we felt so moved by the gradual revelations of the truth each character had been trying to hide.

Helen Bryant’s gentle Cissy and Robert Currie’s mischievous Wilf earned our affection as they helped us to ‘see the best’ in Ian Musty’s repressed Reggie and Lesley Strachan’s sharp-edged Jean; each of the four actors was completely on point. Our intimate theatre space was made for them: every flicker of the eyebrow or twitch of the lips told a story. They all landed every moment in a clever, clever script, and made the silences talk too.

There was something rather magical about seeing the characters grow younger before our very eyes. We saw the ‘lovely young’ men and women in all of them, and a lump came to more than one throat as they turned their backs on us, the audience, to remember audiences of the past.

Thank you – watching the play made ‘the future’, whatever age we are now, glow brighter.

Lesley Drew

Don’t Get Your Vicars in a Twist

‘Oh, My Aching Ribs!

The Abbey Foregate Drama Group production of “Don’t Get your Vicars in a Twist” sold out in two weeks, so a Saturday matinee was added to the run. We must admire the stamina of all concerned.

The play started slowly as the situation that would lead to all the confusion and misunderstanding that defines a farce was set out for the audience. But then the pace picked up as all the characters arrived and started making assumptions. Farce also demands over-the top acting, and this was we got. Paul Rushworth as a pseudo Bishop and Stephan Meredith as the Murder Mystery event arranger were superbly OTT, especially when they were drunk and dressed as a maid respectively. Enfys Jenkins and Lesley Drew/Carol Wolfe were two uptight ladies who had been given the weekend (I suspect as a prank) and thought the entire goings on were real. Ian Musty as the real Bishop was suitably bewildered – perhaps still coping with his translation from a vicar in the last production!

This was an evening of laughs, and Rob Hutchings is to be congratulated on a difficult job well done. It was worth the ticket money just to see Brian Bentley and Richard Breakell wearing skirts!

Lesley McNeil

A Christmas Carol

Over Christmas I saw four productions of A Christmas Carol, three professional and one amateur. There was the “Shrewsbury” film with George C Scott, The Muppets with Michael Caine, and a carol that went wrong with Derek Jacobi. Each was good in its own way. However, the best production by far was the one put on by the Abbey Foregate Drama Group with Brian Bentley.

The church provided a perfect space for this production, and was used to maximum effect with imaginative staging. The scene shifted from one area to another with minimum fuss so that the flow of the story was not interrupted. Praise must go to the design and construction group. Even more amazing was the speed with which the stage area was cleared for the Sunday service.

The cast for this production was much larger than that required for the usual plays, which must have involved a lot of organization. But the performances went smoothly, even if there was a lot going on backstage!

Top of the list for commendation is Brian Bentley who was on stage for the entire time. He also had long monologues, which are more difficult to remember than conversations. He was ably supported by some of our favourite actors: Robert Currie, Andrew Sandilands, Lesley Strachan, Rob Hutchings, and Carole Newcombe to name but a few. However, it was also nice to see the newer cast members coming to the fore. As usual the standard of the acting was superb, and each character was true to their part. I sat next to the prompt who was not required.

The choice of this play was inspired. Not only did it honour the very start of the Drama Group, but also it came at the beginning of Advent, which set the scene for our Christmas worship.

Lesley McNeil

The Importance of being Earnest-Audience comments

Debbie–

Kev and me came along on Friday night to see ‘Earnest’ and had a great time. Really excellent performance – cast was awesome, set was beautiful, costumes stunning, crew slick and professional, front of house welcoming and friendly. All round perfect end of the weeknight out   Thank you everyone

Jan-

I went last night. Brilliant! It is one of my favourite plays and they did not disappoint! One thing I really wanted to applaud the set changers. Well done the whole team.

The Importance of being Earnest

The Importance of being Earnest is one of the best known and most often staged of the plays by Oscar Wilde. It takes a wonderfully sideways look at the niceties of Victorian social behaviour, yet in some ways is remarkably modern with misunderstandings galore.

As the stage is small, it requires careful setting. The transformation from a morning room in one flat, a garden, and the morning room in another home was very cleverly done. While one scene change took place during an interval, the second was in full view of the audience, so we were able to see and appreciate the slick performance of the back stage staff that is normally out of view.

This is very much an ensemble piece, and the entire cast worked together to give us their usual high standard entertainment. Malcolm Castle as Algernon and Adam Giblin as Jack/Ernest sparked off each other as the unsuspecting brothers, their love/dislike relationship in full view. Likewise, Symantha Simcox and Lucy Hagen beautifully demonstrated the relationship between Gwendolen and Cecily, with their constant changes from love rivals to sisters-in-arms.

If I had any concerns prior to the performance it was the crucial casting of Lady Bracknell and the famous handbag comment. For many people the Dame Edith Evans rendition in the 1952 film is the definitive delivery, and can overshadow any other performance. I need not have worried. Lesley Reynolds made a splendidly haughty Lady B, and gave her own twist to THAT line. She managed to combine horror with contempt through both delivery and facial expression. Full marks Lesley.

A word of praise goes to the director, Helen Bryant, set designers and builders, the costume department, lighting and sound, as well as the front of house meeters and greeters.

The raffle in aid of ‘Jigsaw’ taken at the performance of A Christmas Carol was £570. The raffle at this performance was for the Shropshire Wildlife Trust as a tribute to Maureen Sandlilands who sadly died last January.

Lesley McNeil

Absurd Person Singular-Audience comments

Teresa-

Hilarious – I laughed so much my face hurt!!Some great characters and so well played. Well done to all involved and thanks for a great night out.

Victoria-

An absolutely fantastic performance by all! We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and haven’t laughed aloud this much in a long time! Thank you. We will be coming to see your next performances in the future

Perfect Murder-Audience comments

Oh my goodness we just have to write and offer our sincere Congratulations. Please congratulate all the cast for such a Professional performance and as usual we can’t wait for the next one. Many Many thanks to you all for such a superb performance.

Just to say what a great night we’ve just had @ a perfect murder. We thoroughly enjoyed the play and everyone should be very proud of their performances.

It was so intimate being close to the scenes especially act 2 in the courtroom. It felt so realistic. Please pass on our congratulations to everyone and good luck for your final performance.

We both came to the opening night. It was fantastic – Absolutely brilliant. Very polished, very professional. I was so absorbed that during the second act in the courtroom, I actually felt I was there. You could tell by the gasp of the audience that no-one had anticipated the twist and turn at the end. Very well done, Congratulations to you all.

What a wonderful performance we all enjoyed at the URC last night. The casting and directing were inspired—all the actors were superb, seemingly transformed into the characters they were playing .The audience was in the sitting room or courtroom with you. The scenes in the courtroom were particularly good. Sitting in the front row, I felt as though I was a juror, and concentrated on listening for clues!

Sincere congratulations are due to everyone, including the clever young people in the corner.

An Ideal Husband-Audience comments

I am taking this opportunity of sending you lots of congratulations on your latest production of “The Ideal Husband”  My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed it – great casting, super set and costumes and we could hear every word! (Very important when listening to Oscar Wilde!) Not a weak link anywhere. Knocked spots off many professional productions we have seen. Congratulations!”

“Brilliant production, excellent set, terrific acting and fabulous costumes – thoroughly marvellous all round. Congratulations all”

“Well done on a superb production of Oscar Wilde’s “An Ideal Husband”; I attended your dress rehearsal last night and thoroughly enjoyed the show. Having been transported by the superb acting, beautiful set and wonderful costumes, I completely forgot to leave the slip with my email address on. Please add me to your email circulation list as I would love to see future shows”

“It was fabulous. They all had so many lines to remember and all word perfect Look forward to the next one”

Ideal Indeed

Lavish is the only word to describe Abbey Fore gate Drama Groups production of An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde. The set was simple but effective, and Ian Musty and Malcolm Castle changed the sets with a butlery dignity that earned them a round of applause, for which they took a very dignified bow. The costumes were a delight and were worth every penny of the hire fee.

It was good to see familiar faces as well as newcomers in the cast. Everyone was totally convincing in their characters, and the evening was pure joy!

As this does not happen by accident, it was clear that a great deal of hard work went into achieving such a polished performance. Praise is due to Helen Bryant who had ensured that every detail was right.

This production has further enhanced the already high reputation of the Drama Group.

Lesley  McNeil

Abbey Foregate (Shrewsbury URC) Drama Group strikes gold again

“All My Sons” by Arthur Miller is the latest production of the Abbey Foregate (S URC) Drama Group.  This play is not a barrel of laughs, and needs careful handling to avoid either being dreary or being melodramatic.  Under the sure direction of Helen Bryant the Group rose to the challenge superbly.  The 1946 American ambience was re-created with great attention to detail.  The set was functional and attractive; the clothes were right, even to the ladies wearing seamed nylons, and the music played before and after the production and during the interval was vintage American 40s.  Secure in their setting, the cast delivered the piece with power and integrity.  The minor characters, including a delightful cameo from bright young Chris Davies, added necessary light relief that served to highlight the terrible predicament of the core family.  Dana James and Robin Cooper, playing Ann and George Deever, were the bringers of bad news, and stepped in and out of the action with sensitivity.

Robert Currie carried the weight of Joe’s guilt with skill, and his gradual disintegration as truth cut through the web of lies was truly moving.  Paula Bayley as Joe’s wife delivered a wonderfully understated performance.  She cleverly avoided overt hand wringing, and instead allowed her obsession to loom like an iceberg in fog.  However, the star of the evening was Andrew Sandilands playing the idealistic Chris. This demanding role runs the gamut of emotion, Andrew gave us the pleasant American, the tender and romantic lover, irritation, the searing heat of anger, and final collapse in tears as the play ended.

Once again this talented Group raised am dram to professional levels.  I am booking my ticket for their next production already!

Lesley McNeil

Shaw’s Pygmalion at Abbey Foregate

To mark its 60th Anniversary the Abbey Foregate (SURC) Drama Group staged a magnificent production of Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, the theatrical source of MY FAIR LADY, from Thursday- Saturday of last week.

Three sets- both indoor and outdoor were skilfully created in the Church itself, and the acting was of the uniformly high standard we have come to expect from this company. The subtle and thought provoking mixture of comedy and serious drama was well conveyed through individual performances-especially Jo Bullock as Eliza Doolittle, Rob Hutchings as her opportunistic Father and Andrew Sandilands as Phonetics Professor, Henry Higgins- as well as by the verve and coherence of the whole. The society scenes were vigorous too, communicated with real charm but also with the critical edge of Shaw’s ironical view of class-conscious Edwardian London.

This was a worthwhile play given worthy treatment. Audience comments such as” better than professional” could be heard at the end of the evening. Helen Bryant, Director and Sue Hughes her assistant, are to be warmly congratulated along with their whole team.

Cameron Wilson

 

HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

April 5, 2023

Throughout the years Abbey Foregate(SURC) Drama Group has donated to charities by means of money raised through the nightly raffle at productions. The group is extremely grateful for the generosity of our audiences and since 2010 we have raised ÂŁ13,568 for various charities.

CHESHIRE CATS was the groups Autumn 2024 production and our chosen charity was COPPAFEEL. The play was centred around a group of ladies who entered the Moon Walk in London to raise money for Breast Cancer. It was felt that the early prevention that COPPAFEEL promotes to young people was  an extremely worthwhile charity. Our thanks must go to the generosity of our audiences as we were able to donate  £545 to this wonderful cause

TWELFTH NIGHT  was the groups June 2024 production and our chosen charity was Prostrate Cancer. This is a charity that that is extremely important to the group and due to the generosity of our audiences we were able to raise £495.

Our  production in November 2023 was ENCHANTED APRIL  and  our chosen charity was  MIND Due to the generosity of our audiences we were able to raise £589 for this very worthwhile cause.

The chosen charity for our May 2023 production of  AND THEN THERE WERE NONE was the Migraine Trust and we were able to donate £522 to this wonderful cause.

Our November 2022  production of  STEEL MAGNOLIAS had the subject matter of Diabetes and the group decided that Diabetes UK, Shrewsbury Kids Group would be our chosen charity. They are a small group of volunteers who aim to provide an opportunity for families of young children with diabetes to network with each other through various events held throughout the year. These events provide a relaxed and fun environment in which young people living with Type 1 diabetes and their families can get together, share experiences and learn from each other.
They have held fundraising events in the past and have some funds available going forward and will hold more events now that Covid-19 restrictions have eased. But if they are to achieve all their aims they can only do this by raising funds and by the generous support of organisations and individuals. The amount that was raised at the STEEL MAGNOLIAS raffle was ÂŁ604 which will be greatly appreciated by the group and we thank you all for your support. We presented a cheque for this amount at the children’s Christmas party on 4th December 2022 at Pontesbury Village Hall.

A LIST OF OTHER CHARITIES THAT THE GROUP HAS SUPPORTED SINCE 2010

SEVERN HOSPICE,  MEDICINS SANS FRONTIERES, SOS CHILDRENS VILLAGES,  ASPIRE, THE BRAIN TUMOUR CHARITY, HOME START, REACTIVE, JIGSAW, PSP,  PARKINSONS, THE DOG TRUST, BRITISH RED CROSS, THE SAMARITANS, SHREWSBURY ARK, SHROPSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST, ALZEIMERS SOCIETY, LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY

WAITING IN THE WINGS

April 20, 2022

This expression alludes to the theatre.

It is an area unseen by the audience, where actors wait for their cue to come on stage. The wings are areas that are part of a stage deck but offstage (out of sight of the audience). The wing space is also used for storage of sets for scenery changes , props and as a backstage work area.

WAITING IN THE WINGS can also mean

Close by in the background; available at short notice, ready to do something or to be used at the appropriate time and to take the place of another person.
i.e.: My assistant is waiting in the wings to take my job once I retire.

Many actors have a nightmare close to a performance and the one below is no exception









It is a scene that has often come into my mind, both sleeping and waking — I am standing in the wings of a theatre waiting for my cue to go onstage. As I stand there, I can hear the play proceeding, and suddenly it dawns on me that the lines I have learnt are not in this play at all but belong to quite a different one. Panic seizes me; I wonder frenziedly what I should do. Then I get my cue. Stumbling over the unfamiliar scenery, I make my way onto the stage, and then look for guidance to the prompter, whose head I can just see rising out of the floorboards. Alas he only signals helplessly to me, and I realise of course that his script is different from mine. I begin to speak my lines, but they are incomprehensible to the other actors and abhorrent to the audience, who begin to hiss and shout: “Get off the stage!” “Let the play go on!” “You’re interrupting!”

Malcolm Muggeridge

Thank goodness it is just a nightmare!

ENTERTAING AUDIENCES SINCE 1947

November 18, 2021

The year 2022 marked a tremendous milestone for the Abbey Foregate (SURC) Drama Group as it celebrated its 75th Anniversary. The group traces its roots to 1947, when performances began at the Abbey Foregate Congregational Church. In those early days the members were from the congregation, and the plays had a religious theme. It was in 1950 that the group looked to perform mainstream plays and their first production was “The Importance of being Earnest.” The Church joined with the St Nicholas Presbyterian Church in 1975 and became known as Shrewsbury United Reformed Church (SURC).

The Abbey Foregate (SURC) Drama Group is well loved by locals with a passion for amateur dramatics, whether that be soaking up the limelight onstage or enjoying the performance from the safety of the auditorium. St Nicholas Hall is where the majority of productions are staged and the introduction of raked seating on three sides places the audience close to the action, which provides an intimate theatrical experience

From its early modest beginnings the group has continued to grow and welcome new members both from within the church and from outside. Throughout the years the group has garnered many awards and festival prizes, has earned rave reviews, and now has a membership of well over forty, acting and non-acting. Up until the start of the pandemic at the beginning of 2020, we regularly performed two productions a year.

Profits from early productions were modest, which contrasts to today’s healthy financial situation. The group is now able to donate to a range of charities due to the kindness of the audiences and since 2010 has risen over £9,000.

In 2012 An indication of the group’s reputation was illustrated by being one of the few amateur organisations nationally granted the licence to perform “Calendar Girls”. We stepped out of our comfort zone and into The Walker Theatre at Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn to put on a highly successful and sell out production. It is hoped that we might venture there again next year with a production, albeit a year late, to celebrate our 75th Anniversary. It is yet to be decided what the play will be, so watch this space!

Loyalty and continuity have ensured that the group has survived the fluctuating fortunes that challenge Societies up and down the country. If you would like to be part of our continuing illustrious history, as we celebrate this magical milestone, you can find out how to join by getting in touch by our Contact page.

 

 

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