Newport Premiere for Pontypridd Writers’ Play

Two aspiring writers from Church Village, Pontypridd have had their play selected to feature in a festival of one act plays on the theme of golf.

Mark Hardwidge and David D Thomas entered their play ‘Futagolf’ for a competition run by Newport Playgoers Society to tie in with the Ryder Cup coming to the city. They were both delighted when their 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.

“We were really pleased our play was judged to be one of the best,” said 43-year-old Mark, an IT consultant who is married with two children.

“Our play is a futuristic story about what happens when a dedicated couch potato is given a free golfing session on a virtual reality golf course. Things start to go wrong when his coach, a computer-generated golf pro starts to run low on processing power and patience and a frenetic disco dancer turns up.”

Both Mark and David have enjoyed considerable writing success over the last few years. Mark had a short story called ‘Nirvana Inc.’ published in an American anthology, and a play called ‘Wild Merthyr Skies’ performed at the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff as well as two plays in the Dolman Studio Theatre.

David has been involved with amateur dramatics since childhood and has appeared in many Shakespeare productions. His play ‘Buzz’ won a prize in the Drama Association of Wales annual one-act scriptwriting contest, and his short story ‘The Ow Shop’ was published in an American Science Fiction/Fantasy anthology. He his currently working on a full length stage adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s ‘The Snow Queen’ to be performed by the Dolman Solo Theatre Company this December.

“I’ve always wanted to try my hand at writing something funny,” said 43-year-old David who is an IT Analyst Developer. “I think with ‘Futagolf’ we have achieved that, and can’t wait to see it performed on the stage.”

PHOTO: In ‘Futagolf’, couch potato Len (Peter Routley) engages in a duel with computer generated golf pro (Gareth Spreadbury) when he is given a free session on a virtual reality golf course. Then frenetic disco dancer Shaz (Alex Phillips) turns up to complicate things.

The other three plays selected for the festival include the story of how a down-at-heel crazy golf course attempts to revive its flagging fortunes to beat the recession, how disaster looms amid the bunting as a golf club prepares to celebrate its centenary and a Pinteresque look at life, golf and everything.

“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 http://www.dolman-theatre.co.uk/ and http://www.newportplaygoers.wordpress.com/

Newport Writer's Crazy Golf Play Set to Tee Off



 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 (pictured above) 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.


PHOTO: In Phil’s play ‘Bunkered’, Tom (Graeme Johnson), the owner of a 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:
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/
.

Crazy about Golf Course Turning up for Photoshoot!

When Newport Playgoers needed to take photos on a crazy golf course for a new play they are staging they were amazed to find one turn up, as if by magic, on their doorstep.

LEFT:  Crazy golf course creator Dave Lovatt (centre) with Playgoers Bruno Cook and Lauren Brown.

“It was unbelievably good luck,” said the play’s director, Caroline Drewett-Mansell. “A brilliant crazy golf course was built on the riverbank for the Big Splash weekend. It was the perfect setting for the photoshoot to promote the new play ‘Bunkered’ which is part of The Hole in One Act Play Festival we are staging in October. We spoke to the owner of the course and discovered he also works in the theatre in Bristol. He was very helpful and let us use his course for our photos.”

“I was only too pleased to be of assistance,” said the course’s creator and owner Dave Lovatt. “This is the first time we’ve used our new crazy golf course and we’ve been amazed at how friendly, fun-loving and welcoming the people of Newport are. When I’m not building crazy golf courses I’m working in the theatre – and my production of ‘Carny Village’ is at the Riverfront on Saturday 4th September,” he added.

The crazy golf course is the setting for ‘Bunkered’ by Phil Mansell, one of four new one-act plays which will be premiered at the Dolman Theatre in October. The plays were the winners of a golf-themed play-writing competition organised by Playgoers and judged to be the best by Wales’s top playwright Frank Vickery.

The other new plays, which to tie in with the Ryder Cup coming to Newport, all take an innovative and unusual look at golf, are 'Out of Bounds' by Neil Chapman, a Pinter-esque look at the absurdities of life, ‘Surviving the Century’, by Kevin Myers, which focuses on the planning of a golf club’s centenary celebrations, and ‘Futagolf’, by Mark Hardwidge and David D. Thomas, about a couch potato who is given a free session on a virtual reality golf course.

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/

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

Golden Pond Performance Wins Steve Best Actor Award

ABOVE: Steve Saunders is congratulated on winning the Webley Award by Caroline Drewett-Mansell who directed him in the play ‘On Golden Pond’.

Steve Saunders was named Newport’s best actor when he was presented with the prestigious Webley Award at Newport Playgoers Society’s AGM.

Steve won the coveted award for his portrayal of the grumpy old retired professor, Norman Thayer, in the moving family drama ‘On Golden Pond’.

“I was really pleased and proud to be voted the winner of this award, especially as I was up against some very tough competition from some of South Wales’s finest amateur acting talent,” said 50-year-old Steve.

“It was a marvellous production despite all the problems we faced such as having to battle our way to rehearsals in heavy snow.”

Steve had a particularly gruelling rehearsal schedule. As one of the key people responsible for overseeing the electrics for the 2012 Olympics, he left home at four each morning to travel to east London, did a full day’s work and then went straight to rehearsals at the Dolman Theatre in the evening.

ABOVE: Steve as elderly curmudgeon Norman Thayer in a scene from ‘On Golden Pond’ with Pam Elliott who played his wife, Ethel.

The Webley Award is given by Playgoers each year in honour of Thomas Webley, the Society’s first President, who was Principal of Caerleon College, which is now the University of Wales, Newport.

Playgoers are currently rehearsing their new season of eight productions which starts in September with Frank Vickery’s comedy ‘Family Planning’ and also includes the famous comedy ‘The Titfield Thunderbolt’, Terence Rattigan’s drama ‘Separate Tables’ and Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy ‘Role Play’.