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FUNNY
BUSINESS When
Ferris once again agrees to look after his sister's seedy hotel in the
country he does not anticipate the arrival of a notorious journalist
who writes a critical column in a sSunday newspaper. Or that this arrival
will coincide with the visit to the hotel of assorted guests who have
guilty secrets that they would not wish to have divulged. As a result
Ferris is caught up in a dizzy round of lies and subterfuges as he tries
to protect the hotel's reputation in the eyes of the visiting journalist,
a task made more difficult by the fact that he does not know which of
his guests is the journalist! Derek Benfield's new comedy is
a riotous sequel to his earlier play BEDSIDE MANNERS, which was such
a success here a few years ago. |
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RICHARD
BUSS (Ferris) Richard spent several years in banking before making
the decision to become an Actor. He graduated from The Poor School in
1992. His theatre credits include: A summer season in Southwold where
he played Robert Cousin in the premiere of Ian Masters comedy KISSING
COUSINS. In the same season he played George Willowghby in I'LL BE BACK
BEFORE MIDNIGHT and Jackson in THE GHOST TRAIN. Richard made his West
End debut as Juror No.7 in TWELVE ANGRY MEN, he understudied Alan Bates
in LIFE SUPPORT and James Fleet in THE LATE MIDDLE CLASSES all directed
by Harold Pinter. In a national tour as Helmer in A DOLL'S HOUSE La
Merlouche in THE MISER (Chichester), Herbert Hawkins in THE WRECK ON
THE FIVE TWENTY-FIVE (Edinburgh), Herman K in KAFKA'S DICK and Jim in
THE STANGENESS OF OTHERS (Duke of Cambridge), Giles Lacy in REBECCA,
Crestwell in RELATIVE VALUES (Oxford), Lord Milton in THE FOOL (New
Grove) and Ringer in LIBERTY OREGON (Link Theatre). Richard lives in
Oxford and is delighted to be making his first visit to The Mill at
Sonning. Film & Television include: SWING (with Hugo Speer and Lisa
Stansfield), THE JURY, FATHER TED, HARRY ENFIELD & CHUMS, THE BLONDE
BOMBSHELL, THE KNOCK, BETWEEN THE LINES, CHANDLER & CO, LONDON'S BURNING,
THE BILL, STRANGE BUT TRUE and CRIME MONTHLY. |
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TIMOTHY
CARLTON (Edgar) Timothy Carlton's extensive theatre work covers
repertory, national tours and many West End productions. These include
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION (Garrick), A PATRIOT FOR ME, THE KNACK and THE
VOYSEY INHERITANCE (all at the Royal Court) GETTING MARRIED by George
Bernard Shaw (Strand), HER ROYAL HIGHNESS (Palace), BEETHOVEN'S TENTH
with Peter Ustinov (Vaudeville), RUN FOR YOUR WIFE (Criterion) and NOISES
OFF (Savoy). In Stockholm he directed and starred in GOOD MORNING BILL
by P G Woodhouse. Timothy's television appearances are equally as numerous
and include A FAMILY AT WAR, CALLAN, THE LOTUS EATERS, CROWN COURT,
THE MAIN CHANCE, WHEN THE BOAT COMES IN, FALLEN HERO, THE FALL AND RISE
OF REGINALD PERRIN, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED, EXECUTIVE STRESS, THE BEIDERBECKE
TAPES, TUMBLEDOWN, DON'T WAIT UP, THE HOUSE OF ELLIOTT, NEXT OF KIN
(3 series), HEARTBEAT, THE WOMAN IN WHITE, DALZIEL & PASCOE, VICTORIA
& ALBERT. He has just filmed an episode of MURPHY'S LAW. His film credits
include THE BREAKING OF BUMBO, BABY LOVE, A TOUCH OF CLASS, IN SEARCH
OF EDEN, THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL and HIGH ROAD TO CHINA and recently GREEN
FINGERS. On radio Timothy's experience ranges from Shakespeare to Woodhouse
and even THE ARCHERS. This is his seventh appearance at The Mill, having
appeared in THERE GOES THE BRIDE, TONS OF MONEY, BEDSIDE MANNERS, CAUGHT
ON THE HOP, ONE FOR THE POT and WHO KILLED SANTA CLAUS? He is married
to actress Wanda Ventham and they have a son Benedict, also an actor.
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BELINDA
CARROLL (Judy) Belinda Carroll has appeared in the West End in THERE'S
A GIRL IN MY SOUP with Donald Sinden, NO SEX PLEASE WE'RE BRITISH, with
David Jason, Wendy to Dorothy Tutin's PETER PAN, Agatha Christie's CARDS
ON THE TABLE, CHARLEY'S AUNT with John Inman, and THE PLEASURE OF HIS
COMPANY. Outside London she played Joan in J B Priestley's TIME & THE
CONWAYS at The Royal Exchange, Manchester, and toured in THE IMPORTANCE
OF BEING EARNEST and IDEAL HUSBAND. Belinda has appeared at Windsor,
Newbury, Guildford and Sonning many times. Her last appearance here
was WIFE BEGINS AT FORTY. TV work includes: BBC PLAY OF THE MONTH, TARTUFFE,
BBC2 MELODRAMAS with RONNIE BARKER, A QUESTION OF GUILT, MURDER ROOMS,
and most recently, CASUALTY. Belinda is married to actor Michael Cochrane
and she has three children. |
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Elizabeth
Elvin (Angela) Elizabeth trained at the Arts Educational School.
She has just finished playing Shirley Valentine at The Palace Theatre,
Westcliff, directed by Roy Marsden. Other recent theatre work includes:
Portia in The Merchant Of Venice, Adela in the world premiere performance
of Noel Coward's Volcano, Lil in Fings Ain't What They Used T'be. Olivia
in Twelfth Night and last summer was spent performing the complete plays
of Agatha Christie where she played nine parts in nine different plays!
Further theatre credits include: Titania in A Midsummer Nights Dream,
all the female roles in Alan Aykbourn's Intimate Exchanges, the Porter
in Macbeth, Cruella De Vil in A Hundred And One Dalmatians, Fiona Foster
in How The Other Half Loves, Glenda in Last Of The Summer Wine, Gymnasia
in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. Elizabeth has appeared
in many West End Productions and National Tour's with Rep. Seasons at
Bristol Old Vic, Perth, Westcliff and Newbury. Here at Sonning she has
been seen in Born Yesterday, A Bedfull Of Foreigners, Bedside Manners,
Holiday Snap and Love's A Luxury. Film and Television Credits include:
Rings On Their Fingers, Testament of Youth, Rentaghost, The Julio Inglesias
Show, Heaven's Gate, The Dance and If Only. Elizabeth has also spent
a year under contract to MGM in the USA. |
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BARRIE
GOSNEY (Mr Johnson) Barrie's versatility has provided him with many
opportunities to appear, with equal success, in films, television and
theatre. From the days of DIXON OF DOCK GREEN to the classic CARRY ON
FILMS to TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON on the West End stage. Theatre
credits include: RUN FOR YOUR WIFE at the Duchess Theatre and The Mill
at Sonning. A BEDFULL OF FOREIGNERS at Eastbourne and Bournemouth with
Terry Scott, THERE GOES THE BRIDE, ANYBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND, OUT
OF ORDER, ANYBODY FOR MURDER and recently ALL FOR MARY, all at The Mill
at Sonning, CASH ON DELIVERY, HAPPIEST DAYS OF YOUR LIFE and MY COUSIN
RACHEL all at Windsor, THARK at The Watermill, MURDER AT THE VICARAGE
at Windsor and Richmond and DICK WHITTINGTON at the Newbury Corn Exchange.
He has undertaken several foreign tours, with Derek Nimmo, including
RUN FOR YOUR WIFE, WIFE BEGINS AT FORTY and HARVEY. He has also toured
OUT OF ORDER for Ray Cooney, PASTIMES which started life at The Mill
at Sonning and a national tour with comedian Harry Hill. Barrie has
appeared throughout the country in repertory and is a well known face
in the pantomime world, over 27 seasons, playing a variety of Dames
and other characters. He is constantly in demand for MUSIC HALL appearing
all over England. His performance as Lord Brockhurst, in the acclaimed
revival production of THE BOY FRIEND was one of the highlights of a
very successful career. Television appearances include: KEEPING UP APPEARANCES,
DON'T WAIT UP, CASUALTY, THE BILL, FRANK STUBBS, THE HARRY HILL SERIES
and has just finished a second series of TIME GENTLEMEN PLEASE. Barrie
is married to actress Jacqueline Clarke, they live in a 300 year old
cottage in the Cotswolds. He enjoys gardening, golf, fishing and a yearly
visit to the Cheltenham Festival. One of his favourite hobbies is cooking,
he just loves it! |
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MARTYN
STANBRIDGE (Henry) 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 and Northampton. 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, BRIEF ENCOUNTER, DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER. In London: VENICE
PRESERV'D at the RNT, THE VORTEX at the Garrick Theatre, BERENICE at
the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, THE MILLIONAIRESS and THREE SISTERS
at The Greenwich Theatre and THE VERGE at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond.
Recently, tour of ROMANTIC COMEDY in Vienna and Far East. At Sonning:
DEATHTRAP, SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR, BEDSIDE MANNERS, MURDER WITHOUT CRIME,
THE MAINTENANCE MAN, CAUGHT ON THE HOP, THE BUSINESS OF MURDER LAURA,
WIFE BEGINS AT FORTY and WHO KILLED SANTA CLAUS? Television: GOOD AND
BAD AT GAMES, A POCKETFUL OF RYE, PARADISE POSTPONED, MURROW, AD, THE
DAY AFTER THE FAIR, HEDGEHOG WEDDING, PARTNERS LOVERS SPIES, THE GOOD
GUYS, THE BILL, DOCTOR FINLAY , McLIBEL and DOCTORS. Film: FLIGHT OF
FANCY. |
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IAN
MASTERS (Director) FUNNY BUSINESS is the thirteenth production Ian
has directed at The Mill. Other productions he has directed here have
been; A PARTY TO MURDER, TIME & TIME AGAIN, HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES,
WHEN THE KISSING STOPPED, PARTY PIECE, THERE'S A GIRL IN MY SOUP, TWO
DOZEN RED ROSES, ONLY WHEN I LAUGH, THE PERFECT PENSION PLAN, MOVE OVER
MRS MARKHAM and UNDER THE YUM-YUM TREE. His directorial debut was with
a play called BECK at the King's Head Theatre, Islington. This starred
Hugh Lloyd and was chosen as a platform production at The National Theatre.
He then directed THE ORANGE PENQUIN an award winner at the Edinburgh Festival.
From there he moved on to commercial productions which included national
tours and summer seasons- including THE MATING GAME starring Barbara Windsor
and the late Terry Scott - WHO GOES THERE with Trevor Bannister and Melvyn
Hayes - FUNNY MONEY. For the late Derek Nimmo, he directed ONLY WHEN I
LAUGH with William Gaunt and Simon Ward, ABIGAIL'S PARTY and recently
DO NOT DISTURB starring Gerald Harper. He directed MUZZY and THE SEVEN
DEADLY SINS for the BBC in Europe. Other productions have included, THE
MOUSE TRAP, RAINBOW and ten pantomimes, the most recent at Cambridge which
starred Ross Kemp. He has written for radio, theatre and television. A
new comedy, KISSING COUSINS was produced last year at Southwold; he also
wrote a farce which toured nationally, three drama series for the BBC
World Service and a sit-com pilot IT'S NEVER TO LATE, produced by Yorkshire
Television. As an actor he worked in repertory at York, Windsor, Farnham
and Chesterfield followed by national tours and seasons all about the
country, as well as here at The Mill. In the West End he played the lead
in NO SEX PLEASE WE'RE BRITISH. Other West End productions NOISES OFF,
THE LAST OF MRS CHEYNEY, TOUCH OF PURPLE, DEAD EASY and TOM BROWN'S SCHOOL
DAYS. He has worked extensively in radio having appeared in over eighty
productions for BBC Radio 4; most recently THE ANGRY BRIGADE starring
Juliet Stephenson and THE GOOD COMPANIONS an adaptation in three parts
to be broadcast in August. |
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EMILY
CROSS (Set designer) Emily graduated from Glasgow University with
an MA in Theatre Studies, and then was a technician at Cambridge Arts
Theatre before doing a Post-Graduate Design course at Bristol Old Vic
Theatre School. She has worked extensively as a designer and scenic artist
for Cambridge Arts Theatre on productions including RUDDIGORE, IOLANTHE,
HMS PINAFORE, THE SORCERER, CANDIDE, DICK WHITTINGTON, JACK AND THE BEANSTALK,
MOTHER GOOSE and on the yearly Summer School Other designs include MURMURING
JUDGES and TOUCHY FEELY, New Vic, Bristol; THREE MUSKETEERS, Theatre Royal,
Bristol; FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY for Moral Support, the Traverse, Edinburgh
and the Royal National Theatre; BATHTIME, Lifetime Theatre Tour; THE TEMPEST
and ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, Creation Theatre Company; CHRISTMAS 2000, The
Proper Pantomime Company. After designing WHY NOT STAY FOR BREAKFAST for
The Mill last year Emily is thrilled to be back. |
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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 and CHASE
ME COMRADE. |
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ROSLYN
NASH (Lighting Designer) Roslyn trained at Mountview Theatre School
and has worked at The Mill for over ten years. She started as Technical
Assistant and now has the pleasure of being the Production Manager.
Over the years she has been given the opportunity to light many of the
productions - a few of which include: STEPPING OUT, KISS MY AUNT, BORN
YESTERDAY, LEND ME A TENOR, THE WAITING GAME, DON'T ROCK THE BOAT, LAURA,
GRAPES & RAISINS , SAY WHO YOU ARE, THE PLEASURE OF HIS COMPANY, TEN
TIMES TABLE, KISS OF DEATH, A PARTY TO MURDER, DON'T JUST LIE THERE,
SAY SOMETHING!, MAKE ME A MATCH, A SLIGHT HANGOVER, KINDLY KEEP IT COVERED,
WHO KILLED SANTA CLAUS?, TAKING STEPS and TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS. |
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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, namely: LET'S FACE THE MUSIC with Irving
Berlin, Ruby in DAMES AT SEA (an excerpt of which was included in The
Royal Gala Performance in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales),
Sadie in THE FLIPSIDE, the musical HAPPY AS A SANDBAG, as Penelope Toop
in SEE HOW THEY RUN! as Julia in DEAD GUILTY as Joanna Markham in MOVE
OVER MRS MARKHAM and most recently 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 has
most recently directed BAREFOOT IN THE PARK by Neil Simon at the Jermyn
Street Theatre in the West End. She has recently started singing with
the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra at the Savoy. |
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DEREK
BENFIELD (Playwright) Derek Benfield was born in Bradford, Yorkshire,
trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and made his first appearances
with Brian Rix's company. In his long career he has appeared in a wide
variety of parts in the theatre and on TV, most recently as Patricia
Routledge's husband in the popular series HETTY WAINTHROPP INVESTIGATES.
Derek's many stage plays are widely produced throughout the world and
include CAUGHT ON THE HOP, TOUCH AND GO, BEDSIDE MANNERS (all of which
have been presented in Sonning), A FLY IN THE OINTMENT and TWO AND TWO
TOGETHER. His romantic comedy for two actors SECOND TIME AROUND has
already been successfully presented in Germany and is to tour there
again in the autumn. Derek is delighted that his new farce FUNNY BUSINESS
is having its world premiere at The Mill. |
