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 Sonning Eye, Oxfordshire, England
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 A comedy by MICHAEL FRAYN A glorious,
hilarious comedy set in the cuttings library of a provincial newspaper.
Where chaos reigns! Under the control of lovely Lucy, the library is a
jungle of mislaid materials - and worse still - mislaid emotions. The
eccentric journalists who frequent this warm hearted abode find it a
fun and cosy retreat in contrast to their frantic lifestyles. Order
arrives in the form of Leslie, a young assistant with a fixed smile on
her face and a relentless urge to categorise. A tide of tidiness takes
over! Slowly but surely Leslie restores order to the files. And to the
equally untidy lives of her colleagues! The library may now be a
smoothly operating machine but all the heart has gone out of it.
However, Leslie's come-uppance is in view as this brilliantly funny
play hurtles towards its riotously unexpected ending. Michael Frayn is
consistently one of this country's most successful playwrights. His
hits include NOISES OFF, BENEFACTORS, DEMOCRACY, DONKEY'S YEARS -
currently playing to packed houses in the West End. The action
takes place in the library of a provincial newspaper office. Set in the
early 70s
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TERENCE BOOTH
(Wally) Since directing TIME OF MY LIFE at The Mill last summer,
Terry has appeared in PROOF in Birmingham and the Arts Theatre, London;
the Christmas show in Scarborough and Sir Alan Ayckbourn's, IF I WERE
YOU at Guildford, Worthing and Oxford. He has worked mainly in Regional
Theatre, including Scarborough, York, Harrogate, Leeds, Clwyd, Oldham,
Windsor, Milford Haven, Basingstoke, Croydon, Battersea, Ipswich,
Southampton and of course, Sonning, where he has appeared in SEASONS
GREETINGS, TAKING STEPS, FUNNY MONEY, IT'S NEVER TOO LATE and NOT NOW
DARLING. He was in Ayckbourn's MAN OF THE MOMENT at the Gielgud and
TIME OF MY LIFE at the Vaudeville, plus several National Tours. His
television credits include, EASTENDERS, ALAN PARTRIDGE, CASUALTY and of
course THE BILL! |
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| NICK BURNELL
(Arnold) Nick originally trained as a teacher and has since enjoyed
a long and varied acting career. He has appeared in feature films
including: BRING ME THE HEAD OF MAVIS DAVIS, THE YOUNG AMERICANS,
PASCALI'S ISLAND, OPERATION COQ ROUGE, and HUNTING THE SQUIRREL. His
television work includes THE BILL, FAMILY AFFAIRS, DOCTORS, PEAK
PRACTICE, KERCHING, BAD GIRLS, KEEN EDDIE, TIME AFTER TIME, WAITING FOR
GOD, SEEKERS, SECOND THOUGHTS, LONDON'S BURNING, 'ALLO 'ALLO and
EMMERDALE and, most recently FOOTBALLERS'S WIVES and DIAMOND GEEZER.
Nick's extensive theatre work has seen him perform in the West End,
regional theatres and the United States. Roles include: 'Captain Orton'
in the West End production of THE KING AND I; 'Geoffrey' in STEPPING
OUT at the Strand Theatre; 'Malvolio' IN TWELFTH NIGHT; 'Inspector
Goole' in AN INSPECTOR CALLS; 'Squire Bassatt' in JAMAICA INN;
'Capulet' in ROMEO AND JULIET; 'Captain Smollett' in TREASURE ISLAND;
'Det. Inspector Warrilove' in ACE OF CLUBS; 'Sgt. Harry Asquith' in
FUNNY PECULIAR; and Peter Bridges in IT'S NEVER TOO LATE for The Mill
at Sonning. Nick is delighted to be returning to The Mill at Sonning to
join the cast of ALPHABETICAL ORDER directed by Anthony Valentine. |
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.HELEN
COTTERILL (Nora) This is Helen's eighth appearance at Sonning. She
was in production No.2 with John Alderton and two years ago in IT'S
NEVER TOO LATE by Ron Aldridge. Work includes Polly Peacham in Tony
Richardson's THE THREEPENNY OPERA at The Prince of Wales and Piccadilly
Theatres and three years with Sir Ian McKellen's Actors' Company on
British, South American and Scandinavian tours. She was PIAF at Leeds
Playhouse and The Nurse in ROMEO AND JULIET for Oxford Playhouse in
Britain and Japan. More recently she played Mrs Sowerberry in Sam
Mende's production of OLIVER at The London Palladium and Dot in
STEPPING OUT, THE MUSICAL, at the Albery. Numerous TV appearances
include such classics as THE LIKELY LADS, OPEN ALL HOURS, DINNER LADIES
and HEARTBEAT. She was last seen in ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, THE DOCTORS
and CASUALTY. Helen is an accomplished watercolour painter and sells at
exhibitions and by commission. Her paintings for The Actors' Benevolent
Fund Christmas Card selection have all been best sellers. |
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| SALLY HUGHES
(Lucy/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, A TOUCH OF
SPRING, STRICTLY MURDER, ALONE TOGETHER AGAIN and most recently FRENCH
WITHOUT TEARS and TIME TO KILL. 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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NIGEL PEGRAM
(Geoffrey) After The Oxford Revue at the 1964 Edinburgh Festival
with Michael Palin and Terry Jones, followed by 6 months with THE
SECOND CITY COMPANY in Chicago, Nigel returned to England to join WAIT
A MINIM, starring both in the West End and later in its 15 month run on
Broadway, where he received the personal congratulations of Benny
Goodman. While in New York he was invited to study with Lee Strasberg
at The Actors' Studio. His many varied stage roles include the Duke of
Windsor in CROWN MATRIMONIAL, Melvyn P. Thorpe, the Watchdog Man, in
THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (Drury Lane), Mozart in Pushkin's
MOZART AND SALIERI (Queen Elizabeth Hall), Gremio in Leicester
Haymarket's TAMING OF THE SHREW, King Tullus in the Lyric, Hammersmith
production of Corneille's HORACE, Old Adam and Sir Oliver Martext in
Sir Peter Hall's UK and US tour of AS YOU LIKE IT and most recently,
Sir Frederick Bishop, Eden's principal private secretary, in the
Finborough production of EDEN'S EMPIRE. His many television appearances
include leading roles in ROBERT'S ROBOTS, THE TOMORROW PEOPLE, GET SOME
IN, THE PROFESSIONALS, TOM DICK AND HARRIET, THE INQUEST OF NEIL
AGGETT, SQUARING THE CIRCLE, FRESH FIELDS, THE SINGING DETECTIVE,
PULASKI, THE GIBRALTAR INQUEST, CAPITAL CITY, NEWSHOUNDS, NEVER COME
BACK, DROP THE DEAD DONKEY, LOVEJOY, VAN DER VALK, OUTSIDE EDGE (in
which his character Nigel was especially written for him by writer
Richard Harris), Ruth Rendell's ROAD RAGE and DOCTORS. His films
include FUNNY MONEY, CHARLES AND DIANA - A ROYAL LOVE STORY, PRINCESS
DAISY, PROTEUS, and THE AMERICAN WAY (with Dennis Hopper and Michael J.
Pollard, in which he played Willa Westinghouse, the first successful
female US Presidential candidate). Some of his many voices can be heard
in Ridley Scott's LEGEND, Don Bluth's ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN and
Spielberg's AN AMERICAN TAIL - FIEVEL GOES WEST. He is married to ex
Royal Ballet soloist and actress April Olrich. |
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| MARTYN
STANBRIDGE (John) Martyn trained at The Drama Centre. Martyn's
theatre work includes: seasons at Oxford Playhouse, Birmingham Rep,
Bromley, Bristol Old Vic, Cambridge, Liverpool Playhouse, Glasgow
Citizens, Theatr Clwyd, Dublin, Exeter, Cheltenham, Westcliff, Windsor,
Northampton and Sonning. Plays include: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, PEER
GYNT, CHIPS WITH EVERYTHING, THE WHITE DEVIL, MACBETH, TRANSLATIONS,
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, SALONIKA, WILD OATS, ABSENT FRIENDS, LES LIASONS
DANGEREUSES, DEATHTRAP, SAME TIME NEXT YEAR, BEDSIDE MANNERS, THE
MAINTENANCE MAN, THE BUSINESS OF MURDER, TWELVE ANGRY MEN, ROMANTIC
COMEDY, WIFE BEGINS AT FORTY, THE CONSTANT COUPLE, BRIEF ENCOUNTER, I
REMEMBER YOU, MURDER BY MISADVANTURE, THE GRADUATE (UK tour), DANGEROUS
OBSESSION (UK tour), and most recently REBECCA (UK tour). In London:
VENICE PRESERVED at the National Theatre, THE VORTEX at the Garrick
Theatre, BERENICE at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, THE MILLIONAIRES
and THREE SISTERS at The Greenwich Theatre, THE CASTLE SPECTRE at the
Croydon Warehouse, THE VERGE at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond.
Television: GOOD AND BAD AT GAMES, A POCKETFUL OF RYE, PARADISE
POSTPONED, MURROW, AD, THE DAY AFTER THE FAIR, HEDGEHOG WEDDING,
PARTNERS LOVERS SPIES (NBC - USA), THE BILL, DOCTOR FINLAY , McLIBEL,
DOCTORS and EASTENDERS. |
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ELEANOR
TURNER (Leslie) Eleanor trained at Webber Douglas Academy of
Dramatic Art, where she played roles such as Lady Jessica Nepean in THE
LIARS (dir. Richard Digby Day), Anne Frank in THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK
(dir. Tom Hunsinger) and Jennifer in a Martin Crimp adaptation of
Moliere's THE MISANTHROPE (dir. Julian Forsythe). She has just finished
playing Pegeen Mike in THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD (dir. Neil
Sheppeck) and Princess Katherine in HENRY V (dir. Catriona Craig),
which toured the UK and Ireland and played at the Riverside Studios in
Hammersmith, London. |
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| ANTHONY VALENTINE (Director) Anthony’s
first professional appearance was at the age of ten, in a film
entitled: ‘NO WAY BACK’. At eleven, he was working regularly for BBC
Television, one of his earliest roles was Lord Mauleverer in that most
famous of children’s serials; ‘BILLY BUNTER’. The same year, he sang at
Sadler’s Wells in a season of Italian Opera. At thirteen came his first
major film role and at sixteen, his first appearance in the ‘West End’.
At nineteen Anthony played Sir Laurence Olivier’s son, Erhart, in
Henrik Ibsen’s ‘JOHN GABRIEL BORKMAN’, Olivier’s first television
drama. Since then there have been many television series. He played A J
RAFFLES for Yorkshire Television, Major Mohn in ‘COLDITZ’, Toby Meres
in ‘CALLAN’ and starred with Margaret Lockwood in ‘JUSTICE’, three
series of ‘THE KNOCK’ for London Weekend Television, ‘BODY AND SOUL’
for Carlton, ‘THE COMMANDER’ for Lynda La Plante and for Columbia
Tri-Star in Los Angles; ‘THE FIFTH CORNER’. Other series include;
‘WAKING THE DEAD’ ‘JUDGE JOHN DEED’, ‘MINDER’, ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES’,
‘HANNAY’, ‘RIDERS’, ‘AFTER THE WAR’, ‘ROBIN OF SHERWOOD’, ‘THE HOUSE OF
ELLIOTT’, ‘LOVEJOY’, ‘AN AGE OF KINGS’ and Ivor Novello’s ‘THE DANCING
YEARS’. His films include: ‘JEFFERSON IN PARIS’. ‘MASADA’, ‘ESCAPE TO
ATHENA’, ‘TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER’, ‘PERFORMANCE’, ‘THE TERRORIST’,
‘THE DIRTY DOZEN; FATAL MISSION’, ‘AMERICAN CUISINE’, ‘THE MONSTER
CLUB’, ‘THE DAMNED’ and ‘TWO MEN WENT TO WAR’. His ‘West End’ theatre
work includes: ‘THE SHIFTING HEART’, ‘TWO STARS FOR COMFORT’, ‘HALF A
SIXPENCE’, ‘THE PLATINUM CAT’, ‘NO SEX PLEASE WE'RE BRITISH’, ‘SLEUTH’
and ‘HANS ANDERSEN’ at the Palladium. At The Royal Court Theatre; the
London premiers of; Arnold Wesker’s ‘CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY’ and Anne
Jellicoe’s, ‘THE SPORT OF MY MAD MOTHER’. Anthony was last in the West
End at the Wyndham’s theatre in ‘ART’ and at the Lyric Hammersmith in
‘THE WHITE DEVIL’. He also wrote and directed ‘THE WAITING GAME’ at The
Mill at Sonning. His latest television includes; Agatha Christie’s
‘POIROT’, ‘NEW TRICKS’, ‘HEARTBEAT’, ‘NUREMBERG’ and ‘THE LAST
DETECTIVE’. |
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EILEEN DISS
(Set Designer) Eileen Diss's designs for the BBC include the
MAIGRET and SOMERSET MAUGHAM series, UP THE JUNCTION, CIDER WITH ROSIE
and many Plays of the Month. Among her many ITV productions are
PYGMALION, THE POTTING SHED, HEDDA GABLER, THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN
BRODIE, PORTERHOUSE BLUE, BEHAVING BADLY and JEEVES AND WOOSTER. Her
feature films include A DOLL'S HOUSE, SWEET WILLIAM, BETRAYAL, 84
CHARING CROSS ROAD, HANDFUL OF DUST and AUGUST (Julian Mitchell's
version of UNCLE VANYA, directed by Anthony Hopkins). She has designed
most of Simon Gray's plays for the West End, beginning with BUTLEY and
going on to OTHERWISE ENGAGED, QUARTERMAINE'S TERMS, THE REAR COLUMN,
CELL MATES and LIFE SUPPORT. Other West End productions have been A
LETTER OF RESIGNATION, TAKING SIDES and THE HOTHOUSE (both from
Chichester), OLEANNA and TWELVE ANGRY MEN. For the National she has
designed BLITHE SPIRIT, THE PHILANDERER, WATCH ON THE RHINE, MEASURE
FOR MEASURE, THE CARETAKER and NO MAN'S LAND, ASHES TO ASHES, written
and directed by Harold Pinter at the Theatre du Rond Point in Paris,
THE HEIRESS and Tom Stoppard's ARCADIA for the Gate Theatre, Dublin and
the film of Dava Sobel's LONGITUDE for Channel 4. She has designed five
Harold Pinter plays taken to the Lincoln Center in New York by the
Almeida Theatre and the Gate Theatre - THE ROOM, CELEBRATION,
LANDSCAPE, MONOLOGUE and THE HOMECOMING. Recent designs have been for
DEAD GORGEOUS, FAMILY BUSINESS for television and Simon Gray's THE OLD
MASTERS for the Comedy theatre |
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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, 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, SEPARATE TABLES, INTIMATE EXCHANGES,
NOT NOW DARLING, THE MAINTENANCE MAN, STRICTLY MURDER, ALONE TOGETHER
AGAIN, STARRY, STARRY NIGHT, TIME OF MY LIFE, PERFECT WEDDING, FRENCH
WITHOUT TEARS, TIME TO KILL, IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY, SAME TIME NEXT
YEAR, DOUBLE DEATH and BAREFOOT IN THE PARK. |
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MATTHEW BISS
(Lighting Designer) Matthew is currently working as Technical
Manager at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead and is
delighted to be invited back to The Mill to light ALPHABETICAL ORDER. A
few of his previous designs at The Mill, include most recently SAME
TIME NEXT YEAR, TIME TO KILL, STARRY, STARRY NIGHT, STRICTLY MURDER,
SEPARATE TABLES, TWO AND TWO MAKE SEX, CAUGHT IN THE NET, SHADY
BUSINESS, A TOUCH OF SPRING, IT'S NEVER TOO LATE, ABSENT FRIENDS, OUT
OF ORDER, MURDER BY MISADVENTURE, I REMEMBER YOU, THERE GOES THE BRIDE,
STEPPING OUT, THE FACE OF FEAR, DEAD GUILTY, ALONE TOGETHER, OUT OF
ORDER, TWO DOZEN RED ROSES, THE BUSINESS OF MURDER and NOEL &
GERTIE. |
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| MICHAEL FRAYN
(Playwright) Michael Frayn was born in 1933, in the suburbs of
London. He began his career as a reporter on The Guardian, then became
a columnist on that paper from 1959 - 1962, and for The Observer from
1962 to 1968. He has written a number of plays for television, and for
the stage his work includes THE TWO OF US, ALPHABETICAL ORDER, DONKEYS'
YEARS, CLOUDS, BALMORAL (LIBERTY HALL), MAKE AND BREAK, NOISES OFF,
BENEFACTORS, LOOK LOOK and HERE. ALPHABETICAL ORDER, MAKE AND BREAK and
NOISES OFF all received BEST COMEDY OF THE YEAR awards, whilst
BENEFACTORS was named BEST PLAY OF THE YEAR. CLOCKWISE, his first film,
was released in 1986 starring John Cleese. His second film, FIRST AND
LAST, won an International Emmy Award in 1990. The film of his play,
NOISES OFF was produced by Disney. ALPHABETICAL ORDER, DONKEYS' YEARS,
MAKE AND BREAK and BENEFACTORS have all been filmed for UK television
and A LANDING IN THE SUN was filmed and transmitted (BBC) in 1994.
Among his most recent plays are the multi award winning COPENHAGEN and
DEMOCRACY which enjoyed a successful West End run in 2004.
DONKEYS'YEARS was revived by Sonia Friedman Productions last year to
huge acclaim. It had a long and successful run at the Comedy Theatre in
the West End. |
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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 | Karen Brown |
| Technician | Ed Marshall |
| Scenic Artist | Tony Eden |
| Assistant Carpenter | Simon Graves |
| Wardrobe Assistant | Evelyn Fidler |
| Dressers | Ann
Baker, Lynn Hinton, Catherine Bristow, Terry Bartholomew, Xye Appleton |
| Theatre Production Photography | Norman Weston |
| Website Production | Chris Berry |