May 19 - 26 2018 (not Sunday) 7.45pm
Matinee Saturday 26 2.30pm

They did their bit for the war effort by donning wellington boots and overalls to take on backbreaking farm work. The plucky girls of the Land Army from all different social classes and walks of life were sent to farms to live rough and work hard to replace the men who had joined the forces.

Now their story is told in the next production at the Chesil Theatre.  - Lilies on the Land. Based on letters and interviews with the original Land Girls this play is a revealing, funny and wonderfully moving portraits of these unsung heroines.

How will these young women, deprived of all basic home comforts, deal not only with the hardships of farming life and the pressures of war, but also with being outsiders in new surroundings? Basic accommodation, ice inside the windows, work clothes full of mice, rough hands, out in all weathers brought about a camaraderie which means that looking back they say they would do it all again.

Director Norma York said: " The Merchant Navy ships which brought in supplies from overseas were at the risk of attack by submarines. It was vital that as much food as possible was grown and reared in this country. This play is a fitting tribute to all those women."

Land Girls all... (l-r) the cast of Lilies on the Land: Helen Symes, Adrienne Ellery, Mandy Francis and Caroline Hall

Tickets from £11

Book here

Photographs by Tony Rogers

Editorial
the Lions part is how they choose to write their name
 
For further details please contact Lisbeth Rake 01794 388245 The.rakes@zen.co.uk

Chesil Theatre Winchester continued their programme of improvements to the 75-seat auditorium with the fitting of tertiary glazing to the three large Gothic windows facing Chesil Street.
 
The existing windows were, no doubt, perfectly adequate when the medieval building was first constructed in the 12th century, but traffic noise can often now intrude upon performances.
 
So, improvements have been made by fitting two additional layers of glass .
 
Chesil Theatre member and Building Manager Peter Liddiard says:
“The new glazing will certainly help decrease noise pollution and will also assist energy conservation. It is part of our ongoing schedule to improve the comfort and enjoyment of those experiencing shows at our unique studio venue. We will now look to improving the sound and thermal performance of the medieval door..”
 
Chesil Theatre has been the base of Winchester Dramatic Society since the mid-1960s when the Church of St Peter became redundant and subsequently dangerous. Since that time the Society has been a careful and dedicated guardian of this Listed Building in the heart of a Winchester conservation area.
 
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The image is supplied repro-free for editorial use.
 
For further information please contact:
Flavia Bateson
Chesil Theatre Marketing Team
01962 855544
flavia.bateson@starspray.org

This summer, the Chesil Theatre will be returning to the stunning gardens of Wolvesey Palace, by kind permission of the Bishop of Winchester, with a spectacular open-air production of THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS from 17 to 21 July.
 
This much-loved, classic children’s storybook by Kenneth Grahame has been adapted by Alan Bennett and will feature all the familiar characters including Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger, who will be performed by an adult cast, as well as some not so familiar woodland creatures who will be played by two teams of children/young people.
 
The director, Jo Ashwell, is not at all daunted by the prospect of directing plays with large casts. Her most recent directing credits include Oliver! with a cast of 85, Doctor Doolittle with a cast of 65 and Annie with a whopping 102 cast members; all for Girlguiding Winchester Division.
 
She says ‘The Wind in the Willows has always been a favourite of mine. It is a tale about adventure, courage and friendship and provides a lot of scope to work with a combined cast of adults and children, which is something I really enjoy. I am looking forward to bringing the tales of the riverbank to life for the Chesil Theatre and can’t wait to begin rehearsals’.
 
A social reading of The Wind in the Willows is being held at the Chesil Theatre on Friday 6 April at 7.45pm. Open Auditions will take place at the theatre on Saturday 7 April at 10am and Sunday 8 April at 2pm for children/young people and adults. In addition, there will be an evening audition on Sunday 8 April at 7.45pm for adults only.
 
For further information, please see Chesil Theatre website: www.chesiltheatre.org.uk or email chesilinfo@chesiltheatre.org.uk

Identical twins; one naïve and dim, the other dashing and intelligent, arrive in Venice at the same time in search of love, but each with no idea the other is there. Predictably, chaos ensues. This is the basis of the timeless comedy, The Venetian Twins, by Carlo Goldoni, to be presented by the Chesil Theatre in March 2018.

The whirling confusion of frustrated lovers wooing the wrong partner, bizarre fights between mistaken adversaries, obstreperous servants, lecherous old men and devious plots that go off the rails, all add to the general mayhem which will be great fun for actors and audience.
 
Both twins are played by Marcus Whitfield. He said: "Fortunately they are never on stage at the same time  but it is an exciting challenge to change the personality and character in a moment while remembering who I am supposed to know and what I have done in each persona."

Director, Mark Frank, said: " Ranjit Bolt has done a brilliant job of translating the robustness and energy of the original into vernacular English. in a style which makes it immediately accessible to a modern audience, while preserving all the colour and spontaneity of its Commedia Dell’Arte roots. It is a joy to work with such vibrant material which fits in beautifully with the intimacy of the Chesil theatre.  

Tickets, from £11. can be booked at www.chesiltheatre.org.uk
 
The Venetian Twins by Carlo Goldoni translated by Ranjit Bolt
 
Performances Saturday March 17th - Saturday March 24th 7.45pm
Matinee Saturday 24th 2.30pm

Chesil Youth Theatre once again triumphed in their annual production held earlier in February. Now, after a break for half term, the groups reassemble for new challenges.
 
Their showcase event used scripted plays by former Hampshire drama teacher Paul King. The juniors presented a cool new version of The King’s New Clothes whilst the seniors included a light-hearted comedy in The Perils of Pauline followed by a serious contrasting work Arbeit Macht Frei which told the story of a Jewish ghetto and deportations during World War II. There was strong ensemble acting in all three pieces with use of mime and dance too.
 
During the coming term, the Chesil Youth Theatre will be concentrating on spontaneous and prepared improvised work. Their Director Dee Jones said: “Having worked on texts since September, the groups are now ready to create their own dramas. They will be developing their negotiating and evaluating skills as well as experiencing how an actor, director or designer approaches a play.”
 
Chesil Youth Theatre welcomes new members. Both groups meet during term time from 6.15pm to 7.30pm; juniors (aged 8-12) on Wednesdays and seniors (13-16) on Mondays. For more information, please contact youth@chesiltheatre.org.uk.

The two sections of Chesil Youth Theatre Winchester will be performing three short plays on the theme of “Deceptions” on 8th and 9th February 2018 at 7.30pm. Tickets are now available from www.chesiltheatre.org.uk.
 
The juniors (aged 8-12) have a new take on the traditional classic Hans Andersen tale The  King’s New Clothes, where both the monarch and his subjects are initially taken in by a trickster. The senior group (13-16) have a programme of contrast. The Perils of Pauline is a light-hearted comedy homage to the adventure stories of Saturday Morning Pictures including disguise, intrigue and plenty of false beards! The powerful drama Arbeit Macht Frei portrays life in a Jewish ghetto when false promises led to an appalling tragic conclusion.
 
Chesil Youth Theatre Director Dee Jones said: “We are always pleased to welcome new members to our enthusiastic and talented youth groups. Juniors meet on Wednesdays and  seniors on Mondays, both during term time and from 6.15pm to 7.30pm”. Anyone interested can contact Dee: youth@chesiltheatre.org.uk.
 
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Chesil Theatre Winchester opens the New Year with Duet for One by Tom Kempinski which runs from 20th to 27th January 2018. This poignant and moving play won a London Theatre Critics’ Award and was subsequently made into a film starring Julie Andrews.
 
The drama looks at what happens when an unexpected event leads to a challenging change in lifestyle. Music has been the passion of virtuoso violinist Stephanie since the age of six. Suddenly struck down by a debilitating disease, she is denied her first love and faces an uncertain future. Through a series of interviews with her psychiatrist we learn about her childhood, her marriage to an equally starry musician and her all-encompassing desire – to create music.
 
Tickets are now available from www.chesiltheatre.org.uk with a special talkback session after the performance on Tuesday 23rd January 2018.

Identical twins; one naïve and dim, the other dashing and intelligent, arrive in Venice at the same time in search of love, but each with no idea the other is there. Predictably, chaos ensues. This is the basis of the timeless comedy, The Venetian Twins, by Carlo Goldoni, to be presented by the Chesil Theatre in March 2018.

The whirling confusion of frustrated lovers wooing the wrong partner, bizarre fights between mistaken adversaries, obstreperous servants, lecherous old men and devious plots that go off the rails, all add to the general mayhem which will be great fun for actors and audience.

Director, Mark Frank, said: "There are 12 roles in this production with the exciting challenge for one energetic young man to play both twins (unless identical twins turn up to audition). They are never on the stage together. "

The play has been translated by Ranjit Bolt in a style which makes it immediately accessible to a modern audience, while preserving all the colour and spontaneity of its Commedia Dell’Arte roots.

Details:

Reading:  Friday December 1st 7.45pm
Auditions: Saturday December 2nd 10.30am
                 Sunday December 3rd 7.45pm

Performances Saturday March 17th - Saturday March 24th. Matinee Saturday 24th 2.30pm

Such is the demand for tickets, that Chesil Theatre Winchester will be offering an extra preview performance of their next show The Hound of the Baskervilles on Friday 17th November 2017.
 
The story of Sherlock Homes’ investigation of the monstrous beast that terrorises the moors has gripped the imagination since 1901 but this adaptation by Steven Canny and John Nicholson takes a comic twist on the classic detective tale by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Expect verbal slapstick, bizarre scenarios and hilarious performances.
 
Director John Wakeman said: “This show has proved very popular for parties wishing to get into the festive spirit – a superb light-hearted evening of entertainment is guaranteed.”
 
The Hound of the Baskervilles now runs from 17th to 25th November 2017 with a matinee on the final Saturday for which some seats are still available. Early booking is advised for the preview night.

Watch the promotional video here.
 

Chesil Theatre Winchester will be holding auditions on 28th and 29th October for the award-winning drama Duet for One by Tom Kempinski.
 
The play centres on a virtuoso violinist, whose very being is dedicated to the creation of music. Then her world is turned upsidedown when diagnosed with a debilitating illness which causes her to stop playing. Told through a series of interviews with her gently probing psychiatrist, truths are unveiled and confronted.
 
Director Flavia Bateson said: “This powerful piece has two challenging roles for experienced actors. Musician Stephanie’s moods turn with lighning alactrity; from sardonic wit to violent fury, bright hope to deep despair and throughout there is the listening ear of Dr Feldman, the patient, wise, psychiatrist who shares her love of music.”
 
All are welcome to an informal reading of the play on Friday 27th October at 7.45pm with auditions following at 10.30am on Saturday 28th and 7.45pm on Sunday 29th October 2017. More details are available from www.chesiltheatre.org.uk