If I was to tell you that the current play from Saddleworth Players is about two people writing letters to each other, you might be inclined to be a tad uninspired at the prospect – but think again. Definitely think again. 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff is so much more and it has taken the skill of Melvyn Bates as Director and his talented cast to bring this novel-turned-play-turned-film to life … and […]
Tell us about the character you play / your role in 84 Charing Cross Road? I play Cecily Farr – one of the ladies working in the book store in London. She seems to be quite a shy timid character so I’m trying to bring a bit of flare to her personality. What is your most memorable scene? For me, I like the scene where Cecily plucks up the courage to write to Helene on […]
Since my last blog I have been involved with a number of shows with Saddleworth Players, helping Keith build sets, and even being allowed to build one myself, oh the pressure. In 84 Charing Cross Road I play the part of William Humphries, and note that at one point my hair has to become greyer (that will need some doing), as well as stage managing and helping to build the set, which has been interesting. Our […]
Hi I’m Tracey Rontree and I’m playing Helene Hanff, the author of the book 84 Charing Cross Road. Just a small part then … not! This is my 3rd play with Saddleworth Players and it is a great honour to be invited back to play this mammoth part. Helene is a dream to play. She’s quirky, charming, endearing, a little eccentric and feisty. She falls in love with the bookshop, Marks & Company, address 84 […]
‘84 Charing Cross Road’ is an entertaining, evocative and moving collection of letters sent by the author Helene Hanff, from her home in New York, to the staff of Marks & Co, an antiquarian bookshop in London. Their correspondence spanned 20 years and resulted in a valued friendship. The play was adapted into a film in 1987 and starred Ann Bancroft and Antony Hopkins. Our cast includes: Tracey Rontree as Helene Hanff, who was last […]
When I performed my solo play Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope at Millgate Arts Centre last autumn, I immediately knew it was a venue I’d come back to. It’s a beautiful space, with an intimacy perfect for solo work. Tim and Michael are wonderfully supportive, and best of all the audience is engaged, enthusiastic and lively. My kind of place. I’m returning on Friday 1st November with my solo play The Silence of Snow: The Life […]
I’d been looking forward to the opening night of My Cousin Rachel for weeks. My mother Nancy was a founder member of Saddleworth Players and no one would have been prouder than Nancy to know the theatre she and her friends had put so much love, care and time into for decades was not only thriving but attracting audience members from far and wide. And this was no ordinary opening night. Although the weather was foul, we’d […]
Hello, I’m Neil and I’ve been asked to play Seecombe, the long-devoted servant to the Ashley Family. “It seems only yesterday when all was well at Barton. Phillip Ashley was a mite not two years old when he first came to Barton, and this has been my privilege and my pleasure to see him come of age. The news of Mr Ambrose Ashely’s sudden death in Florence, Italy, means that Mr Phillip is now our […]
We were all knocked sideways by the death of my old friend Ambrose Ashley, hundreds of miles away in Italy. I’m guardian to Philip, the young heir to the Ashley estate and he went haring off to Florence when he received word of his cousin’s serious illness. Ambrose had only recently met his cousin Rachel out there, a great beauty, by all accounts, and married her in weeks. Naturally we were all agog to meet […]
Hi! I’m Sam and I’m playing the part of Philip in My Cousin Rachel, the first play of the new season here at Millgate. It’s my fifth play here with Saddleworth Players, the most recent of which was Incorruptible in June. I’m so excited to be treading the boards for the first play in front of the new seats in the auditorium! One of the great aspects of this play is the “did she, didn’t […]