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 Sonning Eye, Oxfordshire, England
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by ALAN AYCKBOURN Sylvie
is a round-shouldered and slatternly village girl who helps
prim-and-proper Celia, the headmaster's wife, around the house.
Devoid of self-esteem, poor Sylvie is taken advantage of by
her chauvinist gardener boyfriend, Lionel, who constantly ticks
her off for dressing like a "lollipop on legs" and tells her
she must "buck up her ideas" if she wants to keep up with him. By
arrangement with Samuel French Ltd
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ROBERT
FITCH (Lionel/Toby/Joe Hepplewick) Robert trained at the
Academy of Live and Recorded Arts. His professional credits
in the theatre include Tim in SCREWED for the Curio Theatre
Company, Conrad Jennings in BLUE GIRL on tour for Vienna’s English
Theatre, Paul in OVER THE MOON with Joan Collins (directed by
Ray Cooney) at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, Theatre
Royal Bath and the Old Vic Theatre, Clifton Weaver in ONE FOR
THE POT at the Theatre Royal, Windsor and Sam in WAIT UNTIL
DARK also at Windsor and in London at the Garrick Theatre. Most
recently he played Geoffrey Curtis in DEADLY NIGHTCAP in Vienna,
Geoffrey in ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR and Herman in STAGE STRUCK
both at the Theatre Royal, Windsor. Television/film appearances
include Kafka in KAFKA’S LAST LAUGH for Orlagh Mckaenny, Mr
Harvey in HIT LIST for Grasshopper Films, LONDON’S BURNING for
LWT, PLAYRAPE also for Grasshopper Films, SHAUN OF THE DEAD
for Working Title and most recently Piers Waldron in THE QUEEN’S
SISTER. His voice work includes numerous English Language tapes
and TELLING IT THE WAY IT IS a BBC Factual Radio Drama for producer
Jeff Capel. Robert has a musical background. He was a session
bass player with various solo performers including DYAN CANNON
during her brief foray into the pop world. He also toured with
the band ZED as bass and harmonica player.
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ELIZABETH
HEALEY (Celia/Sylvie) Elizabeth Healey’s theatre work includes:
UNSENT LETTERS at The Orange Tree Theatre, LAUNDRY at The Gate,
BLUE REMEMBERED HILLS and THE LIBERTINE at Battersea Arts Centre
(Time Out Critics’ Choice), THEATRE FOR IDENTITY at The Arcola,
OTHELLO at Hampstead, SEARCHING FOR DOROTHY at The Cockpit,
JUDITH at Goldsmiths Theatre and THE DUTCHMAN at The Tristan
Bates Theatre. Television includes: THE FUGITIVES for ITV, GORY
GREEK GODS for BBC, THE REAL KING HEROD and THE MINOANS for
Channel 4. Films include: HALF TERM, COLD AND DARK, TEN MINUTES,
UNSEEN and PLAYRAPE.
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DAVID TAYLOR (DIRECTOR) American director David Taylor
works on both sides of the Atlantic and has a string of international
credits: His most recent production is MARRYING THE MISTRESS
which he has adapted for the stage, with the author’s blessing,
from Joanna Trollope’s best selling novel. He has also directed
the stage version of Rosamunde Pilcher’s THE SHELL SEEKERS starring
Stephanie Cole and later Rosemary Leach, as well as ABOUT ALICE
with Gwen Taylor and Francis Matthews. Other UK credits include
A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS with Gwen Taylor, and Michael Jayston,
and THE ADJUSTMENT starring Stefanie Powers. THE PRISONER OF
SECOND AVENUE starring Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason at
the Haymarket Theatre London endorsed David’s affinity with
the work of Neil Simon - he previously directed LOST IN YONKERS
with Maureen Lipman and Rosemary Harris at the Strand Theatre,
and Anna Massey in the critically acclaimed British premiere
of BROADWAY BOUND at Greenwich. It was with Simon's hit musical
THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG starring Tom Conti and Gemma Craven
that David made his London West End directorial debut following
extensive work in the United States. Following THEY’RE PLAYING
OUR SONG, he directed Don Black’s DEAR ANYONE with Jane Lapotaire,
PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES and CAN-CAN - all in the West End - returning
to the States to direct a new version of CHESS in New York,
and to Canada for a spectacular production of THE WIZARD OF
OZ which re-opened the Elgin Theatre in Toronto. In addition
to his London West End credits, David’s earlier regional U.K.
productions include THE LION IN WINTER with David McCallum and
Sian Phillips; THE CEMETERY CLUB with Millicent Martin, Anne
Charleston, Judy Cornwell and Carmen Silvera; LUNCH GIRLS with
Sylvia Syms, Gemma Craven and Jan Harvey; the thriller RICOCHET
with Nigel Havers and Keith Barron and PLAINTIFF IN A PRETTY
HAT with Ian Lavender. This last production was at The Mill
at Sonning, where David has happily worked on several occasions:
most notably THE ODD COUPLE, THE GINGERBREAD LADY, CAHOOTS and
CHAPTER TWO. In 1985 David directed Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS
in Toronto winning Canada's top theatre award, a 'DORA', for
Best Director and was promptly invited to direct the German
version of CATS in Hamburg - his production bore the distinction
of being Germany's first open-ended commercial production and
played for almost 15 years to capacity audiences.
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JULIE
GODFREY (Set Designer) Julie Godfrey graduated with a degree
in theatre design from Nottingham University. West end credits
include: THE FEMALE ODD COUPLE, Apollo theatre; ONE FINE DAY,
at the Albery Theatre and ON THE PISTE, at the Garrick Theatre.
Recent theatre includes: ABOUT ALICE, OLD WORLD, MOMENT OF WEAKNESS
(Ivan Hale Ltd.), DAMES AT SEA, NUNSENSE and STEPPING OUT (Eastbourne
Theatres), HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES, (Bill Kenwright), NOBODY’S
FOOL (Ian Fricker), CINDERELLA (Mercury Theatre, Colchester),
TIME AND TIME AGAIN and WHY ME? (Churchill Theatre, Bromley
and national tour), STEPPING OUT, PARTY PIECE, LONDON SUITE,
HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES, IN TWO MINDS, THE PERECT MURDER, CATCH
ME IF YOU CAN, CANARIES SOMETIMES SING and GYM & TONIC (Theatre
Royal, Windsor), NOBODY’S PERFECT and FUNNY ABOUT LOVE (Yvonne
Arnaud Theatre, Guildford & national tour), FEED, RAVING BEAUTIES
and ON THE PISTE (Liverpool Playhouse), BLUES IN THE NIGHT,
STAGS AND HENS and JACK AND THE BEANSTALK (Queens Theatre, Hornchurch),
DAMES AT SEA and EDUCATING RITA (Swan Theatre, Worcester), CANTERBURY
TALES, MOTHER GOOSE, UP AND UNDER; ONE FLEW OVER THE CCKOO’S
NEST, THE FANTASTICKS, A TASTE OF HONEY and ONE FOR THE ROAD
(Grand Theatre, Swansea).
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JANE
KIDD (Costume Designer) Jane who is our Resident Costume
Designer, trained in Fashion Design at Berkshire College of
Art. She freelanced in knitwear and dress design for five years
before joining The Mill as Wardrobe Mistress, and enjoys a variety
of making both period and modern costumes of which she has made
many whilst at The Mill. Some of Jane’s recent costume designs
include, FUNNY MONEY, THE FACE OF FEAR, YOU'RE ONLY YOUNG TWICE,
AN EVENING WITH GARY LINEKER, STEPPING OUT,THERE GOES THE BRIDE,
I REMEMBER YOU, MURDER BY MISADVENTURE OUT OF ORDER, ABSENT
FRIENDS, IT’S NEVER TOO LATE, A TOUCH OF SPRING, SHADY BUSINESS,
CAUGHT IN THE NET, TWO AND TWO MAKE SEX and SEPARATE TABLES.
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JANET
A. CANTRILL (Lighting designer) Having recently joined the
staff at The Mill Janet is delighted to have been asked to light
this production INTIMATE EXCHANGES. Previous design work includes
SWEENEY TODD, THE BARTERED BRIDE and THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
for the Bedfordshire Youth Opera, THE BEAU DEFEATED and MARAT
SADE for the East 15 Acting School and almost every production
at the Webber Douglas Academy during her time there as Production
Manager.
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SALLY HUGHES (Artistic Director) Sally spent her early
years in Venezuela and Argentina and after finishing her education
in England, she then trained for the stage as an actress at
The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. On graduating she
was given her first engagement by John Fernald who directed
her in COMING OF AGE. Then followed ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU
EVER BEEN at The Bush and CATCHPENNY TWIST at The King’s Head
Theatre. In 1984 Sally took over the post of Artistic Director
of The Mill At Sonning from Peter Egan and has directed and
appeared in many of its productions, including DAMES AT SEA
(an excerpt of which was included in The Royal Gala Performance
in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales), and most recently
she appeared as Barbara Smith in CAUGHT IN THE NET and Ginger
Mercer in the musical TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS. The most recent
plays Sally has directed at The Mill are A FOOT IN THE DOOR,
POOLS PARADISE, THE FACE OF FEAR, STEPPING OUT and most recently
A TOUCH OF SPRING. Sally enjoys a career outside of The Mill
and has played leading parts in the BBC series LATE EXPECTATIONS
and LAURA AND DISORDER in which she played Wendy Craig’s daughter-in-law.
Other TV appearances include: DON’T WAIT UP, KEEPING UP APPEARANCES,
BRUSHSTROKES & MULBERRY. Sally directed the National Tour of
PASTIMES, starring Rosemary Leach and William Gaunt and also
directed BAREFOOT IN THE PARK by Neil Simon at the Jermyn Street
Theatre in the West End. Sally also appeared in TOO MARVELOUS
FOR WORDS, at the King's Head, London.
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ALAN AYCKBOURN (Playwright) Alan Ayckbourn is the long-serving
Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
and the author of over 60 plays, most of which were premiered
at this theatre; PRIVATE FEARS IN PUBLIC PLACES and IMPROBABLE
FICTION being the latest. More than half of these plays have
subsequently been produced in the West End or at the Royal National
Theatre. His 'double' play HOUSE and GARDEN was seen at the
RNT recently. A few of his plays that have been performed at
The Mill are - RELATIVELY SPEAKING, ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR,
THE NORMAN CONQUESTS, BEDROOM FARCE, JUST BETWEEN OURSELVES
and TAKING STEPS. A fellow of the RSA, he was appointed a CBE
in 1987 and in 1997 was knighted for services to the theatre.
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| Production: | |
| Production Manager | Joan Farnese |
| Stage Manager | James Neal |
| Chief Electrician | Janet A Cantrill |
| Master Carpenter | Ian Stroud |
| Wardrobe Mistress | Jane Kidd |
| Deputy Stage Managers | Jo Vimpany, Neil Webb |
| Assistant Stage Manager | Gillian Marchbank |
| Technician | Ed Marshall |
| Scenic Artist | Tony Eden |
| Assistant Carpenter | Luke McAra |
| Wardrobe Assistant | Evelyn Fidler |
| Dressers | Ann
Baker, Lynn Hinton, Catherine Bristow, Terry Bartholomew |
| Theatre Production Photography | Norman Weston |
| Website Production | Chris Berry |
