Act Naturally

A comedy by Giles Scott
Thursday 9 November 2023 - Saturday 11 November 2023
The Elms Primary School (was Faringdon Junior School),
The Elms, Gloucester Street, Faringdon SN7 7HZ
Directed by Lu Waywell
Producer: Jacob Bayliss & Carolyn Taylor

Performances start 7:30 pm. Doors open 30 minutes earlier.
Tickets: £12. No concessions. Add 5% online booking fee. A free programme is included. Tickets were available from our Online Box Office.
A selection of drinks and snacks will be available for purchase at the bar.

“Act Naturally” is a very funny comedy in two parts. Or is it two comedies? Act One is a chaotic committee meeting of the village’s Historical Sites Preservation Society who urgently need to raise funds. The committee decide to write and stage a play. “It will be fun”, they agree. And “how hard can it be?”. Act Two is their play: “A Shot in the Park”.

The cast comprises three men and four women of varying ages. The format is a play within a play. The setting is the village community hall, just one set.

• Judith – Honorary Secretary – 25-40, pedantic and slightly neurotic, wants to prove herself within the committee.
• Lionel – Honorary Treasurer, Megan’s husband – 40-55, control freak, probably manager of a fantasy sports team, a tad misogynistic, high energy and erratic.
• Mildred – Honorary life president, ‘Really old’, crass, heavy smoker, less than no opinion of what others think of her, could be suitably played by Miriam Margolyes.
• Rupert – Honorary Chairman – 60-75, upper-class, old money, battling Lionel to be ‘in charge’.
• Bea – Committee member, 35-55, total hippy, think Avebury at Summer Solstice, on board with anything.
• Megan – Daniel’s wife, aged 35-55, not on the committee, soothing presence within the group, only ‘normal’ one, diplomatic and somehow manages to stay calm.
• Ted – a police constable, 18-25, inexperienced and naive, never quite knows when to stop talking, eager to prove himself.

Note from the author Giles Scott, who lives in South Africa – “Hi. This is the only one of my plays, and musicals, I have never seen on stage, so I have taken a closer interest in distant productions of it than of my other plays. I hope your rehearsals are going well. I wish I could be there to see one of the performances. I would be delighted to receive any publicity photos, etc. when you have them and if you make a video of the show I would love to see it”.

Photographs by Anna Marlow

Julie from Fairford

Rating:

Thursday evening "A LOL performance"

A fabulous play with many laughs! Wonderfully acted and the “mistakes“ were in the right places.

Mike Fraser from Faringdon

Rating:

Friday evening "Really funny!"

This was a joyous and funny play. Acting, staging, sound, lighting and costumes were great. The play within a play in the second half was extremely funny. Comedy timing and deliberate mistakes were extremely well done and kept the laughter going throughout.

Katie from Faringdon

Rating:

Friday evening "Whodunnit?"

Another excellent production by FDS – I certainly didn't guess who the murderer was! BUT where is Theo? One of the best features of this show was Bea's costume and make-up. Congratulations to Lu on her first directing.

Karen from Southmoor

Rating:

Saturday evening "Enjoyable"

Excellent acting. Great choice of play.

Tony Houghton from Witney

Rating:

Saturday evening "Very funny play excellently presented"

Commend you all on casting and carrying off the timing, especially in the second act, with great skill. Congratulations! Sound effects worth a special mention too.

Rebecca Hutchings from Swindon

Rating:

Saturday evening "Hilarious and Surprising"

The show was the perfect length with great characterisation and the best comedic timing. I loved every second but it flew by so fast. It was the best play I've seen in a long time.

Laura from South Cerney

Rating:

Saturday evening "Feel good show!"

I had the best evening watching Act Naturally. This show was so much fun and had real laugh out loud moments! I thought it had been cast brilliantly and they all looked like they were enjoying themselves too (even caught a couple of giggles). The set was extremely clever, the costumes were on point and the lighting and sound effects brought it all together. I have to say I love that the police radio was muffled and the hand dryer, genius. Everyone associated with FDS are always so welcoming as you enter and leave the performance. Great job to all involved :-)

Hazel Watkins from Lechlade

Rating:

Saturday evening "A warming experience"

Firstly may I applause the cast for their rehearsing in the cold hall. Dedication (or madness?) indeed! And thanks must go to the school, and behind the scenes volunteers, for the use of & putting on of the industrial heater. I think a few of us were dreading sitting in the cold for a couple of hours but it was as if the Hall heating was actually working! A lot of plays I have seen advertised in theatres recently have been either re-runs of plays I've already seen or else plays of films I've already seen. And TV is as bad with all its re-runs and repeats. It is lovely to go out and enjoy something new such as "Act Naturally" was. A play within a play (not the first I've seen), this 'new one to me' was done very well for an Amateur production. The cast could all be heard very well (were there microphones/ pick-ups dangling from the ceiling?) and the comical touches were very funny. It never ceases to amaze me that people are willing to give up their time to entertain us AS A HOBBY! And it is lovely to see new young people carrying on the tradition. So well done to all the cast & 'crew'. 'Looking forward to your next production!