The Davenham Players

Rehearsal - Are You Sitting Comfortably?
2017-05-09 07:30 - 22:00, 2017-05-07 08:00 - 17:00, 2017-04-23 16:00 - 19:00 (Europe/London) | Davenham Theatre, 59 Church Street, Northwich, CW9 8NF, United Kingdom

Club Night - Theatre Trip
2017-05-04 19:30 - 22:00
Please note THERE WILL BE NO PLAY READING THIS WEEK THURSDAY 4TH MAY.
Instead we are taking a trip to Theatre Clywd to see an evening about radio plays called ‘Leak’ . Looks like a good show , funny and FREE.
Book online at the theatre Clywd website and find your own way there.
Any questions, contact Denise

K.C. Finn's Dark Moments
2017-04-27 20:00 - 22:30
Who is this K.C. Finn?
Author K.C. Finn lives in Chester and she is the author of more than 20 novels in the four years she has been in the writing business. K.C. is multi-award-winning, having received the coveted Chanticleer Best Gothic Fiction 2016 award for her novel The Book Of Shade, a 78,000-word fantasy novel that took just 16 days to pen. She has also received accolades from the RONÉ Awards for Best Young Author Paranormal Fiction 2015 (The Mind’s Eye, 2nd Place) and the Readers’ Favourite Award for Best Young Author Science Fiction book of 2016 (Legion Lost, Commended Finalist) and is currently a semi-finalist for Best Young Author Book of The Year in the Dante Rossetti Prize 2017.
In the world of horror fiction, K.C. Finn has also shared the charts with the likes of Stephen King and Dean Koontz for her worldwide best-selling story collection Sinister Sentiments. In theatre, her debut production of Dark Moments at Chester Little Theatre in October 2016 was the beginning of a new era, with future productions to follow, such as Left Luggage, which will be touring three theatres (and hopefully Davenham too!) in July/August 2017.
And the Cast…?
The Dark Moments cast includes Kelly Cowley (daughter of ??? and Arthur Jones) whose superb Rise & Shine wowed audiences at Davenham in March 2016 and Sue Elliott who will also be remembered for her roles in Effie’s Burning, Breathing Corpses and Medea at Davenham.
What’s a ‘Dark Moment’?
K.C. Finn’s Dark Moments explores life through the lens of three one-act plays where black comedy and gritty realism collide.
In PASSENGERS, cabin fever takes hold of a band of holidaymakers on a late night flight, suspicion and paranoia driving them to breaking point.
MALE BLACK sees a group of friends sitting down to a dinner party, when their common acquaintance Jimmy Black arrives. Black drives a rift into the group, one that can only be resolved by murder.
Finally, in OTHER PEOPLE’S VIOLENCE, the themes of isolation and loneliness are explored. Four people live in neighbouring flats, and one of them is about to die. The story follows the lives of these characters through their disasters, revelations and breakthroughs, until the grim prophecy comes true.
When can I see Dark Moments?
Dark Moments runs from Thursday 27th April to Sunday 30th April inclusive (four nights)
Doors open at 7.30pm. Show at 8pm
Tickets £8. Book on-line at www.danarts.org
or ring 01606 259596
Doors and Bar open 7.30pm – Performance starts at 8.00pm
Bookings @ £8.00 on www.danarts.org or 01606 259596

Play Reading
2017-04-06 19:30 - 22:00

Woolyback Film Shoot
2017-03-26 08:00 - 16:00, 2017-03-25 08:00 - 22:30

Audition - Are You Sitting Comfortably
2017-03-23 19:30 - 22:00
Paulette Anderson is holding an audition for Are You Sitting Comfortably? – an evening of storytelling she is going to present at the theatre in May. All are invited to come along and read. Could appeal to those not keen to learn a script but happy to read from the book. You can contact Paulette on 01606 79779 or email.

Tonight on the Wireless
2017-03-17 19:30 - 22:00

Play Reading
2017-02-21 19:30 - 21:30, 2017-01-17 19:30 - 21:30, 2016-11-03 19:30 - 21:30, 2016-09-15 19:30 - 21:30
Denise is back with another of her popular play reading evenings. All are welcome to come along and read or just listen. These evenings help us select plays for possible future performance and are friendly social events with the bar open for use. We don’t yet know what reading Denise will select – you’ll have to come along and find out !

Young Players Rehearsal
2017-02-12 14:00 - 18:00
For Little Shop of Horrors

Radio Plays Meeting and Rehearsal
2017-01-22 16:00 - 18:30
On 17th & 18th March 2017 @ Davenham Theatre there will be a ‘Radio Night’. An evening of radio plays, extracts and sketches, performed live in front of an audience.
This is a wonderful opportunity to find, read and perform material that is either written for radio or just isn’t possible/practical to perform as a production.
If you would like to know more or be involved then please come along on Sunday 22nd January at 4pm (until about 6.30) for our first meeting/read through. D and myself will be putting the production together so please ask us if you have any questions.
A few things to consider:
All the performances will be done with ‘script in hand’. Everything will be rehearsed but you won’t need to know all lines off by heart.
The idea is to have everything in front of the audience. So the actors will have their scripts, props will be on hand to make sound effects and if possible we hope to have the lighting and sound done on stage too. This gives people a chance to see the inner workings (and hopefully tempt them to get involved in the future). Pieces will range from the famous classics of radio like The Goons and Under Milkwood to Monty Python, Jim Cartwright, Shakespeare and hopefully a few surprises.
While we have already collated some material we will welcome any suggestions, please let us know the details or send me or D a copy, ideally before the 22nd Jan so we can look at trying it out.
The plan is to rehearse each Sunday from 22nd Jan until the show.
Lastly but most importantly, we want as many people to come along on the 22nd (4pm) and be a part of what will be a really great two nights at Davenham.
We look forward to seeing (and hearing) you.
Tom and D

Davenham Players AGM
2017-01-12 19:30 - 21:00
All members and guests are welcome to hear the Committee’s annual report and of course to ask questions. Nominations for Committee may be made by paid-up members and should be sent to Paulette. Note that subscription renewals are due in January each year and that the rate is £20.00 annually per person.

Carol Singing in Davenham Village
2016-12-01 17:30 - 19:00
Around the tree in Davenham Village with accompaniment by school bands. Just turn up from 5:30pm to start at 6:00pm . Refreshments available. Pub afterwards.
PROPOSED SCHEDULE – DAVENHAM CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH-ON EVENT
After speaking to Jo Curry and Mary Clewes, it was decided that the best place for the children and band would be around the tree. Children playing instruments got jostled by the crowd congregating at the Bull’s head last year – which isn’t great when you are playing an instrument.
Please find below event plan for Thursday 1st December 2016:
17.00 ish – Councillors arrive on-site and cordon off the area around the Christmas Tree and ask members of the public to leave this area clear for the school children/Davenham Players. Set-up PA SYSTEM/staging requirements.
17:30 – Riverside Organics arrive & set up burger stall at side of Ernest Ashley (Davenham Parish Council to be here to supervise set-up and hand out hymn sheets).
17:30-45 – school band arrives & sets own stools etc around the tree area. Davenham Players also to arrive
17:55 road closed as per traffic management company map
18:00 – Primary school children (lantern parade) arrives at location & gathers around the tree (supervised by School staff)
18:05 to 18:10 – crowd gathers around tree & in road to sing carol (TBA) & countdown to switch on
18:15 – light switch on with another couple of carols (TBA) . Band then plays (TBA)
(DPC to hand out refreshments to children taking part) – We could do with a small table to set up drinks beforehand as it was quite hard dishing out straws with cold hands last year.
18:30ish – Primary school children collected by parents
18:15 to 18:55 – crowd mingles in area attending local shops, burger stall & pubs.
18:55 – road reopens for normal service
Any amendments please let me know ASAP.
The event this year will be similar to last year and will include, Davenham Wind Band, Children’s Lantern Parade, carol singing and local Organic Burgers (and I believe we also may have waffles on sale too), some local shops will be staying open late (so please support them where you can), the Bulls Head, Oddfellows will be on hand with mulled wine and mince pies and St Wilfrid’s Church will be serving tea and coffee for a small donation.
This year the children in the lantern parade/choir/wind band will be situated around/near to the Christmas Tree as last year a few of the children were accidentally getting a bit jostled by the crowds around them which isn’t great when you have a trumpet to play. We will cordon this area off earlier in the evening so please bear this in mind when you arrive that we need to keep this area free.
Davenham Players have kindly offered to join us this year to help with the carol singing, instead of Katie on the mega-phone even though she did a grand job!. While on the subject of mega phones, hopefully ours will be ditched this year in favour of a PA system kindly lent to us by Davenham Primary School.
We will be closing the road again for approximately 1 hour from 6pm. This is primarily to keep our children/everyone safe near our busy road during rush hour and to allow us all to enjoy the event a bit more freely. Amberon will be taking care of the traffic management again for us and we will also have Police and St John’s Ambulance in attendance.
Last but by no means least, the lights this year will be switched-on by Jan Lambert and Jan Johnson. These ladies were instrumental in setting up, organising and designing the fantastic Mosaic project at Davenham Players Theatre and just basically getting the whole village involved. We thought it was a nice way to say a huge ‘thank you’ to them on behalf of the whole village.
I think that is everything covered so let’s hope for fine weather! Any queries, please feel free to get in touch.
Kind regards
Vicky Stock
Clerk to Davenham Parish Council
Tel: 07443 579 057

Christmas-Themed Readings with Light Refreshments
2016-11-29 19:30 - 21:30
We invite you to an evening of Christmas themed readings with some light refreshments on offer and of course the well-stocked Players Bar will be open.

Bring along a reading, poem, song, extract of your choice [or we could provide you with one] and enjoy an informal evening’s entertainment and a natter about the coming season. There will be cheese, crackers, pate, crisps, mince pies – a selection of light refreshments for which there will be an honesty box.

If you intend to take part or just come along to listen, please contact Denise via email (click here) before 16th November. so that catering can be organized.

Audition for Spring production
2016-11-16 19:30 - 21:30
An audition and read-through for the Davenham Players’ Spring 2017 production will take place at the theatre from 7:30pm on Wednesday 16th November. Barbara Crellin is looking for three males for the play ‘Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me ‘ by Irish dramatist Frank McGuinness (b. 1953) to be directed by Barbara for presentation at Davenham Theatre from Monday 13th to Friday 17th February 2017.
The play explores the daily crisis endured by three hostages whose strength comes from communication, both subtle and mundane, from humour, wit and faith.
An Englishman, an Irishman and an American are locked up together in a cell in the Middle East. As victims of political action, powerless to initiate change, what can they do? How do they live, survive?
ROLES
Males – 3 – Ages are non-specific but over 30.
More details from Barbara Crellin 01606 41461

Committee Meeting
2016-10-26 19:00 - 21:00

Memorial Evening - Don Anderson
2016-10-22 19:30 - 22:00
A lovely idea initiated by Mike Beddard has resulted in us fixing this date for a memorial eve in the memory of Don who sadly passed away in March. Please keep the date free if you wish to come.

Mosaic Taster Session
2016-10-22 10:00 - 12:30
To introduce potential new mosaicists to mosaic skills. Organized by Jan Johnson.
Please contact Jan if you wish to join in.

Theatrical Workshop on the theme of Motherhood
2016-10-16 02:00 - 18:00
Back in July, Felicity (Flic) Goodman held a workshop at Davenham Theatre on the theme of ‘Motherhood’. The aim of the workshop was to develop ideas for a play that Flic will write, subsequently to be performed at Davenham.
Flic has worked on the ideas discussed at the second workshop and is now ready to hold a further workshop. The date of the third workshop is Sunday 16th October from 2:00pm to 6:00pm and it is being held at the theatre. All are welcome, male or female, young or old.
Please sign up with Felicity at felicity.goodman@gmail.com in advance so that Flic knows how many to expect, but be quick as there are only 12 places available!

The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson
2016-10-10 19:30 - 22:00
Davenham Players Autumn Production
The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson.
Three sisters meet on the eve of their mother’s funeral. As the conflicts of the past converge, everyday lies and tensions reveal the particular patterns and strains of family relationships

Dress Rehearsal
2016-10-08 10:00 - 22:00
… of Memory of Water. Performance dates Monday 10th to Friday 14th October 2016.
Directed by Denise Barry

Theatrical Workshop on the theme of Motherhood
2016-10-02 02:00 - 18:00
Back in July, Felicity (Flic) Goodman held a workshop at Davenham Theatre on the theme of ‘Motherhood’. The aim of the workshop was to develop ideas for a play that Flic will write, subsequently to be performed at Davenham.
Flic has made progress since the first workshop and is now ready to hold a second workshop. The date of the second workshop is Sunday 2nd October from 2:00pm to 6:00pm and it is being held at the theatre. All are welcome, male or female, young or old.
Please sign up with Felicity at felicity.goodman@gmail.com in advance so that Flic knows how many to expect, but be quick as there are only 12 places available!

Rehearsal
2016-09-13 19:00 - 22:00

Community Mosaic Unveiling
2016-09-11 14:00 - 17:30
A real celebration for all of the Davenham Community, when the Davenham Community Mosaic will be unveiled to all. There will be tea and cakes, mosaic displays and workshops, stalls and face painting. Click Mosaic page for more information.

Work Party to prepare for Mosaic Opening
2016-09-04 14:00 - 17:00
Paulette has organised a work party day to clean and tidy prior to the Grand Mosaic Opening on Sunday 11th September. Please come along prepared for cleaning, painting and tidying.

We will need a least 6 people to do work through the following list and I will be asking all members.
1. Paint the cellar door
2. Arrange clean bar
3. Clean foyer, auditorium kitchen and side rooms
4. Scrub the awning outside with anti-mould cleanser
5. Set tables for teas out in theatre. Tea can be served from double doors at the side entrance .
