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The Oast Theatre will again be joining the Archway Theatre, Horley, and the Lewes Theatre Club, this time to produce all ten plays written by Coward in the early 1930s. Not since 1936 has the entire collection been brought together in the UK. The dates below are when these performances will be on the Oast stage. |
Oast Theatre (July 15th, 28th, 29th, 30th, matinee 31st) |
| Director for all three: Ann Mattey |
1. WE WERE DANCING | |
| Set in Samolo, a mythical South Sea Island, two married people fall in love whilst dancing. Unfortunately they are not married to each other. Coward describes it as 'a light episode, little more than a curtain-raiser'. |
2. HANDS ACROSS THE SEA |
| A satire on the confusions of a London society woman faced with the unexpected arrival of two colonials with whom she once stayed while travelling in the Far East, and now mistakes for another couple. |
3. STILL LIFE |
| Entitled 'Brief Encounter' in the film, a couple, Laura and Alec, accidently meet in a station refreshment room. Their paths cross again the following week... and the week after that... |
Lewes Theatre Club (July 16th, 18th, 19th, 20th, matinee 17th) |
| Director for all four: Cathryn Parker |
1. THE ASTONISHED HEART | |
| A happily married psychiatrist falls 'madly' in love with his wife's friend. He gradually becomes unbalanced, with tragic results |
2. RED PEPPERS |
| George and Lily Pepper are a music-hall act, still using the same third-rate routine of his parents, and slipping further and further down the bill. After a disastrous performance, Lily tells George just what's wrong with the act. |
3. FAMILY ALBUM |
| Set in 1860, family members 'celebrate' their unlamented father's passing. Then the new will is revealed... Coward describes it as 'a sly satire on Victorian hypocrisy'. |
4. FUMED OAK (Saturday July 16th only |
| Henry Gow is seen to be living a life of silent desperation, nagged by his wife, daughter, and mother-in-law alike. Finally he rebels... |
Archway Theatre, Horley (July 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 26th, matinee 24th) |
1. WAYS AND MEANS Director: Peter Westmacott |
| On the Cote d'Azur Stella and Toby Cartwright are penniless, professional guests. They move elegantly around, sponging on one host after another, until it is made clear that it is time to pass on. |
2. STAR CHAMBER Director: Tom Robinson |
| A committee meeting of the Garrick Have Fund for Destitute Actresses is being held. The members are clearly more concerned with their own interests than those of the destitute actresses. |
3. SHADOW PLAY Director: Bradley Barlow |
| Victoria and Simon are goingthrough a difficult time in their marriage. She takes some sleeping pills and, in her drowsy state, begins to confuse past, present, and her fear for the future. Coward describes it as a musical fantasy. |
There will be reductions in prices for those purchasing tickets for two or three productions at the same time from the Oast Box Office. Season tickets can only be used for the Oast Theatre Production performances. |