The weeks when you don’t see Rye Players performing are the ones we spend preparing the next adventure. Rehearsals are well under way for Blithe Spirit at the community centre at the end of June. We’re also presenting a sprinkling of murder mysteries for local charities and appearances as costumed characters at various outdoor events before panto planning resumes.
This year’s Rye Arts Festival piece, Holmes Under the Hammer, will be performed at St Mary’s Church Rye on Saturday September 28. Two years ago, Oliver Brooks shared his original short playlet with a small group of friends who read it, rather raucously, on the top deck of the Kino one afternoon. Another very well attended reading in the Queen’s Head sealed its fate as the one to go for.
There’ll be no spoilers here but at first glance the characters appear pretty standard: Holmes, Watson, Mrs Hudson and the Inspector. It is the addition of two Beefeaters (one incoherent, the other murdered), Benjamin Disraeli, a bunch of Sherlock lookalikes and some hapless coppers that make this ripe for deadpan, surreal comedy. The character of Mrs Clackburham stands out as eccentric even in this setting as she receives news of her husband’s grisly demise.
Auditions are next Tuesday May 14 at 7pm at The Old Scout Hut at the entrance to the leisure centre. We’ll be reading and walking through some scenes to find the best blend of people to bring the play to life. I invite anybody, experienced or not, to come along and see how you can get involved, onstage or off. We have a track record of performing new comedy by local writers and better still, selling all the tickets when we do.
Book here for our next production, Blithe Spirit, June 28 and 29
Image Credits: Oliver Brooks .