The resort in which the play is set is preparing for a boom time financially due to the successful marketing of its natural waters that feed the spa to which tourists will flock.
The local doctor discovers that the waters are dangerously contaminated and plans to announce his findings. This sets him and his family on a collision course with his brother the local Mayor. His idealism is set against the practical realities of the cost to the town, which lead to him being denounced as an, ‘enemy of the people’.
“A complex dramatization of issues surrounding pollution, personal responsibility in public office, media and political imperatives and loyalty to the state.” Financial Times
Hugely relevant to today’s issues of morality in the press and in Parliament. Can we afford to be idealistic?
‘George! Where’s my medicine? George! Where’s my tea? George! What are you doing?’ Grouchy Grandma has come to stay and is complaining all the time and spoiling George’s half term holiday. He wants to read his adventure book quietly.
What can he do to make his horrible Grandma nicer? She really is a bit of a witch. He’ll try and invent a wonderful medicine for her.
Come and see what happens at Perranarworthal Village Memorial Hall when we present Roald Dahl’s story of “George’s Marvellous Medicine” adapted for the stage by David Wood at half term, Wednesday 27th to Saturday 30th May.
Keep a careful eye on what George does because he will want you to help him remember the recipe when he needs to make a second batch of medicine after something pretty amazing happens.
Watch out though – life on a farm can be very surprising!
It’s Utterly Panto Written By Rachel Feeny-Williams
19-21 February 2015
Perran-ar-worthal Village Hall
“It’s Utterly Panto” written by Rachel Feeny-Williams was staged in February 2015.
A brand new pantomime that contained many of our favourite fairy-tale characters.
With a colourful array of costumes, popular songs and all the elements of a traditional pantomime, this production was thoroughly enjoyed by audience members of all ages.
“When Goatel (Gretal) appeared I was completely in panto world” “Rapunzel and the nits had me laughing out loud” “completely brilliant” and “the best panto ever” were just some of the many, many favourable comments received.
This ambitious production was performed by our younger members. It was fantastic and certainly not a simple piece to do. The songs were not easy but how well everyone sang them – we have some lovely voices emerging from this group, so WELL DONE all of you. And of course congratulations to Sam Barker and her hardworking team for making it possible.
Perranwell Boys 1914 was an original play written by Carnon Downs Drama Group Member, David Ivall.
The play set mainly in the trenches of France, followed the fortunes of a section of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry through the autumn of 1914.
Bevis Trinick, a young gentleman, and Alfred Dingle, a labouring lad, both join the regiment and end up in the same unit on the Western Front, Bevis as a lieutenant, Alfred as a private. The play follows their journey from Perranwell village, to the trenches, a field hospital and a French cafe.
Although, with such a theme, no one could expect a happy ending, there was plenty of humour and songs of the period along the way.
Both ‘Just Hear My Voice’ and ‘Ghosts of Bedlam’ were entered by CDDG in the All England Theatre Festival competition in April.
In the Cornwall round Ann Lejeune picked up the award for best actress for her portrayal of Milly in ‘Ghosts of Bedlam’ and Kath Archer picked up best director for ‘Just Hear My Voice’.
‘Just Hear My Voice’ also won best play and went through 2 more rounds of the competition, reaching the semi-finals in teignemouth.
Both plays played to packed houses in Illogan Village Hall in July 2014.
Photos
Click to expand images.
Ann Lejeune, Mark Breach, Moo Burnett
Mark Breach, Miriam Loosemoore, Moo Burnett
Miriam Loosemoore, Mark Breach, Ann Lejeune, Moo Burnett
Moo Burnett, Ann Lejeune, Miriam Loosemoore, Mark Breach
Both ‘Just Hear My Voice’ and ‘Ghosts of Bedlam’ were entered by CDDG in the All England Theatre Festival competition in April.
In the Cornwall round Ann Lejeune picked up the award for best actress for her portrayal of Milly in ‘Ghosts of Bedlam’ and Kath Archer picked up best director for ‘Just Hear My Voice’.
‘Just Hear My Voice’ also won best play and went through 2 more rounds of the competition, reaching the semi-finals in teignemouth.
Both plays played to packed houses in Illogan Village Hall in July 2014.
Photos
Click to expand images.
Briona Saunders, Ali Mason, Chris Breach, Penny Mergler
Penny Mergler, Briona Saunders, Chris Breach, Ali Mason
Briona Saunders, Ali Mason, Penny Mergler, Chris Breach
Penny Mergler, Briona Saunders, Ali Mason, Chris Breach
Penny Mergler, Briona Saunders, Ali Mason, Chris Breach
What’s that we hear you say? You’re not feeling Christmassy yet?
Don’t worry . . . we have the perfect answer to get you in the festive spirit . . . come and see the Karnon Kidz Khristmas Krackers,
With two performances, there’s no excuse for missing it!
We can guarantee to you Christmas carols, Christmas sketches, Christmas poems, Christmas songs, Christmas refreshments (including mulled wine – homemade by the very talented Elaine Gummow). . . in fact . . . just about anything that you can think of . . . and one or two things that you can’t! But above all, we will guarantee you a good time that will be suitable for all the family.
So come and support our enthusiastic and talented young cast who will be giving their all for your enjoyment.
The “Deep Blue Sea” is set in Sept 1951 in a Britain that is still feeling the effects of the 2nd World War. It shows a profound understanding of the complexities of love in a set of characters realistically portrayed with unspoken feelings, buried emotions and hidden truths that fuel the comedy and drama.
The action begins with the discovery by her neighbours of Hester Collyer who has tried and failed to commit suicide. Sometime before, she left her husband, a respectable High Court Judge who is baffled by her rejection, for a semi-alcoholic ex R.A.F. pilot who hasn’t found a replacement for the thrill of the Battle of Britain and can’t match Hester’s sexual and emotional needs.
Her despair is recognised and understood by Mr Miller a refugee from Germany, interned and then struck off from medical practice following a notorious scandal. The aftershocks of her attempted suicide unravel throughout the play.
Widely regarded as Rattigan’s best play it is a complete exploration of his obsessive theme, the inequality of passion.
This amateur production of “The Deep Blue Sea” is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Ltd.
The production was reviewed by both the Cornwall Drama Association (CDA) and NODA; click on the link below to read their respective reviews.
Karnon Kidz were delighted to announce their latest show G2K Oklahoma! . . . based on that well known musical!
With 30 children, supported by an award winning team the show was a rip roaring evening, full of laughter and tears as all good shows should be.
Directed by Sam Barker and Jason Lessiter, this was their fourth collaboration and it gave them many challenges . . . the biggest being ‘how you pronounce Ado Annie’ !
The cast was led by Matt Horwell, Megan McKenna, Finn Howard, Dottie Squibb, Nathan Veall and who could forget Natallie Ballet as Aunt Eller.
This was our first outing to Princess Paviion in Falmouth and we were all very excited about performing “Cinderella”, a traditional pantomime for all the family.
Those who came along joined in with all their favourite characters as this magical fairy-tale unfolded with fun and laughter.
You could only admire our youngsters as they performed to rocking music that got everyone jiggling in their seats and were amazed as the fairies work ‘a kind of magic’ to ensure Cinders got to the ball.
Tradition dictated a happy ending but just who would marry who? February used to be a dull month but not anymore, Panto was back in town.
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is a story written in 1816 by E. T. A. Hoffmann in which young Marie Stahlbaum’s favourite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil Mouse King in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls.
In 1892, the Russian Tchaikovsky turned Alexandre Dumas père’s adaptation of the story into the ballet The Nutcracker, which became one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous compositions.
Karnon Kidz presented their version of the story utilising the amazing music of Tchaikovsky, from a script based on the original story by Hoffmann.
With a cast of nearly thirty children directed by Samantha Barker and Jason Lessiter with singing, dancing and a truly awesome Rat Rap, it was a wonderful way to start the Festive season.
When Annie’s husband John dies of Leukaemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow Women’s Institute members, Cora, Celia, Ruth and Jessie, to pose with them for an ‘alternative’ calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer, Lawrence. The news of the women’s charitable venture spreads like wildfire and hordes of press soon descend on the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales. The calendar is a success but Chris and Annie’s friendship is put to the test under the strain of their new-found fame.
Based on the true story of eleven WI members who posed for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund, Calendar Girls opened at the Chichester Festival Theatre and has since become the fastest selling play in British history.
In partnership with the National Trust (NT) and The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) CDDG’s open air production of “The Tempest” was performed (damply) in the Courtyard of Trelissick Garden, a unique and beautiful NT property on the Fal Estuary.
CDDG explored the themes of the play from a female standpoint encouraging a shift of perspective by both actors and audience alike.
The play was visually magical, fast paced and accessible; you did not have to be a “Shakespeare specialist” to enjoy this production.
Perranwell in the Dark Ages…
The Dark Ages were that period of history that fell between the Romans and the Normans (the bit they always missed out at school), when the Kings of Cornwall lived in Perranwell. That is why the pub is called the Royal Oak, of course, and the royal palace was about where the post office is now.
If your reaction is to say at once ‘Oh, no, it wasn’t’, there will be a rousing chorus of ‘Oh, yes, it was!’, because we are in the world of this year’s village pantomime. Jack the Giant Killer is based on the old Cornish legend of the brave lad who slew Giant Cormoran and Giant Blunderbore. In our version there is rather less slaying and rather more interest in the fate of the village pasty shop, driven into bankruptcy under the old-fashioned Mrs Goongumpus and revived by the progressive Perran and Worthal.
We’ll give to you a thrilling glimpse
Of piskies, giants and naughty imps.
We’ll teach you how to make a pasty
And how to deal with villains nasty.
Jack the Giant Killer has been written by David Ivall, who has been associated with Perranwell for over thirty years. We hope everyone in the village and surrounding area will come along to discover more about its (slightly fictionalised) history. Just think; this could be your only chance to attend a theatrical world première!
The 41st Pantomime production for our drama group was Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs. A traditional family pantomime full of fun, laughs, music, dance & spectacle.
Our talented group enthralled us with the story of Snow White, and allowed our younger members to be part of the cast as the seven dwarfs. You were definately “Happy” and Brainy”, when you came to see this production and would have been “Grumpy” & “Dopey” to have missed it!!
Those dull January evenings were brightened as we saw “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” at Perranarworthal Memorial Hall, 25th – 29th January 2011.
Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
7-11 September 2010
No one would have believed, in the last months of 2008, that it would have been possible to stage this unique production at Trelissick Garden. No one could have dreamed that Jeff Wayne would have given permission for his iconic musical to be performed by a Cornish Amateur Dramatic Group. Few men even considered the possibility of staging such a project and yet, over the last twelve months, minds immeasurably imaginative regarded this production with creative eyes, and slowly and surely, put the show together.
War of the Worlds
Thanks to the vision of Chris Curtis and The National Trust, Trelissick Garden was the unique venue for the premiere by a Cornish company of Jeff Wayne’s musical version of ‘The War of The Worlds’. The commanding panoramic views of Falmouth, the Fal estuary and the open sea coupled with the superb collection of tender and exotic plants and extensive park, woodland and riverside walks made this a day to remember.
War of the WorldsWar of the Worlds
With and ensemble of over thirty actors, eight principal performers, acrobats, dancers, singers, and a Martian Fighting Machine it was an epic production. The story, based on the HG Wells novel, was acted out on the specially commissioned outdoor stage accompanied by a feast of lighting and pyrotechnics, which was enveloped by the eight piece band whose task was to bring the music to life.
War of the Worlds
Featuring the hit singles ‘Forever Autumn’, ‘The Eve of The War’ and ‘The Spirit of Man’ Jeff Wayne’s musical version of ‘The War of The Worlds’ is one of the best known albums in the world. Having recently celebrated its 30th anniversary an official tour has taken the musical to Holland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the length and breadth of the UK and now – under licence to the Carnon Downs Drama Group – to Feock, near Truro, in Cornwall!
