May 31, 2023
18th – 20th May 19.30
“Family Spirit” by Pat Wollaston,
directed by Mark Dunn.
@ the Dolphin Hotel Function room.
The committee have been working hard to decide on ways The Players can continue and attract new members and support. So, we have decided to run some workshops to encourage both our existing members and new people to come along and take part – and have some fun in the process! We have been fortunate in securing professional help for these workshops and hope that they will be well supported.
All the workshops will take place in the Function Room of the Dolphin Hotel.
Tuesday 7th February at 7.30pm. Nigel, the Chairman (not a professional!) will run some play readings where we will discuss the impressions made from the page, character analysis, and maybe even a bit acting!
Tuesday 21st February at 7.30pm. Kathryn Bringloe, professional singing teacher and classically trained soprano, will be exploring ‘Connecting Singing and Voice with the actor’. She will focus on drawing attention to the body, breath and voice for the actor. Then progressing to the sung voice, learning warm up exercises and singing techniques to help an on-stage performance.
If you have a favourite song or monologue you would like to try out, please bring it along.
Tuesday 7th March at 7.30pm: Come and join professional actor and voiceover artist Gordon Cooper for a fun acting workshop, exploring and playing with basic acting techniques and exercises to help in developing interesting and believable characters for performance.
Tuesday 14th March at 7.30pm: Alistair Ganley, Artistic Director at The Cygnet Theatre in Exeter, will be running a workshop on Directing Skills and acting techniques. The Cygnet Theatre is a well-established training theatre for both professional and amateur actors, and teaches a wide range of theatrical skills and techniques.
Everyone is welcome!
Bovey Tracey Players, a community theatre group based in the small town of Bovey Tracey in Devon, England, will soon announce a series of theatre workshops for its members and interested parties. Led by experienced theatre professionals, these workshops are an exciting opportunity for anyone looking to improve their acting skills or simply learn more about the world of theatre.
The workshops will cover a range of topics, including character development, stage presence, and script analysis. Participants will have the chance to work on monologues and scenes from a variety of plays, both classic and contemporary, and receive feedback and guidance from the workshop leaders.
Workshop leaders will demonstrate how to use lighting equipment, including how to set up and operate different types of lights and how to create different lighting effects. They will also teach participants how to use sound equipment, including how to set up and operate microphones and speakers, and how to create and edit sound effects.
One of the great things about these workshops is that they’re open to all levels of experience. Whether you’ve been acting for years or are just starting out, there’s a place for you in these workshops. The workshop leaders are skilled at adapting their instruction to meet the needs of each individual participant, ensuring that everyone gets the most out of the experience.
But the benefits of these workshops extend beyond just the acting skills that participants will acquire. The theater is a place where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together and create something special, and these workshops provide a great opportunity for people to make new connections and friendships.
So if you’re a member of the Bovey Tracey Players, or if you’re simply interested in theatre and looking for a way to get involved, these workshops are a great opportunity. Don’t miss out on the chance to improve your acting skills, meet new people, and be a part of something truly special. Sign up now and take the first step towards becoming a better actor and a more connected member of your community.
In summary, the Bovey Tracey Players’ theatre workshops are a great opportunity for actors of all levels to improve their skills and learn about the technical aspects of theatre. Led by experienced professionals, these workshops will cover a range of topics including character development, stage presence, script analysis, lighting techniques, and sound design. Whether you’re an experienced actor looking to brush up on your skills or a beginner looking to try something new, these workshops have something for everyone.
Get ready for a fun filled night of entertainment for all the family
Dolphin Hotel 7.30pm 17th to 19th November 2022
Thanks to all those who attended our recent AGM. Lots of good discussion and ideas. The committee have met since and have two exciting updates for you.
New Membership Offer
The Annual Membership which runs from 1st February to 31st January each year will remain at the current level of £15 per adult per year and will include the following extras:
And if that isn’t tempting enough, apply before 31st July and you will get 18 months for the price of 12 ie your membership will run to 31st January 2024!
Your membership fee is important as it enables us to insure our belongings and provide cover for our productions. So, if you are involved in a production whether on stage or off stage we will need you to be a paid up member. For those who have already paid your membership, thank you and the new deal will apply to you too!
If you need our bank details to renew or take up your membership please click Contact us above and we will provide the details
Production News
We have the Dolphin booked for the week beginning 14th November for our Autumn production. Katy Bringloe has offered to direct and has some ideas of plays she would like to do. We are planning a few play readings over the next few weeks starting Thursday 9th June, 7.30pm at Bovey Paradiso when we hope to read extracts from ‘The Marquise’ by Noel Coward. Everyone is welcome, whether you are interested in being involved or not. Watch this space for further dates.
Look forward to seeing you there.
Nigel Gillingham
Chairman.
It’s been too long since we were able to put on any productions but now we’re back with a barnstorming evening of entertainment. Blackadder is back, along with live music from local singer/songwriter Paul Field and even a bite to eat if you fancy it!
As a newly appointed Chairman of the Players, I thought it would be a good opportunity to write a little note to you all and talk about future plans for the group.
What a year it has been ! Theatres and cinemas closed, and all of us learning how to cope with lockdown. Not being able to meet friends and family, not being able to go to the pub, but of course all for a very good reason. I do hope none of you have suffered from COVID and you and your families have been able to stay safe. As I am now saying to people…’well, I’ve got this far…..’
But do you sense some optimism in the air? The latest period of lockdown and the wonderful and impressive rollout of the vaccination programme which already seems to be having an impression is giving us all hope for better times to come.
So it is for the Players. Throughout the past year your committee has stayed in touch and made sure the group somehow survived. Of course, we have been unable to meet or put on productions, but we are still here! The recent ‘virtual’ AGM went well and it was good to see old friends and faces and gave us hope for the future. You may be aware that The Players were due to celebrate their 50th Anniversary this year, but of course we were unable to fulfil any plans we had. But we’re not going to let a little thing like a global pandemic stop us now!
First of all I must thank the retiring Chairman, Jenny, for all her work over, believe it or not, the past four years. Her enthusiasm and commitment and the warmth of her personality has meant that we were able to present a number of productions over that period. Lots of fun, lots of new people involved – a lot of work – has kept drama alive in Bovey Tracey. Let’s be honest, who could say ‘No’ if Jenny asked you to help out! Since our eviction from the Town Hall it’s been a difficult time for the Players and Jenny’s drive and efficiency has been so important.
We now have a new committee, being myself, Jenny Connelly, Dave Cartwright, Pam Meadows, Terry Nickels, Mark Godwin and Chris Towle. My thanks to them all for standing, and we now all have to work hard to put The Players back on the map!
So, what of the future? Providing all goes well and we don’t get lockdown again and places continue to re-open, we would hope to be able to put on a production of Blackadder at The Dolphin in October. In addition we will be pursuing the possibility of performing some old fashioned street theatre with a ‘Mummers’ play which can be done anywhere, and by anyone! Someone has also suggested a ‘flash mob’ to present in the town which would need lots of mad people who don’t mind making a fool of themselves – which sounds a lot of fun.
We will need lots of love and support from our membership to make things happen so do get in touch if you would like to get involved. The Bovey Players have been around for 50 years, let’s start the next 50 years with a bang!
All the best,
Nigel Gillingham.
‘HUMBLE BOY’
The Players recently presented the play ‘Humble Boy’ by Charlotte Jones at the Dolphin Hotel, Bovey Tracey.
Felix Humble (Will Meadows), a theoretical physicist, comes home to his family home in the Cotswolds to attend his father’s funeral. The story does not get off to good start as he fails to turn up at the funeral to give an eulogy for his father, which does not impress his rather domineering mother Flora (Jenny Connelly). She has been having an affair for years with George (Mark Godwin), the owner of a local coach company, who is also the father of Rosie (Katy Bringloe) with whom Felix had an affair seven years ago and produced a child. This awkward situation is overseen by Flora’s rather put upon friend Mercy (Rachel Albon) and surprisingly Jim the gardener (Nigel Gillingham), who is an enthusiastic beekeeper.
The play is described as a gentle comedy about broken vows, failed hopes and the joys of beekeeping.
This was the first time the Players had benefited from the skills and knowledge of a professional director. Louisa Wilde is a local theatre director and singing teacher and was able to bring these skills to both the Players and the production – for which The Players are extremely grateful.
Louisa was a great support to Will Meadows in his first major role with the Players, especially as he had such an enormous part to learn! Will was supported by a strong cast with fine performances all round, all of whom benefited from Louisa’s guidance and experience. Fortunately, there was very little for prompt Margaret Wilson to do and professional levels of lighting were provided by Alan Pewsey and Sam Bovey, with Kenneth Swan providing his usual high standards in sound. Costumes were provided and overseen by Chris Towle.
There many twists and turns to the story: comedy, pathos and even a few tears. If you want to know the outcome, you will have to read the script but it will be worth the effort!
At our AGM on Wednesday 28th March, the Players were pleased to award a cheque to our chosen charity of the year – The Devon Freewheelers. This was presented by our chair, Jenny Connelly and received by one of their local riders, Mr Robert Meadows.
And then the cast of ‘A Candle for Elvis’ were presented with their Adjudicator’s Award from the Dawlish one-act festival for their dramatic entrance at the end of the play! The award was presented by Freda Welton (left). Cast from L-R – Terry Nickels, Margaret White, William Meadows, Sam Bovey – sadly Lisa Huet and Mark Dunn, who directed the play were unable to be at the presentation.