Rainhill Garrick Society Archives

The Perfect Murder – Rainhill Village Hall

17Oct

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

The Perfect Murder – Rainhill Village Hall

Director Rosetta Parker is guilty as charged for delivering the perfect murder drama with this production of Hugh Janes’ adaptation of a Jeffrey Archer short story. Set in England, the play centres around the murder of a young woman, and as the drama unfolds, it becomes clear that John (Peter Cliffe) is somehow involved in it and he confesses as such to his wife, Elizabeth (Tracey Duffy), who is determined to keep him out of prison. The police are soon on the case in the form of DI Simmons (Gerald Walker) and Sgt Davies (Rob Williams) and as they – and us – are bombarded with clues and the occasional sleight of hand, it is Paul (Dave Asbridge) who ends up getting charged. But did he commit it though? At No.4 Court of the Old Bailey the Judge (Liz Munro) has to decide with the c...

18May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Dirty Dusting – Rainhill Village Hall

Rainhill Garrick Society’s take on Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood’s laugh-out-loud comedy certainly dusts off the cobwebs and guarantees you’ll never look at a vacuum cleaner the same way again! When three elderly cleaners, Olive (Lynn Aconley), Gladys (Linda Saavedra), and Elsie (Jo Webster), are threatened with redundancy by their arch nemesis and boss Dave (Peter Cliffe), they feel that their lives are coming to an end until a chance wrong number gives them a new business start-up idea: why not run a telephone sex chat line? They’ve got motive, opportunity, and a lifetime of experience... some more than others. Cue hilarious one-liners in a style not dissimilar to a Carry-On film. With the play set in a nameless office building in St Helens in 2002, with updated local references, ...

14Feb

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Sweet Revenge – Rainhill Village Hall

Sophie Brogan has selected a real cracker for her directorial debut which plays to the strengths of both the company and their venue with an almost full house for opening night. Francis Durbridge is one of Britain’s most popular crime novelists and playwrights, and while it was his last play, Sweet Revenge is considered to be his best. Dr Ross Marquand (Rick Young) has it all: a high-flying career as a cardiac consultant, a wonderful home, and a beautiful wife, Fay (Alison Mawdsley) as well as the respect of medical colleague Sam Kennedy (George Lowe), businessman Bill Yorke (Tom Nevitt), and assistant Judy Hilton (Liz Munro). In spite of the immediate support of her brother Alan (Peter Cliffe) and close friend Marian (Angela Vose), Fay is not a happy woman, more so since she met...

When We Are Married – Rainhill Village Hall

18Oct

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

When We Are Married – Rainhill Village Hall

Director Rosetta Parker’s superb revival of JB Priestley’s hilarious 1938 play takes full advantage of the wealth of talent Rainhill Garrick Society has to offer and even with a cast of fourteen, there was still plenty of talent remaining both back and front of house to deliver this thoroughly enjoyable evening. Set entirely in the sitting room of Mr and Mrs Helliman (Rick Young; Tracey Duffy), it is 1920 and they are entertaining two other couples – Mr and Mrs Soppitt (David Parker; Lynn Aconley) and Mr and Mrs Parker (George Lowe; Alison Mawdsley) - as they celebrate the silver anniversary of their triple wedding. They have got it in for Gerald Forbes (Tom Nevitt), the church organist, who has been seen out with a girl at night, something very shocking for that day and age. What they ...

And Then There Were None – Rainhill Village Hall

17May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

And Then There Were None – Rainhill Village Hall

Agatha Christie’s most popular novel from 1939 – and apparently the bestselling crime novel of all time – is a quintessentially English affair with almost as many copies of it in circulation as The Bible and in too many languages to count. The perfect vehicle for the array of talent that makes up Rainhill Garrick Society, and with the action all taking place in the living room of a house on an island off the coast of Devon, it had the added benefit of the real sound effects from a stormy windblown night outside to add to the suspense on stage. Two servants, Rogers (Rob Williams) and Mrs Rogers (Ruth Proffitt) and eight strangers – secretary Vera Claythorne (Sophie Brogan); adventurer Philip Lombard (Richard Parker); lady-about-town Antonia Marston (Alison Mawdsley); retired police inspe...

16Feb

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Sheila’s Island – Rainhill Village Hall

It’s Bonfire night and Sheila (Rosetta Parker), Denise (Jo Webster), Julie (Sophie Brogan), and Fay (Lynn Aconley) are Team C in Pennine Mineral Water Ltd.’s annual outward-bound team-building weekend. Somehow, Sheila has been nominated team leader, and, using her cryptic crossword solving skills, has unwittingly stranded her team on an island in the Lake District. Our intrepid heroines find themselves manufacturing weapons from bras and spatulas and create a rescue flag with plastic plates and a toasting fork. Questions are asked; truths are told; dirty washing is aired: is it possible to build an adequate night shelter with a prom dress? What is Julie’s husband really up to in Aldi? And why are they on this team building exercise when they could be at a spa? The only one with al...

The Titfield Thunderbolt – Rainhill Garrick Society

9Oct

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

The Titfield Thunderbolt – Rainhill Garrick Society

Director Judith Martindale blows new life into Philip Goulding’s stage adaptation of the 1952 Ealing comedy classic bringing the right amount of mayhem and merriment to the birthplace of the modern railway and it’s a theatrical treat well worth waiting for. Whilst Clifton (Rob Williams) and Mr Blakeworth (Tom Nevitt) discuss the imminent closure of their railway line, Lady Chesterfield (Tracey Duffy) and Reverend Weech (George Lowe) bring together the local residents including his niece, Joan (Jenny Martindale), retired track layer Dan Taylor (David Parker), and Mrs Bottomley (Ruth Profitt) to run it themselves, with the financial support of philanthropist Mr Valentine (Michael Brennan), who has a fondness for drinking, as well as those much-needed passengers (Angela Vose; Alison Mawdsl...

Murder in Play – Rainhill Garrick Society

19May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Murder in Play – Rainhill Garrick Society

If it’s farce you want it’s farce you’ll get and with Rainhill Garrick firmly established as the go to place, director Rick Young reinforces this reputation with his enjoyable romp of a production of Simon Brett’s wonderfully awful Murder In Play. Boris Smolensky’s (George Lowe) budget repertory production of ‘Murder at Priorswell Manor’ is looking decidedly shaky with the cast more interested in their egos than the play as his wife Renee (Jo Webster) spars with long-time rival Christa (Rosetta Parker) as well as her husband’s latest interest, Ginette (Alison Mawdsley) who herself remains admired from afar by Tim (Tom Nevitt). With Sophie (Sophie Brogan) waiting for her break and thespian Harrison (Michael Brennan) seeking out Dutch courage to stop himself from breaking, stage manager P...

Foo Foo’s Follies – Rainhill Garrick Society

13May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Foo Foo’s Follies – Rainhill Garrick Society

Fun, frolics, and farce abound in this delightful and original comedy from writer and director Linda Saavedra with its larger-than-life characters, musical numbers, and an unexpected twist you definitely wouldn’t see coming… The curtains draw back to reveal the Midland, a 1935 art deco hotel, that like most of its guests has seen better days and where waitress Foo Foo (Gerald Walker) exists in a blurred reality. Diana (Lynn Aconley) and Dolly (Rosetta Parker) are on their annual autumn reminisce whilst owner Lord Algernon (Rick Young) and his current belle, Ophelia (Angela Vose), have an eye for restoring the place to its former glory. Throw in a musical chorus of some more unusual guests (Ruth Pollitt, Edi Tinsley, Jo Webster, and Alison Mawdsley) to the accompaniment of a Grand Pianis...

Ladies Down Under – Rainhill Village Hall

15Oct

By Blathine MaguireNo Comments

North West

Ladies Down Under – Rainhill Village Hall

In May 2018, Rainhill Garrick Society brought us ‘Ladies Day’ and now, over two years later they are back with a vengeance to bring us the follow-on show “Ladies Down Under”. Written by Amanda Whittington, ‘Ladies down under’ follows the story of four unlikely friends who find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime to Australia after their big win at the races. We meet Pearl (Lynn Aconley) and Jan (Linda Saavedra) at the airport whose lifelong friendship is clear from the start. These two perform in a believable and likable fashion with Pearl “mothering” the fearful Jan as she embarks on the long journey abroad. Soon Shelley (Jo Webster) makes her elaborate entrance, followed by the more timid Linda (Jen Martindale). I particularly enjoyed Jo’s performance as we see a range of ...