Garrick Production Dick Whittington Ran Invalid Date - Dec 16, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Without doubt our pantomimes prove to be more and more popular every year - and this one will be no different. Dick Whittington is one of the most popular of the pantomimes with some of our favourite characters - Dick and his cat, the Demon King Rat, Idle Jack and Jill and of course the Dame. The whole family is in for a traditional Christmas treat. Please book early to avoid disappointment. [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dickwhita.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dickwhitb.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dickwhitc.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dickwhitd.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dickwhite.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dickwhitj.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dickwhitg.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dickwhitf.jpg|"] Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Rising Damp Ran Invalid Date - Feb 7, 2014 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Rupert Rigsby is the moth-eaten landlord of a seedy lodging house in a nameless northern town. Among his tenants are Alan, Philip and Ruth. Alan and Philip provide the focus for Rigsby's many prejudices, while Ruth is his main object of desire. [gallery ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Rising-Damp-1.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Rising-Damp-2.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Rising-Damp-3.jpg|"] [gallery columns="5" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/risinga.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/risingb.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/risingc.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/risingd.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/risingf.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/risingg.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/risingh.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/risingj.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/risingk.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/risingl.jpg|"] CAST Rigsby Tony Turner Alan Andrew Higson Philip Jason Cole Ruth Julie Cunningham Sale & Altrincham Messenger's Review by Rick Bowen Rising to the challenge I have had a rubbish week, the commute from hell followed by the indignity of slipping on ice outside my son's school. Luckily he didn't see me end up on my backside, so I'm still, in his eyes, a cool dad. So, I went to the theatre on Tuesday night searching for a pick me up - no pun intended - and found it in Altrincham Garrick's production of Eric Chappell's sublime comedy, Rising Damp. A script containing some drop dead brilliant one liners is complemented by some fine acting from the strongest ensemble to grace the Barrington Road playhouse this season. The four strong cast have a look of their TV alter egos but what is really important, what is really impressive is the comic timing displayed by Tony Turner (Rigsby), Andrew Higson (Alan), Jason Cole (Philip) and Julie Cunningham who plays the breathy flirt, Miss Jones. The scene in which Rigsby tries to seduce the sultry spinster is comedy gold and even a bloke sat near me who had spent most of the evening with a face like a busted shoe, started laughing. The whole production is a testament to the considerable skills of director Bill Platt who obviously has a natural gift for comedy. Rising Damp was, for me, just what the doctor ordered as Trafford shivers its way into December. You simply must not miss this laugh out loud production. This is the best play of the season so far and the late, great Leonard Rossiter, who immortalised the miserly Rigsby on the small screen, would have been proud of all concerned. Star Rating ★★★★ ★ Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Previous Next Ken Weston Ken Weston was a local councillor and then Mayor of Trafford - but the Garrick members will remember him best as a staunch and regular supporter. Ken appeared on television in Coronation Street , but only occasionally graced the Garrick stage. At the Garrick he was a wonderful addition to the Front of House department (sometimes working as the Front of House Manager) and was a good friend to many. See also this tribute to Ken from the Manchester Evening News of November 2013. Back to In Memoriam page

Garrick Production 42nd Street Ran Invalid Date - Jun 2, 2014 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description This spectacular musical is the truly inspiring story of small-town girl, Peggy Sawyer and her meteoric rise from chorus line to Broadway star. Based on the original film starring Ruby Keeler, this feel good show boasts the immortal numbers, 'We're in the money', 'The Lullaby of Broadway', 'Keep young and beautiful' and the spectacular title number '42nd Street'. It's not all plain sailing for Peggy, who has to contend with the fiery director Julian Marsh, but as Julian reminds him before the opening night- 'You are going out there a girl, but you are coming back a star! This show has won many accolades over the years, so whether it's your first time or umpteenth time- 'come and meet those dancing feet, on the avenue I'm taking you to- 42nd Street!' [gallery type="rectangular" columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DSC_8418.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DSC_8394-2.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DSC_8348.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DSC_8309.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DSC_8267.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DSC_8476.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DSC_8461.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DSC_8208.jpg|"] CAST Dorothy Brock, a Broadway star Vicki Stott Peggy Sawyer, young talented and hopeful Megan-Hollie Robertson Julian Marsh, a Broadway show director Charlie Tomlinson Maggie Jones, author of "Pretty Lady Laura Chandler Bert Barry, co author of "Pretty Lady" Paul Wilson Billy Lawlor, a juvenile lead Sam Jones Pat Denning, Dorothy's secret lover Richard Ross Abner Dillon, a rich business man Richard Sails Andy Lee, the dance director Michael Byer s Mac, A stage manager Elliot Horler Ann Reilly, a young starlet Anysia Bramante-Waring Ethel, a performer Jessica Hill Phyllis, a performer Stephanie Haighton Lorraine, a performer Olivia Lindley Gladys, a performer Victoria Davies Winnie, a performer Shannon Platt Jack, assistant to the director Jack Hales Two thugs David Burilin Elliot Horler Doctor James Bowling The ensemble of "Pretty Lady" Members of the company Creative Team Choreographer Debbie Norris Musical Director. Simon Murray Set designed by Barry Fletcher and Mandy Cooke Costumes designed by Mike Shaw Costumes made by the Garrick Wardrobe Assistant choreographer Jessica Hill Construction by Peter Jackson [gallery columns="6" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-01.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-02.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-03.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-04.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-05.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-06.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-07.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-08.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-09.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-10.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-11.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/42nd-Street-Reh-12.jpg|"] Messenger Review by Rick Bowen - 'Sensational 42nd Street at Altrincham Garrick' Dance heaven - 42nd Street ALTRINCHAM Garrick's 42nd Street is an amateur production in name alone, performed by a company that was simply born to sing and dance. Even on a miserable Monday masquerading as the first day of summer, it left the audience with that floating on air feeling, this absorbing and warmly funny tale of a chorus girl whose simply a star in waiting. Under the inspired direction of executive producer Paul Kerryson this show simply couldn't fail. Garrick members must have been rubbing their hands when he agreed to join the theatre and he particularly excels when it comes to musicals, bringing the best out of a cast who give the distinct impression they don't want to leave the stage. The dance routines are slick, stylish and sensual and for this I must praise choreographer Deborah Norris for bringing us some sensational tap numbers. It feels like magic is coasting through the feet of the dancers, who make it look oh so easy. Megan-Hollie Robertson makes a perfect Peggy Sawyer, battling against the fading star Dorothy Brock as she dreams of stardom. As the diva like Brock, Vicki Clarkson has a terrific voice and both wouldn't sound out of place on a professional stage. Then there's the ever watchable Charlie Tomlinson as the demanding director Julian Marsh. Not so much a tough taskmaster, more the tough taskmaster's more demanding twin brother. Add some classic showstoppers like Lullaby of Broadway and You're In The Money, and you have the complete musical package. So, why were there some empty seats on Monday night. Productions as brilliant as this should have people beating down the box office door. The best musical I've ever seen in Trafford by a street, a 42nd Street. Star Rating ★★★★ ★ Remotegoat.com Review - 'A Happy Tapping Show' As always, the Garrick breaks up for the summer with a show to remember. This time, it's the happy, tapping 42nd Street with Al Dubin's lyrics and Harry Warren?s music. It rattles along with a live, on stage band led by Simon Murray and a troop of well-choreographed dancers. The show keeps you on a high throughout. It amazes me how the Garrick, can with apparent ease, find ten lively, competent, people who don't just dance but sing simultaneously. And what wonderful songs they sing. Songs which never date such as We're in the Money, Shuffle off to Buffalo and Lullaby of Broadway are just a few, not to mention the show stopping title song.? The thin plot centres on chorus girl Peggy Sawyer who steps into the breach when ageing star Dorothy Brock breaks an ankle in Pretty Lady, the show within the show that must go on at all costs. Megan-Hollie Robertson is well cast as the lively, light-hearted Peggy, the girl whose dreams come true. The other leading lady, Vicki Clarkson's Dorothy has no more dreams to dream. Her show-biz career is over. Clarkson takes us through her descending journey. Her rendering of I only have Eyes for You is tear jerking and indicates that love is more important than success. She proves it by marrying her true love, Pat Denning (Richard Ross). The task of keeping Pretty Lady on the road falls to dynamic Charlie Tomlinson as Julian Marsh, its director. His main aim is 'The show must go on' and he becomes frustrated when this aim is in doubt. His singing of 42nd Street is delightful. Director Paul Kerryson?s professional touch proves to be a winning one. 'With Mike Shaw's imaginative costume design, this happy production is one to remember. Star Rating ★★★★ Entertianment Manchester - Review by Chris Oatway It is always difficult to have an open mind with a show you have a preconception of having performing in it twice yourself, but I tried with Altrincham Garrick's latest offering of 42nd Street and really enjoyed what I saw. Having also performed in the show at that very same theatre in the previous production by Trafford Margaretians, it was hard to side-step the impression that there were quite a few changes to the script, and indeed a few of the songs (showstopper 'I Only Have Eyes For You' from the film Dames, replacing 'I Know Now' at the end of the bar scene). Nonetheless, it is the whole experience that makes a show and with the demand for strong dancing - particularly tap - and the portrayal of vanity, despair, love, aspiration and ambition, the show offered these in bundles, mainly through talents of students from Chester's The Hammond School, as well as society regulars. Following the insight of renown theatre director Julian Marsh (Charlie Tomlinson), the show begins at the 'audition tap' where we meet choreographer Andy Lee (Michael Byers) and a group of enthusiastic and ambitious young 'chorines' each wanting to get into Marsh's latest show 'Pretty Lady', written by duo Maggie Smith (Laura Chandler) and Bert Barry (Paul Wilson) and funded by Kiddie Car'tycoon Abner Dillon (Richard Sails), who is also sugar daddy to 'has been' leading lady Dorothy Brock (Vicki Clarkson) who still has feelings for her vaudeville partner Pat Denning (Richard Ross). Late-comer to the audition is 'young and healthy' Peggy Sawyer (Megan-Hollie Robertson) of Allen Town Pennsylvania who bumps in to leading man and 'one of Broadway's better juvenile tenors' Billy Lawlor (Sam Jones) who reassures her that she will gain a place in the show, but Andy won't 'audition [her] unless he's got no choice'. Off they go with a duet of singing and dancing before Mr Marsh arrives at the theatre to welcome the successful chorus members of his show. He realises he is 'shy one girl' and so turns to 'the first girl [he] meets on the street' in the form of Peggy. Later in the show Dorothy accidently trips over after being 'pushed' by Peggy during a dance routine and Marsh causing Pretty Lady to close. The female supporting cast of 'Anytime Annie' Reilly (Anysia Bramante-Wareing), Gladys (Victoria Davies), Winnie (Shannon Platt) and Phyllis (Stephanie Haighton) propose that talented newcomer Peggy be considered to fill the leading part and, with no other option, he agrees, forcing her to learn the whole show in a matter of hours. With comedy playing a big part throughout the show, the strongest musical parts of the show, as well as some of the solos, have to be the group vocal pieces with a welcomed section during ?Dames? from David Burilin. Choreography from Deborah Norris and Jessica Hill (who also plays Ethel) is well thought out and most matches that of the original and subsequents but it was not always in sync, when it was it became the highlights of the show.?With a beautiful art deco set, in which MD Simon Murray?s 10-piece band were encased, was nice even when closed to provide an indoor setting for the dressing room and scenes but I did miss the iconic steps and railway bridge which I think could have still been included above the band. The whole stage was utilised as were the doors around the auditorium which occasionally detracts from the scenes on stage. As the show follows the progress and transitions of a Broadway show from rehearsal to theatre before theatre to theatre, you can?t fail to mention the likes of Stage Manager Mac (Elliot Horler) and Jack (Jack Hales) - not a double act! - Who both double up as dancers (Elliot also taking on the role of a Thug and Doctor) and contribute to the 'backstage' sense. Directed by the theatre?s figurehead Creative Director Paul Kerryson, overall a good show that 'should' be a sell out, so you better get your tickets for at least one of the remaining 7 performances of its run. Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Man and the Moment Ran Invalid Date - Dec 16, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description An intriguingly comic tale of an organised re-union between bank robber Vic Parks and Douglas Beechey, the timid bank cashier who sixteen years previously "had a go" and foiled Vic's attempts to rob his bank. Set in the flash Costa del Crime home of Vic - now a Media Personality and celebrity - TV producer Jill Rillington is making a documentary on the lines of "Where are they now?". What happens when they meet? And is Douglas inspired to "have another go" and become Man of the Moment once again? Master manipulator Alan Ayckbourn entertains us yet again. CAST Bryn Thomas as Vic Parks Dave Midgeley as Douglas Beechey Janet Slade as Jill Rillington Marina Anderson as Trudy Parks Dina Casket-Stewart as Cindy Parks Toby Rothwell as Kenny Collins Amy Gerraghan as Sharon Griffin Bill Renshaw as Ruy Julie Broadbent as Marta Ben Rothwell as Ashley Barnes Rehearsal photos [gallery ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/manmomentj.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/manmomenti.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/manmomente.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/manmomentd.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/manmomentc.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/manmomentb.jpg|"] A special THANK YOU to WORLD OF WATER, TIMPERLEY for the swimming pool Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Rough Justice Ran Invalid Date - Dec 11, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description No information available at this time Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Jumpers for Goalposts By Tom Wells Ran Invalid Date - Nov 1, 2021 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description A hilarious and heart-warming comedy about football, friendship and finding your way. “Barely Athletic” are part of a four-team five-a-side LGBTQ+ football league which Viv, their bullish head coach, is desperate to win. Or if they can’t win, at least they should try not to lose. Chucked out of the “Lesbian Rovers” for being too bossy, she desperately tries to instil some competitive spirit into the boys. Problem is, Beardy Geoff is copping off with the opposition, Danny is nursing a painful secret, Luke only joined because he fancies Danny and Viv’s brother-in-law Joe is trying to cope with his grief after losing his wife. Together, they might just be able to claw back up from the bottom of the league… Tom Wells’ drama bears the hallmarks of his warm comedic style, which were displayed in his previous hit play “The Kitchen Sink”, and is a paean to the virtues of friendship and love. Jumpers for Goalposts premiered at Watford Palace Theatre in 2013, before touring the UK, including a run at the Bush Theatre, London. Warning: Strong language .............................. Altrincham Garrick Playhouse is proud to support Since 1985, George House Trust has been inspiring people living with HIV to live healthy, confident lives by providing HIV support, advice and advocacy services. For more information email: talk@ght.org.uk -------------------- Review by Rick Bowen at Stagestruck JUMPERS For Goalposts will, on the evidence of Monday night’s performance, attract a different, younger audience. For far too many years Altrincham Garrick has been seen as a safe night out for older people and the appointment of artistic director Joseph Meighan, a dynamic and adventurous twenty something, is about to change that misguided perception. A quiet revolution is taking place on Barrington Road and it feels so exciting and exhilarating to be part of it. But this theatre is working hard to get the message across that the Garrick is a theatre for everybody. All power to their elbow, say I. Jumpers for Goalposts follow the misfortunes of Barely Athletic, a five-a-side team largely made up of gay men who struggle with the basics of the beautiful game. This doesn’t stop Viv, their straight talking coach with a very short fuse, encouraging her clueless charges to try to win the league in which they play. It’s certainly a league with a difference – one team plays in drag! The play takes place in the club’s dressing room, an ideal backdrop for writer Tom Wells to delve into the private lives of the players, including a burgeoning relationship between Danny and Luke. Danny carries a secret that he feels unable to share with the child like Luke, a lovable geek and a study in social awkwardness. Joe Meighan, who directs this engaging, absorbing and heart-warming comedy must have thought all his birthdays had come at once when Dan Ellis and Mason Lockwood turned up to audition for these roles. If anyone was ever born to play these parts it’s these two actors and Lockwood, who gets the funniest lines as Luke, displays a sense of comic timing that is simply second to none. Beverley Stuart-Cole is highly believable as Viv, Sebastian Farrell is also enjoyable as the team’s token straight man Joe, aka the keeper who couldn’t catch a cold and Lewis Sewell is perfect as the crackpot Beardy Geoff. Throughout the production the cast convinces the audience they’re watching a real football team, complete with the personality clashes you find in all organisations, sporting or otherwise. They say football is a game of two halves and that old adage can certainly be applied to Jumpers for Goalposts, with the best one liners saved for the second half. While this play contains some strong language it’s in context and gives the play a realistic feel. It’s sure to strike a chord with anyone whose set foot inside a sports club’s dressing room while not alienating those who haven’t. Great fun, with a dash of poignancy thrown in. Until May 14. Tickets are available from 0161 928 1677. Star rating - **** In aid of The George House Trust. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Free Car Parking. Cosy Bar. Great Prices. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production The Hollow Ran Jan 20, 2003 - Jan 25, 2003 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Weekend at "The Hollow", country retreat of Sir Henry and Lucy Angkatell. Murder is on the menu and when the much sought after Cristow is found dead everyone has a motive and everyone has had the opportunity. Who actually committed the murder is discovered by Inspector Colquhoun and Sergeant Penny to everyone's surprise and satisfaction. CAST Sarat Broughton as Henrietta Angkatell Geoff Hinde as Sir Henry Angkatell KCB Jane Marsh as Lady Angkatell Juliette Wilson as Midge Harvey Brian Stoner as Gudgeon Richard Frost as Edward Angkatell Lisa Barker as Doris Caroline Hickey as Gerda Cristow John Keen as John Cristow MD FRCP Nina Williamson as Veronica Craye Hugh Everett as Inspector Colquhoun Martin Creevy as Detective Sergeant Penny Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Cluedo Date range Tickets £14 - £19.50 Age guidance Venue Main House Trigger warning Find out more Book now Running time TBC Group bookings Find out more Accessibility Find out more Written by Sandy Rustin. Based on the Paramount Pictures Motion Picture and the Hasbro Board Game. Directed by Nick Sample. The hilarious whodunnit play! It’s a dark and stormy night, and you’ve been invited to a very unusual dinner party. Each of the guests has an alias, the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well . . . dead. So whodunnit? Join the iconic oddballs known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard as they race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor before the body count stacks up. Based on the cult classic film and the popular board game, Cluedo is a madcap comedy that will keep you guessing until the final twist. Murder and blackmail are on the menu! Based on the Screenplay by Jonathan Lynn Additional Material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price “CLUEDO is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service Collection. (www.dramatists.com ) Garrick Production Book Tickets Wed 15 Oct Last few left 00:00 Show more times Trailer Reviews Gallery Friends of the Garrick Become a Friend of the Garrick! You can buy discounted tickets and support your local theatre. Become a Friend Now Join our mailing list Subscribe

Garrick Production The Madness of George III Ran Invalid Date - Jun 9, 2015 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Alan Bennett's award winning play is a terrific mix of terror, comedy and tragedy. This is the true story of a king's perceived eccentric behaviour and declining mental state and equally declining relationship with his son and heir which threatens the institution of the monarchy itself. Political intrigues and attempts to reverse the state of the king's insanity desperately try to fend off the Princes's attempts to seize the throne. The insatiable fascination with the royal family and their domestic problems continues to the present day. The original National Theatre production was so successful both in London and New York, that it was also made into an enduringly popular film. Alan Bennett is one of the worlds best loved playwrights whose many credits include The History Boys, The Lady in the Van ?and Talking Heads. [gallery ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5776.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5650.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5577.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5544.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5424.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5867.jpg|" orderby="rand"] CAST Nick Sample - King George Sarat Broughton - Queen Charlotte Peter Brassington - George, Prince of Wales Tom Oliver - Frederick, Duke of York Megan Royle - Lady Pembroke/Margaret Nicholson Steven Finney - William Pitt Steve Williamson - Lord Thurlow, the Lord Chancellor Ewan Henderson - Dundas Dan Lockett - Charles Fox Simon Liversidge - Richard Brinsley Sheridan Martin Oldfield - Dr Willis Dave Midgley - Sir George Baker Dave Richardson - Dr Richard Warren Bryan Higgins - Sir Lucas Pepys/Sir Boothby Skrymshir Anthony Morris - Fitzroy Lewis Kirk - Greville Leon McKenna - Papandiek Alex Hewitt - Fortnum/Ramsden Chris Simmons - Braun RICK BOWEN'S Review NickSample's performance in The Madness of George III represents a high water mark for both Altrincham Garrick but for amateur theatre in general. We share ever second of the monarch's mental and physical torment as he embarks on a heart breaking battle against an illness that mystifies both the medics, his family and his courtiers. But he's also a master of the put down and Sample is equally accomplished when it comes to putting across the lighter elements of Alan Bennett's sublime script. I also like the way this superb play humanises the royals an there are some touching, tender scenes to enjoy between King George and Queen Charlotte, so well played by Sarat Broughton. They come across as, shock horror, real people, warts and all. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a dry and highbrow piece of theatre. There are plenty of laughs to be had at the expense of the establishment and the king's outbursts of irreverence. The most difficult scenes involve a medical treatment that verges on sadism, scenes that, even after watching the film version starring the mighty Nigel Hawthorne, make my stomach turn over. Director Celia Bonner has a major triumph on here hands here. Steven Finney impresses yet again and I really liked Peter Brassington as the scheming stuffed shirt, George, Prince of Wales. The ever watchable Martin Oldfield is perfect in the role of Dr Francis Willis. It would be a travesty if The Madness of George III doesn't play to packed houses and anyone who refuses to go should be sent to the Tower. Star Rating ★★★★★ MESSENGER REVIEW - by Julia Taylor The Madness of George III is too good to be missed. Like old King Coal, George III is a merry old soul affectionately calling his wife, delightfully played by Sarat Broughton, Mrs King. That is until he contracts Porphyria which slowly drives him mad. It all happens at Altrincham Garrick Playhouse in Celia Bonner's unforgettable production of Alan Bennett's play - one of their best. In their eighteenth century ignorance, doctors inflict ineffective and tortuous remedies upon the poor King. Yet he is sane when he loses the American colonies , an event which concerns him so much he won?t talk about it. There is a scheming opposition party plot to make vain George, the eldest of many children, Prince Regent. Nick Sample's performance is one that will go down in the Garrick's history as special. Indeed, he shows true genius. He makes the monarch his own, illustrating the King's pleasant side as well as reacting with heart rending shrieks to the terror and pain inflicted on him after slowly going mad. It means being burnt, purged and laced in a straight jacket by his tormenting doctors. In outstanding dramatic moments, he stutters, mutters obscenities, swears, talks incessantly, and falls to the ground, groaning. The only doctor with common sense is Dr Francis Willis, played in another exceptional performance, by Garrick veteran, Martin Oldfield. Others worthy of mention are Peter Brassington as son, George, Steven Finney as William Pitt, and Meg Royle as Lady Pembroke who gently rebuffs the King's lustful advances. The elaborate eighteenth century costumes, themed in black and white, are a credit to Mike Shaw and his team. Star Rating ★★★★★ Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production The 39 Steps Ran Invalid Date - Jul 24, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description The 39 Steps as you've never seen it before in this brilliant, Olivier Award Winning, comic adaptation. This blissfully funny show follows the incredible adventures of our handsome hero, Richard Hanney, complete with stiff-upper lip, British gung-ho and pencil moustache as he encounters dastardly murders, double-crossing agents, and, of course, devastatingly beautiful women. This wonderfully inventive comedy thriller features four fearless actors, playing 139 roles in 100 breath-taking minutes of fun and thrilling action. Seen at the Garrick two seasons ago this popular production demanded a place in the 100th season! If you missed it first time you won't want to miss out again. [gallery ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-51.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-81.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-31.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-11.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-91.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-21.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-61.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-41.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-71.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-2.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-8.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-9.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-3.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-4.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-7.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-6.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-5.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-39-Steps-1.jpg|"] CAST Richard Hannay - Sean Duvall Annabella Schmidt/Pamela/Margaret - Stephanie Niland Clown - Barry Spencer Clown - Scott Ransome Prompt - Margaret Leslie ASM - Ros Greenwood ASM - Clare Gresty 'Saw 'the 39 steps' on Monday with friends .... It was my first visit to the Garrick Playhouse & I was hugely impressed by the venue, organisation, play, and especially to the 4 actors involved. Great entertainment, visuals, energy levels, use of humour & involvement with the audience, all those involved should be immensely proud. ?Thanks for a great night. 'Saw it last night - absolutely the funniest play I've ever seen - well done to all the actors and backstage staff!!' 'Just saw The 39 Steps at @AltrinchamG . My cheeks ache from laughing so hard! It's brilliant!!' "Such a fantastic evening tonight, this to me... Along with Fur Coat And No Knickers was the funniest show I've ever seen, all four actors were amazing and so talented, what a performance! Once again brilliant night, cannot wait for the next show" 'Tears rolling down my face at @AltrinchamG Go and see " The 39 Steps" - a brilliantly comic take on a Hollywood thriller. Pure quality!' and actually sent to us DURING the interval!... @AltrinchamG It is hilarious! Well done to all involved. Really enjoying it ;-) Finally from one of the members of the cast... "And so it ends. Sadly our short rerun of The 39 Steps has ended. If you missed it then I suspect that all the team will happily repeat it again soon. Thanks to an amazing crew, director and cast." Messenger Review By Julia Taylor The 39 Steps - the Best Production in Years It's only two years since the Garrick presented The 39 Steps. By popular demand, and with the original cast, they're repeating it in their centenary season. John Buchan's novel about dastardly murders, double-crossing agents and beautiful women, seen in an Alfred Hitchcock film, is adapted for stage by Patrick Barlow. The play is, again, directed by Andrew Close, who makes this the best Garrick production for years. This time, the script even includes the names of all 53 Hitchcock films! Our hero, Sean Duvall, is a moustached and Brylcreemed Richard Hannay, who heads for the Highlands to avoid arrest. His funniest scene is when, in handcuffs. he makes a satirical political speech. With unstoppable energy and a stiff upper lip, he runs around at a furious pace. Barry Spencer and Scott Ransome move even faster. Between them they play 153 characters, quickly changing both outfits and facial expressions, becoming both sexes, goodies and baddies, speaking with Scottish accents, and using exaggerated body language and mime. You feel exhausted just watching their breathtaking skill especially when they play four characters at once! Stephanie Niland is the femme fatale who draws Hannay into her web. She also plays two other women and obviously enjoys roles more suited to a James Bond film. She?s a talented actress who understands the play's comic cut nature. If you saw it before, come again. You won't regret it. Star Rating ★★★★★ Remotegoat Review of The 39 Steps by Julia Taylor Frenetic Comedy never loses it's Allure It's only two years since the Garrick presented The 39 Steps. By popular demand, and with the original cast, they are repeating it in their centenary season. John Buchan's novel about dastardly murders, double-crossing agents and beautiful women, used in a film version by Alfred Hitchcock, is adapted for stage by Patrick Barlow. The play is again directed by Andrew Close who, last time, stepped in at short notice. He ensures the correct frenetic pace in one of the best productions I've seen in a long time. Our hero is Sean Duvall, a moustached and Brylcreemed Richard Hannay who flees London for the Highlands to escape arrest. I love his energy and the lip which remains stiff as he races from place to place at a furious pace. The timing is even faster for Barry Spencer and Scott Ransome. Between them they play 153 parts, popping up all over the place wearing different outfits and wigs, speaking with pronounced Scottish accents, and using exaggerated body language. You feel exhausted just watching them especially when they play four characters at once! The play illustrates three modes of transport in an innovative way. The first is a model plane on a fishing rod which emulates the real thing. It crashes and is replaced by two miniature parachutes. Then comes the steam train, largely shown by mime, and, finally, a car consisting of four chairs and a lectern. All good fun. Stephanie Niland is the femme fatale who draws Hannay into her web. She also effectively plays two other women and obviously enjoys roles more suited to a James Bond film. The small cast give their all but, on this occasion, I should mention John Newton in charge of props. Without his expertise in providing guns and other vital equipment at breakneck speed, the expertise of the cast would be wasted. If you saw it before, come again. It?s even better this time. Star Rating ★★★★★ NODA Review by Kevin Proctor This is a frivolously hilarious and terribly British upper class farce with an intelligent wit encountering murder, secret agents and pretty ladies set to a backdrop of the 1930's. Based on John Buchan's novel and the highly regarded Hitchcock film version, 'The 39 Steps' is adapted by Patrick Barlow and performed by a stellar cast of just four. My favourite aspect of this production is how it's hinted as though the actors play actors who're in a slightly feeble production of 'The 39 Steps' - The apologetic asides to the audience which say 'Yep, can you believe we've 'really' been told to do' this !'? and the embarrassment on the players faces when an actor is perhaps overdosing on 'ham' were all touches of genius! Director, Andrew Close, has worked wonders on this production. I very much appreciated his own inclusions put into the piece, particularly how he'd (just for fun) introduced as many Hitchcock titles into the text which added even more chuckles, some of which were quite ingenious, my personal favourite being 'Mr & Mrs Waltzes from Vienna! particularly after wondering How will they manage to sneak that one in!? This production is silly in the very best sense of the word causing many involuntary chuckles, snorts and giggles - but for some reason this play really does work as a terrific piece of theatre with its stiff-upper-lip manner, the not so staggering special effects which are greatly shameless yet creative, not forgetting the false over acting and prop / set chaos all adding to the endless fun and havoc! The duo of 'clowns' provide masses of characterisations aptly presented by Scott Ransome and Barry Spencer who both appeared to be in their element with this production, they instantly set the tone and kept the show moving installing its pace with their quick-fire changes and tight verbal tennis skills making this pair a very impressive turn. Stephanie Niland smoulders as the femme fatale in each scene, excellently providing a cascade of short lived characters after her impromptu early death she brought glamour and romance to the show with bursts of film noir and Hollywood 1930's lushness. Sean Duvall suitably portrays the man on the run; Richard Hannay, the only constant in the ever changing world of variables. His charm and charisma holds the audience?s attention throughout while he juggles the tone of the play perfectly, wonderfully done! The visuals are central to the hilarity. Every set change, effected by the cast (regardless of how unwilling they may be), is turned into an event, from a hilarious sequence with a movable lamppost to endless window and door manoeuvres all engages the audience deeper into the whirlwind and magic! Although this production does have countless strong advances in its favour I do feel I need to mention the show ran quite long (coming down at 10:30pm) and technically, on occasion, players were performing out of light but - no qualms about it, this spoofy spy thriller made a jolly good evening of theatrical tomfoolery entertainment! Congratulations Altrincham Garrick! [gallery columns="5" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/12865866303_30740774cc_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/12865869793_84b499eaa2_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/12865870143_9a93387e0f_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/12865870733_2d83da0da5_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/12866214104_2ec0c37c55_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/12866214274_c785c60a9f_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/12866215584_f51e644649_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/12866218014_99a11a5ab1_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/12866218814_4d96a0d8ac_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/12866219464_35df2c38f1_z.jpg|"] Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Romeo and Juliet Ran Invalid Date - Jun 20, 2016 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description In a world of music, fame and money, Shakespeare's classic play about love is brought to life in a brand new telling. The Montague and Capulet families are embroiled in a long-running feud and the hatred seems to be impossible to shift. When Romeo, a Montague, attends a Capulet ball in disguise, he falls in love with the beautiful Juliet, and she returns the love. A secret marriage takes place between the two young lovers, but happiness and harmony are not quite in reach as circumstances and fate continue to keep them apart. Perhaps one of the most famous plays of all time will be brought to the main stage in 2016, marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DSC_6494.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DSCF0817.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DSCF0704.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DSC_6651.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DSC_6829.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DSC_6882.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DSC_7069.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DSC_7110.jpg|"] CAST Friar Laurence - Mark Butt Juliet Capulet - Becky Myers Romeo Montague - Haroun Al Jeddal Nurse - Beverley Stuart-Cole Lady Capulet - Sarah Roberts Lord Capulet - Geoff Holman Lord Montague - Steve Williamson Lady Montague - Sandy McGuire Prince Escalus - John Westbrook Count Paris - Harry Jackson Mercutio - Tom Oliver Tybalt - Jackson Hayes Benvolio - James London Sampson - Kathryn Morris Gregory - Ben Hanley Balthazar - Emily Sibley Abram - Aidan Burgess Chorus - Barry Purves Chorus of singers, musicians and fighters, Tabitha Hughes, Rebecca Hanley, Ella Kirk, Tara Kitson, Sam Hey, Lara Hancox, Matthew Spilsbury, Simon Liversidge, Olivia Newhouse, Jack Gibson, Michael Twigg, Daniel McDwyer, Chis Wagstaff ASM - Sue Berry [gallery columns="6" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3759.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3764.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3763.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3762.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3770.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3769.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3768.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3767.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3765.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3766.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3761.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_3771.jpg|"] REVIEW by Julia Taylor for Altrincham and Sale Messenger Romeo and Juliet production leaps to life at Altrincham Garrick I HAVE never seen a Shakespeare play move an audience so much as Joe Meighan's production of Romeo and Juliet at Altrincham Garrick. Joe has used imagination to create a play that, while sticking to Shakespeare's immortal words, uses modern dress, and a moral to make this play, presented 400 years after Shakespeare's death, leap to life. Set at the millennium, the Montagues and Capulets run rival record companies. The striking feature is the fight scenes. We have a huge battle at the start which is nothing compared with the stag-like conflicts between Tybalt (Jackson Hayes) and Mercutio (Tom Oliver) who dies. In revenge, Romeo kills Tybalt in another violent fight. These fights are graphic, disturbing, full of anger and, at times, even clumsy but they are realistic. Added to this, the 23-year-old director has introduced music including a remarkable unaccompanied harmony. Juliet was originally 13 but Joe has realistically upped her age to 16. Rebecca Myers, who plays her, is only 17. She gives a passionate performance as she and 17-year-old Haroun Al Jeddal illustrate how life?s strongest emotion, love, can overcome body and mind. The part of Juliet's nurse is interesting, made more so by Beverley Stuart-Cole. Deeply caring of Juliet, she adds ripples of humour. Mark Butt's Friar Laurence is played well as a wise mediator. The surprise ending makes you realise that attitudes, unchanged since the sixteenth century, need changing. Star rating ★★★★★ Review by Rick Bowen for Stagestruck DYNAMIC young director Joseph Meighan returns to the Trafford stage with a Romeo and Juliet for the Internet generation. But despair not - oldies like me certainly didn't feel excluded from a production with a soundtrack of pop songs. If I have a criticism I think the opening fight scene was a little over done, descending into comedy by the end. This is, after all, a play about two rival. feuding families who hate the bones of each other. JM is a very promising talent and the fact that Romeo and Juliet are close to the age they're meant to be gives the classic teen love story added authenticity. The two leads struggle to keep a lid on their emotions when Cupid's arrow strikes. Haroun Al Jeddal's Romeo is very much "one of the boys" and his performance is sure to strike a chord with the teenagers in the theatre - there were nearly 100 in the auditorium on Monday night - and those of us who can just about remember what it felt like to be young. With Rebecca Myers (Juliet) there are some memorable scenes to enjoy and the duo perfectly capture the awkwardness and emotional highs of young love. After seeing this production I really hope we see more of Geoff Holman on the Garrick stage for, as Juliet's tyrant of a father Lord Capulet, he is outstanding. The scene in which he rips into his daughter is quite frightening, as she dares to go against his marital decree. Don't be a stranger Geoff - you have a very strong stage presence. Any production that features Barry Purves as its designer is always something to write home about and he delivers yet again with a set that's a positive visual treat. What the purists will make of this I don't know and don't really care as live theatre is forever evolving. It's also a welcome return to Mark Butt whose Friar Laurence seems to have converted to Buddhism. Looking like he's dropped off a 60's album cover, Mark gives a very credible performance as a character full of eloquent authority - Star rating ★★★ Review by Mark Dee for North West End I suppose that one must come to accept that modern adaptations, reworkings and updatings of Shakespeare are not only acceptable but preferable to both modern actors and audiences. My personal feeling towards this is that if the work is to be changed to bring it more 'up-to-date', then don't just change the setting and the costumes, but the language also needs to change too... in other words, do as Shakespeare himself did with most of his plays... find a good story already in existence, and then write your own version. West Side Story is a classic example. A contemporary Musical set in New York using original dialogue and song. All too often do I see a modern interpretation of a Shakespeare play to find that the spoken word is at odds with action and costume. And so whilst the themes of Shakespeare's plays way well be timeless, the setting and language certainly are not. I am very happy to report then that despite my misgivings, Joseph Meighan's reworking and adapting of possibly Shakespeare's most famous play, and certainly his most universal, works really quite well indeed. And in a year that marks the 400th anniversary of the death of the great man himself, and with countless Shakespeare productions happening throughout the year, productions of his work this year especially need to have something different about them to make them stand out. This did, and did. I feel certain that I do not need to tell anyone the storyline, do I? However tonight's setting was Fair Verona, a nightclub, a short while before the 2000 Millennium chimes, and we could be very 'artsy' and say that perhaps the chimes of the new year were also the tragic death knells for our ill-fated protagonists. Although once the prologue had been spoken and the action moved away from the rather BGT-style opening, the Fair Verona sign should have been moved since we never returned to this nightclub again. The set was both excellent and constrictive at one and the same time. Consisting of a raised triangular dais centre stage upon which majority of the acting for each scene took place and two walls angled outwards either side at the same angle as the lengths of the triangle and lit with magentas and reds with occasional green light tubes appearing it was non-naturalistic and ultra-modern. Doors, windows, cabinets etc all were cleverly 'hidden' within these two wall flats and were operated seamlessly and quietly every time. The problem with Shakespeare's plays in general is that there are many scenes, often very short scenes, and this can be a director's and designer's nightmare. Here. however, director Joseph Meighan had chosen to incorporate into his cast a 'chorus' of young actors and actresses to sing some songs at opportune moments throughout the play, and it was these performers who also acted very much like background artists on a film set, filling out the scenes as necessary, and also bringing on and taking off the items of set and design for each scene. The scene changes were swift, but after a while became very predictable and I suppose more obvious too because of this. Before I turn to the main acting, I have mentioned the singing chorus so let me stay with them for a while. What a fantastic idea, and despite my conservatism and traditionalist values when it comes to The Bard, I have to admit to really enjoying this aspect of the adaptation. Starting with a Boy Band wowing the partygoers, to singing some beautiful complimentary songs (all from the chosen period of 1999 / 2000) throughout. The candlelit sung vigil at the tomb of Juliet was simply breathtaking. In general, the acting was of a high standard, and Meighan used a mostly young cast. It was a high-energy production and really quite 'raw'. There was lots of shouting and fighting....yes, lots of fighting, and the fight scenes were extremely well directed. For me there were certainly some stand-out performances in this very large and well chosen cast. Not only that but some highly original interpretations too. In the order they appear in the programme..... Mark Butt's Friar Lawrence was as original an interpretation as I have seen. A weed-smoking Buddhist! However, I think he made the right choices in playing this character very seriously and angst-ridden and I enjoyed the candidness and simplicity of this character who can all too often be seen as a comedy role. The programme next credits Beverley Stuart-Cole as the Nurse. Although in this reworking perhaps calling her a governess might have been more appropriate). Again, a unique interpretation, full of fun, sincerity, love, and indeed humanity. Stuart-Cole found both humour and gravitas in her role and it was one of the most enjoyable interpretations of Nurse I have ever seen. Next comes Rebecca Myers, playing a young teenage girl in love to a Tee. Her Juliet was giddy, naive, bouncy and immature when it should have been, and mature, tragic-heroic, and serene when it should have been; and goodness knows how many emotions she had to portray in between. A notoriously difficult role for any actress, since the part requires a maturity of acting prowess not normally available in the age of the character, and within the space of only 2 hours has to go through every emotion known to man. Shakespeare didn't write many truly great female roles, but when he did, boy, oh boy, he made them extremely difficult for the actress! Again, a most sensible and enjoyable interpretation. Juliet's love rivals were played by a love-sick and tormented but at times rather phlegmatic Harroun Al Jeddal (Romeo) and Harry Jackson (Paris), with a rather enigmatic and brazen interpretation of Mercutio by Tom Oliver. There were also a couple of odd choices too. I was uncertain as to why Lady Capulet (Sarah Roberts) was the only one with a southern accent when all the rest of the cast were most obviously northern. The part of Chorus (Barry Purves) also needed some highlighting. From an excellent beginning using his 'power' to freeze the action and for him to speak and explain the story, to him wandering about the set, lurking and silent. This 'presence' as not just a commentator but manipulator [in a smaller but similar way as the Emcee is in the Musical Cabaret] was a nice idea but underdeveloped and perhaps went unnoticed or uncomprehended by most. Perhaps a more obvious way of doing this might be to morph this role with Prince Escalus? (Just a thought..!) Joseph Meighan's directing was consistent and tight, and although I found a couple of his choices a little odd, they worked in context and with his utilisation of such a large and majority youthful cast did a wonderful job of making this story relevant and enjoyable, appealing greatly this evening to a capacity audience filled in the main with a whole group of A-level students from a local high school who are studying this text for their A levels. Modernising Shakespeare I guess is a little like Marmite - you either love it or you hate it - and as a traditionalist at heart I always find it very difficult to appraise modern interpretations. However this evening's offering was accessible to all - mostly! Maybe it was just first night nerves, but the beginning dialogues were rushed and quiet, and this naturalistic way of speaking Shakespeare is at odds with the declamatory and poetic writing style. With some simple but effective lighting, and a 'rough-diamond' feel to the whole show, this is one of the best modern reworkings I have seen in a long while, and although the older generation of audience members may not find much in this 'Godfather'-esque modernisation, it certainly appealed greatly to the younger generations, and, since it is a very long time since the Garrick's season included any Shakespeare (GAPA notwithstanding), it was a very welcome addition to their season and will undoubtedly prove to be a huge success. Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Outside Edge Ran Invalid Date - Dec 11, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Conscientious Roger has trouble enough getting together a cricket team to play against British Railways Maintenance Division Yeading East Cricket Club without the troubles between husbands and wives, husbands and girlfriends, husbands and ex-wives. Even his own ever-loyal and long-suffering wife Miriam finally rebels when Roger's peccadillo in Dorking is discovered The 'Oh, such a perfect day' comes to a fitting conclusion when ... The play was memorably produced on television with Paul Eddington, Prunella Scales and Maureen Lipman and subsequently spawned a TV series with Brenda Blethyn, Josie Laurence and Tim Spall. CAST Bill Platt as Roger Helen Cowan as Miriam Peter de la Wyche as Bob Dave Midgley as Dennis Ros Greenwood as Maggie Trevor McKie as Kevin Beverley Stuart-Cole as Ginnie Matthew Foster as Alex Paula Taylor as Sharon Lighting -?Fred Issac-Dixon Sound Design -?Trevor McKie Sound Operation -?Steve Williamson ? Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Blackadder Goes Forth Date range Tickets £14 - £19.50 Age guidance 12+ Venue Main House Trigger warning Find out more Book now Running time TBC Group bookings Find out more Accessibility Find out more A stage adaptation based on the original BBC Television Series. Created by Richard Curtis, Rowan Atkinson, Ben Elton and John Lloyd. Directed by Charlie Tomlinson. One of TV’s most enduringly popular comedies returns to the Garrick stage, after our memorable production in 2018. Here, in all of their BAFTA-winning hilarity, are the adventures of the cynical Captain Edmund Blackadder, in his forlorn quest to survive the madness and buffoonery of all who surround him. The play weaves together moments of uproarious comedy and poignant reflection, exploring the absurdity of war and the indomitable human spirit that persists even in the face of adversity. With impeccable timing and a stellar cast, “Blackadder Goes Forth ” promises an unforgettable evening of laughter, nostalgia, and a fresh perspective on the timeless humour of this beloved classic. Age Guidance: 12+ Presented by permission of United Agents Limited, with all royalty payments going to Comic Relief. Content Warning: This production contains the use of theatrical haze and smoke, loud explosions, and live gunfire. Garrick Production Book Tickets Wed 15 Oct Last few left 00:00 Show more times Trailer Reviews Gallery Friends of the Garrick Become a Friend of the Garrick! You can buy discounted tickets and support your local theatre. Become a Friend Now Join our mailing list Subscribe

Lauriston Studio The Shape of Things Ran Nov 9, 2021 - Nov 14, 2021 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Funny, intriguing, unsettling and, at times, creepy. It centres on the relationships of four young people and how these change, taking a sardonic look at our preoccupation with surface appearances. What is the relationship between morality and art – what is it acceptable to do in the name of art? When does provocation in art become attention seeking – or worse? Contains very adult language and explicit sexual references. Reviews FIVE STAR REVIEW - Rick Bowen at StageStruck NOVEMBER 10, 2021 IF there was such a thing as a degree in emotional cruelty and how to be a control freak, the cold and scheming arts student Evelyn is sure to walk away with first class honours. And the way in which she turns her doting lapdog boyfriend Adam from bumbling dweeb to fashion conscious cool dude is deeply, deeply disturbing when her real motivation for doing so emerges near the end of Neil La Bute’s exceptional and thought provoking play. Like probably the majority of the audience, I was repulsed and yet fascinated by and drawn to Evelyn, mainly in the hope she would pay for her actions. Altrincham Garrick’s intimate Lauriston Studio is the perfect setting for this wonderful piece which is a feast for the intellect while at the same time, not being smugly intellectual. The play covers everything from society’s obsession with physical perfection to love and relationships, minus the slushy stuff. Love hurts, the old saying goes. But after sitting through this I’m certain it should I’m sure you agree, come with a Government health warning. I had a chance meeting with director Geoff Holman at the theatre’s box office recently and he waxed lyrical about his very gifted young cast. Sam Evans as Adam, Annie Rogers as Evelyn, Sophie Cain as Jenny and Daniel Molnar as Philip give performances of a professional standard, thanks to both their considerable talent and that of Holman, whom I’ve always rated as a very capable occupant of the director’s chair. All four actors are engaging and believable and I hope for very selfish reasons they don’t plump for a career on the professional stage. Make sure you don’t miss this, the Garrick’s best production of the season so far. Photos by Martin Ogden. Star rating - ***** Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production A Man for All Seasons Ran Invalid Date - Feb 7, 2014 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Robert Bolt's well known story of Sir Thomas More, one time friend and councillor of Henry VIII, and his clash with the king over his divorce from Katherine of Aragon, leading to More's downfall and execution. [gallery columns="5" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mana.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/manb.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/manc.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mand.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mane.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/manf.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mang.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/manh.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mani.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/manj.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mank.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/manl.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/manm.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mann.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mano.jpg|"] CAST The Common Man Bill Platt Sir Thomas More David Reynolds Master Richard Rich Nick Curror The Duke of Norfolk Victor Hassan Lady Alice More Sandra Thomas Lady Margaret More Jacqueline Wheble Cardinal Wolsey Tony Broughton Thomas Cromwell John Keen Signor Chapuys Stephen Moss Chapuys's Attendant Oliver Marsh William Roper Neeraj Pathak King Henry VIII Jon White A Woman Linda Panton Thomas Cranmer John Westbrook Sale & Altrincham Messenger's Review by Rick Bowen Garrick does Bolt classic proud ALTRINCHAM Garrick's latest production should have 'made in Trafford' stamped all over it. Written by Sale born Robert Bolt, 'A Man For All Seasons' is an intriguing and inspiring piece about a man who lived and ultimately died for his principles. The man in question was one Thomas More, a disarmingly decent person who had the courage to oppose King Henry VIII's plans to divorce in his quest for a son and heir. While this seminal play doesn't fall into the light entertainment category - you must be prepared to listen hard - it isn't a dry history lesson either. Bolt succeeds in portraying the characters in a way that engages the audience and the scene in which More meets his family in his prison cell brings a lump to the throat. David Reynolds is terrific as More and gives a truly mesmerising performance that makes you hang on his every word. On the other side of the coin we have Bill Platt who brings us some much needed light relief as The Common Man, a cynical and humorous commentator on the events that unfold around him. Director Celia Bonner has made sure an ambitious play is accessible and enjoyable and Barry Purves's set, with its chequered floor, put me in mind of a giant board game. But for those involved in the 'game' the consequences are ultimately deadly. Robert Bolt left us in 1995 but I think he would have been well pleased with the Garrick's staging of one of his most famous plays. Who knows, maybe he was watching. Nice thought, isn't it? Star Rating ★★★★ Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Visiting Production A NIGHT TO REMEMBER - MOTOWN SHOW Date range Tickets £31 Age guidance n/a Venue Main House Trigger warning Find out more Book now Running time tbc Group bookings Find out more Accessibility Find out more BACK AT THE GARRICK FOR 2 NIGHTS BY POPULAR DEMAND! A Night To Remember: Motown Show takes you back in time to 1960’s Detroit. Be prepared for a high energy show, packed with the greatest Motown hits of all time. Starring The Voice UK finalist, Bizzi Dixon, and backed by the soulful vocal dynamics of The Motown Divas, this musical celebration is sure to have you singing along and dancing in the aisles and the streets. Don’t look any further! Reach out and grab your ticket to find out just how sweet it is to party all night long. This live show is guaranteed to be a night to remember! Visiting Production Book Tickets Wed 15 Oct Last few left 00:00 Show more times Trailer Reviews Gallery Friends of the Garrick Become a Friend of the Garrick! You can buy discounted tickets and support your local theatre. Become a Friend Now Join our mailing list Subscribe

Garrick Production The Will and The Way Ran Jan 1, 1920 - Jan 1, 1920 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description By Walter R Matthews CAST Gorman, Dora Gorman, Philip?Norris Hough, B G Llewellyn, Helen M Lowe, Edgar M Matthews, Marion Thwaite Nixon, Walter S Owen, Gwen Winn, Rex Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Our Town By Thornton Wilder Ran Invalid Date - Nov 1, 2022 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Love and marriage, birth and death. Seen from a distance they’re just the rhythm of everyday life: but when you’re caught up in the middle and they are happening to you, they are the whole world. As the sun rises on another ordinary day, the townsfolk of Grover's Corners go about their business: newspapers are delivered; people go to work; gardens are tended to. And a boy and girl fall in love. But as life's events unfold and a community comes together, one question remains: "do any human beings ever realise life as they live it? Every, every minute?". Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning small- town epic of human existence remains as theatrically fresh and as topical as ever; it explores what it means to live and the bonds that unite us all. Age Guidance: 12+ Warning: This production contains references to suicide, childbirth, depression, death and alcoholism. Please note that this is a 3 act play with two 15 minute intervals (approximately 2hours 40 mins included intervals). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Free Car Parking. Cosy Bar. Great Prices. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Separate Tables Ran Invalid Date - Feb 7, 2014 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Separate Tables was a West End and Broadway success and then adapted by Rattigan and John Gay into a major Hollywood film. The play, or rather two plays, reveals the personal trials of a group of distinct people, all of whom reside at the Hotel Beauregard in Bournemouth, England. Major Pollock is a garrulous man who speaks of nothing but his stellar war record. Sybil Railton-Bell, the meek, introverted daughter of the high-minded Mrs. Railton-Bell, has developed a great affection for him, much to her mother?s displeasure. Another resident is writer and former Labour politician John Malcolm, whose estranged ex-wife, a beautiful, but vain and self-centered former fashion model arrives unexpectedly at the hotel. The scene is set for Rattigan's masterpiece of theatre to unfold. [gallery ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/separatea.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/separatei.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/separateb.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/separatee.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/separatef.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/separateh.jpg|"] CAST Miss Cooper Sarat Broughton Mrs Railton Bell Carole Carr Miss Meacham Sandra Thomas Lady Matheson Maureen Casket Mr Fowler Frank Boylan Jean Tanner Lucy Parkinson Charles Stratton Phil Duncan Doreen Siobhan Morgan Mabel Victoria Johnson John Malcolm David Reynolds Major Pollock David Reynolds Anne Shankland Ros Greenwood Sybil Railton Bell Ros Greenwood Sale & Altrincham Messenger's review by Lynsey Roberts A play with issues Separate Tables is certainly an issues based tale. From loneliness to the creation of well-constructed facades and the discrepancy between rumour and reality Terence Rattigan did not pull any punches when disecting human nature. And while he may have written his now well travelled play in the late 50's, its messages served to be equally applicable when brought out on the stage of the Garrick Theatre tonight. Set in the Fawlty Towers-esque Beauregard Private Hotel in Bournemouth, 'Separate Tables' concentrates on the lives and interactions of a number of long term residents. As the play's title suggests, the eclectic bunch largely choose to dine alone but the relationships are, it is gradually revealed, far more complicated and interconnected. David Reynolds deserves particular mention for his turns as both the not-what-he-seems Major Pollock and the drunk-with-a-back-story John Malcolm. Carole Carr's gossip queen Mrs Railton Bell and Maureen Casket's timid Lady Matheson also make for good characters. Admittedly it is not the fastest moving of performances and there are the occasional lulls but it does pick up pace and interest as it goes along. And then there are the sets. All I will say is they received their own gasps and wows from the audience. I'd hate to ruin the surprise! Star Rating ★★★★ Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production When We Are Married Set in Cleckleywyke, a fictional town in the heart of Northern England in 1908. Three couples, the Helliwells, the Parkers and the Soppitts, who are all highly respected pillars of their community, gather together to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversaries when the festivities are brought to a sudden halt by a shocking revelation. Ran Nov 4, 2019 - Nov 9, 2019 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description The Classic Comedy Set in Cleckleywyke, a fictional town in the heart of Northern England in 1908. Three couples, the Helliwells, the Parkers and the Soppitts, who are all highly respected pillars of their community, gather together to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversaries when the festivities are brought to a sudden halt by a shocking revelation. Home truths fly like confetti and conjugal rites turn into farcical fights. Can a lid be kept on the couples embarrassing secret with a newspaper photographer due to arrive any second, a missing housekeeper and a doorbell that doesn't stop ringing? The bullies however do get their retribution and the hen-pecked are satisfyingly liberated in this classic sparkling comedy that is full of laughs, surprises and comic mayhem! Cast (in order of appearance) Ruby Birtle - Georgia Geupel Mrs Northrop - Alison Davis Alderman Joseph Helliwell - Richard Sails Maria Helliwell - Alice Potter Councillor Albert Parker - Mike Shaw Annie Parker - Christine Perry Herbert Soppitt - Hugh Everett Clara Soppitt - Ros Greenwood Gerald Forbes - Anthony Morris Nancy Holmes - Olivia Tenquist Henry Ormonroyd - Geoff Holman Fred Dyson - Eddie Beasley Lottie Grady - Lyndsey Barker Rev Clement Mercer - David Richardson Reviews Review from North West End UK Reviewer: Max Eden The Altrincham Garrick theatre continues its stellar 2019 season with J.B Priestley’s When We Are Married all this week featuring a talented cast and a script which is still relevant today. Set in Cleckleywyke, a fictional town in the heart of Northern England in 1908. Three highly respected couples get together to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversaries, but the festivities are brought to a sudden halt by a shocking revelation which sees home truths fly like confetti and conjugal rites turn into farcical fights. Directed by Carole Carr; this production still manages to be relevant with a script which has aged surprisingly well, packed with gentle humour throughout. The staging is reminiscent of a lavish parlour room of the 1900s and looks every bit the part with furniture and plush fit of the era, it’s nice to see such attention to detail going into the props, costumes and staging of these productions. The ‘anything but amateur’ cast bring the JB Priestley script to life on the Altrincham stage with all delivering noteworthy performances with no exceptions. The three couples of which the plot centres around are played by six extremely talented actors; Mr & Mrs Helliwell played by Richard Sails and Alice Porter, Councillor Parker and his wife played by Mike Shaw and Christine Perry and Mr & Mrs Soppitt played by Hugh Everett and Ros Greenwood - all take the roles in their stride and look to be having a lot of fun on stage, displaying some great examples of visual comedy from them all; especially Ros Greenwood and Mike Shaw who impressed me throughout. What a gurn Mrs Soppitt has! The entire cast of fourteen all make this production extra special; Ms Northrop played by Alison Davis and Ruby played by Georgia Geupel add extra humour and warmth to this play, with tremendous comic timing! The photographer and reporter played by Geoff Holman and Eddie Beasley both have loveable personalities that the audience lean towards. Especially when one gets tipsy! Anthony Morris plays the smug Organist Gerald Forbes alongside Olivia Tenquist as Nancy Holmes, his romantic interest. Lindsey Barker plays Lottie Grady and David Richardson plays Reverend Clement Mercer to complete the cast. I must be honest; I am in complete awe of this ensemble and how this production cleverly delivered this well-known play with energy and vibrancy. I have seen different versions of ‘When We Are Married’ in various theatres over the years but this truly is the best I’ve seen. Altrincham Garrick is not amateur theatre; it always delivers quality entertainment with a ticket price which is the fraction of the price of big touring productions. Verdict: the best production of this play I have seen, Terrific throughout! Rating: ★★★★★ Review from Rick Bowen - Stagestruck CAROLE Carr’s perfectly paced production, performed by a gifted cast who gel beautifully together, is period comedy at its very best. While the subject matter of Priestley’s classic wouldn’t raise an eyebrow today - three self-proclaimed pillars of their community may not be officially married after all - you have to view the piece through nostalgic eyes in order to appreciate it. The piece takes us back to a north of England that’s long been consigned to the history books, to a time when if you came from another part of the country you may as well have come from another planet. Some of the dialogue sounds silly to 21st century ears but the majority of it is sublime. It seems unfair to single out individual performances for the simple reason there aren’t any weak ones in a production that is amateur only in name. Geoff Holman is great fun as the local newspaper photographer Henry Ormonroyd and I equally enjoyed Hugh Everett as the downtrodden Herbert Soppitt. Then there was Alison Davis, an actress who is always a pleasure to watch as the formidable housekeeper Mrs Northrop and a performer who is new to me, Georgia Geupel, as Ruby Birtle, the housemaid struggling to make sense of the chaos that unfolds in the Heliwell household. Lindsey Barker also caught my attention as the oh so worldly Lottie Grady, so convincing as a woman who has been around the block on many, many occasions. Personally I can’t think of a better antidote to these dark, dank November nights. Highly recommended. A must see for anyone with a sense of humour. Rating: ★★★★ Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production The Wind in the Willows Ran Invalid Date - Dec 16, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Originally commissioned by Nicholas Hytner for the National Theatre as a Christmas entertainment, this version proved so popular it was revived again and again. This is a perfectly faithful adaptation which remains true to the spirit of the joy of the riverbank without being quite so gentle. The lyricism remains through the music and all the characters, Mole, Rat, Badger and the irrepressible Toad, to say nothing of the wicked Weasel, are here in all their glory. This will be a treat for all the family and a tremendous end to our 2005 season. Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production The Day War Broke Out Ran Invalid Date - Dec 16, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Starting in 1905 when traditional MUSIC HALL was in decline and VARIETY on the way up this play charts the rise and rise of famous comedian ROBB WILTON, star of stage (with his wife Florence) and radio and finally solo artiste. We all know his famous monologues, but this story is also of his home life (and what comedian does not have some skeletons?). The Garrick Playhouse is very excited to have secured this Northern Premiere from Mike Craig, one-time scriptwriter for Morecambe and Wise, TV producer and host of his own radio show each Saturday on BBC GMR. A backstage story with a difference. ? Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Previous Next Audrey Skinner (née Lawson) Audrey's main contribution to the Garrick was on-stage, portraying many larger-than-life characters in both comedic and serious roles for many years. She and her husband Mike were fully involved in the social life of the theatre until they moved away from Altrincham in the late 2000s. Audrey proudly won the competition to invent a catchy name for the fund raising effort in the early 1990's (to raise funds for the theatre renovation). She came up with the S.T.A.G E APPEAL : Support The Altrincham Garrick Enterprise Appeal. Her prize? A bottle of bar steward Gerry Turnock 's champagne ! Back to In Memoriam page

Garrick Production QUIZ Entertaining comedy drama based on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire performed by the Garrick Ensemble Ran Feb 2, 2026 - Feb 7, 2026 Age guidance 12+ Venue Main House Running time TBC Tickets Price Range £14 - £19 Description Every audience member will be given a voting device, putting you right at the heart of the story. You won’t just watch the drama unfold, you’ll help decide it. September 2001: the nation is gripped by a scandal that remains, to this day, a mystery. In an outrageously audacious heist, Charles Ingram, aka the Coughing Major, and his accomplices duped the world’s most popular TV quiz show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, out of £1,000,000. Or did they? And if they did cheat, how did they really do it? James Graham’s thrilling, entertaining and provocative comedy drama, asks you, the audience, to put fingers on keypads and answer the ultimate 50/50: guilty or not guilty? And, for your first question, is QUIZ … A) A play by acclaimed writer James Graham, performed by The Garrick Ensemble? B) A provocative re-examination of the conviction of Charles Ingram, 'the coughing Major', for cheating, following his appearance on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? C) A hilarious celebration of the great tradition of the British quiz show? D) A razor-sharp analysis of the 21st century's dangerous new attitude to truth and lies? Answer: You decide. Nominated for two Olivier Awards including Best New Comedy, James Graham’s smash hit play, Quiz, transferred to London’s West End with sensational reviews in 2018, following a sold-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre. And in 2020, millions tuned in to see the three-part ITV adaptation starring Michael Sheen, Matthew Macfadyen and Sian Clifford. This production is performed by THE GARRICK ENSEMBLE. The Garrick Ensemble is a company of 18 – 30 year old aspiring actors from Greater Manchester and Cheshire who perform one production each year as part of the Altrincham Garrick Playhouse Main House Season. The Garrick Ensemble aims to make theatre that is fresh, innovative and exciting. See the very best of local, up and coming talent before they move forward in the next stages of their careers in the Arts. Written by James Graham Directed by Joseph Meighan (Artistic Director) Reviews 5 Stars from North West End U K “Entertaining, inventive and expertly staged, this production is a testament to the talent both on stage and behind the scenes at the Garrick. Verdict: A clever, interactive and utterly gripping night of theatre.” - Max Eden Read the full review HERE Stage Struck "Director Joe Meighan can add Quiz to a long list of theatrical triumphs at the Garrick." Read Rick Bowen's full review HERE Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning 12+ This production contains strong language and adult themes. Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Lauriston Studio Piaf Ran Mar 15, 2022 - Mar 20, 2022 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description “You don’t have to stay in the gutter just because you were born there…” Born Edith Gassion in 1915, no one could have predicted Edith Piaf’s phenomenal rise to fame – from singing in the streets of Paris to becoming one of France’s biggest international stars, her voice is still revered to this day. But her extraordinary talent was matched with an equally extraordinary personal life… Pam Gems has reworked her celebrated 1978 original, " Piaf ." She vividly captures the glamour and squalor, the rise and fall of the complex, fragile, and enigmatic performer Edith Piaf, who continues to be remembered and revered for her exceptional voice and extraordinary life. The play also features some of Piaf’s most famous songs, including La Vie en Rose , Hymne à l’amour and Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien . Reviews WHEN Emily Leeland sings Piaf in this warts and all portrayal of the iconic French star my top lip quivered with emotion and my insides turned to jelly. More than once. Leeland is also every inch the diva in Pam Gems’ captivating play, not holding back when it comes to getting exactly what Piaf wants. Top of Piaf’s list are a career and a man, a man who can live up to her exacting demands. She gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘high maintenance.’ What makes Piaf’s story so captivating is it’s a story of success against all odds, how a young girl abandoned by her mother and raised in a brothel ended up having an audience with a US President. For me, there were echoes of Evita , reminding us that yes, it’s still possible to triumph in the face of adversity. You should feel very jealous of anyone lucky enough to have a ticket for this, because director Charlie Tomlinson and his creative team serve up a theatrical treat here. The production is just over two hours long and it feels like you’ve been in the theatre no more than around 20 minutes. But Leeland’s performance is by no means the only one to enjoy here. Olivia Riley is seriously funny as Piaf’s long suffering and loyal friend Tonie, with the two actresses establishing an effortless camaraderie from the start. The velvety-voiced Steven Finney is excellent as the plain speaking nightclub owner Louis Leplee and I can’t wait for the next production in which he has a bigger singing part. Sam Evans is sure to have you swooning as the silky smooth French singer Charles Aznavour. This is a production that simply must be experienced. A joy and a major triumph for all concerned. Tickets are available from 0161 928 1677 or www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk . Good news - the Garrick is planning to put on a Saturday matinee to meet demand for tickets. Call the box office for details. RICK BOWEN - StageStruck - 5 Star Review Photos - Martin Ogden Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning WARNING - Please note this play contains Adult Language Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

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Garrick Production Gasping Ran Invalid Date - Dec 16, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Ben Elton's first play is a fast-moving, witty satire of big business. "Lockheart Industries are making senior money. If God wanted to buy into their stock, he'd have to think twice and talk to his people. They have a profit curve wound so far round the room it looks like a Blue Peter Christmas Appeal". But they're bored, they want more. New ideas, new products - the next Pot Noodle! That's when whizzkid Philip comes up with Suck and Blow... Designer air! Perrier for the nostrils! Thanks to sassy advertising exec, Kirsten, the machines are a huge success, and sales massively exceed all projections. But when the world starts gasping, only the biggest suckers survive..." As one reviewer said, "a very British look at man?s effect on the earth. It had me laughing from beginning to end". CAST Mark Butt as Philip Caroline Hickey as Kirsten Matt Stead as Sandy David Reynolds as Sir Chiffley Lockheart Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Relatively Speaking Ran Invalid Date - Jan 9, 2014 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description When first performed,?Relatively Speaking?was described as "a superbly constructed ...play that gave its audiences total and continuous delight, and established Alan Ayckbourn as the brightest new comic talent in the theatre". Nearly forty years on, the play is as fresh and as funny as when it was first seen. Ginny has just ended an affair with an older man (Philip) and is now engaged to Greg. But Philip won't take no for an answer so she visits him at his home to end it once and for all. But Greg, thinking she is visiting her parents, decides to surprise her and goes there himself. Meeting Philip's wife, Sheila, he assumes she is Ginny's mum; Philip thinks Greg is his wife?s young lover? Opportunities for comic misunderstandings and confusion abound and Ayckbourn handles them with consummate skill. A classic Ayckbourn not to be missed. CAST Neeraj Pathak as Greg Stephanie Hawthorn as Ginny Hugh Everett as Philip Pam Nolan as Sheila Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Snow White Ran Invalid Date - Jun 10, 2015 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Book your tickets for our traditional festive show! - The Christmas show at the Garrick is a regular favorite for ALL family the - be warned...this show is sure to SELL OUT again this year. [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/DSC_2467.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/DSC_1870.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/DSC_2457.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/DSC_2374.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/DSC_2136.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/DSC_2063.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/DSC_2007.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/DSC_1965.jpg|"] CAST Fairy Moonbeam (A Very Good Fairy) - HELEN LAWRENCE Alfresco (The Lord Chamberlain) - CHARLIE COOK Queen Belladonna (The Ruler of Rutania) - ROS GREENWOOD Dame Daffy Dumpling (The Royal Cook) - PHIL EDWARDS Muddles (The Court Jester) - DAN ELLIS Princess Snow White - CHRISTINA WILLIAMS Prince William - ALEXANDRA HOWARTH Valdesco (The Princes Valet) - SARAH GASKELL The Royal Hunters - David Reynolds, Bill Pratt, Dan Ferguson, Dave Midgley The Voice of the Mirror - Himself DWARFS - Lara Cannon, Ruby Harney, Tom Langford, Finn McCarthy, Lucy Potts. Mia Simpson, Isabelle Tiernan, Libby Tiernan DANCERS - India Connor Blow, Amelia Fay, Elizabeth Fraser, Aimee Gaskell, Louise Gaskell, Georgia Geupel, Rebecca Hanley, Lydia Horsefield, Olivia Isherwood, Ella Murphy, Lily O?Dwyer, Sofia Simpson. Musical Director - PETER ENGLAND Choreographer - ALEXANDRA HOWARTH REVIEW by Julia Taylor for Messenger 'A Snow White for children at the Garrick' SNOW WHITE, written and directed by Alan Clements, is one of the best Garrick pantos I have seen. Well, it has to be really, because your reviewer sitting quietly two rows from the front ended up almost becoming a star of the show. Singled out when I say I am from The Messenger, Phil Edwards as Dame Daffy Dumpling gets the audience to cheer me every time he comes on. Of course, the real star in the comedy department is Phil, himself, who along with Dan Ellis as Muddles, the court jester, has the kids shouting the house down.?Every time Muddles appears the kids shout ?water your Milly, the name of his pet plant, which magically grows each time they call. Ros Greenwood, a Garrick stalwart who I've enjoyed many times, excels as the ever so wicked Queen Belladonna. Dressed in black and silver, she says 'I hate children' with such venom, the boos nearly crack the walls. And that is the beauty of this show. It involves the kids all the time and they love it. What's more, it isn't too long for them. In her first panto lead, Christina Williams plays well the beautiful Cinderella-like Princess Snow White suffering at the hands of her wicked step mother, the Queen. The dwarves, all played by children, perform well. I asked Katey aged nine from 12th Altrincham brownies what she thought of the show. The pupil of Altrincham Church of England school, said: I like the dancing especially in the wood when Snow White is frozen. It is also funny... Star Rating ★★★★ ★ NORTH WEST END STAGE - REVIEW by Mark Dee It must be at least 20 years since I last set foot in the Garrick Theatre in Altrincham, and today the building is almost unrecognisable. It now looks and feels like a small-scale touring venue, but is better equipped than most, especially technically. I'm almost certain there wasn't a Studio Theatre last time I was there, and they certainly didn't have the LX and FX capacities that were on display yesterday in the main theatre. Needless to say I was suitably impressed. And now, after having watched my first show there in such a long time, I can, if I use this show as a benchmark, quite easily see why so many of the Garrick's actors and production staff are nominated for and receive so many awards. The show in question was Snow White; the Altrincham Garrick's pantomime, and what a splendid way to finish the year. With live music (unseen below the stage), an LX / FX plot to rival any professional show, a lovely set and some great acting, what was there not to enjoy about the show? Well, the answer to that question is, not a lot! In truth, it really was a very good and enjoyable show, but it was missing, to my mind at least, one ingredient - fabulous dance routines. Yes, I saw that you had a small chorus of youngsters who acted very well and moved their way through some of the numbers, I just felt that as I was sitting watching what was on every other level a very professionally produced show, it lacked a chorus of dancers who were capable of doing much more exciting and difficult routines. That being said, if the chorus girls on stage were capable of this, it begs the question as to why they didn't. Otherwise, this panto was pretty damn good. The star of the show last night was..... wait for it..... the costumes!! Well, no of course they weren't, but the costumes were unbelievably good. Does one of your members own a Costumiers?! I am not joking when I say that so far this season, on both professional and amateur stage, those were the best costumes I have encountered. And what was even more amazing was that they just kept on coming in an endless supply. I loved all the Dames outfits, and the stunning purple and silvers for the finale were magical. As you probably can imagine, over the years I have seen and acted in many pantomimes; far too many to even think about trying to count, and so I thought therefore that I had seen everything there was to see on that front. The Garrick's production yesterday proved me wrong - showing me that you can indeed show an old dog new tricks! Among other things, I have never before seen the song sheet voting done by asking the MD, nor have I ever witnessed a show where so many children are brought up on stage to participate in it, losing count around 80! And whilst we're on the subject of the song sheet, I don't ever remember hearing one which tells the audience the evil character in the panto {in this instance Snow White's step mother, Queen Belladonna} isn't really that bad! I won't give away the last trick up your sleeves, but I've never experienced that before either; although if I'd have looked up at the rig I might have had a clue! Queen Belladonna {Ros Greenwood} made the absolute most of her evil role. With great make-up and costume, she really enjoyed being evil and the audience enjoyed booing her. Her transformation into old crippled woman was superbly done. Phil Edwards as Dame Daffy Dumplings pitched his cheek and banter just right, working well with the audience, especially Christine! (Round of applause for Christine!!) The youngest member of the principals was Dan Ellis, playing Muddles. The way he reacted and interacted with both cast members and audience was unique. His style, slightly acerbic and slightly camp, suiting perhaps a Dame better, but too young and too energetic to be anything other than his present role. It took me a little time before I latched on to his wavelength but once I did, his cutting asides to the audience and his never keeping still not even for one second, actually worked in his favour. I am not going to mention all the cast, but I am going to say that the seven dwarfs; (quickly taking Spellcheck off!) Bizzy, Dizzy, Jizzy, Izzy, Quizzie, Tizzy and Whizzy {Finn McCarthy, Lara Cannon, Tom Langford, Mia Simpson, Isabelle Tiernan, Libby Tiernan and Lucy Potts} were great. A massive thumbs up to all of you! The directing was very solid by Alan Clements, and, opting most wisely for a very traditional family version of this well-known story, he managed to bring out the best in all the cast, finding some lovely moments between principals and / or chorus. Everyone worked so well together, and all were so obviously enjoying themselves, and this shone through. He even produced a truly brilliant UV routine, and the "If I Weren't In Pantomime" song and routine, using the older girl members of the chorus was inspired and excellent Snow White continues its run at Altrincham Garrick until 3 January, so there is still a little time to catch it and bring some festive cheer to the "after-the-25th-blues"! Looking at their 2016 season, I am feeling very excited. There are some really interesting productions on their way, and since this panto has set the bar already really quite high for me, I am now very much looking forward to watching their new year's offerings. 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Garrick Production The Anniversary Ran Invalid Date - Jan 9, 2014 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description This well-known black comedy centres around dear old Mum, a woman whose concern for her sons leads her to a possessiveness that is ? like her ? thoroughly evil. ?Mum glories in destroying anything that is good and kind and pure: for, not being able to enjoy such feelings herself, she is damned if anyone else will. And yet, like the Devil, she has undeniable charm?. Mum is the head of the family building firm and insists that her sons work to standards that are too low to even be called jerry-built! As the family comes together to celebrate her wedding anniversary (regardless of the fact that Dad is long deceased), revolt is in the air and the women in her sons? lives decide to tackle Mum and her long ascendancy head on. CAST Angela Wetherill as Mother Andrew Higson as Tom Bryn Thomas as Terry Mark Edgar as Henry Paula Keen as Shirley Beverley Stuart-Cole as Karen [gallery columns="6" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryk.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversarye.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryf.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryq.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryd.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryp.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryr.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryn.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryo.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryj.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryi.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryb.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryh.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryg.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryc.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversaryl.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversarym.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/anniversarya.jpg|"] Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Comic Potential Ran Invalid Date - Dec 11, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description We are pleased to be able to present this latest release by the master of comedy, Alan Ayckbourn. Comic Potential shows he is on form again to amuse and divert. The setting is a third-rate TV studio churning out low budget daytime soaps. The difference is that the time is the foreseeable future and cheap actors in the form of programmable "actoids" provide the drama. But human nature will out with a result that will hurt with the sheer exuberance of its unexpectedness. CAST John Keen as Adam Trainsmith Terry Chandler as Chandler Tate Alex Wilson as Lester Trainsmith Mark Edgar as Doctor/Farmer/Man in Dress Shop/Turkey Eric Vogel as The Son/Marmion Laura Chandler as Jacie Triplethree Stephanie Hawthorn as Trudi Floote Beverley Stuart-Cole as Prim Spring Angela Wetherill as Carla Pepperbloom Jeryl Whitelock as Dress Shop Assistant/Prostitute Julie Broadbent as the Mother Carole Gibson as the Farmer's Wife Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production The Rise and Fall of Little Voice Ran Invalid Date - Aug 18, 2015 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description This is a wonderful heartwarming northern comedy play about a shy reclusive girl with hidden talent. Living alone with her larger than life and sometimes raucous mother Mari, "little voice" escapes from her loud blouse mother to her bedroom where she immerses herself with her late and greatly missed father's LPs. Here she discovers the voices of Piaf, Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland and many more. She discovers a unique talent to copy these sounds. Enter Mari's new rough diamond boyfriend, and would be club agent Ray and Little Voice is in danger of being exploited in his ambition to make her a "star" and hit the big time. But will anyone ask Little Voice what she wants. This award winning play by the incredibly talented northern playwright, Jim Cartwright mixes northern grit with Hollywood glamour, hilarious characters and iconic songs in this story of emotion and earthy comedy. CAST Mari Hoff - Lise Banks Little Voice - Olivia Archbold Phone Man - Paul Clarkson Billy - Rob Dutton Sadie - Roz Ford Ray Say - Andrew Higson Mr. Boo - Martin Oldfield [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/DSC_2672.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/DSC_2941.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/DSC_2902.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/DSC_2844.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/DSC_2843.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/DSC_2858.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/DSC_3123.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/DSC_2696.jpg|"] Review - Rick Bowen PAINFULLY timid, Little Voice spends most of her time shut away in her bedroom, playing her late father's beloved vinyl collection on a museum piece?of a record player. She's so quiet in company you could forget she's there, but beneath her mousy exterior lies a remarkable talent that nobody can ignore. Altrincham Garrick launches its new season with a modern day classic, in the shape of Jim Cartwright's The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. One of my favourite writers, Cartwright's script is as laugh out loud funny as it is poignant and he makes you care about Little Voice, a fragile flower who also has a domineering drunk of a mother to contend with as well?as her socially debilitating hang ups. This is a tribute to Cartwright's writing, the direction of Peter Birch and the performance of Olivia Archbold as Little Voice. I really enjoyed the way she developed the character and I'm sure I wasn't the only one willing her and the lovable Billy, LV's male equivalent, to strike up a romance, It was like watching?a northern Romeo and Juliet, for the balcony we had this young girl's bedroom window. These scenes, humorous and touching, were beautifully played by Olivia and Rob Dutton. Lise Banks was also very good value as LV's mother, Mari Hoff, a good-time-girl whose appetite for the booze is as insatiable as her appetite for the men. I?use the word 'girl' in its loosest possible sense, by the way. Lise also managed to make the awful Marie sympathetic and nowhere is this more evident when Mari is given a brutal dressing down by the sleazy showbiz talent scout Ray Say (Andrew Higson). She looks like a wounded animal after Say's verbal assault.By far?the funniest character is Sadie, Mari's daft as a brush next door neighbour. No wonder Mari never has anything in her fridge as this good soul seems to be on a "see food and eat it" diet. While this play isn't wall to wall hilarity it provides an enjoyable start to?a gloomy time of year,?when many of us are coming to terms with eye watering post Christmas credit card bills. More Jim Cartwright at the Garrick, please. REVIEW - NORTH WEST END by Mark Dee Written in 1992 by Bolton born playwright, Jim Cartwright, this play has seen success on the West End and Broadway stages with a great 1998 film version starring the original West End Little Voice of Jane Horrocks and Michael Caine. With such a progeny it is no wonder that many companies fight shy of producing the play these days, and so when one dares to stand up and be counted, it naturally produces quite a buzz. And who better than Altrincham Garrick to do just that; an amateur theatre company that thinks big and has lofty ambitions.I last saw the play myself in 2012 at The Octagon Theatre in Bolton, and so it was definitely time for me to reacquaint myself with it. The play is set in the early 1990s in a northern town not dissimilar to the one where you are now; we see a teenage girl, timid and unsociable, retreating into herself after the death of her father and her overbearing and rather out of control alcoholic mother, Mari, who neither understands nor really knows how to show affection to her daughter just compounding the situation and there is a rift between them. One keeping the house in a permanent state of untidiness with never any food in the cupboards, but plenty of booze in the drink's cabinet; whilst the other keeps her bedroom spotless and tidy, and amasses a huge collection of records which she will sing along to and imitate the singers she hears, finding escape and solace there. When Mari starts dating a small-time talent scout Ray, and brings him home one evening; he hears Little Voice singing in the bedroom and realises that he has found a hidden talent and gets to work on bringing her to the local club to sing there. Ray has seen the pound-signs in his eyes and sees this as a ticket to his fame, Mari sees Ray as her ticket to a better life and clings on to him whatever the cost to her daughter's health and happiness; and all her daughter really wants is to feel loved and be happy. It's not going to end well! In this production I felt the first act worked better than the second. One reason for this was the set. In the first act, the play is set entirely in Mari's house, and we were presented with a rather interesting and clever two-storey design with the kitchen and living room below and LV's bedroom above. It was fitted with period furniture and appliances and looked very good indeed. I really loved the wallpaper of record-sleeve spines - an ingenious touch! The problems I did have with this though were that it was set on the revolve, and so it was a little too far from the front of the stage if the revolve was not being used - which it wasn't, and the distinction between the house interior and exterior was often blurred and unclear, especially when characters had to go up or down the stairs behind the living room. There was an area of stage right which became both part of the house and also the path outside. In the second act though, the constant bringing in of the glitter curtain for the night club seemed to be less well thought through. There was absolutely no night club atmosphere, and the only addition to the curtain was a sunken area at the front of the stage where two tables had been set up for the cast to sit at and watch LV's performance. I was sitting on the very back row of the raked auditorium and still was unable to see this to any great extent. The front row would have seen only the very tops of the actors' heads. No attempt was made to create an 'audience' for the club and the whole thing lacked an atmosphere. It was sparse, minimalist, and after such a realistic and well-thought out first act set, it seemed almost as though you'd run out of budget and decided to simply bring in the tabs. Why wasn't the revolve used? Surely that would have been better. The other criticism I have of the second act is that after the fire, which started well, but all too quickly got out of control and was far too big, happening in the neighbouring houses too, for such a little after-effect once the smoke cleared. The house should not get burnt-out, the upstairs rooms being damaged but not badly so, and downstairs being in cinders. However, once the smoke cleared on stage last night, we could see that a black piece of material had been used to cover the sofa, some more strands to cover the standard lamp, and a burnt kitchen table had replaced the original. Once again, after such a magnificent start in set design, this was a huge let-down. I simply did not believe this to be fire-damaged at all, nor that the cast were walking though after-burn smoke. They made no attempt at covering their mouths or coughing and spluttering as you would when faced with this in reality. The acting, at least from the three main principals was though absolutely solid and first class. Very wisely choosing not to try and imitate the famous performances that have gone before them, finding new and interesting nuances in the writing and bringing their own personalities into the mix to give three extremely well-rounded and bravura performances. Olivia Archbold, a very naturalistic actress, who did some rather credible mimicry of Shirley Bassey, Edith Piaf and others, played Little Voice; Lisa Banks played the last-chance lush Mari Hoff to comedic perfection, and Andrew Higson, the agent of no-hopers dreaming of the big time. His little asides showing us his true feelings about Mari were lovely and we enjoyed the complicity of this. These three were ably assisted by Rob Dutton, who played a young electrician Billy who becomes LV's love interest and, through their mutual understanding of each other, builds up a lovely trust between them, their long silences extremely well played. Rosalind Ford is the friendly neighbour who pops in for a cup of sugar with some tea, Sadie; and Martin Oldfield is Mr. Boo, the owner of the club.It was a very good play and I enjoyed rekindling my enthusiasm for it. This though is now the third Garrick production I have seen in the last month or so, the first being Snow White, and then only last week watching The Price. Had this play been produced by any other society I would probably have given it 5 stars, however, after seeing what the Garrick is truly capable of, I can only put this production in a worthy third place. 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Previous Next Geoff Bolton Geoff was a long-standing serving member of the Front of House team, He held the role of Front of House Manager in the 1980s, when it was customary to wear a DJ and black bow tie. Back to In Memoriam page

Previous Next Ron Harvi Ron was Artistic Director at the Garrick from 1967-71, when he directed at least six shows each season as well as designing sets and working in the Sound box. He started his career at Manchester Polytechnic teaching speech and drama and, after his stint at the Garrick, he worked for Granada Television, appearing in shows and series such as Coronation Street (see photo). He also took part in several productions of Shakespeare plays for Birmingham Rep, and acted at the Manchester Library Theatre. Ron had a wonderful speaking voice and he was often heard on Book at Bedtime and Storytime on Radio 4. Back to In Memoriam page

Garrick Production The Quest Ran Jan 4, 1915 - Jan 4, 1915 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description By Matthew Boulton CAST Nixon, Walter S Noble, Miss May Slinn, Ella Wilkinson, John Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production CHATROOM - A One Act Play Ran Invalid Date - Mar 31, 2021 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Altrincham Garrick Playhouse are proud supporters of PAPYRUS with our production of Chatroom ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A chilling, blackly comic tale of manipulation, cyberbullying and adolescent insecurity. In a quiet corner of the internet, a group of bored, restless teenagers spend their time deconstructing children's literature and the messages in modern pop music. But when a new member joins to share his depression and thoughts of suicide, the conversation takes a darker turn. A powerful depiction of modern-day isolation and the dangerous power of technology, Enda Walsh's play Chatroom formed part of the National Theatre's 2005 Connections season, an annual festival of new plays for youth theatres and schools. It received its first professional production in the Cottesloe auditorium of the National Theatre, London, in March 2006. Performed by The Garrick Ensemble; a company of 18 - 30 year old aspiring actors from Greater Manchester and Cheshire who perform one production each year as part of the Altrincham Garrick Playhouse Main House Season. The Garrick Ensemble aims to make theatre that is fresh, innovative and exciting. See the very best of local, up and coming talent before they move forward in the next stages of their careers in the Arts. **This play contains strong language and deals with topics including depression and suicide.** Running Time: Approx. 75 Minutes (No Interval) This amateur production of “Chatroom” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk Download the programme for the week's performance. Suicide is the biggest killer of young people in the UK. The national charity PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide aims to reduce the number of young people who take their own lives by breaking down the stigma around suicide and equipping people with the skills to recognise and respond to suicidal behaviour. HOPELINEUK is the charity’s confidential helpline service providing practical advice and support to young people with thoughts of suicide and anyone who is concerned about a young person who may be struggling with life. HOPELINEUK is staffed by trained professionals, offering a telephone, text and email service. For practical, confidential suicide prevention help and advice please contact PAPYRUS HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141, text 07860 039967 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org StageStruck - Rick Bowen I STILL haven’t worked it out. Whenever I go to review a production of a play or a show with a small audience it invariably falls into the outstanding category. Chatroom is no exception. For me, live theatre and TV drama is always at its best when shining a light on difficult issues and dragging the audience or the viewer into a darker world, a world you’re relieved to escape when you leave the theatre or turn off the TV. However shocked you feel it can also be an enlightening experience as this evening in the company of the Internet generation is. It’s oh so tempting to envy teenagers as they’re largely free of responsibilities and live to just enjoy themselves. That’s a myth of course. Just ask Jim, the central character in Enda Walsh’s deeply unsettling but ultimately hopeful play. Pining for a dad who suddenly and mysteriously went AWOL and nursing the psychological and physical scars of a difficult home life, this troubled teen is contemplating suicide. Walsh’s brilliant script doesn’t dilute the difficult nature of this difficult topic while at the same time refusing to sensationalise it. Rather he tells this absorbing tale with quiet compassion and you find yourself caring deeply about Jim, forever the outcast.. A young and dynamic cast more than do justice to this exceptional piece of work, expertly brought to the stage by Joe Meighan, the Garrick’s young and dynamic artistic director. Highly recommended. Star rating -**** North West End - Lou Steggals What would you imagine to be on the agenda for teenagers chatting online? Rating current romantic crushes? How mean mum and dad are for not letting them out past 10? Whether the fat German kid would be more likely to win Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory over Charlie Bucket might not feature on your list, but it is the first vignette of conversation we’re presented with as we join our six teen stars of Enda Walsh’s one-act play Chatroom. Described as a chilling, blackly comic tale, Chatroom looks at themes of online manipulation, cyberbullying and teenage depression, as relatively innocent conversations dissecting children’s literature and pop music are punctured by the arrival of Jim, a young man struggling with suicidal thoughts. This show marks the first production by the Garrick’s newly-formed, in-house ensemble which aims to give aspiring 18 – 30 year old actors from Greater Manchester the opportunity to deliver one show a year as part of the Garrick’s wider season. The cast consisted of Elyas Meekcoms (Jim), Olivia Brindley (Laura), Luke Robinson (William), Lizzie Lomas (Eva), Luke Bicknell (Jack) and Holly Gibson (Emily). Given the sensitive subject matter of the play, director Joseph Meighan has been blessed with a very strong and talented cast, with the young actors showing a maturity and artistic skill beyond their years. Aided by a smart set, and lighting design from James Merrington that highlights the sense of isolation, and clever touches with props (one teen swigs Red Bull, another, Capri Sun), each performer creates a distinctive character and there isn’t a weak link among them as they either seek to either goad or support Jim through his depression. It is exceptionally done and, in an age where youth mental health has been badly impacted by the pandemic, is a timely reflection of the dangers of isolation and peer influence, both good and bad. If anything lets this show down just a bit, it’s the musical interludes where, instead of snippets of music, we have entire pop songs that start to drag and risk killing the pace of the piece, especially as the accompanying movement is very repetitive. Also, despite some of the cultural references being updated, this does feel like a play of when it was written (early 2000s). Chatrooms have given way to social media and the absence of this from the script lessens the sense of timelessness. If Walsh were to revisit his script for the post-coronavirus age it could give the show a whole new potency. Nevertheless, the strength of performances still allows us to follow along a sadly familiar path where angst and insecurity can lead to cruelty, despite cries of ‘Be Kind’ from the well meaning, building to a palpably tense ‘will he, wont he’ finale. The cast and crew are to be commended for delivering a powerful reminder of how easy it can be to fall prey to faceless internet trolls, whilst providing a thread of hope that there are also those willing to listen when we are at our most vulnerable. If you or someone you know is struggling with any of the issues raised in this play please visit papyrus-uk.org for further advice and support. North West End UK Rating: ★★★★ Photographs: Martin Ogden Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Rebecca Ran Invalid Date - Aug 12, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Maxim de Winter, still troubled by the death of his first wife Rebecca, falls in love with a shy ladies' companion. They get married, but on arriving at the country seat, Manderley, the second Mrs de Winter discovers that Rebecca still has a strong hold on everyone in the house, particularly on Mrs Danvers, the housekeeper, who begins driving the young wife to madness. A classic story which unfolds to a dramatic conclusion. CAST Frith Geoff Noar Beatrice Lacy Sarat Parker-Broughton Giles Lacy Victor Hassan Frank Crawley Steve Williamson Maxim de Winter Bryn G Thomas Mrs de Winter Emily Heyworth Mrs Danvers Celia Bonner Jack Favell Jason Dunk Colonel Julyan Michael Bullimore William Tabb John Westbrook Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Pack of Lies (2013) Ran Invalid Date - Jul 30, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description PACK of LIES abundantly demonstrates HUGH WHITEMORE's ability to choose a real event in recent remembered history to weave his favourite themes of human follies and affections allied to inevitable betrayal by all the protagonists. This intriguing tale concerns true events of the early 1960s. Helen and Peter Kroger, living a seemingly quiet life in a London suburb, together with a certain Gordon Lonsdale, were convicted of spying for the Russians and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, only to be exchanged 8 years later for a Britain imprisoned in Moscow. The fictional side of the story involves their "friends" and neighbours - an ordinary middleclass family. Barbara, Bob and Julie are catapulted into a sordid world of deception and treachery, with Barbara realising too late that the Krogers had betrayed her and that she, in turn, had betrayed the Krogers. ABSOLUTELY UNMISSABLE. CAST Bob Jackson Nick Sample Barbara Jackson Caroline Hickey Julie Jackson Erica Pickard Helen Kroger Ros Greenwood (AWARD) Peter Kroger Graham Simmonds Stewart Jonathan Black Thelma Di Boyer Sally Stephanie Peake Review of Pack Of Lies by Julia Taylor for remotegoat Devious spies hoodwink their neighbours The Jacksons, a homely couple who have lived in their street for 20 years, are taken aback when, in Hugh Whitemore's classic, Pack of Lies, MI5 call. To their disbelief, it soon becomes clear that the friendly Canadian neighbours, who often pop in for a cup of tea, have been telling a pack of lies. After people from the intelligence agency survey Helen and Peter Kroger from the Jackson's bedroom window, they are found to be Russian spies. It is all too much for wife, Barbara (Caroline Hickey) who takes out her feelings on her kindly husband Bob (Nick Sample). She even lashes out at schoolgirl daughter, Julie (Erica Pickard), who knows nothing of what is going on. When she does discover the truth, Erica's character erupts, melodramatically displaying her horror and disgust. MI5 insist that the Jacksons continue to act as normal with their treacherous neighbours. They don't find this easy but carry on with the Christmas get together they have already arranged. Ros Greenwood's Helen Kroger, who uses sociability and apparent scattiness to conceal a laser-sharp brain, quickly senses the tension at the event which she and her introvert, brain-washed, Communist husband, Peter (Graham Simmonds), attend. It's amazing the two families ever became friends in the first place. The Jackson's are dull and unadventurous whilst the Krogers - especially Helen in an excellent portrayal by Greenwood - are glamorous. Director, Alan Rothwell, ensures that their differences are emphasised in other ways, too. Barbara wears dowdy cardigans and Bob, run of the mill pullovers. On the other hand, Helen with her sophisticated hairstyle and fashionable 1960's slacks, oozes glamour which attracts daughter Julie like a bear to honey. Jonathan Black performs well as Stewart, the MI5 official, a formidable yet fatherly figure. Juliet Jones' set reproduces your typical 1960's semi with its black regulation telephone, etc. The most amazing thing about this play is that it is all true! NODA Review by Kevin Proctor How well do you know your neighbours? Hugh Whitemore's 'Pack of Lies' is adapted from a real-life spy case of the 1960's and set in a London suburb. Just suppose a very official looking man from the government knocked on your door and asked to place an 'observer' to spy on the neighbourhood for the good of the country. This is what happens to Bob and Barbara Jackson and their teenage daughter Julie. But what is supposed to only last a couple of days, turns into weeks and stretches the fabric of the family as they must 'hide' the presence of the guests. The Families best friends for near on five years, Canadians Helen and Peter, are suspected of aiding a KGB agent who has stolen NATO secrets. The production pays close attention to 1960's period details, both in the costumes and the set (complete with running water and functioning kettle - nice!). Barbara's lowly cardigans contrasted well with the 'slacks' worn by Helen, while the succession of pullovers sported by Nick Sample as Barbara's husband Bob was spot on. The play teases our interest and gives rise to speculation about where the story was going next, with mysterious phone calls from Julies friend and at one point, I even questioned whether Barbara had some part of the ploy as we see her start to buckle under the pressure. The blackouts were covered as well as they can be with appropriate unsettling music. The action, while often static, was kept exciting which I imagine to be one of the biggest challenges of this piece. This is the second 'Whitemore' play I've seen and both have had the knack to suck me deep in to the story and journey of the characters which, ultimately, gives me, or indeed anyone, a remarkable theatrical experience. Erica Pickard as the Jackson's teenage daughter, Julie, gave us a mature and more than able performance, she brought a good energy with her delivery, the developing relationship between Helen and Julie was sensitively played and Julie's outburst in the final scene, when she realised the truth about the Krogers' activities, was moving. A very intelligent and exciting performance from young Erica, she fitted right in and was equally as confidant and ever professional as the adult players. Stewart (Jonathan Black), the man in charge of the investigation had all the right qualities, mannerisms and intrigue to accompany his role, he does, however have the thankless task of remaining 'professional' and not allowing himself to make his performance more vibrant as the plot unfolds. A very neat performance, I empathise with people with these characters who must remain 'reactless'! Di Boyer and Stephanie Peake gave good support as Thelma and Sally, their conversations with Barbara demonstrated the latter's rising concern about the fact that while her friends were betraying their adopted country, she, in her turn, was betraying not only them but also her daughter. Sally, as short lived as her time on stage was, managed to gain the intended reactions and chuckles. Di Boyer was as sympathetic as her character would allow her to be, successfully holding back in displaying too much emotion or affection to Barbara while still managing to keep her character out of the 'bland' category - which is so often the case with characters such as these. Caroline Hickey is excellent as Barbara, all the lying has turned her into a nervous wreck which she executes superbly as she contemplates out loud 'What is the difference between one lie or another'? Her character feels the brunt of the story as her world and home is turned upside down. Nick Sample gave us a soft and loving man of the house as Bob. His closing narration 'turn' was incredibly touching. Nick is a very easy and natural performer, he translates emotions and delivers with such quality as does Ros Greenwood (as Helen). Ros, an asset to any production, gave us a larger than life character 'as Helen would be' but, and most complimentary of all, was delivered to the perfect level, this part could so easily cross the line and be delivered too melodramatic but Ros gave the perfect balance, an expert of her craft who delivered a very fulfilling performance! This interesting play certainly achieved its director's ambition to provide a few talking points for its audience as we left the theatre. Congratulations to Alan Rothwell and his cast, and to The Garrick for setting the bar for my first play of the year! Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Shakespeare in Love By Lee Hall, Marc Norman & Tom Stoppard Ran Invalid Date - Nov 1, 2022 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description PLEASE NOTE WHEN BOOKING - ROW Q has some brief temporary sightline issues at some points during this production. Penniless and indebted to two demanding producers, struggling young playwright William Shakespeare is tormented by writer’s block until he meets the beautiful Viola de Lesseps, daughter of a wealthy merchant, whose fiery passion for poetry and drama leaves her secretly longing to be an actor. Both are despondent when they learn that Viola’s father has promised her to the stuffy Lord Wessex in order to gain a title for their family. Under the veil of secrecy, Will and Viola’s passionate love affair becomes the basis of the very play he is writing – Romeo and Juliet . With opening night – and the wedding day – fast approaching, the plots race toward a parallel conclusion. Will it all work out in the end or are the two star-crossed lovers destined for tragedy? The Oscar-winning film Shakespeare in Love starred Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Judi Dench, Geoffrey Rush and Tom Wilkinson and won 7 Academy Awards, including Best Screenplay. T his romantic comedy transports audiences back to Shakespeare ’s London in a production that is full of energy, colour, spectacle and love . The Garrick Ensemble is a company of 18 – 30 year old aspiring actors from Greater Manchester and Cheshire who perform one production each year as part of the Altrincham Garrick Playhouse Main House Season. The production will be directed by Artistic Director Joseph Meighan. The Garrick Ensemble aims to make theatre that is fresh, innovative and exciting. See the very best of local, up and coming talent before they move forward in the next stages of their careers in the Arts. Age Guidance: 12+ SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE is officially a FIVE STAR Production! “The entire Garrick ensemble must be congratulated for such an uplifting, professional, inspiring performance. The talent on the stage was outstanding.” Read the full review from Angela Kelly at North West End HERE "...this was a highly entertaining and engaging production, which is fully deserving of full houses every night, full of theatre folk and theatre-lovers. It's possibly a chance-in-a-lifetime production too, as I have never seen this on stage before..." Matthew Dougall at Number 9 Read the full review HERE Described as "Unmissable" by Rick Bowen at StageStruck "I HAVE been reviewing Garrick productions for nearly 40 years - I really am THAT old - and Shakespeare in Love gave me one of the best evenings I’ve ever had at this theatre." Read the full review HERE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Free Car Parking. Cosy Bar. Great Prices. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Are You Being Served? Ran Invalid Date - Dec 16, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description The staff of Grace Brothers department store prepare for a sale of German merchandise before departing en masse for a staff holiday; their destination - a one star hotel on the Costa Plonka, Spain. Will the tropical heat, Spanish crumpet, giant woof'n'poofs and randy revolutionaries prove too much for our happy band? Not a bit of it. With the aid of a nun's habit, a bowler hat and Mrs Slocombe's Union Jack knickers they survive the holiday with everything intact - but their modesty. Adapted for the stage by its original creators - this show will delight fans everywhere. CAST Terry Chandler as Mr Grainger Geoff Noar as Mr Mash & Don Bernardo Brian Tickle as Mr Rumbold John Dickson as Mr Lucas Beverley Stuart-Cole as Miss Brahms Roger Metcalfe as Captain Peacock Patsy Rowlands as Mrs Slocombe Brian Howlett as Mr Humphries John Newton as Mr Grace Kathy Johnson as Lady Customer & Taeresa Eric Vogel as Male Customer & Cesar Adele Higson as Nurse & Conchita Reheasal Photos [gallery columns="5" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/servedb.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/servedc.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/servedd.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/servede.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/serveda.jpg|"] Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Mother Goose Ran Invalid Date - Jan 1, 1970 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description The Altrincham Garrick team is very proud to offer to you our Festive Show for 2020/21 a pocket-sized pantomime for all the family: MOTHER GOOSE Booking Now! The Garrick is very well-known for its marvellous pantomimes. Due to COVID-19, we could not stage Peter Pan this season, as we had planned. So, instead, we are delighted to be able to bring this One-Act Pantomime to the stage. It's "COVID-19 safe" and features socially-distanced seating - but it still provides all the usual Garrick Panto fun! Full details of the Garrick's COVID-19 safety features are here. Note that there is limited seating, so ensure you book your tickets soon. Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Natural Causes Ran Invalid Date - Dec 11, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description No information available at this time Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Comfort and Joy Ran Invalid Date - Feb 7, 2014 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description It's Christmas! Identify with past festivities and all the usual disasters. Boring relatives (often drunk) mystifying presents. Dodgy plumbing, very strange neighbours. Sounds Familiar? Then come along and enjoy this hilarious comedy. Review from the Manchester Evening News ANYONE in their right mind would condemn Mike Harding's 1997 farce, Comfort and Joy as a load of piffle. But when you see this ridiculous Christmas comedy, you are not in your right mind because you laugh so much it sends you off kilter. This is thanks to the team work and timing of a top rate cast who present a sequence of chaotic incidents which disturb a Christmas gathering. The intricate set with eye-catching details is, at first, dominated by an unbenevolent Santa Claus. He turns out to be Goff, a widower who is awaiting the return of his daughter and son-in-law after 30 years in Australia. 'Geoff Noar's Goff is stubborn. He has never forgiven his daughter's husband for taking his prized saw Down Under. Their return home is dampened by his resentment which he takes to ridiculous lengths. But this isn't a one man show. There are 12 people in it and, together, they illustrate the familiar stress and squabbles of the festive season. In the midst of it all there are some delightful cameos, I particularly liked the crazy pair who were away with the fairies because they thought they had been abducted by aliens. The play is well-laced with political incorrectness. The scene where this dysfunctional family play charades is particularly well done. It appears spontaneous and provides some of the best laughs of the evening. The production seems easy and natural though it must have been a challenge to director Val Watkinson. There is constant and swift interaction and it makes big demands on the energy of the players. The episode where Christmas presents are given and opened is highly demanding and equally funny. Comfort and Joy is the perfect antidote to a windy winter's night. Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Hi-De-Hi Ran Invalid Date - Dec 16, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description The National Premiere Following the enormous success of "Dad's Army" last season, we are thrilled to have been given special permission, by the writers, to present the stage version of this very successful and long-running TV series. Come back with us to the late 50s/early 60s and enjoy once again all the simple humour of a bygone age. With the words "Hello, Campers" ringing in your ears meet again Gladys Pugh, Jeffrey Fairbrother, Ted Bovis and of course Spike and Peggy and others. Relive a time when Yellow Coats, Chalets with bunk beds, canteen type meals and talent shows were the order of the day. All the characters are here waiting to entertain you and after the "Dad's Army" sell out don't leave it too late to order your tickets for this one. CAST Alex Wilson as Jeffrey Fairbrother Brian Tickle as Ted Bovis Caroline Hickey as Gladys Pugh David Leathlean as Spike Dixon Brian Howlett as Fred Quilly Juliet Wilson as Peggy Mike Shaw as Barry Stuart-Hargreaves Natalie Horne as Yvonne Stuart-Hargreaves Frank Boylan as Uncle Benjamin Graham Simmonds as Stanley Robert Watson as Bruce Yellowcoats Mandy White Jane Gallagher Ashley Foster Laura Whitehurst Robin Coulthard as Bert Swanley Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Dick Whittington & his Wonderful Cat Ran Invalid Date - Aug 14, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description A traditional family pantomime brought to you by the same team as the successful 'Snow White' last year......This panto offers you immense pleasure as you watch your children/grandchildren laugh, shout and really get involved in the story of Dick Whittington and his wonderful cat. They will meet marvellous characters such as Spirit of the Bells, Captain Cockles and Mussells, his mate. They will boo and hiss King Rat: Marvel at the antics of Tommy the cat and be entranced by the magical set and special effects. CAST Spirit of the Bells Maureen Casket King Rat Mike Shaw Captain Cockles Dave Jones Mr. Mussels Sean Gonet Alderman Fitzwarren Fred Yeomans Alice Fitzwarren Francesca Rabar Sarah the Cook Mark Edgar Idle Jack Adam Gonet Dick Whittington Jackie Wheble Tommy the Cat Grace Garside The Sultan of Morrocco Craig Barratt Chorus Craig Barratt Sian Smith Tom Green-Fuller Hannah Williams Chris Mawson Eleanor Bacon Tom Roche Alice Preece Alex Day Cloe Smith Jacob Holder Erika Pickard Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Ran Oct 23, 2023 - Oct 29, 2023 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description Altrincham Garrick Playhouse presents the most Fantasmagorical musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang , for October Half Term… a high-flying, fun-filled adventure for the entire family! An eccentric inventor, Caractacus Potts sets about restoring an old race car from a scrap heap with the help of his children, Jeremy and Jemima. They soon discover the car has magical properties, including the ability to float and take flight. Trouble occurs when the evil Baron Bomburst desires the magic car for himself. The family joins forces with Truly Scrumptious and batty Grandpa Potts to outwit the dastardly Baron and Baroness and their villainous henchman, the Child Catcher. One of the world’s favourite musicals, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will have audiences of all ages flying high with its mixture of madness, intrigue and exuberance. Based on the beloved 1968 film version of Ian Fleming's children's book, and featuring an unforgettable score by the Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins ),Chitty Chitty BangBang is one family-friendly show that you’ll find "Truly Scrumptious." Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman Music by Special Arrangement with Sony/ATV Publishing Adapted for the Stage by Jeremy Sams Based on the MGM Motion Picture Licensed Script Adapted by Ray Roderick Production shots taken by Martin Ogden Reviews REVIEWS StageStruck - Rick Bowen "The production has a dream team of creatives behind it and a cast who are determined the audience, children and adults, are totally swept along by this fun filled evening of classic, feel good musical theatre." "This is an evening of unbridled, unashamed escapism. We the audience find ourselves transported to a world of colourful, larger than life characters." Read the full review on Stagestruck Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Visiting Production The Adult Panto - Puss & Dick Date range Tickets £20 - £21 Age guidance 16+ Venue Main House Trigger warning Find out more Book now Running time TBC Group bookings Find out more Accessibility Find out more Taking the UK by storm since 2004, the Market Theatre’s Adult Panto Company are back on tour and out to corrupt another classic fairy tale beyond recognition with their unique style of Adult Panto. The fearless company of just 3 actors are here with an hilarious and extremely naughty take on the traditional tale of Dick Whittington,using a minimum of set props, costume and actors! Get ready for an evening of slick, fast-moving, farcical fun and bawdy sexual innuendo foradults only. Not suitable for under 16’s ‘Another very naughty "big" show, pulled off with ease - exactly what the audience expects!’– A View from the stalls (on the Adult Panto Beauty and the Big Beast!) ‘It’s fast, furious and very funny...’– Choice Radio, Worcester (on Hansel & Gretel GoDown in the Woods) ‘Some of the sketches are worthy of The Two Ronnies with their extensive wordplay, faultlessly delivered.’– Choice Radio, Worcester (on Peter Panties) ‘Quintessentially British...Like a Carry On film made by a Rugby Club!’- The Stage Newspaper Visiting Production Book Tickets Wed 15 Oct Last few left 00:00 Show more times Trailer Reviews Gallery Friends of the Garrick Become a Friend of the Garrick! You can buy discounted tickets and support your local theatre. Become a Friend Now Join our mailing list Subscribe

Garrick Production Business Affairs Ran Invalid Date - Feb 7, 2014 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description To smooth the impending sale of their failing haulage business, Stanley and Norman arrange to complete the deal in a suite at a smart London hotel even arranging the services of two 'sophisticated escorts' to help the new owners celebrate their purchase. Pandemonium ensues and an ever spiraling series of deceptions and lies keeps everyone on their toes. [gallery ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businessbtn.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businessctn.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businessdtn.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businesse.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businessf.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businessg.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businessj.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businessk.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businessm.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businessn.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businesso.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/businessh.jpg|"] CAST Stanley Bigley Graham Simmonds Norman Harris Mike Shaw Hilda Bigley Beverley Stuart-Cole Rose Harris Janet Slade Kurt Andrew Higson Sven Martin Creevy Sabrina Mandy White Valerie Sally Egginton Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster

Garrick Production Brassed Off Ran Invalid Date - Dec 16, 2013 Age guidance Venue Running time Tickets Price Range Description In existence for a hundred years, Grimley Colliery Brass Band is as old as the mine. Set during the miners' strike of the 80s the miners are deciding whether to fight to keep the pit open. The only hope is for the men to enter the band into the national competition. They believe they have no hope until Gloria appears carrying her flugelhorn. At first mocked for being a woman, she soon becomes the only chance for the band to win. As Danny, the band's leader,continues to exhort them to continue to the national competition, frictions and pressures are all too evident. But whose side is Gloria actually on? Reviews Gallery Trailer Trigger Warning Documents related to this Production View the Programme View the Advertising Poster