LIVE THEATRE
Milton Village Hall Committee continue to choose and promote professional performances offered by Live and Local supported by Arts Council England, Derbyshire County Council and South Derbyshire District Council, to bring the community together to enjoy high quality cultural events in Milton Village Hall.
2023 November 18th
Art by Yasmina Reza, trans. Christopher Hampton
Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company
Serge spends an extortionate amount of money on an all white modernist painting, but his close friends, Marc and Yvan are baffled. Marc hates the painting and cannot believe that a friend of his could possibly want such a work, whilst Yvan tries, unsuccessfully, to placate both sides – with hilarious consequences.
Art opened in London in 1996 and ran for eight years and enjoyed almost equal success in New York where it ran for 600 performances and picked up a Tony award for best new play.
Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company recently toured a superb production of the play directed by Alan Smith with Adam Hodgson as Serge, Matt Swan as Yvan and Ian Currie playing Marc.
This was the ideal show to tour, with one set, a running time of around 90 minutes and a play packed with twists and turns, fortified by plenty of laughs. The direction was both tight and accomplished and with eminently appropriate casting the actors showed that timing is everything as the audience was led to side with each character as the story unfolded.
This was amateur theatre at its very best, with sharp direction and slick performances given by a company that really knows its craft – a truly enjoyable evening’s entertainment.
Serge spends an extortionate amount of money on an all white modernist painting, but his close friends, Marc and Yvan are baffled. Marc hates the painting and cannot believe that a friend of his could possibly want such a work, whilst Yvan tries, unsuccessfully, to placate both sides – with hilarious consequences.
Art opened in London in 1996 and ran for eight years and enjoyed almost equal success in New York where it ran for 600 performances and picked up a Tony award for best new play.
Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company recently toured a superb production of the play directed by Alan Smith with Adam Hodgson as Serge, Matt Swan as Yvan and Ian Currie playing Marc.
This was the ideal show to tour, with one set, a running time of around 90 minutes and a play packed with twists and turns, fortified by plenty of laughs. The direction was both tight and accomplished and with eminently appropriate casting the actors showed that timing is everything as the audience was led to side with each character as the story unfolded.
This was amateur theatre at its very best, with sharp direction and slick performances given by a company that really knows its craft – a truly enjoyable evening’s entertainment.
The cast
2023 Saturday, 11th February in Milton Village Hall. Shakespeare’s Fool
Theatregoers in Milton were treated to a taste of the Edinburgh Fringe experience last month: you see a flyer and/or hear a recommendation, buy a ticket and take your chances. Shakespeare’s Fool tells the story of Will ‘Cavaliero’ Kempe, one of the finest performers of the Elizabethan age, as he gives his final performance to a mouse and a marrote. He had a flourishing career as a gentleman player, a juggling jester and London’s finest clown until… he fell out with Will ‘git-face’ Shakespeare. This one-actor show premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2021, returned in 2022 and has sold out theatres across the UK, receiving rave reviews from critics and audiences alike.
Robin Leetham took the audience on Kempe’s journey ‘from the unloved shining morning-face of his childhood to the furnace-sighing lover and through to his last scene of all as sad, washed-up has-been with charisma and sensitivity’ (Broadway Baby review 21.08.21). Understandably, some in the audience might well have expected more jokes, some foolery and a bit of slapstick, but this was more “a tale told by an idiot”, the tears of a clown if you will, performed engagingly by an accomplished and talented actor.
2022 – Friday 4th March at 7:30pm
Milton Village Hall was pleased to welcome Kick in the Head Theatre Productions ‘Three Men in a Boat’, an adaption from the hilarious book by Jerome K. Jerome and wonderfully presented by actor Giles Shenton.
The audience were transported along a trip on the Thames by three ‘friends’ and a dog many years past, when steam barges were a new and for some unwelcome addition to the river. The many amusing anecdotes made the whole performance totally engaging and Giles managed to make the characters so real you might have known them forever. (The audience could perhaps draw parallels with characters they know today). A most enjoyable evening with good company and good theatre.
2019 – February 9th in Milton Village Hall
Live and Local events are usually excellent, but the rendition of Oscar Wilde’s play by Two Gents Productions was quite exceptional.
One might have been expecting two men to be playing the 9 characters , but in fact it was two ladies. The only props were a backdrop cloth (reversible for different scenes), a small table, a chair, a tin can, a mug, a scarf, a biscuit tin lid (for the imaginary cucumber sandwiches which were shared with the audience) and not forgetting the Sports Direct bag starring as Miss Prism’s handbag.
The superb portrayal of the characters had the audience transfixed, always smiling and for much of the performance laughing aloud.
Members of the audience were also called upon to play small parts, with one section of the audience becoming the flowers Miss Cecily was watering.
An outstanding performance by the actress who not only demonstrated superb talent but brought such warmth and humour to the proceedings.
An unforgettable evening and Milton was lucky to have been able to host such a high calibre performance.
For those visiting London Two Gents Productions are performing this play at the Tara Theatre from February 27th to March 16th – would be well worth a visit.
2018 – May 20th in Milton Village Hall
The Foundry Group entertained residents and friends with a musical comedy entitled
The Ministry of Biscuits.
A clever and entertaining show packed with quick humour and neat one liners, performed by a talented and enthusiastic band of 4 actors.
Set in London in 1948 where fancy biscuits were prohibited, it followed the progress of a sparkling confectionery rebellion. Drawing inspiration from 40’ British Light Music, Orwell’s dystopian classic 1984, and the quintessentially British Ealing Comedy capers, this satirical musical fantasy was genuinely funny, engaging and thoroughly enjoyable.
The Live and Local Network is supported by funds from the Arts Council and to have an act of this calibre in Milton was wonderful. Many thanks to the Foundry Group for such an enjoyable evening.
2017 Saturday February 11th in Milton Village Hall.
The Dead Secrets, a group of 4 comedy actors, entertained Miltonians and friends with their unique brand of detective comedy. The audience were asked to suggest the characters, the location, and the title for the play, the actors informing the audience they had no script !
Our play was entitled ‘when the lights went out’ and set in a lighthouse in Byron Bay.
Our chosen characters ( in addition to the detective) were – a bishop ( Archie Bishop), a famous retired actress (Sylvie Screen), and a taxidermist ( Stephie Stuff), an eclectic mix, along with some equally funny and implausible minor characters.
What followed was a wonderfully improvised and spontaneous performance. The quick witted, ad hoc comedy had everybody in the Hall Laughing, nobody was too concerned about finding out ‘who dunnit’, the fun was in wondering what ingenious scenario the cast were going to come up with next! A most imaginative, clever, and inventive piece of theatre, and most importantly it was great FUN.
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Saturday October 17th 2015
Milton Village Hall in Association with Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company presents…
Stones in His Pockets
It has been a long time since Milton Village Hall hosted Live Theatre, but the Production of Stones in His Pockets on Saturday October 17th made it worth the wait.
Superbly acted by Ian Currie and Mat Shepherd the play was sometimes thought provoking and poignant, often witty and humourous, but always compelling.
The portrayal of the 15 different characters by only two actors, who switched roles so quickly using only gestures or an accents, was quite amazing. The different characters evolved as the story developed – each one believable and each one totally individual.
Subtle sound and lighting effects by Dan Clarkson complimented a first class professional performance.
The Village Hall was full to capacity with resounding applause at the end. Many thanks to the Derbyshire Shakespeare Theatre Company for an exceptional evening.
VILLAGE EVENTS
FACILITIES
- 60 people seated up to 100 people capacity
- Disabled toilet
- Small stage
- Kitchen
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