Welcome to Actonians

On this page you'll find the details any future events we have planned and the most recent three past events. You can find details of all our previous activities in the Archive section on the menu above along with links to search the site, contact us and buy tickets.

Forthcoming Events

Below is a summary of forthcoming events, clicking each event name will provide more details.

Spring 2024

7:30 pm 16th May at Iron Acton Parish Hall

7:30 pm 17th May at Iron Acton Parish Hall

7:30 pm 18th May at Iron Acton Parish Hall

We Happy Few

Written by Imogen Stubbs
Directed for Actonians by Sarah McMahon

Synopsis

This play follows a group of female actors touring Shakespeare and other classic plays, all around the country during World War II. 

It is based on Nancy Hewins' touring group, the Osiris Players and its title quotes the St Crispin's Day Speech from Henry V. They toured their set and costumes in a 1922 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce, sometimes did 4 shows a day and slept on hall floors! In total they did about 1,500 performances. 

Nancy lived in Willesley (near Westonbirt ) during her latter years.

As they performed in schools, village and town halls in hugely different locations in Britain, the setting is perfect for our village hall.

Tickets are £11 each with a booking and processing fee of £0.70 making £11.70 in total

Credits

Cast
RolePerson
Hetty Sue Anstey
Flora Jenny McDowell
Helen Rebekah Grose
Rosalind Gemma Perrett
Charlotte (Charlie) Nic Harvey
Jocelyn Margaret Bulmer
Ivy Alex Holmes
Joseph Joe Marshall Evans
Gertrude Lin Bowden
Reggie Stewart White
Lady Pat Stimson
Man Nick Pearce
Leonard Steve Anstey
Maureen Rachel Taylor
Keith Mike Schofield
Mayor Stewart White
Bert Nick Sharp
Sharon Christine Rogers
Elsie Rachel Taylor
Henrietta Gaynor Clark
William Nick Pearce
Crew
RolePerson
Assistant Director Ann Aplin
Stage Manager Alison Horner
Costume Marion Hill
Sound Peter Carlin
Prompt Di Roper-Marshall
Lights
Mark Whitehouse
Mike Schofield
Set Construction
Steve Anstey
&co
Props
Gaynor Clark
Christine Rogers
Painting Maureen Blake
Original Music Rob Pardoe
Front of House Manager Di Pardoe

We Happy Few

Written by Imogen Stubbs
Directed for Actonians by Sarah McMahon


Latest News

Dates For Your Diary

Rehearsals for 'We Happy Few' - 7:30pm on Wednesdays at Iron Acton Parish HallRehearsals for 'We Happy Few' - 2:30pm on Sundays at Iron Acton Parish HallCommittee...

Read more...


Recent Events

Details and photographs of our most recent past events can be found below. Older events may be found in the archive linked from the menu.

Autumn 2023

7:30 pm 23rd November at Iron Acton Parish Hall

7:30 pm 24th November at Iron Acton Parish Hall

7:30 pm 25th November at Iron Acton Parish Hall

Bleak Expectations

Written by Mark Evans
Directed for Actonians by Nick Sharp

Synopsis

The story Charles Dickens might have written after drinking too much gin.

An hilarious, chaotic caper, featuring dastardly villains, preposterous names, pulse-quickening romances, heart-rending death scenes, and, of course, a happy ending.

Based on the award-winning BBC Radio 4 series.

Credits

Cast
RolePerson
Sir Philip Bin Rob Pardoe
Agnes Bin Di Pardoe
Thomas Bin Mike Schofield
Pip Bin Gabriel Marriage
Pippa Bin Dee Mason
Poppy Bin Sue Anstey
Skinflint Parsimonious Sarah Godsell
Gently Benevolent Stewart White
Bakewell Havertwitch Mike Schofield
Headmaster Wackwell Hardthrasher Steve Anstey
Harry Biscuit Sarah Godsell
Reverend Praygood Hardthrasher Steve Anstey
Broadly Fecund Godfrey Laundy
Ripely Fecund Rachel Taylor
Flora Dies-Early Gemma Perrett
Miss Chastity Hardthrasher Lin Bowden
Judge Solomon Hardthrasher Sarah McMahon
Boy Jenny McDowell
Crutch Person Sarah McMahon
Passer by/Mrs Convenient Exposition Di Pardoe
Man Godfrey Laundy
Woman Jenny McDowell
Queen Victoria Sarah McMahon
Court Official Sarah McMahon
Reverend Godfrey Laundy
Crew
RolePerson
Stage Manager Mark Whitehouse
Lighting and Sound Peter Carlin
Prompt Di Roper-Marshall
Set design and painting Maureen Blake
Set construction
Steve Anstey
Richard Stanway
Props
Alison Horner
Sue Anstey
Cast
Costumes
Marion Hill
Ann Aplin
Bristol Costume Services
Cast
Bar Manager
Front of House Manager
Box Office
Di Pardoe
Sarah Godsell
Sarah McMahon
Photographer Ray Bulmer

Bleak Expectations

Written by Mark Evans
Directed for Actonians by Nick Sharp

Spring 2023

18th to 20th May 2023 at Iron Acton Parish Hall

Synopsis

A comedy telling four separate stories about relationships; all taking place in the same suite of a London Hotel overlooking Hyde Park. A sedate place until the following characters check in.

  1. An inebriated Welsh writer and his agent.
  2. A widow accompanied by her daughter, who spends her last evening in London with a rich Scotsman.
  3. An Oscar winning actress and her, now divorced, bi-sexual husband who are seeing each other for the first time in years; a bitter-sweet tale.
  4. A married couple from New York who have lost their tickets to Wimbledon and are now in danger of losing their suite to Kevin Costner.

Credits

Cast 1 - Settling Accounts
RolePerson
Briony Sue Anstey
Billy Stewart White
Cast 2 - Going Home
RolePerson
Lauren Gemma Perrett
Mother Sarah Godsell
Cast 3 - Diana & Sidney
RolePerson
Diana Rebekah Grose
Sidney Mike Schofield
Grace Nic Harvey
Cast 4 - The Man on the Floor
RolePerson
Mark Nick Sharp
Annie Lin Bowden
Mrs Sitgood Sarah McMahon
Bellman Gabriel Marriage
Dr McMerlin Rachel Taylor
Crew
RolePerson
Director 1 Di Pardoe
Director 2 Michelle Pawley
Director 3 and 4 Ann Aplin
Stage Manager Jenny McDowell
Prompt
Di Roper-Marshall
Richard Pawley
Set design and painting Maureen Blake
Set construction
Steve Anstey
Richard Stanway
June Schofield
Sound Peter Carlin
Lighting Mark Whitehouse
Props
Gaynor Clark
Christine Rogers
Margaret Bulmer
Costumes
Marion Hill
Cast
Bar Manager
Front of House Manager Gaynor Clark
Box Office Debby Ashton
Photographer Ray Bulmer
Flower Arrangements Teresa Norton

Acting Workshop with Mark McGann

We had a very sucessful and enjoyable day with Mark McGann who ran his 'Drama Direct Ltd One Day Professional Stage Acting Workshop' for us on 15th April.

There were twelve attendees including Sue who very kindly arranged the whole thing for us.

Comments included:

  • Mark is such a talented and generous tutor
  • So much to take away for future productions... I loved, loved, loved it!
  • Mark is brilliant, everything he does and says makes such sense and the sessions were really enjoyable and led with great generosity!
  • I knew it would be good after attending the (directors) course and it exceeded my expectations. Brilliant day!

 

Latest News

Dates For Your Diary

Rehearsals for 'We Happy Few' - 7:30pm on Wednesdays at Iron Acton Parish HallRehearsals for 'We Happy Few' - 2:30pm on Sundays at Iron Acton Parish HallCommittee...

Read more...