Tuesday, May 7

Tag: Rainhill Village Hall

The Day They Kidnapped The Pope – Rainhill Village Hall
North West

The Day They Kidnapped The Pope – Rainhill Village Hall

Rainhill Garrick Society start their 80th birthday celebrations with a bang with this startling and surreal comedy whose improbable events become all too believable through the magic of the theatre. Written in 1979 by Joao Bethencourt, a celebrated Hungarian actor, playwright and director, it was well received throughout Europe including a rave review when presented in Rome. On a visit to New York, the Pope (Rick Young) mistakenly gets into a taxi and is immediately kidnapped by its driver, Samuel Leibowitz (George Lowe) who takes him to his Brooklyn home much to the surprise of his wife Sara (Tracey Duffy) and daughters Esther (Sophie Brogan) and Miriam (Lucy Whitfield). As events outside unfold through TV media (Angela Vose; Tom Nevitt), the demands of the ransom become clear: a day ...
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – Rainhill Village Hall
North West

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – Rainhill Village Hall

Set up just over a year ago, The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe, directed by Samantha Moores with support from Choreographer Amy Balfour, is Individuality Youth’s first full production following last Christmas’ ensemble event at the same venue. Siblings Lucy (Bracken Keyte), Susan (Lexie Haslam), Peter (Grace Spencer-Storey), and Edmund (Laia Morgan) are staying at the Professor’s house when Lucy steps into wardrobe and out again into the magical world of Narnia, a land of Beavers (Ella Davies and Ellen Rose Challinor) and Leopards (Louisa Nelson and Reeve Keyte) amongst other animals and where she meets Mr Tumnus (Elijah Dunne). All is not well though as The White Witch (Helena Hanlon) assisted by Maugrim (Alyssa McCormick) and Dwarf (Holly Spencer-Storey), terrorises all. It soo...
Foo Foo’s Follies – Rainhill Garrick Society
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 Piani...
Doctor Doolittle Jr. – Rainhill Village Hall
North West

Doctor Doolittle Jr. – Rainhill Village Hall

Rainhill Musical Theatre Company Youth’s latest production, under the direction of Tom Cain, is based on the original 1920 Dr Doolittle stories by Hugh Lofting, and with the assistance of Choreographer Kirsty Higgins and Musical Director Wayne Oakes, takes us on a journey from the small English village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh to the far corners of the world. When wacky but kind Doctor Doolittle (Aaron Savage) decides he’s going to learn to talk to animals, friends Madeline Mugg (Eden Brennan) and Tommy Stubbins (Ella Andrews) are in disbelief but with parrot Polynesia (Poppy Trigwell) leading the lessons, it’s only a matter of time before he’s getting to grips with what’s ailing Jip the Dog (Marina Forshaw), Toggle the Horse (Emily Greenough), Sheila the Fox (Mandy Roberts), and Dab D...
Ladies Down Under – Rainhill Village Hall
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...
Bouncers – Rainhill Village Hall
North West

Bouncers – Rainhill Village Hall

Rainhill Musical Theatre Company return to the stage with a bang and a bounce with their production of John Godber’s classic 1977 play covering an evening working the doors of a nightclub for four bored doormen and their likely clientele: four young beer swilling lads hoping to get lucky, and four excitable teenage girls out for a bit of dancing, drinking, and whatever the eye might fancy, including visits to hairdressers in its build-up and fast-food vendors in the climactic come down. Other than the excellent writing, what makes this such a clever piece of theatre is that all the roles throughout are portrayed by four bouncers – Lucky Eric (Paul Robinson), Les (Ben Evans-Clarke), Judd (K. Ellis), and Ralph (Aidan Maj) – who, with the simplest of sets, the minimum of props, and no cos...