Written by Lee Flewitt - directed by Charlotte Newton
Produced by the Alderney Theatre Group
21 January- 1st February 2003 at the Island hall
Little was known of the history of Alderney during the days of the Roman Empire's occupation of this part of Europe, when the Roman's were at war with nearby Gaul on the French mainland and used our small island as an offshore prison camp where they built a great games arena, akin to the Coliseum in Rome or Beau Sejour in Guernsey. This was where enemies of the Roman state met their bloody ends. Such was the savagery of the local games that word eventually reached the ears of the Roman Emperor, a jaded tyrant named Julian Stentorius, and a Royal visit was secretly planned which prompted the rise of a unifying influence among the queens of Riduna, who began to stir up revolution in the hearts and minds of the local people. The pantomime was based on hysterical facts, and the rest, as they say, is mystery.
This pantomime was dedicated to the late Ken Thompson.
Trafalgar - the Death of Nelson : 2 July & 4 August 2005
A one-act drama and re-enactment of the Battle of Trafalgar, written by Charlotte Newton to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, directed by Charlotte Newton and Gail Gregg and performed by the Alderney Theatre Group Two open air performances of this spectacular drama attracted hundreds of spectators and received enthusiastic reviews.
Both Trafalgar performances were sponsored by Wave Telecom. The programme was sponsored by Fairline.
ShooShoo Baby 'Winter Wonderland': 8 December 2005
A 100-strong appreciative and enthusiastic audience was treated to one of today’s slickest and ‘sexiest’ Christmas cabarets at the Island Hall. The trio – Tanya Holt , Anne Braithwaite and Craig Schneider - delighted the crowds with a sparkling performance of a vast repertoire of Christmas songs , as well as unknown gems from the 1940’s, some pop songs, dance even tap dance routines.
The audience was invited to take part in an unusual rendition of “On the Twelfth Night of Christmas” and ultimately to prove their creativity in a drawing competition. The accompanying pianist Craig Schneider is a professional jazz pianist from Melbourne who has a wonderful voice and a great talent for tap dancing. For more details click here
Dick Whittington - The Panto: 8-11 February 2006
Written and directed by Lee Flewitt and performed by a 36-strong cast of the Alderney Theatre Group, this pantomine was an absolute hit with the audience.
The tale of Dick Whittington is loosely based on fact, like most of the stories one hears on Alderney. He did journey to London and become Lord Mayor, and he did establish several charitable institutions which exist to this day.
However, Lee Flewitt's version of this classic tale begins many years ago, during the reign of Queen Victoria the Second. There were no motorcars and no aeroplanes back then - there weren?t even liquorice allsorts. One winter's day on the island of Guernsey, a child was born into a world of poverty and woe. But that's Guernsey for you?.
This was home-grown entertainment at its very best - great music, fantastic dance routines, and a very funny script with insults, innuendos and double-entendres flying, leaving few of Alderney's politicians and other prominent residents unscathed.
You can now order a DVD of this show for £5 and a CD of some 200 digital images taken at rehearsal, behind stage and on stage (£3).
To order, visit www.alderneytheatregroup.com/dvds.php
This pantomime was sponsored by Lloyds TSB. The programme was sponsored by the Belle Vue Hotel.
An Inspector Calls - 19 April 2007
Police investigation at the Georgian House
On Thursday 19 April, the Georgian House Orangerie was the scene of an investigation into the tragic death of a young girl and the investigating inspector was quick to point the finger at members of a highly respectable family from Yorkshire.
The play-reading of J.B. Priestley’s “An Inspector Calls” was performed by a 6-strong cast who had the audience spellbound. And an unexpected twist at the very end of the performance took everybody by surprise.
The play, set in 1912 and first performed in 1946, was performed by John Russell, Andrée Gaydon-Smith, Alex Harrisson, Gary Marriner, Steve Waddicor and Robin Whicker.
NATIVITY : 9-11 November 2006
A comedy written by Jonathan Hall and produced by Steve Waddicor
Miss Grantham doesn't have long to organise the School nativity play. But Joseph is more interested in kiss catch, they're down to two wise men, the innkeeper thinks he's Doctor Who, and the donkey's head keeps falling off.
A nostalgic visit to Christmas as it used to be. Did you desperately want an Action Man or a Barbie Doll, an Etch-a-Sketch or a Space Hopper? Did you Watch with Mother or listen to Slade or the Osmonds?
Did Father Christmas let himself in the back door with a magic key?
For anyone who just couldn't wait for them to light the last candle on the Blue Peter advent coat hanger thingy.
It's a comedy, it's a love story, it's very funny and it poses the question: Do we ever grow up???
Starring (in alphabetic order) Alex Birch, Lee Flewitt, Alex Harrisson, Steve Waddicor and Tessa Woodnutt. And, by popular demand, this comedy could well be back in the Island Hall in the near future.
To view the video clip "My Best Friend's Wedding" click on the YouTube image
Shoo Shoo Baby - December 2006
They were back for another Channel Islands exclusive here in Alderney with their latest cabaret show "From Berlin to Broadway". The fantastically glitzy and glamorous singing trio, Shoo Shoo Baby, combine dry humour, rich harmonies and pulse-racing costume changes in their colourful cabaret shows. No theme tune, jazz standard or pop song is safe from their tongue-in-cheek treatment or quirky interpretation.
From Berlin to Broadway recreates the smoky mood of the notorious Kit Kat Klub. The show features songs by Kander & Ebb from the hit musicals Cabaret and Chicago and numbers made famous by Marlene Dietrich such as Mack the Knife and Falling in Love Again. It climaxes with a tap-dancing chorus from the audience and ShooShoo Baby's hilarious multi-lingual rendition of New York, New York.
What made it so special is the reference to local Alderney issues, like the incinerator, and with plenty of audience participation, it was a very lively eveniing.
Needless to say, the show was a sell-out and they've promised to be back in 2007 with their brand new show "Delicious".
Performed on 6 and 7 August, this adaption of Shakespeare's 12th Night by the Rain or Shine Theatre Company was hailed a great success.
Shoo Shoo Baby: 22 November 2007
Shoo-ing Stars brighten up grey November sky.
The Island Hall was absolutely packed on Thursday 22 November, as an appreciative audience was treated to the world premiere of ShooShoo Baby’s latest cabaret show “Delicious”. For the third consecutive year, Shoo Shoo Baby has brought a brand new show to Alderney and anybody who had been to one of their previous performances, was eagerly awaiting their return. Virtually all tickets had been snapped up within the first hours of going on sale and demand was such that the Island Hall could have been booked out for a second night.
The terrific duo, Tanya Holt and Anna Braithwaite, this time accompanied by singing and dancing pianist Michael Roulston, gave their slickest and most entertaining performance ever. All are highly accomplished and versatile professional entertainers who, at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, played to a full house and reaped raving reviews from the media (The Independent declared it “The Pick of the Week”) .
However, all the glamour and old-style pizzazz, the hilarious dance routines and funny facial expressions could not deter from their beautiful voices and superb harmony which came across every song and climaxed with their heart-rendering aria from Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” which left the audience quite stunned , with lumps in their throat.
Alderney has embraced ShooShoo Baby. They like the island and they will be back, to another full house next time – possibly for two nights running. Now they’re off to continue their busy touring programme which will take them across the UK and as far afield as Nassau in the Bahamas. You can follow their progress on www.shooshoobaby.co.uk. Meanwhile, until Guernsey and Jersey decide to invite Shoo Shoo Baby to perform on their stage, Shoo Shoo Baby will continue to be the Alderney exclusive in the Channel Islands. ENDS
Abigail's Party (May 2008)
The greatest TV play of all time written by Mike Leigh - was performed live on stage at the Alderney Cinema in May 2008, starring Alex Birch, Tess Woodnutt, Steve Waddicor , Julia Turner and Lee Flewitt.
Extracts from the Alderney Journal's review by editor James Varley: "... and a fine show it was too. Waddicor, who also directed the black comedy, excellently portrayed his character, a workaholic estage agent with an interest in finer things in life, while Birch cleverly portrayed Beverly, a middle-class, middle-minded tom Jones fan locked in 1970s suburbia.
Angela Beverly's new friend was played by Tess Woodnutt and her performance stole the show. Lee Flewitt took on the role of Tony, Angela's husband and his subtle style fitted in well alongside Birch and Woodnutt. Sue, the mother of Abigail, was played by Julie Turner and her performance was also well-received.
The play was aided by an impressive set and numerous props which looked as if they'd been plucked right from 1977." (Alderney Journal No. 897 - 24 May 2008)
The decision to produce this challenging play on stage here in Alderney was taken in autumn 2007. Coincidently, earlier in 2008 the original TV production of “ Abigail’s Party” with its original cast, was again screened on television
