COMMUNICATING DOORS by

ALAN AYCKBOURN

19th to 22nd May 2004

 

This production of Alan Ayckbourn's

humorous thriller 'Communicating Doors'

raised £2,546 for the Weston Park Cancer Appeal. £2.50 from every ticket sold, plus all profits and a £800 donation from HSBC Bank plc went to the charity. The production was dedicated to the memory of Naomi Shepherd, society member who sadly died of cancer in Weston Park hospital in May 2003.

 

PICTURE GALLERY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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THE FLYER

 

 

When dominatrix Phoebe is called to a hotel room to witness a confession, she is plunged into danger. In trying to escape, she gets the opportunity to team up with earlier victims and perhaps save them too. Can she change past, present and future, or will they all perish at the hands of the evil Julian?

Intertwining the lives of three women in three times, Alan Ayckbourn's ingenious play combines a genuine thriller with his customary humour.

Support Weston Park Cancer Appeal with Midland Players.

Tickets were all £5 which included £2.50 for the appeal.

Further information about Weston Park Cancer Appeal can be obtained from www.cancerappeal.org.uk

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FROM THE PROGRAMME

 

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Midland Players first tried to produce this play back in ‘the year 2000’. I directed many rehearsals but unfortunately, 4 weeks before opening night, the actress playing Ruella was forced to pull out for family reasons. Bravely, Val Kelsey stepped into the breech, but one week later, the actress playing Phoebe was advised to withdraw by her doctor. Phoebe is the largest part in the play and despite a frantic search throughout local societies for a replacement - and talks with a professional actress - we reluctantly had to cancel the show.

The actress playing Jessica in the 2000 attempt was Naomi Shepherd, a colleague of mine from HSBC, who joined Midland Players for that production and became a family friend. Sadly, in the middle of 2001, Naomi was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. After a brave 2 year struggle, she died on the 22nd of May 2003, leaving a partner and 3 young children. She stayed involved with the society throughout her illness, including recording the Air Stewardess in Alarms and Excursions which I directed in late 2002.

So I’m very pleased that the Midland Players’ committee has given me a second chance to direct this play and I’m absolutely delighted that they have agreed donate to £2.50 from each ticket, plus any profits, to the Weston Park Cancer Appeal.

The 2004 cast includes Val Kelsey in the role she almost played before, and Frank Badger who was going to be Reece in 2000 but now plays Julian. Peter Oxley, originally set to play Julian, is heavily involved backstage.

This current production has also seen some difficulties – the most worrying being that a month before the production Gary Alcock, playing Reece, broke his collar bone and sustained serious cuts and bruising in a car accident. Happily he is nearly fully recovered. His part was filled at short notice by new member Tim Ainsworth.

ABOUT THE PLAY

Ayckbourn first produced this play in Scarborough (of course) in 1994. He set it in that year and 20 years either side. To avoid confusion about what is past and what is present, we have updated it to 2004 and 20 years either side.

Normally with a play (or part of a play) set in the future, there would be scope for weird and wonderful fashion and décor, but here, with almost instantaneous switching between eras, Ayckbourn has deliberately chosen a location which changes very little – a traditional London hotel. The lighting is different, but little else. Not least because there is no opportunity in the script for anything to be brought on (or taken off) the set between scenes. If you watch carefully you will see that every object introduced in one time (newspaper, bag, walking stick etc) is removed before the next piece of time travelling. It wouldn’t do to suddenly find a 2004 newspaper in 2024!

The author has also carefully plotted the opening and closing of the doors between lounge, bedroom and bathroom, so that they are in consistent positions as we move from, and back to, a time period.

The costumes worn in the past and the future (business wear, night wear and dominatrix wear) have also been planned well. They are much less prone to fashion changes than normal day wear. However, by updating the ‘present’ to 2004, we have made a small fashion problem for ourselves. The final outfit which Phoebe wears in the play is specified in the script, for practical reasons of speed and modesty. However while it would have been common at the time the play was written, you don’t see many about these days. Fortunately there is an easy explanation – it has lain at the bottom of the lost property bag for nigh on ten years. And in ten more years, it will be back in fashion again!

PHIL GEORGE    

 

Midland Players Amateur Dramatic Society, Sheffield, UK