Blog Archives

Hound of the Baskervilles’ Sucess

29/6/2023

Congratulations to the Director, Cast, Backstage, Front of House and everyone else that has been involved in bringing together this fabulous production of Hound of the Baskervilles for the last 3 nights. It has been very well received.

Thank you to all of our lovely audiences that were able to come along during these difficult times. We hope you had an enjoyable experience.

We will be having play readings at the cosy Badgeworth Village Hall on the 12th and 26th July at 7.30 pm to help decide on our winter production.

The collection for Marshalling Men’s Minds is still being counted, thank you so much for your contributions so far - You can still add to the donations - here is the link:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/churchdownplayers-marshallingmensminds?utm_term=ZmEJrVPj6

We will also be updating our website with some photos but in the meantime here is the last curtain call. Photos are already available on our Facebook page. A big well done to all of them.

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Hound of the Baskervilles : Charity we are supporting for the show :

23/6/2023

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We will be collecting spare cash at the end of each of our shows to help raise funds for this local charity that helps with Men’s Mental Health.

This is what the charity is about:

“Marshalling Men's Minds are a mental health support group specifically for men, offering a network of like-minded individuals to provide an opportunity to offload problems and discuss coping strategies in order to get them on the road to a better place.

Mental health is becoming a bigger and bigger issue and through MMM, we can support more and more men, to reduce the number taking their own lives. We hold face to face meetings in Gloucester but also have a closed chat network for men to speak to others which can be accessed anywhere. Our core values can be seen below and are the ethos of what we believe in and look to uphold.

Together we can begin to end the stigma surrounding mental health and support those that are suffering.”

If you are unable to make it but would still like to help this worthy cause please use the QR CODE below, which will take you to our Just Giving page - just hold your camera to the black and white maze below and press the link when it appears - magic!!

Thank you so so much for your support :)

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Set Building for Hound of the Baskervilles this week!

19/6/2023

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Churchdown Players have been working hard since 8 a.m - on a Sunday AND Fathers' Day no less, getting the set ready for the opening night of Hound of the Baskervilles on Wednesday!
Also enjoying some well deserved donuts...
To top this off, technical rehearsals early evening also.
So much hard work goes into putting in these productions and I’m sure when you come to see it you will appreciate it. Of course we do all this for fun!
If you don’t have your ticket yet, call the box office on 01242 520388, or purchase on Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../hound-of-the...
#drama #sherlock #Churchdown #houndofthebaskervilles #mystery #churchdownplayers #marshallingmensminds #churchdown #sherlockholmes

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Looking for the perfect present? We now have gift cards available online! Click the picture link for more information...

6/6/2023

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Hound of the Baskervilles, June 2023 - Introducing : Alan Moir

5/6/2023

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The last of our little bio’s is about our oldest member Alan. I’m sure you have seen him not only on the stage many times, but also ‘Front of House’ where he often shows guests to their seats. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading them!

When did you join Churchdown players?
I first joined Churchdown Players at St Andrews Players in about 1974, after coming back from working in Australia .

Have you been in any other drama groups?
Yes, St Marks Methodist for a short time, but for a long period I was at St Marks Players where I was Chairman for a time. I started acting at school, then I was in the air force. Then when I came to Cheltenham i joined GC Theatre group at The Playhouse in about 1955. I acted for several groups at Playhouse. In fact over the years I have played everything except leading lady and done every job except Wardrobe.

Can you remember the first production you were in and who you played?
My first ever production was at school when I was Violet the maid in The Winslow Boy in 1952. It was an all-boys school in case you were wondering!

What has been your favourite character that you have played?
My favourite character was General St Pey in Waltz of the Toreadors with St Marks in the 1960's.
My most memorable part with Churchdown was my first one at St. Andrews where I played a witch in Sleeping Beauty

Who do you play in the Hound of the Baskervilles?
In Hound of the Baskervilles I play Seldon - The escaped convict who is hiding on the Moor and terrorising the neighbourhood.

Which would you rather be, a hero or a villain?
Definitely a villain - they are much better parts!

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Hound of the Baskervilles, June 2023 - Introducing : Janet Clark - Meet the Director....

1/6/2023

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Janet is another long term member of the players and a familiar face on the stage, but is also one of our regular directors. I asked her a few questions about acting and directing. We hope you enjoy this insight.

When did you join Churchdown players?
I first joined Churchdown Players in 1995. I was persuaded by my then work colleague, also a member of the group, to take along our two daughters to the rehearsals of a pantomime. My husband and I never left.

Have you been in any other drama groups?
This is the only drama group I have been involved with. The group is very welcoming and we have a lot of fun.

Can you remember the first production you were in and who you played?
The first production was called Man Alive, a comedy around shop mannequins coming alive at night and causing havoc in the Oxford Street store. A sun lamp’s fantastic properties allows this to happen and then this also turns the unpopular manager into a mannequin, teaching him a few valuable lessons in the process. I played Miss Yates, an efficient sales assistant, absolutely terrifying, but I’ve never looked back.

What has been your favourite character that you have played?
It’s very difficult to pick just one as I have been in many productions, but one of them would definitely be Yvette from Ello Ello. This play was so much fun to do and the audience loved it. I have also enjoyed a bit of Noel Coward playing Liz Essendine in Present Laughter, you have to learn how to speak in a completely different way which is a bit of a challenge. I have also directed Blithe Spirit which was also great fun.

Why have you chosen to direct the Hound of the Baskervilles?
I am actually directing the play for the second time, the first being in 2001, my directing debut. At that time we were in between halls so the production was staged in St Andrews Church using a tiny set using wooden blocks as a stage. I always said that I would like to direct this play again on a much larger stage where we can really go to town on set design and sound effects. This was actually the very first play I directed and I have gone on to direct ten more.

What do you like about the play?
I do love the classic traditional authors such as Agatha Christie, Noel Coward etc. to me they are timeless. I find them quite humorous and they still seem to be popular with audiences. I particularly enjoy researching props and costumes of the period. The Hound of the Baskervilles fits nicely into this category, it’s very tongue in cheek and it’s lovely seeing all the different characters coming together and it’s quite spooky.

Do you prefer to act or direct?
I can’t really make up my mind which I prefer, directing or acting. They both have their attractions, its great when you get a good reaction from the audience when you are playing a role, but its also very satisfying seeing a play and cast coming together.

Which would you rather be, a hero or a villain?
Never played a villain, but it could be interesting being booed….I like to be loved so a hero is so much more me…..

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Hound of the Baskervilles, June 2023 - Introducing : Inma de Herves

1/6/2023

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You may recognise Inma’s face or her beautiful voice. She is another of our newer members. I asked her a few questions and we hope you enjoy hearing a little about her.

When did you join Churchdown players?
In 2022, for the musical Variety Show, ‘Happy Days Are Here Again’. I was excited because it was a musical performance and it was going to give me the chance not only to sing, but also to dance.

Have you been in any other drama groups?
Yes. Since singing and dancing have always been a motivation for me, I wanted to try acting. I joined the Savoyards drama group in Cheltenham in 2018\19 and was cast as part of the ensemble for ‘Calamity Jane’. Previous to that I was performing for the Evesham Operatic Society, but this was just singing and didn’t involve any acting.

Can you remember the first production you were in and who you played?
It was the musical, Jesus Christ Superstar and I played Mary Magdalene. I was very worried about the final crying scene because it involved just acting, but as soon as I heard the music couldn’t stop myself crying anyway.

What has been your favourite character that you have played?
The Star of the East in a Spanish Christmas music production that takes place every year in December. I am honoured to have played this wonderful role for 5/6 years now. However, playing my current character is taking a very special place in my heart too.

Who do you play in the Hound of the Baskervilles?
I play Laura Lyons, an independent business woman.

Can you tell me a little about the character you play?
Laura is an independent, strong willed and mysterious character who has been disowned by her father for marrying against his will, but was then also abandoned by her husband. She comes across as cold and assertive but has many layers - which will be revealed!

Which would you rather be, a hero or a villain?
It’s a conflict for me. Ideally I would like to play a hero that comes across as cool as a villain.

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Hound of the Baskervilles’ Sucess

Hound of the Baskervilles : Charity we are supporting for the show :

Set Building for Hound of the Baskervilles this week!

Looking for the perfect present? We now have gift cards available online! Click the picture link for more information...

Hound of the Baskervilles, June 2023 - Introducing : Alan Moir

Hound of the Baskervilles, June 2023 - Introducing : Janet Clark - Meet the Director....

Hound of the Baskervilles, June 2023 - Introducing : Inma de Herves

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