Magdalene Players News

Don't miss out on being part of our next production. The read through and auditions will be week commencing 3 June: 

Monday 3rd June 8pm - Readthrough
Thursday 6th June 8pm - Auditions

It is being directed by Simon Brumfit, who just did an amazing job in Lord Arthur Savill's Crime! Join our lovely theatre community!

Some shots from our recent panto! 

Thank you to everyone who supported Magdalene Players recent panto, Sleeping Beauty! It was a huge success and the cast loved sharing it with the local community. Thank you to everyone who came to support the local theatre group!

Characters:

 

Beattie	Anna Gent
King	Guy Johnson
Queen	Isabella Skellett
Ann T Septic	David Ashton
Ian Jection	Rob Scheele
Wilhemina Wartface	Liz O'Donovan
Prince Skye	Claire Walshe
Fairy Nuff, Fairy Fluff, Fairy Puff	Isabel Bayfield, Hannah Cory, Chiara Toffolo
Lock, Stock, Barrel	Ella Roy, Meadow Williams, Hebe Lawson
Pompous Pugh	Harriett Houghton
Haughty Hugh	Anya Roy
Paul the Preacher	Mark McCahill
Old Narrators	Mark McCahill, Rachel Ann Bayford

Performance Dates: Thursday- Sunday 1st – 4th February 2024 

Performance Venue: St Mary Magdalene Hall, Trinity Road, Wandsworth Common, SW17 7HP

Adult Auditions (14+): Monday 6^th November 23 from 8pm
 

Characters:

 

Beattie	Gutsy princess who is full of life until she falls asleep.
King	Beattie’s father, who blusters his way through life, only interested in inventions and Beattie.
Queen	His wife, in control and domineering
Ann T Septic	Dame who is the incompetent nursemaid to Beattie when a baby.  Confident but lazy.
Ian Jection	Her son.  Busy chap who is popular and hard working.  Friend of the audience!
Wilhemina Wartface	Evil relative of the King who wants to take over the kingdom.
Prince Skye	Down on his luck and down-trodden by his mother.  Falls in love with Beattie.
Fairy Nuff, Fairy Fluff, Fairy Puff	Protectors of the kingdom, wise and kind, though Puff is not fully trained!
Lock, Stock, Barrel	Passing chancers, who find employment with Wilhemina.
Pompous Pugh	Chamberlain who has trouble getting his words out.
Haughty Hugh	Chamberlain’s sidekick who prompts Pugh.
Paul the Preacher	Busy cleric who is often engaged – on the phone.
Old Narrators	Elderly folk who set the scene who turn out to be Old Beattie and Old Skye.

Everyone welcome. No preparation required, turn up and have some fun! 

We are pleased to announce the cast of our upcoming play:

Ray Martin - Rob Scheele
Ms Parmenter - Nicola Houghton
Trish Burton - Sakski 
Bunny Turner - Liz O'Donovan
Malcolm Turner - David Ashton
Father Mike - Simon Brumfit
Nigel - Jake Watson

Tickets are available to book online: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/magdaleneplayers

We are pleased to announce the cast of our upcoming play:

Edith - Liz O'Donovan
Ruth - Jennifer Yorke
Charles - Guy Johnson
Doctor Bradman - Simon Brumfit
Mrs Bradman - Nicola Houghton
Madame Arcati - Sian Kenyon
Elvira - Karen Willemsen

Look out for ticket news in the near future!

Thank you to everyone who supported Magdalene Players recent panto! Everyone who was involved had an absolute blast and loved sharing that joy with the community. 

We are excited to announce that Robin Hood has been cast and rehearsals are in full swing! 

CAST

Robin Hood - Claire Walshe

Maid Marian - Liz O'Donovan

Plenty - David Ashton

Much Little - Jake Watson

Not A Lot - Edward Briffa

Prim Proper - Alena Vogt

Little John - Caroline Field

Will Scarlett - Ella Roy

Alan O'Dale - Dana Skelley

Mike Upthenumbers - Caitriona Fenton

Pie - Camille Marty

Thagorus - Louis Marty

Neigh - Seema Rambarran and Steph Stedman

Jocelyn - Andrea Williams

King Richard - Ivan Rose

Friar Tuck - Simon Brumfit

Sheriff - Rob Scheele

Narrator - Karen Willemsen

Props - Kate Fowlie

Women of the Forest - Meadow Williams, Isabel Bayfield, Harriet Houghton, Chiara Toffolo.

Cardi-gan - Chiara Toffolo

Percy - Kate Fowlie

We are delighted to announce that our next production, A Doll's House, has been cast as follows:

CAST
Character	Actor
Nora Helmer	Alice Ingham
Torvald Helmer	Rob Scheele
Mrs Christine Linde	Alena (Allie) Vogt
Dr Petra Rank	Liz O'Donovan
Nils Krogstad	Guy Johnson
Nurse, Anne-Marie	Dana Skelley
Maid, Helene	Liberty Mendez
Porter	Louisa Lynch

The cast for our next show, Can't Pay? Won't Pay!, is:

Antonia – Karen Willemsen

Margherita – Nicola Houghton

Giovanni – Rob Scheele

Luigi – David Faraci

Sergeant/Inspector/Undertaker/Old Man – Liz O’Donovan

We can't wait to get started with rehearsals!

Check out our snazzy video for our 2022 pantomime Aladdin

Aladdin promo! - YouTube

We are very excited to announce our cast for the 2022 pantomime, Aladdin:

Aladdin – Claire Walshe

Widow Twanky – David Ashton

Wishee Washee – Louis Marty

Abanazar – Rob Scheele

Carp Ed – Andrea Williams

Emperor – Humphrey Waterhouse

Emperor sidekick – Cami Marty

Princess Jasmine – Kate Fowlie

So Shi – Ellie Pink

G Knee – Ella Roy

Kohla – Seema Rambarran

Pepsi – Steph Stedman

Silly Blanc – Liz O’Donavon

Announcer (Our Graham) – Ivan Rose

Gaston – Caroline Field

Prince Hans – Caitriona Fenton

We are extremely proud and excited to announce the cast of The Railway Children as follows:

Bobbie	Becky  Lauder-fletcher
Butler	Paul Hickey
Cook/Maid	Lucy Comlay
District Superintendant	Paul Hickey
Doctor	David Ashton
Father	David Ashton
Jim	Stephen O’Connell
Mother	Jennifer Yorke
Mr Szezcpansky	Stephen O’Connell
Mrs Perks	Lucy Comlay
Mrs Viney	Lucy Comlay
Old Gentleman	Humphrey Waterhouse
Perks	Guy Johnson
Peter	Rob Scheele
Phyllis	Amy Faulkner
Other parts played by members of the cast

Can't wait to see them in action!

Performance Dates: Thursday- Saturday 7^th – 9^th October 2021 7.30pm

Performance Venue: St Mary Magdalene Hall, Trinity Road, Wandsworth Common, SW17 7HP

Social read through: Monday 28^th June 2021 at 7.30pm on Wandsworth Common (opposite the Hope Tavern, Bellevue Road.)

Auditions: Monday 5^th July 2021 from 8pm (TIMED SLOTS)

For more details and to book your audition slot, contact Bernard Godwin (director) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please download Audition pack for more details

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN: THE PLAY

Nesbit’s much-loved classic The Railway Children has delighted generations since its first publication in 1906, and Mike Kenny’s wonderfully faithful and imaginative adaptation has wowed audiences across the world, breaking box office records when performed at the National Railway Museum in York, and at Waterloo Station.

When Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis move to rural Yorkshire with their mother, following the imprisonment of their father, they leave their comfortable, safe existence to discover a world that is insecure and hard, but one that is filled with love, resilience and humanity. And always running through that world is the railway, in particular the 9.15 to London.

The Railway Children is a story of three children forced to face the anxieties and exhilarations of growing up in order to learn what really matters, a story of an Edwardian England on the brink of change, and, of course, a story of the Golden Age of Steam Railways.

By special arrangement with Nick Hern Books.

 

The Railway Children: Characters

Leading Roles

Bobbie                                    The oldest of the railway children, and the most sensible one.

Peter                                        A typical young boy who loves trains and is a little bit naughty.

Phyllis                                     Lovable girl.

Mother                                    Mother of the Railway Children. A Victorian gentlewoman, sensible and devoted.

Perks                                       Yorkshire railway porter who befriends the children.     

Old Gent                                 Benevolent, likable, old gentleman.

Supporting Roles (most will double/triple)

Mrs Perks                               Hardworking wife & mother 

Doctor                                     Local Medic

Father                                     Children’s father who is arrested early in the play

Mr Szezcpansky                     Destitute Russian émigré (speaks French)

Mrs Viney                              Local Yorkshire housekeeper

Jim                                          Young student

Cook                                       Domestic

Maid                                       Domestic

Butler                                      Domestic

Child                                       Child

Worker 1 & 2 

District Superintendent

Unable to tread the boards in the last year, our very talented members David Ashton and Guy Johnson have turned their hand to writing and producing a compressed panto, as well as a series of compressed classics! We've been blown away by their ingenuity, hope you are too! Please see links below to enjoy their creations:

Compressed Classics: Dickens: 1. Oliver Twist - YouTube

Compressed Classics - Dickens 2: A Tale of Two Cities - YouTube

Compressed Classics: Dickens: 3. Great Expectations - YouTube

Compressed Classics: Dickens. 4. David Copperfield - YouTube

Compressed Classics: Dickens. 5. Bleak House - YouTube

Compressed Classics: Dickens. 6. A Christmas Carol - YouTube

The Compressed Panto - YouTube

If you would like to be a part of this please can you contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Jane or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or complete the form. Let us know if there is anything you would like to do, within reason. We will also have some suggestions if you are stuck for ideas.

Please ensure the videos are filmed in portrait!

The New Normal
Along with other community organisations we have sadly had to postpone recent social gatherings. We love performing and meeting up with our friends, but the health and wellbeing of our members always comes first. Instead we have enjoyed some creative virtual socials, including monologue performances, a quiz and a murder mystery night (see pic above)!    

AGM  
In light of ongoing uncertainty around coronavirus, the Magdalene Players' Committee has taken the decision not to hold the summer AGM this year, and our October production will now take place in 2021. The members of the committee will continue in their current roles for the coming year, but welcome interest from anyone who is keen to get involved in the committee.  

2021
We don't know what the next year will hold, and whether we will be able to stage the shows we planned. We might have to change the way we meet and perform. But we definitely do NOT want to lose touch with you! We will keep you updated on what is happening with the Pantomime nearer the time.  

STAY IN TOUCH!
We will be planning more e-socials in the next few months, so keep watching social media and emails for updates. If you have ideas for socials, any suggestions on how we should run things, or even better if you would like to get involved in the committee, get in touch. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive and social group, and are always on the lookout for new talent and new ideas. Hopefully we can meet up again soon; until then look after each other, and keep in touch!

Here at Magdalene Players, safety of our members is paramount. Therefore in light of the ongoing situation with Coronavirus outbreak, we have decided to postpone the planned social events for the rest of March, until after Easter.

We will be confirming the April events at the end of March so, if you want to put forward any other ideas, please let any of the committee know by then.

For now we are still planning to stage a production on 16 May! We are finalising arrangements with the Church to present a Murder Mystery with a difference and to raise some money. This needs 4 actors (2 male; 2 female). If you would like to be involved, please let us know!

After a brilliant Panto, we are excited to announce that this spring we have decided to do things a little differently!

Instead of casting a play for May, we are going to have a series of events that we would love you to come along to. These events are open to everyone and we would be delighted if you can get involved, bring your friends, family and anyone you know along. It will also be an opportunity for prospective new members to get involved! Here is the March schedule:

Date	Event	Contact
Monday 02 March	Pub Quiz @The Hope	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Monday 09 March	DVD night – Play on @ The Hall	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Monday 16 March	Play Read Through – The Sky is Overcast @ The Hall	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Monday 23 March	Improv night @ The Hall	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Monday 30 March	Theatre Trip – Austentatious	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We will be confirming the April events on the 24 March so, if you want to put forward any ideas, please let any of the committee know by then.

Do not fear as we will be staging a production on 16 May! We are finalising arrangements with the Church to present a Murder Mystery with a difference and to raise some money. This needs 4 actors (2 male; 2 female). If you would like to be involved, please let us know!