Bench Theatre is an award-winning amateur theatre group based at The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, Havant, UK.

For tickets to any Bench show at The Spring, call the box office on (023) 9247 2700

Current Production

Our third production in 2013 is Ladies Day written by Amanda Whittington.

Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot! It conjures images the world over of glamour, culture and sporting excitement, but now four fish packers from Hull have decided they want in on the action. Unfortunately they haven't got any tickets, but they won't let a little thing like that stand in their way. Join Pearl, Jan, Linda and Shelley in this hilarious comedy from Amanda Whittington (Be My Baby) in their quest to find love, happiness and Tony Christie!

It's a safe bet Bench Theatre will give you a great night out with this heart-warming comedy from the team that brought you 'Daisy pulls it off!'

Performances:

Matinee

Saturday 20th July 2013 2:30 pm

Evenings

Thursday 18th to Saturday 20th July; Tuesday 23rd to Saturday 27th July 7.30pm

Forthcoming Production

Our production in September 2013 is Look Back in Anger written by John Osborne.

In a one room flat in the Midlands, this is a slice of life drama set in the 1950's representing post-war youth with the lead character, protagonist Jimmy Porter, an intelligent and educated but disaffected young man of working class origin living with his upper middle class wife, Alison. Cliff shares their lodging house and attempts to keep the peace during Jimmy's constant vitriolic verbal attacks on his wife, her family and their social standing. Their marriage is further threatened by the arrival of Alison's friend and aspiring actress Helena......

Performances:

Matinee

Saturday 21st September 2013 2:30 pm

Evenings

Wednesday 18th to Saturday 21st September 7.30pm

Did You See?

Our second production in 2013 was Absent Friends written by Alan Ayckbourn.

It's always good to see old friends - isn't it? All Diana wants to do is to console the recently-bereaved Colin with a gathering of old friends and a nice cup of tea. But the reunion succeeds only in pouring salt into wounds, and what a shame Gordon couldn't come, being so poorly. Ayckbourn treats this road-crash of a party with a typical sureness of touch - it is at times sad and touching, but always bitingly funny. At least Colin seems to be enjoying his bereavement.

Our first production in 2013 was Iron written by Rona Munro.

'Iron', Rona Munro's precisely worded, emotionally loaded drama was premiered in Edinburgh at the Traverse Theatre in 2002 and performed at the Royal Court Theatre, London in 2003.

The play starts with the first visit by Josie to her mother, Fay, who has served 15 years of a life sentence for killing Josie's father. Josie has no memory of the first eleven years of her life. Fay longs to live vicariously through her daughter without confronting the moment of her crime.

'Iron' gradually but relentlessly draws its audience into a psychologically gripping mother-daughter relationship set within the claustrophobic world of prison life. Like all of the best drama, 'Iron' resonates and will stay with the audience long after they have left the theatre.

Bench News

Next Club Nights:

16^thMay 8pm
Clubnight

6^thJune 8pm
Clubnight. An evening with John Osborne

20^thJune 8pm
Clubnight

New plays? Super! Supernova 6 will be held in February 2014, and entries are invited now for this festival. Anyone - whether an established writer or an enthusiastic amateur - can submit up to four short plays for consideration, at no cost. Closing date is September 30. Look here for full details Supernova 6

The Club Night on 6th June precedes the auditions for Look Back in Anger (being held on Sunday 9th June 2:00 and Monday 10th June 7:30, both at The Spring). Alan Ward, who is directing the September production, will be discussing John Osborne and his work and influence on British Theatre.

For those who are unfamiliar with Look Back in Anger, Alan will also be expanding on the information already outlined at the Play Selection evening by examining the cast, themes and content of the play using extracts and passages from the script.

The evening will be an insight into the characters and will be particularly useful to those planning to audition for any of the five parts. If you are unable to attend the Club Night, you will still be more than welcome at the auditions, of course! Anyone can audition, so even if you are not a member of the company, please consider taking this opportunity to try for a role in this play.

Alan will be happy to discuss any aspect of Look Back in Anger before the Club Night and auditions and can be contacted on almatt9@gmail.com.

Have you purchased a Rugby style shirt with the bench logo yet? Contact Jacquie Penrose for a smart new look!

There were three plays entered for Totton this year. Great success again, especially for Mark Wakeman, David Penrose and Alice Corrigan! See details below. Thanks to all Bench members who supported!

Mountain Language by Harold Pinter on Wednesday 20th March.

Terry Smyth was nominated for Best Actor

Shadow of the Glen by JM Synge on Friday 22nd March.

Congratulations to David Penrose for winning Best Supporting Actor

Pub Quiz of the Sexes by Mark Wakeman on Saturday 23rd March

This play was overall runner-up and received the Cullen Cup. Mark Wakeman won the Herald Cup for Best Original Script, and Alice Corrigan won Best Adult Actress. Both Mark Wakeman and Dan Finch were nominated respectively for best director and best adult male actor.

Quiz Night What a great turnout by the Bench for the Spring fundraising evening. The winning team comprised of Alice Corrigan, Helen Young and Ingrid Corringan from the Bench, with James George and Caz Gilmour from Humdrum. Nearly three hundred pounds was raised towards the new seating.

Front of House Training Twenty one members turned out for the training. Thank you to all of them. In future, only a trained member can sit in N13, and we do have to have someone from the Bench fulfilling that duty. They will need to work with The Spring, and be unable to fulfill Bench duties such as selling programmes or manning the table. This means it will be helpful to have two other Bench members on FOH.

Play Pitching. Pitches and voting took place on the 21st March. Two plays were put forward, one for each slot. Both plays were voted in unanimously. Congratulations to both Alan Ward for Look Back in Anger by John Osborne, which will be performed in the September slot, and to Mark Wakeman for Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Adpt. by Emma Reeves, for the November slot.

One of our members was involved in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics! Cogratulations to Thomas Hall, and all the other volunteers who made this such a special occasion. Thomas has written about his experiences, which you will enjoy reading.

Drunken Encounter and Girl in the Corner were both recently performed in Totton as part of the All England Theatre Festival. Congratulations to all involved, and especially Mark Wakeman who was awarded the Herald Cup for Best Original Script (Girl in the Corner). Other nominees were: Mark Wakeman, Best Adult Actor; Beth Evans and Julie Wood, Best Female Actress; Claire Lyne, Best Supporting Adult Player. Please go to Bench Theatre Collaborative Productions for more details.

Members are gently reminded that membership cards must be offered at The Spring box office when claiming free member ticket(s). These tickets are for the named member only & are not transferable to family and/or friends.

The News Guide Awards November 2011: Congratulations to Alice Corrigan, for winning 'Best Amateur Actress' in Daisy Pulls It Off

The News Guide Awards 2012 were announced at the end of 2012, with the Bench represented in three categories. From these we then had one representative shortlisted:

Category L - Best Amateur Actress

Alice Corrigan, Steel Magnolias: With physicality, accent and characterization, she got the role of Truvy spot on.

Bench supporters who attended had an enjoyable Guide Awards Evening. Although Alice was not the overall winner for Best Amateur Actress, she was in the winning comedy group, Scoop!

The Daily Echo Curtain Call Awards 2012 Nominations. Congratulations to Cymbeline for the first Bench nomination: David Penrose as Lachimo, best supporting actor in a Shakespeare play. Then to Pete Woodward as best director of a comedy for Life x 3

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