Three into One
(Funeral Tea/Albert/Gosforth's Fete)
A selection by various writers
Thursday 13 November 1986 - Saturday 15 November 1986
Faringdon Community Theatre, The Pump House, 5 Market Place, Faringdon
Directed by Deirdre Hamley, Alan Taylor, Dave Headey
Performances start 7:30 pm.
Tickets: Admission by Programme. £1.50 (Senior Citizens and Children £1.00) Tickets were available from F. B. Wood (newsagents), 4a London Street, Faringdon.
Funeral Tea
by Pat Wilson
Produced by Deirdre Hamley
Mrs. Ellis, the English lady who caters small weddings and funeral teas, says she usually serves boiled ham, “but seeing as ‘ow this is my first cremation, I didn’t think boiled ‘am would be appropriate.” As the ladies sip their tea, it becomes apparent that someone has misplaced the urn with dear Uncle Jacob’s ashes! When Sarah suggests the tea tastes odd, and they discover the tea tin still locked in the cupboard, they face an appalling possibility. A riotously funny play for an all-women cast.
Scene:- The parlour of a council house in a West Riding Council Estate
Cast (in order of appearance):
Mrs Ellis – Eileen Drew
Mrs Mugatroyd – Hazel Riddle
Miss Starkie – Brenda Keith-Walker
Mrs Parker – Sandra Holland
Mrs Booth – Mary Woodyer
Albert
by Richard Harris
Produced by Alan Taylor
A Finnish au pair and her travails with the English suitor of the previous au pair and an Italian visitor. If it were not for the thoughtfulness of the author who has kindly translated the dialogue of two of the characters into English, the audience would be as confused as the actors, who play a Finn, an Italian and an Englishman – none of whom speak a word of the other’s languages.
Scene:- A summer evening. A sitting room in Middle Class suburbia
Cast (in order of appearance):
Karin – Sandy Webber
Nico – David Cossins
Albert – Dave Headey
Gosforth’s Fete
by Alan Ayckbourn
Produced by Dave Headey
Publican Gosforth is running the village gala. Due to a big mistake bad personal news from Milly Carter is publicised over the public-address system. Milly’s fiancée Stewart Stokes becomes extremely aggravated and drowns his sorrows with alcohol. Councillor Mrs Pearce, after the most disorganised greeting is electrocuted by the PA system. Gosforth’s Fete starts like all village fetes do. However it develops into chaos and as things continue to go wrong the play climaxes to a complete disaster.
Scene:- A Tea Tent
Cast (in order of appearance):
Milly – Carolyn Taylor
Mrs Pearce – Brenda Keith-Walker
Gosforth – Mike Durham
Vicar – David Cossins
Stewart – Alan Taylor
Production No.90 (3 shows were performed over 3 days).