Dolman Theatre Hosts World’s Biggest Coffee Morning

The dark Irish comedy
'The Beauty Queen of Leenane'
is one of the plays visitors
will see in rehearsal.
(Photo: Phil Mansell)

The Dolman Theatre is playing its part in a UK-wide fund-raising event by taking part in the world’s biggest coffee morning on Saturday 28 September.

As well as coffee and cake, visitors can enjoy stalls selling a host of gift items and also take a tour of the theatre where they will go backstage to watch Newport Playgoers rehearse ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ and other plays.

“The is part of a nationwide event that started in 1990, when a local fundraising committee decided to hold a coffee morning where people came along to meet and mingle – and to donate the cost of their coffee to Macmillan Cancer Support,” explained Playgoer Steve Bissex-Williams.

“Since then this annual event has raised over £75 million in total for Macmillan Cancer Support. We hope the people of Newport will come along and support in this great fund-raising event,” he added.

The event invites people across the UK to hold a coffee corning where donations are made on the day to to MacMillan. In 2012 115,000 people signed up for coffee mornings, raising a record £15million.

Steve Bissex-Williams who has organised
the coffee morning at the Dolman Theatre
(Photo: Phil Mansell)

Messages from Helen Mirren and Lynda Bellingham

When I heard that Newport Playgoers would be staging 'Calendar Girls' I thought, as leader of the publicity team, that it would be a good idea to write to the stars of both the film and stage versions asking them to send good luck messages.

First to reply was Helen Mirren which was a promising start. Next came an autographed photo from one of my favourite actresses, Lynda Bellingham, who also wrote a personal message - which was even better.

Personal messages also came from Annette Crosbie, Penelope Wilton, John Alderton, Anita Dobson and Charlie Dimmock.

Tim Firth, who wrote both the film and stage versions, sent a lovely card with a special message. It's good to know that such, famous - and busy - people take the time to reply to those who write to them.

Newport Actors All Set for Gwent Drama Festival

Stand-up comedy, spooks and suspicion are all part of the madcap mix when three of Newport’s leading amateur theatre groups take part in the Gwent Festival of One Act Plays at Blackwood Little Theatre on Friday 27^th  and Saturday 28^th  April.

Will Smith-Haddon as Yorick in 'Poor Yorick'
by Phil Mansell (PHOTO: PHIL MANSELL)

First on the bill is ‘Poor Yorick’ by local writer Phil Mansell. One of the plays featured in the recent highly successful No Holds Bard festival, this innovative comedy tells how Hamlet’s jester attempts to pioneer stand-up comedy but instead becomes embroiled in plans for revenge.

“It’s really great being able to take my play to another theatre and to compete in this prestigious drama competition,” said Phil. “My play opens the festival on the Friday night and we’re hoping for as good a response as when we performed it at the Dolman Theatre last month. The festival features six great plays, and with tickets priced at two for just £7 it offers a great night out for anyone who loves fresh and exciting new theatre.” 

PNG’s three witches: Charlotte Webb, Sian Elizabeth Pope and Clare Davies in 

‘In The Spirit of Things’ (PHOTO: PHIL MANSELL)

Following Phil’s play is another Newport drama group, Playgoers New Generation (PNG) who present ‘In the Spirit of Things’ by Steven Quantick. This is another comedy about “business unusual” at Incorporeal Incorporated, where the witches from Macbeth provide supernatural guidance to the mortal realm.

Dolman Youth Theatre members James Thomas, 

Emma Radmilovic, Ellie Tappin and Dana Symonds 

in ‘Bottom’s Dream’ (PHOTO: PHIL MANSELL)

On Saturday Dolman Youth Theatre present ‘Bottom’s Dream’ by Alan Poole, which asks who really dreamt the Midsummer Night’s Dream – and what were the reactions of the mechanicals’ wives and mothers to their play-acting?

Other plays are being presented by Ad Hoc Theatre from Cwmbran and  Blackwood Little Theatre. All the plays will be adjudicated with the chance of going through to the Welsh finals in June. The Gwent Festival of One Act Plays is at Blackwood Little Theatre from 27^th – 28th^th April.  To book tickets – which are just £7 with a special buy one get one free offer - phone  07930 599317  or online at  http://www.blackwoodlt.org.uk/

No Holds Bard festival in the Argus

The South Wales Argus, sponsor of the No Holds Bard festival of new one act plays, featured the forthcoming event twice in today's edition - once on its diary page and again in its special supplement to mark the 10th anniversary of Newport achieving city status. They also ran a competition which gave 10 lucky readers a pair of tickets each to see No Holds Bard. Thanks to everyone at the Argus - and look forward to seeing you at the Dolman Theatre 15 - 17 March.

Newport Playgoers Select Bristol Writer's Play for RSC Open Stages

A play written by a Bristol man has won a competition to be staged by Newport Playgoers Society at the Dolman Theatre – with the possibility of going on to be performed at Stratford as part of the World Shakespeare Year celebrations.

Winning playwright Russell Walker

Russell Walker’s play ‘To Sleep Perchance to Die’ explores the actor’s eternal nightmare of being pushed on to a stage not knowing the play or the words. Complete with surreal staging and plenty of blood-filled death scenes, it promises to be an innovative and lively production.

‘To Sleep’ is one of four one act plays that won the competition organised by Newport Playgoers as their contribution to the nationwide Royal Shakespeare Company’s Open Stages project which has over 260 amateur dramatic companies from all over the UK taking part.

“I was really pleased that my play was chosen for this prestigious event,” said 52-year-old Russell, a speech and language therapist who is originally from Kentucky, USA, but now lives in Clifton Wood. “The aim of the competition, which had entries from all over the world, was to give a modern take on Shakespeare and create something that today’s audiences will enjoy and find totally accessible. I hope that people will come along and enjoy an evening that promises to be full of fun and surprises.”

The ‘No Holds Bard’ festival of one act plays is at the Dolman Theatre in Newport from 15 – 17 March. Tickets can be booked by phoning the box office on 01633 263670 or visiting www.dolmantheatre.co.uk.

One Act Play Festival in the News!

The Hole in One Act Play Festival at the Dolman Theatre from 12 - 16 October continues to gain support, which will hopefully lead to big audiences this week.

Today an item about the many celebrities who have sent messages of support appeared in the local newspaper, The Argus.

Then, the morning post, which arrived as usual at 2pm, included a message of support from Simon Bird, one of the brightest rising young TV stars who is fast making a name for himself in series such as 'The Inbetweeners' and 'The King Is Dead'.

Simon joins such luminaries as writers Alan Ayckbourn, Tom Stoppard and Alan Bennett and actors Sir Ian McKellan, Dame Judi Dench, Michael Sheen and Helena Bonham Carter, who have all written to wish Newport Playgoers good luck with the festival.

Good luck message from TV star Simon Bird

Video of famous faces

An amazing array of prominent writers and actors have sent good luck messages to Newport Playgoers as they prepare to tee off with their Hole in one Act Play Festival at the Dolman Theatre from 12 - 16 October. This video features a few famous famous faces:

Festival of Golf Plays Set to Tee Off

The Hole in One Act Play Festival starts next week at the Dolman Theatre. Here's a short video providing a glimpse of the delights to come.

Forget the Ryder Cup –Newport’s Other Golf Competition is Packed with Sex and Drama!

The Ryder Cup is not the only competition centred around golf that’s being held in Newport in October. A festival of four new one act plays on the subject – featuring sex on a crazy golf course and a virtual reality driving range - is currently in rehearsal preparing to tee off at their premiere at the 400-seat Dolman Theatre from 12 – 16 October.

Taking an innovative and quirky look at golf, the plays feature the tale of how sexual blackmail is used to revive the fortunes of a down-at-heel crazy golf course, a couch potato who is given a free virtual reality golf session, and a Pinteresque look at life, golf and everything.

The plays are the winners of a competition organised by Newport Playgoers Society to find new writers for the theatre and were judged by Wales’s leading playwright Frank Vickery to be the best of over 40 entered for the competition.

“The standard of entries for the competition, which was organised to tie in with the Ryder Cup coming to Newport, was extremely high, and selecting four for this festival of one act plays was no easy task,” said Playgoers President, Bruce Campbell. “Luckily we were able to call upon the considerable skills of playwright Frank Vickery as a judge, and the result is a fascinating mixture of plays which promises to provide a real theatrical treat.

“We’ve had lots of support and congratulations from prominent playwrights such as Alan Ayckbourn and Alan Bennett, as well as messages from noted actors including Sir Ian McKellan, Dame Judi Dench, Michael Sheen, Richard Wilson and Prunella Scales. The letters are still pouring in and we’re hoping to hear from some of the Ryder Cup competitors including Tiger Woods,” he added.

The Hole in One Act Play Festival is at the Dolman Theatre from 12 – 16 October. For more information and to book tickets, phone (01633) 263670. More information is available online at http://www.dolman-theatre.co.uk/ and http://www.newportplaygoers.wordpress.com/.

Neil's Play is Write on Target!

Neil Chapman

An aspiring writer from Chepstow has had his first play selected by Wales’s top playwright Frank Vickery to feature in a festival of one act plays on the theme of golf.

Neil Chapman (pictured, left) entered his play ‘Out of Bounds’ for a competition run by Newport Playgoers Society to tie in with the Ryder Cup coming to the city. He was delighted when his play was judged by Frank Vickery to be one of the best four out of over 40 entries which will be staged as part of the Hole in One Act Play Festival at the Dolman Theatre from 12th - 16th October.

“This is my first attempt at writing a play so I was particularly pleased it was judged to be one of the best,” said 45-year-old Neil who will also be acting in his play.

“My play is a Pinteresque look at life, golf and items dumped. In it, two friends, Frank and Louie share their thoughts on getting old and feeling valued, as they dodge golf balls. It’s an absurd comedy set where play is not permitted, but will hopefully make audiences think about that forgotten land that’s strictly considered out of bounds.”

Neil, who has been acting since school and has performed in everything from Ayckbourn to Zola, says that a major influence on his writing has been Anton Chekhov. Neil has previously directed two productions at the Dolman Theatre, 'I Take Your Hand In Mine' a biographical piece about Chekhov and his wife Olga Knipper and 'Afterplay' by Brian Friel which explored the imaginary later life of Sonya from 'Uncle Vanya' and Andrey from 'Three Sisters'.

The other three plays selected for the festival include the tale of a couch potato’s adventures on a futuristic virtual reality golf course, the story of how a down-at-heel crazy golf course attempts to revive its flagging fortunes and beat the recession, and how disaster looms amid the bunting as a golf club prepares to celebrate its centenary.

“The standard of entries for the play-writing competition was extremely high, and selecting four for this festival of one act plays was no easy task,” said Playgoers President, Bruce Campbell. “Luckily we were able to call upon the considerable skills of playwright Frank Vickery as a judge, and the result is a fascinating mixture of plays which promises to provide a real theatrical treat for everyone.


 Neil’s play ‘Out Of Bounds’ is a Pinteresque look at life, golf and items dumped. Neil plays Louie who chats to his old friend Frank (John Sheen) about getting old - whilst dodging flying golf balls.


”There are prizes of £100, £50 and £25 and trophies for the three best plays – and the results will be revealed after the Saturday night performance,” he added.

The Hole in One Act Play Festival is at the Dolman Theatre from 12 – 16 October. For more information and to book tickets, phone (01633) 263670. More information is available online at www.dolman-theatre.co.uk and www.newportplaygoers.wordpress.com.

Newport Writer’s Play Selected for Golf Drama Festival

A writer from Newport has had his play selected by Wales’s top playwright Frank Vickery to feature in a festival of one act plays on the theme of golf.

Phil Mansell entered his play ‘Bunkered’ in a competition run by Newport Playgoers Society to tie in with the Ryder Cup coming to the city. He was delighted when his play was judged by Frank Vickery to be one of the best four out of over 40 entries which will be staged as part of the Hole in One Act Play Festival at the Dolman Theatre from 12th - 16th October.

“It was great to hear one my plays had been selected for this innovative festival of new dramatic writing talent. The fact that it was chosen by Frank Vickery who is acknowledged to be one of today’s leading playwrights is the icing on the cake,” said 59-year-old Phil who writes for a living as a press officer at Newport’s University.

“My play is about the owner of a crazy golf course which is in dire straits because it’s at the downmarket end of a recently revamped seafront and unable to compete with the exciting and glitzy new attractions at the other end of the bay. Luckily his friends, an ageing hippy sandwich board man and a waitress from an ice cream parlour, come to his rescue.”

Phil has been writing for as long as he can remember. As a student at the London Film School, he wrote and directed movies and since then has had a variety of creative roles in advertising, marketing and PR. He has had five books published in the Netherlands and Denmark, three for teenagers and two picture books, which he also illustrated, for younger children. Recently, he won the best drama award at the annual Writing Competition organised by the English department at the University of Wales, Newport, where he studied for a Masters degree in Multimedia. He has written several other plays which he hopes to stage at the Dolman Studio Theatre, and is currently writing a novel and developing ideas for a TV sitcom.

LEFT: In Phil’s play ‘Bunkered’, Tom (Graeme Johnson), the owner of crazy golf course, has to rely on ageing hippy Dylan (Bruno Cook) and Kath (Clare Drewett) from the Igloo Ice Cream Parlour to beat the recession and save his business from ending up in the rough.

The other three plays selected for the festival include the tale of a couch potato’s adventures on a futuristic virtual reality golf course, how disaster looms amid the bunting as a golf club prepares to celebrate its centenary, and a Pinteresque look at life and golf.

“The standard of entries for the play-writing competition was extremely high, and selecting four for this festival of one act plays was no easy task,” said Playgoers President, Bruce Campbell. “Luckily we were able to call upon the considerable skills of playwright Frank Vickery as a judge, and the result is a fascinating mixture of plays which promises to provide a real theatrical treat for everyone.

”There are prizes of £100, £50 and £25 and trophies for the three best plays – and the results will be revealed after the Saturday night performance,” he added.

The Hole in One Act Play Festival is at the Dolman Theatre from 12 – 16 October. For more information and to book tickets, phone (01633) 263670. More information is available online at:
www.dolman-theatre.co.uk
and http://www.newportplaygoers.wordpress.com/
.

One Act Play Festival ready to tee off

The lengthy process of judging the 40+ entries for Newport Playgoers Society's play-writing competition is at last over, and Frank Vickery, Wales’s leading playwright, has chosen the top three.

A fourth highly commended play has been added to the programme to create what promises to be an exciting week of innovative new drama and comedy at the Dolman Theatre.

The plays for the Hole in One Act Play Festival 2010 are:

‘Out of Bounds’ by Neil Chapman (directed by Alex Wilson)

‘Bunkered’ by Phil Mansell (directed by Caroline Drewett-Mansell)

‘Surviving the Century’ by Kevin Myers (directed by Russell Walker)

‘Futagolf’ by David D Thomas and Mark Hardwidge (directed by Lynn Phillips)

The casting and rehearsal process has now begun!
More information:  http://wp.me/P1057I-J

Ryder Cup Rap!

A great coming-together this week of very different musical styles in Newport when top rappers Goldie Lookin Chain joined forces with a Welsh male voice choir to record an anthem to celebrate the Ryder Cup coming to the city in October.

The unique collaboration was the brainchild of three documentary film students at the University of Wales, Newport. To create a truly Welsh sound, it was decided to ask City of Newport Male Choir to sing on the chorus of the song and record it in the hi-tech sound studios used by the Creative Sound and Music students at the University.
Full story here: http://www3.newport.ac.uk/news/displayStory.aspx?story_id=459

These great photos of the recording session were taken by ace photographer Betina Skovbro. Check out her website: http://www.skovbro.com/

Going back to the basics with photography

Went along to see one of the workshops in which youngsters from Newport are working with professional photographers from Brazil to discover the joys of making their own pinhole cameras and taking and developing photos. Ironic that when I came to snap them with their very basic cameras my fancy digital SLR died on me and refused to work! I had to borrow someone else's camera to take these photos.

The workshops were part of A Brush with Light, an innovative series of film and photographic works produced in collaboration between Newport's University and partner institutions in Brazil. Professional photographer Miguel Chikaoka (seen below looking at the photos produced by Clara Mitchell and Muz Abbas Hussain) has travelled to Newport to run workshops in traditional photographic techniques such as basic pin-hole cameras at the city’s Riverfront Arts Centre. Full story on: http://ow.ly/1yfQR

Audiences will love Opal!

THIS month, Newport Playgoers presents the quirky comedy, ‘Everybody Loves Opal’ by John Patrick. The plot revolves around Opal Kronkie, a middle-aged recluse who lives in a tumbledown mansion. Into her rather strange world come three con artists on the run from the police.

Hiding out in Opal’s house, they decide to bump her off to claim on the insurance. But their plotting never goes according to plan...

Pictured is Julian Powell as crooked Sol Bozo trying in vain to kill ever optimistic Opal Kronkie (Ann Harrison). (Photo by Phil Mansell)

For more details check out http://www.dolmantheatre.co.uk/ or phone 01633 263670 to book tickets.

Newport Playgoer in Death of a Salesman

One of the leading lights of Newport Playgoers Society, Alex Wilson, is taking the lead role in Arthur Miller's classic 'Death of a Salesman' at the Chapter Arts Theatre in Cardiff this week. Alex, who is a salesman in real life, will soon be seen in Playgoers' production of Moliere's 'The Prodigious Snob' at the Dolman Theatre in June.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/showbiz/2010/03/22/salesman-alex-takes-on-lead-role-in-a-classic-tale-91466-26080228/

Newport Film Graduate Scoops Award

Congratulations to International Film School Wales graduate, Emma Pratt, whose short film ‘Brennan’s Sacrament’ was voted Best Student Film at the British Independent Film Awards.

Emma’s success comes as Kathryn Bigelow scooped the best director Oscar for The Hurt Locker - becoming the first woman to receive an Academy Award in the category - and Emma said, “Hopefully this means other women in the industry will be getting recognised for their achievements as well.”
Click here for full story: http://www.penarthtimes.co.uk/news/latestnews/5066408.Award_winning_film_director_thinks_big/

Budding Playwrights can take Centre Stage!

To celebrate Newport hosting the Ryder Cup 2010, Newport Playgoers Society, which owns and runs the city’s 400-seater Dolman Theatre, is holding a competition aimed at encouraging the writing of plays for amateur theatre.

To enter the competition, budding playwrights are invited to submit one act plays on the theme of ‘golf’. Plays should be between 20 - 30 minutes in length using a cast of 2 - 5 actors. In addition to a cash prize, the three best plays will be performed in the Dolman Studio Theatre for three nights culminating in a gala evening when prizes will be officially presented.

An Adjudication Panel appointed by Newport Playgoers Society will read and consider the plays entered in the competition and, in addition to arranging production of the plays at the Dolman Studio Theatre, will award the following prizes:
1st Prize - £100 plus trophy; 2nd Prize - £50; 3rd Prize - £25.

To download an application form, go to www.dolmantheatre.co.uk.

Black Comedy Kicks Off Newport Playgoers 86th Season

A man who's convinced his shopping trolley is a dog called Rover and a wellie-wearing cook who bakes almondless almond cakes are among the crazy characters in the hilarious black comedy that launches the new season of plays by Newport Playgoers Society next week.

‘One O’clock from the House’, written by local favourite, Frank Vickery, launches Playgoers’ 86th season at Newport’s Dolman Theatre.

The action revolves around the funeral of an elderly father - not usually an occasion for hilarity, but this is a play about a distinctly dysfunctional family. An amazing array of crazy characters - including a woman who's a happy inmate of a psychiatric home – turn up to make the proceedings very lively. Add to this a posthumous joke played by Father on his daughters and the fact that it is not exactly what might be termed a close-knit family, and the scene is set for a scorching comedy of personalities and situations.

Theatre-goers can use the newly revamped Kingsway car park where they can benefit from well lit, manned and secure parking for a fee of only £1 per evening performance – look for the Orange Zone which is specially designated for Dolman theatre-goers.

‘One O’clock from the House’ by Frank Vickery is at the Dolman Theatre from 15 - 19 September at 7.15pm with an extra matinee performance on the Saturday at 2.30pm. For tickets ring the Dolman Theatre box office on 01633 263670 or 01633 656757. For information about joining Newport Playgoers Society phone or visit our website http://www.dolmantheatre.co.uk/

Kathakali Comes to Caerleon

On Friday I was privileged to see the Kala Chethena Kathakali Company prepare for their evening performance at Newport’s University. To go behind the scenes as the world’s foremost Indian dance drama company applied their elaborate make-up was amazing. ITV Wales were there to film the weather spot ‘live’ for the evening news so there was quite a buzz.

I took some photos of Ramachandran Unnithan as he went through the various stages of having his face made-up. Ramachandran specialises in playing villains and he certainly spooked me.

The performance at the University was the result of a visit to India by staff and students on the Religious Studies & Philosophy course in 2007. When they first encountered Kathakali in Kollam, southern Kerala, the group were so struck by the performance and elaborate costumes that the programme leader, Dr Lynn Foulston, was inspired to invite a Kathakali company to perform in Wales where the people of Newport could enjoy the spectacular display.

I’m pleased to say it was a full house. Full news of the event can be seen on the University’s website at: http://www3.newport.ac.uk/news/displayStory.aspx?story_id=338