1947- 2017
Welcome to the website of Endon Dramatic Society
On this site you can find out all about our history, news of our up and coming productions, ticket information and much more.
Our Autumn 2019 production will be Out of Sight Out of Murder an ingenious comedy whodunnit by
Fred Carmichael.
Wednesday 13th November to Saturday 16th November 7.30pm
Peter Knight is grinding out a murder story in an old mansion where another author was murdered years before. A weird electrical storm effects a cosmic snafu and his characters come to life. There's the lovely ingenue, the trusty butler, a feisty character woman, a dauntless hero, a fascinating "other woman," the always pregnant serving girl, and the wily lawyer waiting for midnight to read the will. Peter looses control of his characters and there is a murder; the intended victim is Peter. Other murders follow and the culprit is among characters who, having also worked for other authors, know a great deal about the subject. Can Peter find the killer before the killer gets his author? Is romance with the ingenue leading anywhere? Where is the fortune mentioned in the will? All is solved ingeniously with romance, suspense and cosmic wit.
Tickets £8.00 or £7.00 concessions includes programme and refreshments.
Box Office : 01782 503592 / 07870 750857
NSDA Gala night 2019
Endon dramatic society enjoyed a very successful night at the NSDA gala night held on 22nd June at Leek Town Football Club.
Congratulations to Audrey Simpson who won the Bette Bode Best Female Comedy Performance for Mona in Trivial Pursuits.
We also won The David Pugh Front of House Award and the John Fox Special Adjudicators Award -
"For their commitment to keeping the spirit of village community theatre alive at a time when many village groups are disappearing. Also for their continuing endeavour in developing the staging and performance aspects of their productions."
Paul West just missed out after being nominated for Best Male comedy Performance for Teddy in Trivial Pursuits and we also had a nomination for Best Stage Presentation for the same play.
LATEST REVIEW
Endon Dramatic Society, present ‘Ghost Writer’ a play by David Tristram. May 16th-19th 7.30pm at Endon Village Hall
Ghost Writer is a very witty, very funny play and is sure to appeal to all kinds of theatre-goers, from those who like laugh-out-loud comedy to Shakespeare fans who will enjoy spotting the references to Hamlet. David Tristram, has become the UK’s most popular comedy playwright, an accolade awarded to him in 2015 by Samuel French Ltd , the world’s biggest agent and publisher of plays, who claim that on average, on every night of the year there are at least two Tristram plays being performed somewhere in the world.
A synopsis of the play:
At a last-night party for a production of Hamlet, talented actress Ruby Pinfold is found dead from a lethal cocktail of drink and drugs. One year later, her ghost appears to her playwright husband, Edward, claiming that she was, in fact, poisoned, and urging him to find the killer.
Ruby helps Edward to write a play based on the night of her murder, and he invites the key suspects to read through the play with him, hoping that one of them will give themselves away. Needless to say, they each have their own motive and opportunity to have committed the crime!
Philip Howard who played Edward handled the intricacies well , managed many 3 way conversations, one being with a ghost and was able to bring out the comedy of the piece whilst maintaining his emotionally tormented character. His gay friend Alex in whose attic room he lives, played very well by Anthony Simcock is also a strong character in the play, giving support to Edward and linking the other characters as they appear. Susan Berrisford, playing the ghost of Ruby, balanced the comedy of her role with the serious need to find her murderer. She moved around the stage managing to appear and disappear quite realistically slipping in her asides to Edward very well. I enjoyed the different characters of the murder suspects from the world of theatre Roger Garland played Hedley, Celia Richardson played Frances both over the top ‘luvvies,’displaying lots of spite and jealousy. In amongst all of the goings on Alex introduces Edward to a new female friend hoping to lift him out of his gloom, she is Glenda, a more gentle character , a bit dozey but funny played very effectively by Barbara Harwood.
The set is simple but adequate , the village hall very comfortable and the front of house support excellent. Complementary tea/coffee/biscuits in the interval together with an extremely funny raffle drawing and prize presentations made for a most enjoyable night out.
The late Pam Shufflebotham, who worked with this company for many years would have been very pleased with this production
Get along there and have an enjoyable night out for £7.
Review by Gina Brian
