An evening of sketches by members and a mini panto plus specially made Christmas pies for supper.
This month we were pleased to celebrate 60 years since Hermin Daley became a member of West Chiltington Dramatic Society. When Hermin first joined in 1956 plays were performed in the old Comrades Hut (now demolished) by the Elephant and Castle Pub. In 1957 Hermin made her first appearance in the last play to be performed there – Small Hotel. Hermin has appeared in many productions
since including Inca of Perusalem in 1979 and pantomimes Puss in Boots (1989) and Cinderella (2011) as well as being Chairman of the society for many years. Still a longstanding member of the Committee, more recent appearances have been in Fatal Attraction in 2012 and as Mrs Peachum in The Beggar’s Opera in 2014. Congratulations to Hermin for all her hard work and fantastic performances for the society.
The August Members’ Evening took place on Saturday 20th August when over 100 people enjoyed a very pleasant evening. The highlight was the World Premiere of last year’s Chairman’s Challenge winning entry Sheltered, a one act play by Edwin Preece. Each of the three scenes in the comedy comprised contrasting discussions about the interesting behaviour of some bridge players when not at the table together with their views about improving their lot in life. It was followed by a ploughman’s supper.
At our Members’ Evening on 20th February we were provided with a superb presentation about the “Titanic” by Rob Goldsmith. He showed slides and a video of his dive to the wreck two and a half miles down in the Atlantic Ocean. We gained a wonderful insight into the reasons for the disaster and its aftermath. The evening also included a nautical quiz, a fish and chip supper and a raffle..
A Miscellany of songs, sketches, poems and music performed by some of our talented members. Co-ordinated by Hermin Daley with accompanist Robert Pearson, sound by Julian Gaydon and lighting by Geofrey Steward.
The 2015 August Members' Evening included the World Premiere of last year’s Chairman’s Challenge winning entry The Green Eye by Rosemary Lawrence, directed by Hermin Daley. The play was set in 1583 at Queen Elizabeth’s Whitehall Palace. It was a turbulent time of intrigue and jealousies… none more so than between her courtiers and her ladies in waiting. The people in this play were real - the situations are imagined. Throughout history Queen Elizabeth’s real motives have been questioned and challenged but we see a little of this through the eyes of her servants and wonder which of them ever saw the real Virgin Queen.