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The Southend Shakespeare Company
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News Archive
- Our schedule for 2009
- Company Members, don't forget to log in every once in a while, to see if there's anything
exclusively for you on this (and other) pages.
Items of news submitted by our Members:
Local press previews The Henrys We're excited about our latest production, and it's causing a stir amongst the local arts community as well. Here's what the Evening Echo has to say about it.
Group’s right royal challenge
By Tom King
It is named after a tragic king and a disastrous reign, but the true subject of Shakespeare’s Henry VI is war – the brutal Wars of the Roses.
England was torn apart in chaotic conflict for 40 years, until the Battle of Bosworth and the arrival of the first Tudor king at last terminated the bloodshed.
Southend Shakespeare Company’s decision to perform Henry VI launched the most ambitious production any of their members can remember, and some have been with the group for almost half a century.
The production requires actors to fill 73 speaking parts, and 40 non-speaking parts.
The staging demands numerous full-scale battles, murders and other gory deaths, rebellions, sieges and pirate raids. “We’ve never created anything quite on this scale before,” says director, Michael Clements.
Why has SSC, identified for many by its outdoor summer productions of comedies like the Taming of the Shrew, chosen to stage this epic?
“We’ve done just about everything else in the Shakespeare repertoire in recent years, so we knew we were going to have a crack at this one sooner or later.,” says James Carter, SSC’s chairman, who plays the title role.
“Mike had done the other English historical plays Henry IV part one and two and Henry V, which cover the historical narrative leading up to Henry VI, so this is a natural progression. We took a deep breath first. Staging Henry VI is a real leap of faith.”
In order to muster the huge cast, SSC borrowed actors from other local amdram companies, including Lindisfarne and the Little Theatre Company.
In one area they didn’t have to do too much borrowing, however, down the years SSC has acquired a supply of medieval broad-swords. “We’re surprisingly well equipped in that respect,” says Jim.
The chronicle of King Henry VI is in fact three plays. Each can be performed alone.
SSC has taken a different approach, however, telescoping the narrative into two parts, and discreetly trimming some of the Bard’s more long-winded passages.
In this sprawling saga, numerous powerful characters stride the stage for a short while, only to meet a sudden sticky end. The character who binds the entire cycle together is, of course, Henry VI himself. Things happen to Henry. He doesn’t make them happen, but as a cultivated and intelligent man, he is aware of the vast tragedy unfolding in front of him.
His role is often that of commentator, as an entire nation commits suicide. Seldom has a passive stage character been given a more crucial function Jim says: “Henry was the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had many virtues, but he just wasn’t equipped to wear the crown in those tough times.”
“He is undergoing a continuous nervous breakdown through much of the play.“
“I’m used to playing strong, positive characters in Shakespeare, so it’s very interesting to tackle a passive character like this one, who is caught in the tide of chaos of civil war.”
Although Henry VI is seldom performed, Jim and Michael both feel this is because of the epic demands it makes, not due to anything wrong with the work.
Michael says: “A civil war isn’t something you can just stage at the drop of a hat,” Michael says. “Henry VI needs time and a big input of resources. But the plays themselves are great.”
“They’re also a bit different from what we’re used to in Shakespeare. They don’t have tight plots. They tell the story as it happened, messy and sprawling, but the language and the drama are terrific.”
Jim says: “It’s needed a lot of time and effort, but Henry VI is well worth the effort.”
“There is just so much good stuff in there, and we should all get the chance to see it.”
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| Item by: Steve Pilley |
On: 17/11/2009 |
Expires: 28/12/2009 |
Hot News! SSC 2010 SEASON ANNOUNCED! The SSC are delighted to announce our programme of plays for 2010 The Productions are:-
A FLEA IN HER EAR by Georges Feydeau
Directed by Madeleine Ayres
16th- 20th March 2010
Dixon Studio Palace Theatre
THE HOSTAGE by Brendan Behan
Directed by Malcolm Toll
13th- 17th April 2010
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre
HENRY V by William Shakespeare
Directed by Peter Finlay
Open Air Summer Production July 2010
Various Venues TBA
THE LOWER DEPTHS by Maxim Gorky
Directed by Michael Clements
26th-30th October 2010
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre
ROMEO & JULIET by William Shakespeare
Directed by Sally Millest
23rd-27th November 2010
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre
As usual we were oversubscribed with offers. Thanks to everyone who presented and apologies if we couldn't fit you in this time.
So - we've got plays by French, Irish and Russian authors to look forward to - all who are new to the SSC repertoire - plus two Shakespearean classics, of course.
Plenty of variety for our audiences, and plenty of great parts for our actors....it should be another lively year!
Cheers
Jim Carter
Chairman
SSC
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| Item by: James Carter |
On: 14/9/2009 |
Expires: 31/12/2009 |
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