The Hilarious Comedy
by Ron Aldridge

Every parent knows what 'that difficult stage' is like - when the kids are staying out Until all hours, playing their music too loud and spending most of the day in bed. Sue and Richard have all these problems, but not with their children - with Sue's Dad! Brooksie, a recent widower, and 'the gang' - three old mates - are recapturing their youth and loving every minute. After all, you're only young twice. Seeking approval from his late wife throughout, we see Brooksie forging himself a new life whilst nearly getting barred from the Over 60s Club in the process!

This hilarious and touching play by Ron Aldridge proves that you're as young as you feel and after a particularly heavy stag night and several major indiscretions Brooksie suddenly starts feeling his age.

By arrangement with Joseph Weinberger Ltd.

HELEN COTTERILL (Julia) This is Helen's sixth appearance at Sonning, having been in production No.2 with John Alderton. Work includes Polly Peachum 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 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 and OPEN ALL HOURS. Lately she has been in PEAK PRACTICE, DINNER LADIES and HEARTBEAT. She is an accomplished watercolour painter and sells at exhibitions and by commission. For the past two years her Christmas cards for the Actors' Benevolent fund have been a sellout!

TINA GRAY (Rose) Tina is delighted to return to the Mill, having played Betty in Sue Wilson's acclaimed production of 'A Passionate Woman' here last autumn. Since then Tina has been working at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, playing Sadie, the colourful Glaswegian mum, in Liz Lochhead's 'Perfect Days', and she has recorded several more radio dramas for the B.B.C. including a 'Dr Finlay' with John Gordon Sinclair, and 'An Odd Body' with Annette Badland and Margaret Tyzak' to be broadcast during the run of this play. Tina is thrilled to be working with Ron Aldridge whom she has admired ever since their first encounter in 'Wait Until Dark' in Plymouth in 1976!!! Tina's busy career began in her native Scotland with seasons at Edinburgh, Perth, Pitlochry, and St. Andrews. Favourite recent roles include;- Lady Cynthia Hayling in Noel Coward,s 'Relative Values' on tour with Susan Hampshire; Lady Bracknell, Mrs. Malaprop, Mum in 'When I Was a Girl I Used to Scream and Shout'(Worcester Swan); Amanda in 'The Glass Menagerie'(Coventry and Plymouth); Annie Parker in 'When We Are Married'(West Yorkshire Playhouse and Leicester); Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez in 'Charley's Aunt', Delia in 'Bedroom Farce', Lady Rumpers in 'Habeus Corpus'(York); Mrs Fairfax in 'Jane Eyre'(Theatre Clwyd); Mrs Pearce in 'Pygmalion'(Vienna's English Theatre); Laura Stratton in 'Time of my Life'(Manchester Library). West End includes a year playing Alistair Sim's secretary in 'The Jockey Club Stakes'. Tina is best known for her portrayal of Victorian actress Ellen Terry in 'Our Ellen', a play especially written for her by Richard Osborne. Tina loves radio, has recorded over 1,000 plays and short stories for the BBC, and spent a year with the Radio Drama Company in London. Recent favourites include 'Talking to Sticky' 'Saplings' 'Promenade Rock' 'Not Me But Us' No Fond Return of Love' 'Proof of the Pudding'. TV includes Alice in 'Heartbeat', 'Doctors', 'The Estate Agents', 'In Suspicious Circumstances', and Gran in 'Hotch Potch House'. Tina is married to theatre director Robert Hamlin, who runs The Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury.

RON ALDRIDGE (Brooksie and Playwright & Director) His career as director/writer/actor has spanned over 28 years. He has directed in repertory, at the Edinburgh Festival, on numerous touring productions, and extensively on the London Fringe. He was assistant director to Ray Cooney on the West End production of FUNNY MONEY at the Playhouse Theatre and also directed the play in Israel,…… in Hebrew. He also directed the UK national tour and most recently the summer season at Eastbourne. His play HOVERING was nominated for an award at the '94 Edinburgh Festival, and he has had numerous plays produced in repertory and on the London Fringe. His comedy YOU'RE ONLY YOUNG TWICE was recently published by Josef Weinberger Limited. As an actor he has worked in repertory, on numerous touring productions and in the West End. He starred in the lead role of James Leeds in the award-winning CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD at the Albery Theatre followed by a long and successful national tour. Other West End appearances include: THE VOLUNTEER at the Riverside, RUN FOR YOUR WIFE at the Criterion, FUNNY MONEY at the Playhouse, and THE ODD COUPLE at the Haymarket. TV appearances include: LONDON'S BURNING, FOOL'S GOLD, THE KNOCK, 2.4 CHILDREN, THE BILL, NELSON'S COLUMN, EASTENDERS, and Bronco in ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES.

DARREN MACHIN (Richard) Darren trained at the Webber Douglas Academy. He has made two previous appearances at Sonning in WORM'S EYE VIEW and OUT OF ORDER and he is delighted to be back! Other theatre credits include KNOCK DOWN GINGER at the Croydon Warehouse, the No 1 tour of STAND BY YOUR MAN, three plays at Keswick Century Theatre: WHILE THE SUN SHINES, WAIT UNTIL DARK, RUN FOR YOUR WIFE, four plays at the Palace Theatre Westcliff for Chris Dunham - STRAIGHT AND NARROW, PRIVATES ON PARADE, WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, GIRL'S NIGHT OUT. At Pitlochry Festival Theatre he was in LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN and SLY FOX for Clive Perry. He has also appeared in CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL at the Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich and in RUN FOR YOUR WIFE in the West End and a tour to the Far East for Derek Nimmo. Television credits include LOVE ME DO in which he played Brian Epstein, EMMERDALE, FAMILY AFFAIRS, HOLLYOAKS and ACCIDENT for Breakthru' Films.

ROBIN PARKINSON (Tom) Robin was born in Coventry, trained in Birmingham and then worked with various companies throughout the country. Memorable roles being James Tyrone in LONG DAYS JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, Lord Nelson in John Arden's THE HERO RISES UP at the Edinburgh Festival, and Hatch in THE SEA by Edward Bond. West End shows include: CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR, STOP IT WHOEVER YOU ARE and SHUT YOUR EYES AND THINK OF ENGLAND. He played Monsieur Leclerc in the last three TV series of 'ALLO 'ALLO and with the stage show spent three seasons in the West End and made two tours to Australia. He also toured the Middle and Far East with the Ray Cooney farce OUT OF ORDER. Robin has worked extensively on television in both comedy and drama, co-starring in the series GIRLS ABOUT TOWN, THE MANY WIVES OF PATRICK and SOUTH OF THE BORDER. Other television includes: RISING DAMP, THE TWO RONNIES, HI DI HI, BLESS THIS HOUSE, THE YOUNG ONES, WHATEVER HAPPENDED TO THE LIKELY LADS, BRITTAS EMPIRE, OUTSIDE EDGE, GOOD BEHAVIOUR and WEATHER IN THE STREETS. He was the narrator for the children's TV series BUTTON MOON. Films include: BILLY LIAR, THE FAMILY WAY, CATCH ME A SPY, TWISTED NERVE and recently two horror films THE ASYLUM and GREENFINGERS. Robin was last at Sonning playing the Captain in OUTSIDE EDGE.

SARAH PAYNE (Sue) West End credits include: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and BARNUM (both at the London Palladium); LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Comedy); NINE (Royal Festival Hall); THE BEST OF TIMES (Vaudeville); THE ODD COUPLE Theatre Royal, Haymarket) and ANNIE (Victoria Palace theatre). Other London Theatre: HIGH SPIRITS (Bridewell); DICK DAREDEVIL (Drill Hall); DON GIOVANNI (Greenwich Theatre); CHARLOTTE: LIFE? OR THEATRE? (Soho Theatre & Amsterdam); JUBILEE (Cardiff International Festival) and most recently THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO at the Drill Hall. Other theatre: THE FIFTEEN STREETS (Hornchurch); JUDY (Oldham); THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (Watford); SUGAR (West Yorkshire Playhouse); GUYS AND DOLLS (Coventry) and ME AND MY GIRL (National Tour) and THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (National Tour). Sarah played 'Emma' in Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's CRICKET at the Sydmonton Festival directed by Trevor Nunn. On television, Sarah was recently seen in the BBC's DOCTORS; other appearances include THE AGE THING; WHICH WAY TO THE WAR; SHOW STOPPERS; CALL ME MISTER and the ROYAL VARIETY SHOW.

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 ALL FOR MARY, WHO KILLED SANTA CLAUS, INSIDE JOB, A FOOT IN THE DOOR, POOLS PARADISE and very recently THE FACE OF FEAR. 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. Last year Sally appeared in TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS, at the King's Head, London.

DANIEL COLLINS (Set designer) Dan started working in theatre as a flyman at Harrogate theatre in 1992. Since then Dan has worked in theatres from Pitlochry to Ipswich as a scenic artist and prop maker. He has designed five pantos for Harrogate as well as the musical FROM A JACK TO A KING and Alan Ayckbourn's ABSENT FRIENDS. Since working at The Mill Dan has designed POOLS PARADISE, WRITE ME A MURDER and FUNNY MONEY.

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 TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS, FUNNY ABOUT LOVE, MY THREE ANGELS, INSIDE JOB, SEASON'S GREETINGS, BUILDING BLOCKS, A FOOT IN THE DOOR, POOLS PARADISE, BOYS WILL BE BOYS, THE MATING GAME, WRITE ME A MURDER, A PASSIONATE WOMAN, FUNNY MONEY, JUST BETWEEN OURSELVES and THE FACE OF FEAR.

Stage Crew
& Ron Aldridge with helmet