Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Audition Notice for next October's Agatha Christie

FOTA members may want to make a note in their diary for the audition for 'Black Coffee' by Agatha Christie which will be produced next October. it's along way away but at least the summer is there for line learning!

AUDITION NOTICE

     ‘BLACK  COFFEE’    
    by
       
          AGATHA CHRISTIE

          Directed by Peter Brooks

Auditions will be held on Saturday 29th. May between  11.00 am. – 1.30 pm. for this tight mystery thriller (The first and only play actually written by Agatha Christie featuring Hercule Poirot)

Production  dates    22nd. – 26th. October

Rehearsals commencing early September
  
CAST REQUIRED

TREADWELL       (the butler)       50 plus
LUCIA AMORY    (Richard’s wife) attractive  
                                                25 - 30                                                                                                  
MISS CAROLINE AMORY   (Sir Claude’s younger sister)   Straitlaced spinster 60’ish
RICHARD AMORY  (Sir Claude’s son)  30 – 40
BARBARA AMORY    (Sir Claude’s niece) 30’s
EDWARD RAYNOR   (Sir Claude’s secretary)  
                                                35 - 40                                                      
DR. CARELLI     Italian/Spanish sinister 30’s
SIR CLAUDE AMORY       Scientist   65 - 75
HERCULE POIROT  Not a David Suchet look-
                                       a-like  50 - 60                                                                                           
CAPT.HASTINGS   Poirot’s sidekick   50 – 60
DR GRAHAM                   40 plus
INSP. JAPP           Scotland Yard Insp. 40 –60
JOHNSON              Police constable        20 – 30
 
Audition pieces will be available in the box office from Monday May 3rd. If you are interested but cannot attend on  the 29th. or would like more information re. the characters please don’t hesitate to telephone Peter on      952 887 372

Peter Brooks  

Monday, April 19, 2010

April Committee report

We began with a nice surprise in that FOTA member and stalwart Stage manager, Gloria Harding, came to say thanks for the CCTV system FOTA have had installed backstage. Having been in two shows recently I can vouch for the benefit it provides not just for the stage crew but also for the poor soul waiting to go on. It was really nice to have the efforts of all FOTA members recognised like this and we hope that the system will not only continue to prove really useful but that we can look at it in operation and improve it if necessary.

Our 'matters arising' included the information that the Facebook Group we have set up to keep members informed had 106 members. (now up to 113 members). If you haven't joined it is Fuengirola's Theatre Friends.

The lunch at Casa Rustica in February had 18 members and guests and the raffle raised 35 euros.

The trip to Grazalema was a very British success as smiles won over adversity thrown by the weather. We couldn't go on exactly the route planned but everyone enjoyed the alternative thought up by Juan and a profit was made.
The financial report from the Treasurer showed a healthy balance and 1000 euros was handed over to the theatre.
We discussed whether it was appropriate to hold an AGM as we are in a constitutional limbo at present but we will go ahead and we set a date of May 12th. Notices have been displayed.

And that was it. We finished at just after 100 which enabled those of us Breaking The Code to get home and have some lunch before the evening performance.

Friday, April 02, 2010

Breaking The Code

BREAKING THE CODE is the story of Alan Turing who did more than anyone(except possibly Churchill) to win the second world war. He then went on to become a distinguished Professor at Manchester University and work secretly for GCHQ.
He broke two codes. One good and one bad (for the times).
The good was that while at Bletchley Park during the war he developed a way of breaking the German Enigma Code and ensuring that the U Boats could be defeated and England saved from starvation. This work was continued after the war at Manchester where he built the worlds first digital computer. For this he was recently listed at 42 in the most important people of the twentieth century.
BUT he was homosexual and in 1952 was arrested on a charge of Gross Indecency. It seems he was hung out to dry by the Establishment for breaking this code, possibly to appease Senator McCarthy and his witch hunts in the USA. He lost his security clearance and his ability to do the work he wanted to do and probably committed suicide (there is some doubt about that, but not much).
This is an intriguing and moving play which has gripped audiences for over twenty years. It may make you appreciate why the present Prime Minister made a public apology for the way that Turing was treated, it may make you angry at how talent was wasted then and it may make you angry at the way talent is wasted now when important men and women, such as fluent Arabic speakers, are dismissed because they are gay and can't be replaced. Which leaves the Intelligence Services with knowledge gaps now just as they had when Turing was thrown away.
Well it may make you feel those things. It will entertain you.