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Funny
About Love Rosie's
so busy 'saving the world' and generally enjoying her cosy, comfortable
life style that it comes as a major blow when 52 year old husband, Piers,
dumps her for his young secretary Larissa. - So how will this ordinary
middle-class housewife pick up the shattered pieces of her life… a passionate
affair with Darren the young car thief, conspiring to commit a massive
insurance fraud, inviting her husband and his lover to move in with
her…. That's not the half of it! Revel in a rollercoaster ride of madcap
comedy as this stylish and ultimately moving story unfolds. FUNNY ABOUT
LOVE is the hilarious comedy by Terence Frisby, author of the world-wide
smash hit play, THERE'S A GIRL IN MY SOUP, which later became a blockbuster
film starring Goldie Hawn and Peter Sellers. |
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KIRSTEN COOKE (Rosie Boston) Kirsten trained at Webber Douglas
and is best known for playing Michelle Dubois, the leader of the French
Resistance, in the long running BBC series 'ALLO! ALLO! both on television
and in the stage show which enjoyed four very successful West End runs
including five months at the London Palladium. Her television credits
also include: Maddy the Baddy in CHUCKLEVISION (BBC), Molly in DOWN
TO EARTH (BBC), Wendy Nichols in THE UPPER HAND (Central) and June Whitty
in THE CEDAR TREE (ATV). Her most recent stage appearance was as The
Lady in Slawomir Mrozek's A SUMMER'S DAY, a black comedy, at The Old
Red Lion in Islington and the first English translation and production
of this work. Kirsten also appeared in two productions at the Haymarket
Theatre in Basingstoke, June in Ayckbourn's WAY UPSTREAM and Kay in
Priestley's TIME AND THE CONWAYS. UK tours include Katie in LOCAL AFFAIRS
by Richard Harris, Julia Simmons in Agatha Christies' A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED,
Julia Carrington in THE MATING GAME, Ann Welch in Rattigan's THE DEEP
BLUE SEA and Simone in A BEDFUL OF FOREIGNERS both on tour and in the
West End. Kirsten is married with four children and lives 'in complete
chaos most of the time' in West London, walks her dog in Richmond Park
and has recently ventured onto the Performance Poetry Circuit, an area
of performance she plans to develop alongside her stage and television
work. |
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ADAM RHYS DEE (Darren Tucker) Adam trained at the National Youth Theatre and the three year course at Arts Educational School, London, where some of his favourite roles included, Autolycus from A WINTER1S TALE, Napoleon from ANIMAL FARM, Professor Higgins from PYGMALION and Swiss Cheese from MOTHER COURAGE & HER CHILDREN. Adam has recently completely two short films for the National Film Television School and the lead role in another short film called SPIRITUAL RAMPAGE, directed by Alnoor Dewshi. |
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DAVID
McALISTER (Piers Boston) |
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SARAH
WHITTUCK (Larissa Tucker) Sarah trained from an early age as a dancer
and classical pianist and went on to gain a BA from Rose Bruford College
where she specialised as an actor musician and learned to play saxaphone
and drums. Her theatre credits include: the National Tour of FUNNY ABOUT
LOVE with Stephanie Beacham, the title role in CINDERELLA at Potters
Bar, Lucy in DRACULA at the Basingstoke Theatre, Wendy in PETER PAN
at Her Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen and Corrinder in MOLL FLANDERS at
Salisbury Playhouse. Sarah has worked in Rep in Belfast twice; as Lucy
Lockit in THE BEGGAR'S OPERA and as Audrey in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS,
both at the Lyric. She created the role of Laura in FROM A JACK TO A
KING and toured the UK playing the part of Miranda in the award-winning
RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET. She played The Kid in PAL JOEY at the
York Theatre Royal and one of the Kit Kat Girls in CABERET at Bolton.
Her TV credits include THE SINS, THE BILL and PEAK PRACTICE, as well
as THE PRINCE and CRIME STORIES for LWT. Sarah lives in St Albans with
her actor husband Stuart Nurse and their 18 month old son, Oliver (who
also definitely has a dramatic streak!) |
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NICKY
HENSON (Director) Nicky has been acting in the West End and on Broadway
- in Revues, Musicals and Straight Plays - since 1961. He was a founder
member of Frank Dunlop's Young Vic Company and had long stints with
the Royal National Theatre and the RSC. Nicky has acted in over thirty
films and numerous TV series. FUNNY ABOUT LOVE is Nicky's first time
as a director ) |
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CLAIRE
LYTH (Set designer) Claire read Drama, History and English at Bristol
University. Earlier this year she designed TWELFTH NIGHT for the National
Theatre of Norway. Last year designs included MACBETH for a tour of
India and China last year; PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY (Vienna's English
Theatre); THE TEMPEST (New York State Theater Institute) and OUTER SPACE,
INNER SPACE for Exeter University. Other designs: THE MAN WHO THINKS
HE'S IT (The Steve Coogan Show, Lyceum, London); GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME
(Tour); MACBETH and TWELFTH NIGHT (English Shakespeare Company); MACBETH
(Residenz Theatre, Munich) SHOOT (Jermyn Street Theatre); SPLIT SECOND
Lyric, Hammersmith; ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL and COMEDY OF ERRORS (Regents
Park); CANDIDA (The Arts); PETER PAN and THE THREE MUSKETEERS (Crucible,
Sheffield); WINTERS TALE, HAMLET and SHIRLEY VALENTINE (Everyman, Liverpool)
and AS YOU LIKE IT and OTHELLO (Ludlow Festival), THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR
(Theatr Clwyd). Opera designs include: RIGOLETTO (tour for WNO): COSI
FAN TUTTE and THE SECRET MARRIAGE (Hong Kong); TOSCA (Everyman, Liverpool);
and ONE GOD, ONE FARINELLI and THE MEDIUM (BAC). Musicals include: FUNGUS
THE BOGEYMAN (Belgrade Theatre, Coventry); MY FAIR LADY (Aarhus, Denmark);
MAD AND HER DAD (Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith); OKLAHOMA! (national tour);
RAGS (Spitalfields Market Opera); HIGH SPIRITS (Bridewell Theatre) and
SNOW QUEEN (Norden Arts Centre. Claire was Head of Design at Liverpool
Playhouse and Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. She has worked in Hong Kong
on many occasions and in Denmark, Germany, USA, Vienna, Beirut. Last
year she designed KINDLY KEEP IT COVERED for The Mill. |
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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 favourite costume designs include: STEPPING OUT, THE RAINMAKER,
NOEL & GERTIE, BORN YESTERDAY, LEND ME A TENOR, TWO DOZEN RED ROSES,
THE PLEASURE OF HIS COMPANY, TEN TIMES TABLE, A PARTY TO MURDER, WIFE
BEGINS AT FORTY, MAKE ME A MATCH, A SLIGHT HANGOVER, KINDLY KEEP IT
COVERED, ALL FOR MARY, WHO KILLED SANTA CLAUS?, MOVE OVER MRS MARKHAM,
TAKING STEPS, UNDER THE YUM-YUM TREE, TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS, CHASE
ME COMRADE and FUNNY BUSINESS. |
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CHRISTIAN
DONOGHUE (Lighting Designer) Christian trained at Croydon college,
in theatre design, where he specialised in lighting design and stage
management. During his time there he was lighting designer for a new
play RACHAEL which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival. He was also
the lighting designer for another new play, SWINGERS at the Latchmere
in Battersea. Since graduating from college Christian has worked in
many aspects of live theatre, as a freelance technician. This included
jobs such as, installing lighting and sound equipment onboard cruise
ships, summer seasons at Thorpe Park, and as lighting and sound technician
on cruise ships. Christian's first love has always been lighting, and
during this time he has done several lighting designs for charity and
amateur productions. Christian joined the Mill at the beginning of 2000
as technical assistant, and was promoted to chief LX in March 2001.
Previous lighting designs for The Mill include, MOVE OVER MRS MARKHAM,
ALL FOR MARY and UNDER THE YUM-YUM TREE. |
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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), THE FLIPSIDE, HAPPY AS A SANDBAG, SEE HOW THEY RUN!,
DEAD GUILTY MOVE OVER MRS MARKHAM 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 TEN TIMES TABLE, SYLVIA'S WEDDING,
WIFE BEGINS AT FORTY, MAKE ME MATCH, ALL FOR MARY and WHO KILLED SANTA
CLAUS. 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 occasionally
sings with the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra at the Savoy. |
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TERENCE
FRISBY (Playwright) Terence Frisby's most famous play THERE'S A
GIRL IN MY SOUP was London's longest-running comedy (six and a half
years) 1966-1972 and a worldwide smash hit with long runs on Broadway,
Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, Sydney, Rome, Vienna, Prague and many other
places. It is still consistently played wherever there is theatre. His
script of the equally successful film, which starred Peter Sellers and
Goldie Hawn, won the Writer's Guild of Great Britain Award in 1970 for
the Best British Comedy Screenplay. His other stage plays include THE
SUBTOPIANS (Arts Theatre 1964), THE BANDWAGON (Mermaid 1969), IT'S ALL
RIGHT IF I DO IT (Mermaid 1977), SEASIDE POSTCARD (Young Vic 1978),
ROUGH JUSTICE (Apollo 1994) FUNNY ABOUT LOVE (two UK national tours
1999-2000). All his plays are published by Samuel French. He has written
many plays for television, two of which were nominated for awards. His
comedy series include LUCKY FELLER with David Jason (1976) and THAT'S
LOVE with Jimmy Mulville (1988-92) which won a Gold Award for Comedy
at the 1991 Houston International Film Festival. His radio play JUST
REMBER TWO THINGS: IT'S NOT FAIR AND DON'T BE LATE for BBC Radio Four
won The Giles Cooper Award in 1988. Terence worked extensively for 40
years as actor, director and producer. His most noted presentation was
the brilliant, South African, multi-award-winningWOZA ALBERT at the
Criterion Theatre in 1983, subsequently off-Broadway and worldwide.
He has just published his first book, OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE, an autobiographical
story about his fifteen years as a litigant-in-person in the High Court
following his spectacularly awful divorce. OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE, both
hilarious and nightmarish, is a vehement attack on lawyers and our legal
system, naming famous names and misdemeanours. It is currently creating
shock waves throughout the legal world. |
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CHRISTIAN
HENSON (Composer) Christian's
work can also be heard on recent films including SPY GAME (Tony Scott),
BIGGIE & TUPAC (Nick Broomfield) and a variety of TV shows including
SAS - TOUGH ENOUGH & TWO PINTS OF LAGER AND A PACKET OF CRISPIS (BBC).
(Christian has very kindly fitted this project into his busy schedule
for his Dad - SIGNED DAD!) |
