Love Begins at Fifty (2008)

Love Begins at Fifty - A Modern Farce in Two Acts by Raymond Hopkins

This very successful show ran on a Friday and Saturday 6/7 June 2008 and was sold out on both nights.  The packed audiences enjoyed laughing throughout this hilarious play.  Many commented that the Croft Hall provided a really enjoyable audience experience.  Our condolences to those who were not able to get in and join in with the fun: Next time the secret is to book early!

The author of the play, Raymond Hopkins, joined us on the Saturday Night and we were thrilled when he told us that it was an excellent production.  He donates his share of the proceeds to Multiple Sclerosis research (over £2000 to date) so we were glad to be able to help such a good cause.

Both evenings we watched as the capacity audience filed out of the hall and everyone was smiling.  Many people commented on how much they had enjoyed the show, saying that it was extremely funny.

• Please Click Here for the Newbury Weekly News Review.

Some comments overheard from the audience ...........

• One gentleman, who laughed along with his wife for the entire show, was heard to say ' that was the best £5 I have spent in years'

• It was particularly amusing to have Rev. Sawyer in the audience and to witness his reaction to the references to 'The Vicar'

• One lady said she had expected the odd punch line, but couldn't stop laughing at all the innuendos!  She thought the cast were brilliant, were well cast and performed the play so well, it was a shame we couldn't take it on tour!!

• Tickets  £5 each were available from the box office

  • Performances at the Croft Hall were on  June 6th & 7th at 7.30.
    Also a matinee June 7th at 2.30.

  • Performances were originally scheduled for a week earlier at the John O'Gaunt Community & Technical College but due to a combination of unforeseen problems
     we had to switch both dates and venue.

• Rehearsals gave the promise that Love Begins at Fifty would be an hilarious evening out and this proved to be the case.  This superbly written farce by Raymond Hopkins was a constant source of amusement for the cast and the same was true for the packed audiences each night.

• The resultant escapade, recreated by a cast of 9 adults and a goldfish, was not for the fainthearted and should not have been missed.

• The six weeks of rehearsals were run at the John O 'Gaunt Youth & Community Centre on Monday and Friday evenings.

Anita – Tessa Brown       Clive – Paul Hyde
Jack – Rob Chicken      Claire – Chrissy Marsh
Tracy – Hoffi Munt      Annabel – Roushka Munt
Mavis – Helen Bonner      Emily – Sarah Fradgley
Henry – Steve Horne
Directed by : David Clayton

CLICK HERE For Rogues Gallery of the Cast

Thanks to the back stage team
Properties – Shirley Dancey & Amanda Wood
Set Designer - Charlotte Shanahan     Lighting - Mike Thurgood and Sid Liddiard
Sound Designer - Paul Hyde     Sound Operator - James Olney
Continuity - Karen Ashby        Front of House Managers - Sue & Dave Whiddett
Business Manager - Roger Thompson     Refreshments - Amanda Wood    
Press and Publicity - Barry Waddell     Box Office - Kathy and Tyrell Bossom
Production Photos - Clive Dancey     Set Built by members of the company
Help & Support at JoG - John Miles

• On the day before the opening night there was a massive turnout to help get the Croft Hall ready and to build the set.  Things went well and the set was installed and rigged for sound in time for the actors to run through one scene before 11:00.  A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who turned out.  It was a great community effort. 

• At each performance there were also many people working tirelessly behind the scenes and front of house to make everything run smoothly.  BIG THANKS go to all the people who helped make everything go so well at each performance.

• Likewise BIG THANKS are due to everyone who stayed behind after the last performance to help strip and remove the set.  We got just about everything down, tidied and out of the hall then transported by trailer and put away in the storage facility by 11:30 the same night.  This left only a few things to sort out on the following day so no early call on Sunday for many people!