Past Productions House Plays
2008/9 House Plays: FH | GH | NC | OH | P | SH | W
Petergate Look, No Hans!
As a newcomer to Petergate and a keen drama student, I was delighted to have the opportunity to co-direct a house play. My fellow directors, Hugh McDowell and Julian Strong, however, did present themselves to be budding actors and thus I was left with the ominous prospect of directing a group of new friends.
Searching Blundell’s Drama archives, I discovered Look, No Hans! An archetypal farce involving mistresses, a stripper, a formidable wife, American, Japanese and British spies, and amid all the chaos Peter Fisher, a British agent (Jack Brown) who does his best to placate the whole disaster.
Directing the play was a pleasure throughout, even though it was possibly the most stressful few weeks of my life. Learning lines with Ed Jolley across the phone in the holidays, discouraging the construction of the most ridiculous cleavages and of course, denying my highly professional cast to play ping pong when not on stage in rehearsal (our games room doubled as our stage throughout rehearsal), all contributed to the great relief of hearing the first laugh on the opening night (thanks Mr Berrow!).
The drama department I owe a huge amount of thanks for their watchful advice on what, however miraculously, came to be entertaining and enjoyable performances.
Gorton House The Happiest Days of Your Life
"Mens Sana In Thingummy Doodah"
This was a story of trials and tribulations in a health farm. Victoria is dragged along to "Pinkneys Hydro Clinic" by an ambitious Lil, who is keen to trim and tone in attempt to her married man, Marcus, divorce his wife. The team of 'dedicated professionals' - Judy and Dana - keep the guests to a strict diet and fitness regime. Owner of the Clinic, Nicola, meanwhile has a dark secret!
Francis House Up 'n' Under
The rich and successful manager of the Cobblers arms, the most feared side in the Northern pub seven-a-side league, persuades Arthur to become involved in a seemingly hopeless bet to train a team of deadbeats, The Wheatsheaf, to play against his team. Arthur readily accepts the challenge before realizing what a mammoth uphill struggle it would be! A chance meeting with Hazel Scott, a fitness instructor with her own gym, gives him an idea and between them they have just five weeks to persuade, cajole and bully the reluctant, drunken layabouts of the Wheatsheaf into a team capable of beating the Cobblers Arms, something which hasn't been done for ten tears. Will they be able to do it?
Old House Up The Garden Path
When Susan agreed to be on the end of the phone for Marie during Dale's Question Time, she thought she would be a help. But she didn't give the right answer and now Marie's husband, Kenny wants Susan and Trevor to cough up the Sixty thousand pounds she didn't win...
This journey of debt, despair and botanical romance leaves Trevor stuck Up the Garden path...
Westlake Batman
Westlake's first play since 2004 was a hilarious, bizarre and camp homage to the 1966 television series "Batman". This adaptation, written and directed by Robin Hill with the help of Theo Weedon, showed the dynamic duo Batman and Robin fighting against the villains of the United Underworld, The Joker, The Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman and Poison Ivy.
North Close Hard Candy
North Close kicked off the house play season with "Hard Candy". This delightful short comedy was set in 'Banff Enterprises' in which desperate job applicants try to fight their way up the corporate ladder. In a number of strange and unpredictable interviews, applicants use anything and everything to try to reach the top, including a seductive, pouting French man and even the simple secretary becoming an accidental murderer.
