Spring (we hope) 2013

NEWSLETTER

 Issue 38 March/April  2013

From the Chair

We are well into the Princess Theatre’s new season, a new brochure is due to be issued in April. Please support as much as you can, it needs your support. Not forgetting our spring production “Wife After Death” on 17^th/18^th May – the cast and production team are laughing, so it should prove exceptionally funny for the audience. This year the Club AGM will be on 1^st May at St Edmunds Church Rooms in Hunstanton 7.30pm. This is the time to air your views.

Regards Mick Yates.

 

 

A Quotable Quote

“Old age is not so bad when you consider the alternatives”

Maurice Chevalier.

 

Annual General Meeting

The AGM of the Princess Theatre Club takes place on Wednesday 1^st May at St Edmunds Church Rooms, Hunstanton at 7.30pm (as previously mentioned). Traditionally this is when your new committee is elected for the 2013/14 year. If any changes are needed to the Club’s constitution this is the time they must be made. Mick Yates has indicated that he will stand again for the post of chairman; Pearl Carpenter is prepared to continue as Treasurer - Ann McKimm and Sharon Yates have also indicated their willingness the stand as committee members. Eve Eates who was co-opted is the volunteer co-ordinator for the theatre. As I only agreed to stand in as secretary at last year’s AGM I will not be offering myself for re-election. I am prepared to continue with editing this newsletter and organising the publicity for our productions. Your committee will need a new secretary and ideally two more committee members. If you would like to be considered for either secretary or a committee member or know somebody who you think would be suitable (ask them first) please let me know by 25^th April. Nomination forms will be sent out shortly. Mention had been made of a change of name for the Club. Two suggestions have been made:-

1. Princess Players.

2. Hunstanton Theatrical Society

This item will be on the agenda for the AGM.

 

100 Club Winner

March Draw - Chris Mackie

NB. This is the last draw of the present series.

Did You Know 1?

The carrstone gable end wall at the Princess Theatre is the largest in the country constructed of this material

 

Ivor Grumbol

Although it is still cold Ivor has come out of his winter hibernation to have another look at life.

Dear Rae,

Divide et impera…….sometimes interpreted as divide and conquer or divide and rule but the one constant is “divide”.Whether it is allowing  new restaurant complexes, agreeing supermarket extensions or supporting out of town shopping precincts, so many town and borough councils seem intent on dividing their communities.

Do you remember going into a town and enjoying the delights of the many varied shops, some of them unique to their area, I do!  Hundreds of villages where the greengrocer, butcher and baker knew all their customers and you could buy what you wanted, in the quantity you wanted. Sadly, I feel, some these delights have already disappeared or soon will disappear from our towns and villages and Hunstanton will be no exception.

First there was the Princess Theatre scandal, where some members of both the Town and Borough councils decided to support the Corn Exchange and the Town Hall at the expense of the “Princess” (a genuine theatre). Now a new restaurant rises, imperiously, opposite that other conglomerate that has been granted permission to swallow even more land!

Do the people making these decisions really think about the traders already struggling to make a living in a town fast becoming devoid of any flair or style?  Do they really believe there will be more money spent in the actual town itself as a result of this extra competition? If they do, then must also believe that the moon is made of cheese!

Of course, there has long been both the old and new developments of the township but a third development is occurring before our very eyes. Soon the hundreds of caravan users will have no need to visit the town centre as a beach, pub, restaurant and major supermarket is no more than a stone’s throw away. Yes, day trippers will still arrive and one assumes they will make use of the town’s facilities but their stay is short whereas caravan users visit for a much longer period. In a lot of cases for several months and I cannot see them financing the town centre traders, not with the facilities that are on their doorstep.

Divide et impera…..A case in point!!

Sincerely, Ivor Grumble

 

“Wife After Death”

Bought your tickets yet?

Tickets are now on sale at the box office at the Princess Theatre priced at £11.50 and £10.00 for concessions telephone 01485 532252 alternatively they are available on line at www.princesstheatrehunstanton.

co.uk

 

Membership

This is to remind you that membership fees will be due for the new year April 2013/14 fees as follows:-

Acting member -                £10.00

Joint Acting members -      £15.00

Associate member -            £5.00

Joint Associate members     £8.00

Junior member (under 16)   £5.00

The “100 Club” is also due for renewal £12.00 per person.

Renewal forms will be sent out to all members shortly. If you know of somebody who would like to join either acting or non-acting please ask them.

 

Storage Space

After many years of storing our scenery at Holme it is likely that the property will be sold shortly. If you know of any where or anybody who may be able to offer some storage facilities please let the chairman know.

 

Know Your Theatrical Terms

Have you ever mixed with theatrical types and wondered if they are speaking in some foreign language? Yes? Well here is the layperson’s guide to theatre terminology.

Tabs – Curtains.

Wings – Offstage sides of the stage.

Pros – Proscenium arch.

Cyc – Cyclorama, or tight screen like curtain round the back of the stage

Flies – Area above the stage where pieces of scenery are “flown”.

Traps – Holes in the stage through which actors can emerge as through from the bowels of the earth.

Iron – Safety curtain, the Princess did have one years ago.

Flats – Areas of canvas, stretched on wood and painted, which make up the walls of the set.

Floats – Footlights (rarely used except for pantomimes).

Green Room – rat infested hole where actors relax.

FX – Sound effects.

LX – Lighting effects.

To dry – To forget one’s words.

To fluff – To mess up one’s words.

To corpse – To break into an unrehearsed fit of uncontrollable laughter.

Props – Properties, items used on stage.

Business – Overacting with a prop, usually a soda syphon. Not to be confused “Business” meaning theatrical profession.

Cue – The line after which an actor enters or has to speak his/hers own line. Also for FX and LX (see above).

The Curtain or The Call – Line up of actors at the end of a performance.

The Half – The time all actors have to be in the theatre, 35 minutes before curtain up. NB. All timings are 5 minutes fast.

Come down – To finish the performance.

Walk on – To play a part with no lines (my type of part – Ed!)

Get in/Fit up – Time allocated to put up the set Strike is the reverse.

Technical – Rehearsal to allow technicians to set up lighting and sound cues with the actors.

Under-dressing - Method of putting street clothes underneath your costume, usually for the curtain, in order to make a quick get-away to the pub! Also to evade the adoring fans and Groupies!

 

Did You Know 2?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was established in May 1927 as a non-profit corporation to promote the art of movie making. In the first year, the Academy had 36 members, with Douglas Fairbanks Sr as president. The first Academy Awards, now better known as the Oscars, were presented at a private dinner.

STOP PRESS!

The committee are pleased to announce our autumn production:-

“An Inspector Calls” by J.B Priestley first performed in the UK in 1946. The play will be directed by Ann Mckimm at the Princess Theatre on 15^th November 730pm and 16^th November at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. The play requires four males and three females. Play reading will start in August rehearsals in early September.

 

WANTED!

People to distribute posters and flyers around the area please ring 01485 533420 for a supply.

 

Who’s Who?

Chairman – Mick Yates

Tel: 01553 674218

Treasurer – Pearl Carpenter

Tel: 01485541945

Secretary/Editor -  Rae Steward Tel: 01485 533420 (until 1/05/13)

Committee Members - Ann McKimm, Sharon Yates, Eve Eates (volunteer co-ordinator - co-opted member.

 

Rae Steward, Secretary

 

Tel: 01485 533420

rae.steward@btinternet.com

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