Theatre Diary 2015 There will be an interval of 20 minutes between acts.

Refreshments (tea, coffee, soft drinks & alcoholic beverages)

are available in the upstairs foyer.

Booking Times …

The box office open s the Sunday three weeks prior to opening night of each production. BOX OFFICE HOURS ARE :  Saturday & Sunday 9am – 12noon

Bookings can be made during these times , either at the Theatre or by calling us on 4153 1904. Pay by Credit Card (Mastercard & Visa). Tickets must always be collected at least half an hour prior to the performance. ONLINE BOOKING ... Did you know that Bundaberg Players Inc has ONLINE booking? For patrons wishing to pay by credit card you can

book via the internet at www.theplayhousetheatre.org.au

For more information please visit our website www.theplayhousetheatre.org.au

CAST Daniel Hand – Commander Frencham

Nigel Dick – Arnold Crouch Commander Frencham is a challenging character with great

Nigel has performed in numerous comedies at the Playhouse complexity and nuance that definitely pulls on the heart over the years and acknowledges Ray Cooney as one of his strings…well…not really. But Dan has enjoyed the “Not Now SYNOPSIS favourite playwrights. He enjoys the frantic pace of the cleverly Darling” experience and the challenge it represents. A smaller In a London fur salon, Arnold Crouch, one of the two owners, has difficulty written script but admits that the retention of copious amounts role but by no means a small role. Enjoy the show! keeping everything afloat, while his partner, Gilbert Bodley, is off philandering. of dialogue is getting more difficult with age….Nigel hopes you Bodley decides to sell his new mistress' husband a fur coat for an extremely low enjoy the hapless yet loveable Arnold Couch…that’s Arnold with an “A” and Crouch with an “ouch”. price in order to win her affection, and Crouch is stuck presiding over the deal. Traci Thornton – Mrs Frenchman

The husband decides to give the coat to his own mistress, and all hell breaks Traci got her it off in her first production with the Playhouse, got goosed in her second and is excitedly waiting to be loose. Shaun Norden – Gilbert Bodley Shaun first joined the Players in 2000 working backstage. He harvested in her latest role! She has enjoyed the hilarity of followed this with his first on-stage role as Jeff in “Brigadoon”. Since working with some OLD friends. SETTING then he has been treading the boards in many other productions Early 1960’s, in the elegant fur salon of Bodley, Bodley & Crouch, London. including musicals and thrillers. Over the years, however, Shaun is best known for his farcical roles in Comedies. “Not Now Darling” Raymond Sinnamon – THE PLAYWRIGHTS sees Shaun returning to work with director Tracey Shears and fellow Mr Lawson comedic performer Nigel Dick. In this snappy, explosive role I love each second of the precise Ray Cooney began his theatrical career as a boy actor in Song of Norway at the comedy timing. This is the Ray Cooney I love so much – Palace Theatre in 1946. He played in Dry Rot and Simple Spymen and then Lina Wagner – Janie McMichael brilliant and fun. began a writing career including One for the Pot, Not Now Darling, Move Over Lina knows that one fine day she will be cast for a role where she Mrs. Markham, There Goes the Bride, Chase Me Comrade, Why Not Stay for does not have to hop around in her underwear. Unfortunately it Breakfast, Wife Begins at Forty, Run for Your Wife!, Two Into One, Out of Order, is not this one and she does apologise. But if she could JUST have It Runs in the Family, Funny Money, Caught in the Net, and Tom, Dick, and her mink and a car then she’ll be on her way. Harry. A number of which have been performed at the Playhouse Theatre. In Shalyn Knight – Miss Whittington 1983 Mr. Cooney formed the Theatre of Comedy Company and he became its This is Shalyn’s first foray into the world of straight plays. first Artistic Director. During Mr. Cooney’s tenure the company produced over From a musical theatre background, join with her as she explores the complexities of her short-lived yet in-depth twenty plays. During his time with the Theatre of Comedy Company and Rhonda Cutmore - Maude Bodley throughout his career, Mr. Cooney has continued to act, direct, and produce character of Ms Whittington. This is Rhonda’s first time on stage…that does not involve music while he writes. and dancing. She has been a member since 2000 and has been in almost every musical since. Her favourite shows include Behind The Scenes ... John Chapman was a British writer. Initially a stage manager and understudy at Brigadoon, Movie Mania and Chicago. It has been a wonderful Director Tracey Shears the Whitehall Theatre, he subsequently spent a few years in weekly rep before experience doing Not Now Darling. There has been so much to Assistant Director Donna Norden returning to Brian Rix's company with his first play. Dry Rot (1954), which is learn but being surrounded by such experience and talent has Set Design Nigel Dick about dishonest bookmakers, had a four year run. Ray Cooney joined the cast in helped (on and off stage). Lighting Design & Rigging Al Horan Lighting & Sound Operator Rhys Williams 1956 and first met the author at this time. Chapman followed Dry Rot with Tony McGovern – Harry McMichael Simple Spymen (1958), which had a three year run, during which Chapman and Stage Manager Tracey Shears For Tony, playing a womanising standover merchant is as far Cooney had begun their collaboration. Together they wrote Not Now, Darling, from real life as it gets. However, he’s thoroughly enjoyed Prompt Sara Gibbs Move Over Mrs Markham, My Giddy Aunt and There Goes the Bride. working with such a talented (and patient!) cast and crew. Wardrobe Coordinator Donna Norden Meanwhile, he also wrote extensively for television including episodes of the Wardrobe Assistants Kim Dick, Tracey Shears and Cast sitcoms Hugh and I, Happy Ever After and Fresh Fields, for Thames Television. Make-Up Shalyn Knight Construction Coordinator Nigel Dick Set Construction (Core Team) Nigel Dick, Phillip Fresta, Gary Harris Neville Saywell , Shaun Norden, Casper Meerman Set Decor & Props Coordinator Tracie Faithfull From the Director … Laura Wilson – Sue Lawson Playhouse Theatre is a second home. Every moment spent there Painting (Core Team) Tracie Faithfull, Kim Dick, Jenny Duffy, Nigel Dick “Not Now Darling” is a clever script and a very funny one at that! Directing it is a moment cherished. It has been a pleasure to be involved in Programme Tracie Faithfull has been a great lesson in precision and discipline that this type of humour “Not Now Darling” and a joy to be surrounded by passionate and Maitre De Bob Adams requires. The play is a classic of the genre with scantily clad females running in loving people. Enjoy the lack of clothing. I know I did. FOH Coordinator Rhonda Cutmore and out of doors, double entendre and an abundance of verbal and visual gags. Box Office Coordinator Philippa Williams Farce is one of the most difficult challenges for an actor. It needs a great deal of Bar Coordinators Raymond Sinnamon & Karen Harris stamina, an instinctive sense of timing and a great deal of very hard work to get Di Wills – Miss Tipdale Raffle Coordinator Kim Dick it right. I am fortunate in having found a wonderful cast who have been totally Di is currently backstage wondering why perfectly sane people Kitchen Coordinators Lyndall Pratt & Pat Palu committed to the production and an excellent stage management team who perform on stage and hopes she does not literally break a leg on THANK YOU to all our Members who volunteer their time has ensured that everything vital -doors, windows, telephones - works her first entry. to put on each and every performance. efficiently! I hope you will have as many laughs watching it as we have had Bundaberg Players Incorporated is a proud testament to what a rehearsing it. group of amateur theatrical volunteers can accomplish. Tracey Shears