A CREAM CRACKER UNDER THE SETTEE  & STILL WATERS  (2009)

As part of the very successful Theatre In The Arcade The Players performed two one-act plays together with one from the Youth Theatre.    All week audiences joined us for a unique and intimate experience as we performed an evening of theatrical entertainment from within the famous Hungerford Arcade, noted for its Antiques & collectables.  They were amazed at the transformation !!

The production received an excellent review from Caroline Franklin in the Newbury Weekly News N2 section:  "Audience gets up close and personal in the Arcade ... both the Arcade and the theatre company can congratulate themselves on achieving a novel, completely enjoyable evening" .

• CLICK HERE for the programme including cast list. 
• Click Here for NODA London review

The two adult one-act plays were as follows: -

A CREAM CRACKER UNDER THE SETTEE - A dramatic monologue by Alan Bennett

A Cream Cracker Under The Settee was a dramatic monologue written by Alan Bennett in 1988, as part of his award-winning Talking Heads series for the BBC.  It featured Thora Hird as Doris, a lonely widow who has visits from Zulema, the home help, except Doris thinks she’s more of a home hindrance who won’t let her do housework. "I’m the only person who stands between you and Stafford House", says Zulema.  But independent Doris does some dusting, takes a tumble and ends up on the floor unable to move. While remembering her late husband and the child they nearly had, she spots a cream cracker under the settee.... That will do for evidence against Zulema if she threatens Doris with Stafford House again........

Doris - Helen Bonner
(Photo by Sean Cameron of Hungerford Camera Club)

STILL WATERS - by Delsie Darke

This unusual comedy won the Somerset Original Play Festival and was described by the adjudicator, Mr Edward Stanley, Director of the Old Vic Theatre School Bristol, as a near perfect dramatic cameo. He said it was a most accomplished piece of style-writing: "The characterisations were subtle and, although on the heightened plane of satire, they seemed real to the audience." The play, he added, "was consistent in every line and was eminently actable and producible".
(Photo by Carl Holmes of Hungerford Camera Club)

The play reached the Finals of the National Festival of Community Drama in 1954 & 1955.  It also won the Scottish Community Drama Association Festival in 1955.

Set in a Victorian drawing room ca 1895, this most amusing play told the story of three sisters, a stern Father, and a nervous suitor.

• Performances were nightly at 8 p.m. from 20th to 25th July 2009 as part of HADCAF 2009.      Tickets were £7 from The Arcade

STILL WATERS - CAST LIST
Papa Montmorency - Barry Waddell
Miss Louise Montmorency -  Roushka Munt                                                   
Miss Agnes Montmorency  - Roz Kitson
Miss Sophie Montmorency - Hoffi Munt
The Rev Amos Higgins - Matt Worth
Poppy  - Tessa Brown

First Rehearsal was Monday 8th June at the JOG Community Centre at 7.30pm - 8.45pm

This event is run in conjunction with Hungerford Arcade - Antiques and Collectables