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 Sonning Eye, Oxfordshire, England
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A
New Madcap Comedy The
Mill is delighted to present the British Premiere of this hilarious
comedy by Robin Hawdon, author of many successful West End hits
including DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER and THE MATING GAME. SHADY
BUSINESS is set in the London underworld. It centres on Mandy
and Tania, two dancers working at a club owned by Mandy's boyfriend,
Big Mack, who is one of the biggest crime bosses in the area.
Mandy, however, has fallen in love with another man, Gerry,
a city broker she met at the club. Complications ensue when
Terry, a new henchman, arrives with the weekly take from one
of Mack's businesses. The money is short and the boss is on
his way to collect. Now Mandy and Tania don't just have to hide
Gerry, but also have to hide the missing grand and keep Mack
and his musclemen - Dozer and Harry the Hammer - from finding
out the truth. This is where the fun begins and what follows
is a roller coaster of crazy events and mistaken identities
that don't stop until the last side-splitting conclusion. |
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REBECCA
BLAKE (Mandy) Rebecca was born in Cornwall and trained at
the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. Previous theatre
credits include: Brooke in POPCORN at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton,
the roles of Julie and Caz in TWO LIPS, INDIFFERENT RED at the
Bush Theatre, Lady Ann in RICHARD III AT THE Globe Theatre,
Reina in ARMS AND THE MAN at the English Theatre Hamburg, Queenie
in THIS HAPPY BREED at the Redgrave Theatre Farnham, Alice in
THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS and Young Ann in HALF A SIXPENCE at
the Theatre Royal Plymouth. Television credits include: Nicking
Warrington in FAMILY AFFAIRS (4 years), Suzie in UNSUITABLE
JOB FOR A WOMAN and Hannah in GAME ON (series II) and most recently
six episodes of CASUALTY as Julie Hughes. Film credits include
the roles of: Katy in MOVE, Emma in REDRESSING THE BALANCE and
Voice Overs for BLUE JUICE. Rebecca also enjoys radio and recorded
THE EGG for Classic FM.
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JOHN
GILLETT (Harry the Spanner) John's theatre work includes
classical roles such as Angelo in MEASURE FOR MEASURE for David
Thacker at the Young Vic, the title role in MACBETH, and Edmund
in Sir Anthony Quayle's KING LEAR, directed by Don Taylor. Contrastingly,
he played the Superintendent in the first West End production
of Dario Fo's ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST, toured all over
the country in new work for new audiences with companies such
as Pirate Jenny, was in RIPEN OUR DARKNESS and CINDERS, directed
by Danny Boyle, at the Royal Court, and a season for Alan Ayckbourn
in Scarborough. He did several productions directed by Nancy
Diuguid, including THE STICK WIFE at the Gate, under Stephen
Daldry, and Luther in D H Lawrence's THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, in
Lancaster; Aston in THE CARETAKER at Salisbury Playhouse; Darcy
in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE in York; Lopakhin in THE CHERRY ORCHARD
at Nottingham Playhouse; Barton in the award-winning THE DEARLY
BELOVED and Mr Knightley in EMMA, both directed by Mike Alfreds
for Cambridge Theatre Company; Henry in POSTCARDS FROM ROME
at West Yorkshire Playhouse; Jim in ALL MANNER OF MEANS at the
BAC and Vienna Ensemble Theatre, directed by Michael Kingsbury;
and Sir Christopher Curry in INKLE AND YARICO for the Holders
Season, Barbados. John also acted in TAKEN OUT and A MAN WITH
CONNECTIONS for his own Spark Theatre Company. He has worked
extensively in Radio, and on Television has appeared in many
series including BROOKSIDE, BERGERAC, and THE BILL; individual
plays such as DOMESTIC BLISS on C4; and serials such as RESORT
TO MURDER for the BBC. He was the ill-fated Councillor Clive
Dixon in EASTENDERS, and recently appeared in DOCTORS and HUSTLE.
John has also directed and taught for drama schools such as
East 15; The Actors Centre; and Re:Actors Theatre Group. His
many productions include THE CRUCIBLE, DEATH OF A SALESMAN,
THE ACCRINGTON PALS, SLEEPING DOGS, SUMMERFOLK, WIDOWS, and
FRIDA AND DIEGO in theatres such as ICA, Lilian Baylis, White
Bear and Arcola.
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WILL
IRVINE (Terry) Will gained a BA Honours in Drama and Theatre
Arts from The University of Birmingham before training at LAMDA,
graduating in 2003. Theatre: PRETTY BOY (Oval House Downstairs),
LATERS (Tristan Bates), GETTING ME AHEAD (Hampstead Studio),
ALADDIN (Cambridge Arts), original workshop of MEASURE FOR MEASURE
(Complicitie/RNT), TAMING OF THE SHREW (Middle Temple Gardens),
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Northampton Derngate), ROMEO AND JULIET
(Crescent Theatre, Birmingham), A DESIRE TO KILL ON THE TIP
OF THE TONGUE (C Underground). Television: EASTENDERS, REALLY
WILD ROADSHOW (BBC), SUGAR RUSH (Channel Four), WHEN SEX GOES
WRONG (Sky One). Film: JAM, NO ORDINARY JOE, HOOLIGANS, IT'S
A CASUAL LIFE, VANITY FAIR.
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OWEN
OAKESHOTT (Gerry/Larry) Owen has recently filmed with Ray
Winstone in 'She's Gone', and can be seen in Kevin Costner's
forthcoming movie, 'The Upside of Anger'. He has appeared in
TV programmes such as Bad Girls, The Bill, The Professionals,
Family Affairs and Birds of a Feather. He has performed with
the Royal Shakespeare Company in 'The General from America',
'Antony & Cleopatra', 'Timon of Athens', and in Michael Boyd's
award winning tetralogy 'This England'. He also appeared in
the acclaimed production of 'The Iceman Cometh' with Kevin Spacey
at the Almeida Theatre and The Old Vic. He played the psycopathic
Vince in Ayckbourn's 'Way Upstream' at the Derby Playhouse as
well as starring in the West End, directed by Stephen Daldry,
in 'An Inspector Calls'. He has just finished playing a boy-mujahudeen,
a cannibal and a pig on a spit in 'Bites' at the Bush Theatre.
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BELINDA
STEWART-WILSON (Tania) Belinda Stewart-Wilson trained at
the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. She made her professional
stage debut at the Royal Court directed by Stephen Daldry in
GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART, SHINE ON HARVEY MOON, STARTING OUT, DAYS
LIKE THESE, HOLBY CITY and AN INVITATION TO A HANGING, most
recently appearing as Patricia in BBC2's comedy spoof LOOK AROUND
YOU. Film work includes Chris Rea's LA PASSIONE for Warner Brothers,
LARGER THAN LIFE (MGM) and KISS, KISS, BANG BANG (Sky Pictures).
Last year she took a show to the Edinburgh Festival as part
of a female double act. She also took on her first writing commission
as co-writer of six successful radio commercials for BAILEYS.
Belinda is delighted to be appearing for the first time at The
Mill at Sonning.
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MATTHEW
WYNN (Dozer) Matthew was born in Middlesbrough ad trained
at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Theatre work
includes, HENRY V and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (Nuffield Theatre,
Southampton), THE GUARDSMAN (The Albery), TEECHERS (Wimbledon
Theatre), Christie in LOVE (Edinburgh Festival), STINK (Quondam
Theatre Company). Television work includes, 55 DEGREES NORTH
(BBC), HARRY AND COSH (Ch5), BYKER GROVE (BBC). Film, ABERDEEN
('Best Film' Hamptons Film Festival NY).
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MATTHEW
RIXON (Big Mack) Matt trained at Webber Douglas Academy.
Theatre credits include BITTER APPLES (7:84), HAMLET (UK/European
Tour), ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST and BARRABUS (Chelsea
Theatre Centre), OF MICE AND MEN (Hong Kong Festival, UP 'N'
UNDER (Millfield Theatre), THREE SISTERS (Southwark Playhouse),
RICHARD II (London Pleasance Theatre), THE CONTRAST (Cochrane
Theatre) ALADDIN, PETER PAN, CINDERELLA and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
(Lighthouse, Poole), BOY (Wolsey, Ipswich) ALADDIN (Connaught,
Worthing), THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (RSC Stratford/Sadlers
Wells) KAFKA'S DICK, THE THREE MUSKETEERS and MACBETH (York
Theatre Royal). Matthew was also part of the original West End
cast of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (London Palladium), DRACULA,
TARTUFFE, THE THREE MUSKETEERS and THERESE RAQUIN (Haymarket,
Basingstoke), FOUR NIGHTS IN KNARESBORUGH (nominated best actor,
Manchester Evening News Awards (2004) and TWELFTH NIGHT (Bolton,
Octagon). TV credits include TARANTINO CONNECTION (Ch4), UNIQUE
SPECIES (Ch5) and HENRY VI part 3 (BBC).
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ANDY
DE LA TOUR (Director) In 2004 he directed his own play,
Question Time, at the Arcola Theatre, London, the comedy revue,
United Biscuits (with Belinda Stewart-Wilson from Shady Business)
for the Edinburgh Festival and Nobody's Fool, by Simon Williams,
for a national UK tour. Previous recent productions include
two national tours of Simon Williams's Nobody's Perfect starring
Simon Williams and Stephanie Beacham; a national tour of A Family
Affair, with Rik Mayall, Anne Reid and Susan Wooldridge, which
he also adapted from the original French play, Un Air de Famille.
He also directed both plays that he co-wrote with Tariq Ali
and Howard Brenton, Collateral Damage at the Tricycle Theatre,
London, and Snogging Ken which was performed at the Almeida
Theatre, London. He has written extensively for theatre and
television over the years. Stage plays also include Viva!, Here
We Go, Safe in Our Hands, Landslide and further adaptations
including those of Dario Fo's The Pope and the Witch which transferred
to the Comedy Theatre, London, and Brecht's The Resistible Rise
of Arturo Ui. As an actor he has made countless appearances
in film and on television, including most recently the live
transmission of The Quatermass Experiment on BBC. He has two
feature films due for release this year, Asylum, directed by
David Mackenzie and Oliver Twist, directed by Roman Polanski.
On stage, he last played 'Briggs' in Harold Pinter's No Man's
Land at the National Theatre and was also in the world premiere
of Pinter's Celebration at the Almeida Theatre, London, and
the Lincoln Centre in New York. He lives in London with his
partner, Susan Wooldridge.
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TERRY
PARSONS (Set designer) Terry has designed thirty-seven productions
in London's West End, and has been Head of Design at three major
theatres: the Theatre Royal Plymouth, the Haymarket Leicester,
and the Belgrade Coventry. Among his musicals are the mega-hit
GREASE - which opened at the Dominion Theatre and has continued
to tour the UK ever since - SOUTH PACIFIC, SWEET CHARITY, SOME
LIKE IT HOT, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and CHARLIE GIRL. Disney's
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is currently running in Denmark where Terry
has also designed SHOWBOAT, and a hugely successful concert
version of GREASE. Recently Terry has designed the European
premieres of Edward Albee's THE GOAT and the award winning PROOF.
Among his many other straight play credits are SILLY COW with
Dawn French, GASPING with Hugh Laurie, TWO INTO ONE with Donald
Sinden, the critically acclaimed production of J. B. Priestley's
WHEN WE ARE MARRIED with Timothy West, Prunella Scales and Patricia
Routledge, Arthur Miller's A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE with Topol,
and Priestley's TIME AND THE CONWAYS at The Old Vic with Joan
Plowright, as well as .MIRANDA with Penelope Keith at Chichester.
He also has a string of international credits: on Broadway he
created Sian Phillips' stunning concert costumes for her appearance
as Dietrich in MARLENE, and has designed productions in Paris,
Athens and Vienna, Toronto, Sydney, Hong Kong and Tokyo, as
well as for major cruise lines including the QE2. Well-known
for his pantomime designs, among them lavish versions of CINDERELLA
for Stanley Baxter and MOTHER GOOSE for Danny La Rue, Terry
has recently been appointed to create designs for a portfolio
of new pantomimes over the coming five years - three in 2005
- for the newly formed production giant, First Family Entertainment
2005.
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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, BOYS WILL BE BOYS, THE MATING GAME, WRITE ME A MURDER,
A PASSIONATE WOMAN, FUNNY MONEY, JUST BETWEEN OURSELVES, 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 and A TOUCH OF SPRING.
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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 SHADY
BUSINESS. A few of his previous designs at The Mill, include
most recently 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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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 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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ROBIN
HAWDON (Playwright) Robin Hawdon has had an extraordinarily
varied career. For two decades he was a successful actor, whilst
playing a concurrent trade as a playwright. In his twenties
his face became well known to British TV audiences through regular
appearances in such series as COMPACT, FLYING SWAN, ROBIN'S
NEST, etc. He later co-starred with Michael Crawford in the
ITV sit-com CHALK AND CHEESE. He made a number of films, starring
in WHEN DINASAURS RULED THE EARTH, and ZETA ONE. On stage Robin
was seen in several leading roles in London's West End, and
also played a number of classical leads around the country,
such as HAMLET, HENRY V, and Henry Higgins in PYGMALION. As
a writer, his early plays BARN DANCE, THE SECRET and THE HERO
were seen at such venues as the Hampstead Theatre and the Edinburgh
and Salzburg festivals, and his first major commercial success,
THE MATING GAME achieved a long run at London's Apollo theatre,
and has subsequently played around the world. This was followed
by other much performed and published plays such as BIRTHDAY
SUITE, REVENGE and DON'T ROCK THE BOAT, and then the huge success
DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER (based on an early French play by Marc
Camoletti) which ran in the West End for six years, and has
played all over America, Australia, Canada and Europe. This
was followed by the highly successful comedy, PERFECT WEDDING,
and following that, his serious play GOD AND STEPHEN HAWKING
which caused a considerable controversy in the UK. This play
SHADY BUSINESS, was first performed in the USA and has now played
in several European countries. Robin has also directed a number
of stage productions, and in the nineteen eighties was director
of the Theatre Royal, Bath, England's premier touring theatre.
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| Production: | |
| Production Manager | Joan Farnese |
| Stage Manager | James Neal |
| Deputy Chief Electrician | Toby Gregory |
| 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 |