2008-2009

To celebrate the ECC’s 100th year, we are performing Cecily Hamilton’s Diana of Dobson’s, which is also celebrating its centenary.

The play is a comedy exploring the role of women at the beginning of the last century. It centres around Diana (Hilary Barry – Max Dix [ITG]), a shop girl who inherits a small fortune and decides to live a little of the good life. Mistaken for a wealthy widow, she soon attracts the attention of an older businessman (Richard Foxon – Journey’s End, Animal Farm) and a dashing but financially-challenged captain (Henri Colens – Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Café Theatre [ATC]).

The play has a talented and varied cast, mixing both new recruits to the Brussels stage and established actors, including Rose Blyth, Sara Hammerton, Alma Forsyth, Christianna Mason, Femke Beumer, Joanna Patrick, Bridget Peirson-Davis, Marion Tomkins, Guy Harrison & Attila Grózli-Nagy.

The play is directed by Conrad Toft, who also directed Accidental Death of an Anarchist, the ECC’s opening production of last season. Conrad says that this production “shows just how much and how little has changed in the last century; not only in attitudes to women but also in our ideas of society, wealth and, above all, comedy!”.

Performances will be on 7-11 October 2008 at the Warehouse Studio Theatre, Rue Waelhem 69A, 1030 Brussels (Trams 23, 33, 55, 92).

Tickets cost 14 euros (12 euros for groups of ten or more Tuesday to Thursday / ECC members) and can be booked online here.

The Irish Theatre Group is delighted to invite you to Nick Roche’s upcoming production of the Brian Friel play

‘Dancing at Lughnasa’

Monday 24 November – Saturday 29 November 2008 at 8pm

Warehouse Studio Theatre, Brussels

Tickets €14

“Ballybeg is off its head, I’m telling you”, says Kate, the prim, repressed head of the Mundy spinsters’ household, as she returns from shopping bearing tales of the forthcoming harvest dance and the fever of excitement it has ignited in the local town. When the five sisters themselves become deranged by the throbbing dance music which suddenly erupts from Marconi, their ‘goddamn bloody useless’ wireless set, we are launched upon a spiral of events which will transform the family home for ever.

Through the reminiscences of the middle-aged narrator, Michael, we share the wonder and bewilderment of his 7-year-old self, the illegitimate son of the youngest Mundy sister, as he relives the return of his Uncle Jack after 25 years in Africa and two unannounced visits from his father, a feckless charmer, just some of the convulsions unloosed by the summer of 1936.

Friel’s masterpiece combines a celebration of the human capacity for joy and passion with an aching expression of regret at the unfulfilled yearnings we all carry within us.

Come and enjoy a life-enhancing theatrical experience.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THE PLAY, DIRECTIONS AND TO RESERVE YOUR TICKETS, PLEASE VISIT

WWW.IRISHTHEATREGROUP.COM

you are cordially invited to

AN EVENING SHARED WITH FRIENDS

rehearsed staged readings of new plays at

The Warehouse Studio Theatre

Friday 5 December and Saturday 6 December 2008 at 19h45

SITTING IT OUT
written and directed by HUGH DOW

with Mary Pritchard and Abi Greef

THE CLOSEST THING TO CRAZY
written by ALMA FORSYTH

directed by Diana Morton-Hooper

with Barbara Blackwell, Mary Pritchard, Eileen Sutton, Alma Forsyth,

Tracie Ryan, Philip Deeks and Henri Colens

entry is free but you may make a contribution

to the Adopt a Brick Warehouse Fund

BOOK NOW by e mailing malinda_coleman@hotmail.com

Nurse Edith - 31 March to 4 April

Warehouse Studio Theatre, March 31st -April 4th 2009

Edith Cavell set up a nursing school in Brussels and ran a Red Cross hospital during the First World War. In the back room of her hospital she harboured Allied soldiers before being arrested and tried by the Germans. More than ninety years later her ghost ‘walks’ the corridors of the hospital named after her. Unsure of her legacy and desperate to unravel her story she enlists the help of Eva. This unlikely pair have more to offer each other than they know. ‘Edith’ is the story of a reluctant hero eager to change the way she is remembered.

Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter / Noel Coward’s Fumed Oak
Thursday 23 April, St. George’s Day, at 8 p.m.

Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter won 2nd Prize and the Stage Management prize at FEATS 1986. Steve Challens recreates the production, with a twist,
with Abi Greef and Rachel Cuff.

Coward’s Fumed Oak won 3rd Prize and Best Supporting Actress for Paula McGowan as Elsie at FEATS 1993. Diana Morton-Hooper recreates her production with her 1993 Mrs. Rocket, Diane Gray, who will be joined by Abi Greef as Doris Gow, Sara Murray as adenoidal Elsie and Richard Foxon as the worm who turns, Henry Gow.

Helene Hanff’s 84 Charing Cross Road
Friday 24 April at 8 p.m.

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff was the October 1992 production of the ECC staged at The British School.
Conrad Toft and Michelle van der Straaten recreate the characters of Frank Doel and writer Helene Hanff played by Nick Hartley and Ruth Lanzer in the 1992 production, and will be joined by Peter Finnigan, Sara Hammerton, Natacha Hesketh, and Joanna Patrick.

Ronald Harwood’s The Dresser
Saturday 25 April at 8 p.m.

Ronald Harwood’s The Dresser was directed by Richard Wells in November 1990 at the Treteaux Theatre. With just two changes of cast, the 1990 actors are still around and Richard Wells has gathered them together to recreate their roles in a blended version with snatches of video from that production. Join Nick Hartley as Sir, Diana Morton-Hooper as Her Ladyship, Lyn Wainwright as Madge, Philip Deeks as Geoffrey and Hilary Barry and Henri Colens in the roles of Irene and Oxenby originally played by Loretta Stanley and Christopher Nason. Nick Roche recreates his memorable portrayal of Norman, The Dresser.

The American Theatre Company presents

The ATC would like to invite you to a fun evening of food, drink, drama, music and improvisational comedy, including Riverside Drive by Woody Allen, directed by Christine Marchand. In addition, there will be food, music and improvisational comedy.

5-9 May 2009 at La Maison Blanche, Uccle, food from 7pm and performances from 8 p.m.
€25 for the performances and a light buffet supper / €15 for the performances only.

The Brussels Shakespeare presents

Love’s Labours Lost

Corroy-le-Château, 12-14 Jun 2009

This will be the usual summer, outdoor performance. This year we will perform one of Shakespeare’s comedies.

The Brussels United Theatre Technician Awards were organised by Martin Kirk to celebrate the 2008-2009 season of amateur English-language theatre in Brussels.

Continue reading →

And the nominees are …

With voting over and the final tally of all your votes completed (with no hanging chads I promise) here the shortlisted nominees for all twenty of the 2008-2009 BUTT awards in alphabetic order of award and then nominee. One of these in each category will receive a shiny Buttie on Saturday! See you there!

Actor – nominees (alphabetical order)

BALDWIN, John [Gerry, Michael’s father, Dancing at Lughnasa; Sidney Hopcraft, Absurd Person Singular]FOXTON, Richard [Sir Jabez Grinley, Diana of Dobsons; Scrooge, Christmas Carol; Ronald Brewster-Wright, Absurd Person Singular; Henry Gow, Fumed Oak – 100 Not Out] KHALLI, Mehran [Othello, A Christian Moor & General of the Armies, Othello] SPITERI, Marc [Hockstader, The Best Man] STEPHENSON, Patrick [Russell, The Best Man; Fred, Riverside Drive]

Actress – nominees (alphabetical order)

BARRY, Hilary [Diana Massingberd, Diana of Dobsons; Marion Brewster-Wright, Absurd Person Singular; Irene, The Dresser – 100 Not Out] ELLWANGER, Carrie [Mabel Cantwell, The Best Man; Various, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged] ENGLAND, Ruth [Various, Oscar and the Pink Lady] FORSYTH, Alma [Miss Pringle, Diana of Dobsons; Alice, An Evening Shared with Friends; Eva Jackson, Absurd Person Singular]

Alan Kenway Perserverance award – nominees (alphabetical order)

Barbara BLACKWELL Sue BOTTERELL Paul & Di GRAY Jim McKENNA

Audience Prize – – nominees (alphabetical order)

An Evening Shared with Friends – three dotty aunts Dancing at Lughnasa – Dancing on table Complete Works – Nick Plummer spitting Othello – Desdemona death scene

Best Show – nominees (alphabetical order)

Absurd Person Singular (ECC)Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged (ATC)Dancing at Lughnasa (ITG)Diana of Dobsons (ECC)The Best Man (ATC)

Costumes – nominees (alphabetical order of show)

Dancing at Lughnasa [Pat White]Diana of Dobsons [Iona Hamilton] Fiddler on the Roof [Barbara Campbell, Shelia Hewitt, Louise Lang, Sophie Mersch]Love’s Labour’s Lost [Shelia Hewitt, Deborah Griffith, Catriona White] The Best Man [Iona Hamilton]

Director – nominees (alphabetical order)

Challens, Steve [Compleat Works, Delyria]Morton-Hooper-Deeks, Diana [Absurd Person Singular]Toft, Conrad [Diana of Dobsons, 84 Charing Cross Road – 100 Not Out]Ryan, Tracie [Othello]

Front of House / Box Office – nominees (alphabetical order of show)

Christmas Carol (Sally Gillard & team)Dancing at Lughnasa (Catriona O’Neil)FEATS 2009 (Carrie Caunce, Miram Cooper & team)Othello (Janet Middleton)

Golden BUTT (for anything) – nominees (alphabetical order)

Sue Botterell – for putting up with us all Steve Challens – for unflagging energy FEATS 2009 organising team – for a fabulous FEATS Conrad Toft – for doing every job on or off stage

Lighting– nominees (alphabetical order of show)

Dancing at Lughnasa [Carsten Koester]Fiddler on the Roof [Jim McKenna, Richard Maddern] Riverside Drive [Lyn Wainwright] The Best Man [Barbara Daw, Jim McKenna]

Make up and Hair – nominees (alphabetical order of show)

Diana of Dobsons [Suzy Wild, Agnes Andrews]Fiddler on the Roof [Marion Bennett, Sarah Foley, Marjolein Gabel, Diane Gray, Paul Gray, Amanda Hicks, Solveig Jaspert, Maria Scott, Sara Skaerlund]Othello [Ruth Ivory, Tracie Ryan]The Best Man [Michelle Mildiner, Lisa Troch]

Musical Moment – nominees (alphabetical order – new award this season)

Absurd Person Singular – Crazed dancing at endCompleat Works – Moon songDelyria – Enchanted forestFiddler on the Roof – the fiddler on the roof

Newcomer award – nominees (alphabetical order)

Hilary BARRY Kevin BULLED Robin JEZAK Mehran KHALLI

Producer – nominees (alphabetical order)

CAUNCE, Carrie [Othello] LYDON, Kerry [The Best Man] MIDDLETON, Janet [Will and the Ghosts]SUTTON, Eileen [Dancing at Lughnasa]

Props– nominees (alphabetical order of show)

Absurd Person Singular [Eileen Sutton] Dancing at Lughnasa [Hilary Barry] Love’s Labour’s Lost [Andrea Theinert, Sherry Vosburgh] The Best Man [Rachel Holmes, Heidi Larsen]

Publicity Design– nominees (alphabetical order of show)

Absurd Person Singular [John Baldwin, Diana M-H Deeks, Harriet Mancy-Barratt, Conrad Toft] Compleat Works of Shakespeare [Conrad Toft]Diana of Dobsons [Conrad Toft]The Best Man [Freddy Colson, Lilian Eilers,]

Set design and/or construction – nominees (alphabetical order of show)

Absurd Person Singular [Philip Deeks, Marie Horner]Christmas Carol [Kevin Bulled, Steve Challens, Philip Deeks, Paul Gray, Christine Marchand, Conrad Toft]Diana of Dobsons [Roger Axford, Philip Deeks, Sacha Medak-Versavel, Conrad Toft]The Best Man [Ron Aston, Lucy Beaumont, Sue Botterell, Jackie Godfrey, Simeon Holdship, Christine Marchand, Pat Robinson, Joe Tancredi, Andrea Theinert, Glenn Vaughan]

Sound – nominees (alphabetical order of show)

Absurd Person Singular [Malcolm Hiseman] Christmas Carol [Anna Sparre] Compleat Works of William Shakespeare [Kevin Bulled & Malcolm Hiseman] Dancing at Lughnasa [Carsten Koester]Delyria [Steve Challens] Fiddler on the Roof [Richard Maddern]The Best Man [Hywell Jones]

Stage Management – nominees (alphabetical order)

Botterell, Sue [Diana of Dobsons, Absurd Person Singular & Loves Labours Lost (ASM)]Hiseman, Malcolm [The Best Man, Othello (Joint SM)] Ing, Andy [Compleat Works Shakespeare, FEATS 09]Kirk, Martin [Diana of Dobsons (ASM), Othello (Joint SM)]

Teamwork – nominees (alphabetical order)

Absurd Person SingularDelyriaDiana of DobsonsFEATS 2009 teamOthelloThe Best Man

Theatre in Brussels

English-language amateur theatre in and around Brussels

ECC: Diana of Dobson`s (7-11 Oct ’08)

ATC: The Best Man (28 Oct-1 Nov 2008)

BSS: Will and The Ghosts (11-15 Nov ’08)

ITG: Dancing at Lughnasa (24-29 Nov 2008)

ECC: An Evening With Friends (5-6 Dec ’08)

THE CLOSEST THING TO CRAZY
written by ALMA FORSYTH

ECC: A Christmas Carol (9-14 Dec ’08)

BSS: Othello (10-21 Feb ’09)

Absurd Person Singular (3-14 March ’09)

ECC: Animal Farm (11-15 March ’09)

ITG: Edith (31 Mar – 4 Apr ’09)

ECC: 100 Not Out (23-25 April ’09)

Café Theatre (ATC) – 5-9 May 2009

ECC: Feats 2009 (29 May – 1 June ’09)

BSS: Love’s Labours Lost (12-14 June ’09)

Private Lives (27-28 June ’09)

BUTT Awards 2008-09

buttie 08-09 nominees

THE CLOSEST THING TO CRAZYwritten by ALMA FORSYTH

THE CLOSEST THING TO CRAZY
written by ALMA FORSYTH