Bohunt School, Liphook, Fri 19th June 2009
The Petersfield School, Sat 20th June 2009
The Rural Life Centre, Tilford, Sun 21st June 2009
The Phoenix Arts Centre, Bordon, Fri 26th June 2009
Headley Village Hall, Sat 27th June 2009
| Laura Timms | Chloe Porter |
|
Edmund Timms |
Alex Clark |
| Albert Timms Sir Timothy, the squire Mr Coulsden, the rector Mr Cochrane, post office inspector John Thompson |
Rod Sharp |
| Mrs Gubbins, postwoman Mrs Peverill |
Wendy Downs |
| Cinderella Doe Zillah, maid to Dorcas Lane Mrs Andrews |
Pru Harrold |
| Mrs Gascoigne Mrs Macey, postwoman Recorder |
Jo Levy |
| Emma Timms Minnie Hickman, telegram girl Lavinia Laura (older) Guitar |
Mel White |
| Thomas Brown, postman John Gaskin, squire's footman Loony Joe Mr Wilkins, the carrier Mandolin |
Dale Lodge |
| Cowman Jolliffe Mr Chitty, squire's butler |
John Preskett |
| Tom Ashley, old soldier Sir Austin Robert Bowler, squire's footman Guitar |
Nick Webb |
| Dorcas Lane | Kat Wootton |
|
Matthew, foreman smith |
Jo Smith |
| Bill, apprentice smith | Chris Potts |
| Landlord Percussion |
Paul Wareham |
| Lead Guitar | Martin Levy |
| Pipes | Steve White |
| Dance | Freda Lodge |
Director: Steve White — Producer: John Owen Smith
Welcome to our promenade performance of Keith Dewhurst's Candleford, the second of two plays from Flora Thompson's semi-autobiographical novels about the countryside of north-east Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire at the end of the 19th century. This play centres on one winter's day, the first hunt meet of the new year. It begins with Flora's own introduction to set the scene, and follows with her reflections on the characters from the perspective of the future.
All good stories are a journey, and Laura at age 14 (played by Chloe Porter, who celebrates her 15th birthday during the run) is finding out for the first time about the grown up problems that face her as she moves from her home village of Lark Rise to her first job in the Post Office in Candleford Green – an adult world of gossip, intrigue and secrets.
While the play is set in one cold day in January, it contains contemporary themes of growing up and leaving the sheltered world of childhood to forge a future in an adult world of eccentric characters brought to life by the large cast assembled from local theatre groups. The flash forward to Flora's life as a wife and author completes her story.
The first thing you'll notice is that there is no set place for you to be. In a traditional 'proscenium arch' performance the space for the action and the watching are clearly delineated you sit and watch the play like a viewer of TV; the director will ensure that the best view of the action is to the side where the audience is sitting – and this causes odd moments when people engage in an intense discussion while standing side by side facing the audience.
In this promenade performance with you all round and amongst the action, the actors can tell the story in a slightly more authentic and natural way without regard to a particular viewing direction. This is more like directing for TV than directing for a theatrical performance, and as an active participant you will need to move to get the best view for yourself.
You are part of the action, here the action will flow around you – it may ask you gently to move out of its way, it will ask you to get involved and you are an active participant of the action – more like a TV camera choosing your viewing preferences moment by moment than a passive TV watcher consuming whatever is in front of you.
By sharing the space you will get physically closer to the action than perhaps you are used to, watch the drama unfold right in front of you, or right next to you. You may not see all of the action and will need to watch the reaction of others in certain scenes to follow the emotions – you may hear only some parts of some scenes, and you may not get a chance to join us in all the community dances, yet it is my hope that you will, together with the cast and band, help to create an event that is a celebration of Flora Thompson.