Theatre: Private Lives.....

Directed by Joanna Carrick
At Red Rose Chain Avenue Theatre

Here come the fireworks! And the martini cocktails!

It’s Noël Coward’s best loved and multi-award winning comedy – new and 

re-imagined! Private Lives follows the escapades of former lovers Amanda and Elyot as they suddenly reunite…while on their honeymoons to other people! But is it new love or true love? And can they really live with(out) each other? Featuring popular songs of the era, prepare to see sparks fly in Joanna Carrick’s interpretation of this wickedly funny Spring time comedy.

Our love-struck stars of Much Ado About Nothing – Fizz Waller and Ricky Oakley – reunite this March! Joined by multi-talented newcomer to Red Rose Chain Harriet Leitch alongside Red Rose Chain favourite Ryan Penny (The Elves & The Shoemaker, As You Like It, Treasure Island).

Also introducing Rei Mordue from our youth theatre as Louise the Housemaid.

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This was so good Daughter and I saw it twice!
Actually we bought tickets for first night as this is R's debut in her first professional play, then Daughter was invited to press night and I was her guest.

As this is an arena stage or theatre-in-the-round (which is more square than round) we sat on opposite sides of the stage each time and got very different perspectives.
I'll not say too much that might spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet and I hope you do get to see it.

First night on Tuesday was very funny and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. R was brilliant, of course, and made the wonky trolley wheel look like it was meant to be a bother to her. Very proud Grandma 😊
Press night on Thursday was packed with invited guests who are not all press. It started with a reception in the foyer with drinks and nibbles. The actors seemed more relaxed into their characters and the audience were loudly enthusiastic. Another hilarious performance by them all.
After Thursday's we were also given a performance by members of the Youth Theatre called 'Marvellous Moments' based on memories of those living with dementia. The young actors had gathered the information by visiting local care homes and talking to dementia sufferers then writing their own script. R was part of this too. It was very moving. I'm not sure if this is being performed again or when.

More very proud Grandma moments when I read the reviews. Here are links to just two of them and they say lovely things about R 😊
Ipswich24
Theatre Cat
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Christmas has started......

Yes I know it started about two months ago in shop windows and adverts etc but I try so hard to ignore it until I'm ready, well this weekend I bought all my Christmas cards and wrote them all (I send a lot) but of course I'll not do anything with them until it's December.

Saturday O and I went to our first Christmas Fair and end of term show at Red Rose Chain Theatre Company. We started with a look around the stalls, O had a hot chocolate and cake and he also paid a visit to Santa in his grotto.

If you follow that link you can read that Red Rose do amazing community work by making theatre inclusive for everyone and run groups for disabled and educationally challenged too. All the groups were represented in this show with 60 performers on stage. 

Daughter has been helping out with her Tudor music and teaching a group Tudor dances to add to their version of the Princess and the Pea story.

Another group did a very lively version of The Tinderbox story, but unfortunately I haven't got a photo of them. 

And the Youth Theatre did a great job of showing us what happened to the characters after we saw them in their Dread Zeppelin play, with a few of them doing all the research and writing the scripts. R was part of the script team and that's her playing the accordion, proud Grandma moment☺

There was a preview song by the cast of Alice which is the theatre's Christmas show and then all performers got us singing along to Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer. 

Brilliant!

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