Time And Time Again

Sonning Eye, Oxfordshire, England

Dinner

Jazz

25 NOVEMBER - 9 JANUARY 2010

Holly 1

First presented by Michael Codron on 16th August 1972 at the Comedy Theatre, London.

Now let’s get this straight. Leonard fancies delectable Joan. But she is the fiancée of robust Peter. He works for loud-mouthed Graham. Graham also lusts after Joan. But Graham is married to domesticated – more tea anyone? – Anna. Got it? No? That’s okay, because this is a story of crossed-wires. Made hilarious when Joan, a prim and proper bespectacled young secretary, overnight becomes a rampant temptress. Clear? Doesn’t matter. Anyone for cricket? Darts? How about a game of draughts? All these games affect the sports-mad Peter. But by the time the football season starts, Peter has lost Joan to his best friend Leonard. While love-stricken Leonard confides his woes to Bernard. Who’s Bernard? He’s always in the garden. Well he would be, wouldn’t he? Bernard’s a garden gnome. Who forever watches over fishes in the pond. Where the semi-clad Joan and Leonard eventually wind up! In other words a mish-mash of brilliantly observed ordinary people being riotously funny in day-to-day life. Just like the rest of us!

This is classic Alan Ayckbourn at his hilarious best. A constant rib-tickler that leaves audiences laughing, not once, but Time and Time again.

Cast in order of appearance:

Graham - JOHN ARTHUR
Anna, his wife - LESLEY MEADE
Leonard, her brother - IAN TARGETT
Joan - AMY HALL
Peter, her fiancé - NICHOLAS ATKINSON

DIRECTED by ROBIN HERFORD
SET DESIGN by MICHAEL HOLT
ASSISTANT DESIGNER TONY EDEN
COSTUME DESIGN by JANE KIDD
LIGHTING DESIGN by MATTHEW BISS

The action takes place in Graham and Anna’s conservatory, back garden and part of the recreation field.

ACT I
Scene 1 – Spring
Scene 2 – A few weeks later

ACT II
Scene 1 – Autumn
Scene 2 – The following day

JOHN ARTHUR (Graham) After leaving drama school in 1970, John worked for 10 years or so in repertory. Companies included two seasons at the old Derby Playhouse, two seasons at the Lyceum Theatre, Crewe, The Swan Theatre, Worcester, and notably three years with the EMMA Theatre Company based in Loughborough. With EMMA John played throughout the East Midlands in village halls, pubs, schools and prisons. During the Summer of 1973 he worked in weekly rep., playing endless murderers in an endless stream of thrillers. In 1977 John joined Sir Alan Ayckbourn’s company in Scarborough where he stayed for about four years. During this time he played central roles in 9 new Ayckbourn plays, as well as major roles in other plays, such as John Procter in Arthur Miller’s THE CRUCIBLE Ayckbourn roles included Roland Crabbe in TAKING STEPS, Len Coker in SISTERLY FEELINGS and Richard in JOKING APART. In the West End John appeared in Michael Frayn’s LOOK LOOK, Sir Peter Hall’s revival of PIAF and Alan Ayckbourn’s COMMUNICATING DOORS. He has been in two Seasons at The Royal National Theatre. More recently he played Philip Larkin in LARKIN WITH WOMEN for Richard Jordan productions at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, and Bohr in Michael Frayn’s COPENHAGEN at Salisbury Playhouse. Earlier this year he played Wilf in Christopher Luscombe’s highly acclaimed revival of Alan Bennett’s ENJOY at the Watford Palace theatre. Also he toured last year in Alan Bennett’s SINGLE SPIE. On television he is perhaps best known for situation comedy, which has included such regular roles as Mr. Huntington in LEAVING by Carla Lane, John in FRESH FIELDS, and Phil in Carlton TV’s BARBARA. Many guest roles in series such as AFTER HENRY, UP THE ELEPHANT AND ROUND THE CASTLE, ETC. Other television includes BOON, THE PRACTICE, LONDON’S BURNING, KINS, HUSTLE, LOVE LIES BLEEDING, CORONATION STREET, DOCTORS, THE TUDORS and (of course) THE BILL. He has played leading roles in many radio plays for Radios Three and Four for the BBC, as well as playing guest roles in situation comedies for Radio 2. Two recent films are THUNDERPANTS and THE ABDUCTION CLUB plus, for BBC 4, THE WORST JOURNEY IN THE WORLD, in which he played his hero Dr Wilson, and Mark Gatiss’ gothic thriller CROOKED HOUSE. John’s interests are flying, gardening and classical music, and he lives in Banbury with his partner Penelope Gee of the “Astor String Quartet”.

NICHOLAS ATKINSON (Peter) Nicholas trained at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Recent theatre credits include: THE 39 STEPS (Criterion Theatre), THE PERFECT WEDDING (Vienna’s English Theatre), PLAYING FOR TIME (Salisbury Playhouse), THE SHELL SEEKERS (Basingstoke Haymarket and UK Tour), NORTHANGER ABBEY (York Theatre Royal), Vincent In BRIXTON (NT UK tour), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S Dream (Bristol Old Vic Theatre Royal), STARR QUALITY, PRESENT LAUGHTER (UK No. 1 Tour). Nicholas is a guest performer with THE FITZROVIA RADIO HOUR. Television credits include: SURVIVING DISASTER: FASTNET (BBC One), BAND OF BROTHERS - Ep. 4 (Dream Works), THE GREAT ESCAPE: THE UNTOLD STORY (Granada).

AMY HALL (Joan) Amy graduated with an MA from The Drama Centre London in 2006, following a BA in English Literature at The University of Wales. Theatre credits includes: Elvira in BLITHE SPIRIT Oldham/Basingstoke/ Harrogate tour, Daphne Stillington in PRESENT LAUGHTER and multiple roles in THE HOUR WE KNEW NOTHING OF EACH OTHER at the National Theatre, and Ginger in WE THAT ARE LEFT at the Palace Theatre, Watford. TV credits include WIRE IN THE BLOOD for ITV. Short films include, PRIDE AND WHAT? for the BBC and various independent shorts MIND THE GAP, ILLEGAL, LIFT, and KATE 1, 2, 3. Amy also worked for two years as a camera assistant in the television and film industry. During this time she worked on films such as BATMAN BEGINS and BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON and TV series such as SPOOKS, HUSTLE, AS IF, TRIAL AND RETRIBUTION, MURDER SQUAD and THIS MORNING.

LESLEY MEADE (Anna) Lesley trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and began her professional acting at Manchester Library Theatre, where she played a wide variety of parts – ranging from cross-dressing as a cabin boy in the Christmas adaptation of KIDNAPPED, to the romantic leads in Ben Traver’s ROOKERY NOOK and Alan Ayckbourn’s MR WHATNOT. After seasons at Derby and Nottingham Playhouses, in 1980 she began a long association with the Stephan Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where she appeared in more than 30 productions including two Ayckbourn premieres: A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL and MAN OF THE MOMENT. She also played the part of Jane Hopcroft in the 1989 revival of ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR, first in Scarborough and subsequently on national tour. Favourite non-Ayckbourn parts include Kate Hardcastle in SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER, Elvira in BLITHE SPIRIT, Mrs Sullen in THE BEAUX’ STRATAGEM and Polly in Alan Bennett’s GETTING ON. Lesley was also the original ghost in WOMAN IN BLACK – Stephan Mallatratt’s now famous adaptation of the Susan Hill novel of the same name, which began life as a Christmas entertainment in the tiny studio theatre in Scarborough. Her most recent theatre role was Judith Bliss in Noel Coward’s comedy HAY FEVER, at the Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke. Lesley last worked at The Mill at Sonning several years ago, in another Ayckbourn play, JUST BETWEEN OURSELVES, and is delighted to return and to have the opportunity to play Anna in TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

IAN TARGETT (Leonard) Ian trained at RADA. Theatre credits include BOWS AND ARROWS (Royal Court), WHY ME (Strand), THE KISS OF LIFE and A VIEW OF KABUL (Bush Theatre), ROMEO and JULIET (Lyric, Hammersmith), BEACHED (Warehouse and Old Red Lion), EURYDICE (Battersea Arts Centre), BURNING POINT (Tricycle), ABSENT FRIENDS (Watford), WAITING FOR GODOT (Oxford Playhouse), LOOT, THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL, ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR, and SEASON’S GREETINGS (Birmingham Rep), A SMALL FAMILY BUSINESS (West Yorkshire Playhouse), STARS AND STRIVE (Crucible, Sheffield), TARTUFFE (Theatre Clwyd), TIME AND TIME AGAIN, SEE HOW THEY RUN, DONKEY’S YEARS, and A TOUCH OF THE SUN (Salisbury Playhouse), TURN OF THE SCREW a two hander (Coliseum, Oldham), CANDIDA (Bolton), AND A NIGHTINGALE SANG (Southampton), MOVING SUSAN, CORPSE and A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Basingstoke), JUST BETWEEN OURSELVES (Exeter) OUT OF ORDER and ONE FOR THE ROAD (Sonning). National tours include AN INSPECTOR CALLS, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, THE WINSLOW BOY and ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. Television credits include Leslie in MARKS by Alan Bennett, Geoff in A TASTE OF HONEY, Spence in OVER THE RAINBOW, DS Ball in MIND GAMES by Lynda La Plante, Lind in THE LAST DETECTIVE, Captain Lyle in GHOSTBOAT, Steve Dove in MIDSOMER MURDERS, TRUST ME, CASUALTY, FOREVER GREEN, DOCTORS, BAD BOYS, LAW AND DISORDER, THE FUGITIVE, BUST and GRANGE HILL. On film Ian has appeared in THE FOOL, A DANGEROUS MAN, and THE JOKE. He has recently finished THE LOVER and THE SPELL both due to be released next year. His many radio plays and series include HENRY V, RAT IN THE SKULL, THE AQUARIUM OF COINCIDENCES, MONKSHOOD and SECOND THOUGHTS.

ROBIN HERFORD (Director) This is Robin’s sixth Ayckbourn at Sonning, following TAKING STEPS, SEASON’S GREETINGS, JUST BETWEEN OURSELVES, SUGAR DADDIES and CONFUSIONS. He seems to be onto a good thing. Much of Robin’s career has been involved with Sir Alan Ayckbourn and the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough. Joining the company in 1976 as an actor, he was appointed Associate Director in 1979 and Artistic Director from 1986 – 1988. Robin has appeared in the original production of more Ayckbourn plays than any other actor, from TEN TIMES TABLE in 1977 to HENCEFORWARD… in 1987 and including the monster 16-play two-hander INTIMATE EXCHANGES. He came to London with SEASON’S GREETINGS and SUBURBAN STRAINS (Roundhouse), INTIMATE EXCHANGES (Greenwich and Ambassadors) and HENCEFORWARD… (Vaudeville). Robin is also often asked to direct Alan’s plays and has notched up over twenty productions in this country and abroad. While Artistic Director of Scarborough, he commissioned and directed Stephen Mallatratt’s phenomenally successful adaptation of THE WOMAN IN BLACK, which is still running in the West End after twenty years and has completed a dozen national tours. Directing, and occasionally performing in this play has taken him to Japan, USA, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. Other London appearances include THE GLORY OF THE GARDEN (Duke of Yorks), ROUGH JUSTICE (Apollo), JOKING APART and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (Greenwich). Out of many other directorial credits, his favourites include SERJEANT MUSGRAVE’S DANCE, ALL MY SONS, THE PRICE, TWELFTH NIGHT, CLOUDS, SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER, THE BEAUX’S STRATAGEM, A GOING CONCERN, HOME, PROOF and WHAT EVERY WOMAN KNOWS. Recent tours include CORPSE, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, BEDROOM FARCE, BLITHE SPIRIT and currently RAIN MAN.

MICHAEL HOLT (Set Designer) Michael’s extensive career has taken him to Australia, the U.S.A. and Europe for productions of drama, opera and ballet. He has designed numerous shows for Alan Ayckbourn in Scarborough and happily returns to The Mill for our production of Time And Time Again.

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 making a variety of 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, SEPARATE TABLES, SAME TIME NEXT YEAR, BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, THE HEIRESS AND SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY.

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 TIME AND TIME AGAIN. A few of his numerous previous designs at The Mill, include 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, THE BUSINESS OF MURDER, NOEL & GERTIE, ALPHABETICAL ORDER, A NIGHT IN PROVENCE, THE HEIRESS, MURDER HUNT, SOUND OF MURDER, A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY, DEADLY MURDER, THE BED BEFORE YESTERDAY and THE ODD COUPLE.

SALLY HUGHES (Artistic Director) Sally 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). Most recently she appeared as Barbara Smith in CAUGHT IN THE NET directed by Ray Cooney and Ginger Mercer in the musical TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS directed by Alvin Rakoff and ALPHABETICAL ORDER and THE HEIRESS directed by Anthony Valentine. The most recent plays Sally has directed at The Mill are STEPPING OUT, FRENCH WITHOUT TEARS, TIME TO KILL and MURDER HUNT. Sally’s TV appearances include: LATE EXPECTATIONS and LAURA AND DISORDER, 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.

ALAN AYCKBOURN (Playwright) Alan Ayckbourn is the long-serving Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough and the author of over 60 plays, some of which have been performed at this theatre, including RELATIVELY SPEAKING, ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR, THE NORMAN CONQUESTS, BEDROOM FARCE, JUST BETWEEN OURSELVES, TAKING STEPS and SUGAR DADDIES. His most recent plays include LIFE AND BETH, AWAKING BEAUTY and MY WONDERFUL DAY.

Production:
Production Manager -	Joan Farnese
Stage Manager -	James Neal
Chief Electrician -	Nathan Caples
Wardrobe Mistress -	Jane Kidd
Deputy Stage Managers -	Karen Brown & Lottie Cousins
Assistant Stage Manager -	Claire Baker
Technician -	Michelle Green
Scenic Artist -	Tony Eden
Technical Assistant -	Simon Graves
Wardrobe Assistant -	Evelyn Fidler
Dressers -	Ann Baker, Lynn Hinton, Catherine Bristow, Terry Bartholomew, Karen Vass & Sarah Reynolds
Theatre Production Photography -	Norman Weston
Website Production -	Chris Berry