2008
Company
For the Fringe Festival 2008, EUSOG presents the Tony Award winning
A musical comedy by Stephen Sondeim
Performing 4th - 10th & 12th - 17th August (Weeks 1 & 2 of the Edinburgh fringe festival) at Augustine's Church
About Company
Set in New York, 'Company' follows Robert, a 35 year old bachelor and his dysfunctional married friends. The relationships are presented in a series of vignettes, mainly through Bobby's eyes, to portray the less than ideal aspects of commitment. Eventually Robert learns that whilst no relationship is perfect, it is a necessary part of 'Being Alive'. 'Company' discusses the themes of age, love and loneliness with the comic undercutting, wit and pathos audiences have learnt to expect from Sondheim's work.
Production Team
| Director | John McQuade |
| Musical Director | Simon Burrow |
| Producer |
Natalie Eskinazi |
| Technical Manager | Jamie McQuilkin |
Cast
| Robert |
Ali Watt |
| Larry |
Joe Pike |
| Joanne |
Nina Logue |
| Joanne (understudy) |
Katie Fitzgerald |
| Peter |
Martin Heavens |
| Susan |
Colleen Nicol |
| Paul |
Robin Stewart |
| Amy |
Jenny Dickens |
| David (week 1) |
Alex Duffy |
| Jenny (week 1) |
Leonie Hamway |
| David (week 2) |
Simon Ginty |
| Jenny (week 2) |
Maredith Close |
| Harry |
Chris Royds |
| Sarah |
Rachel Timney |
| April |
Miriam Early |
| Marta |
Mared |
| Kathy | Alice Bonifacio |
Crew
| Stage manager | James Turner |
| DSM | Mary Clare |
| Publicity & Design Managers | lucy Sproul-Cran and Tom Paton |
| Costume Mistress | Nikki Wragg |
| Assistant Producer | Jon Kidd |
COMPANY
Music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by George Furth
Originally produced and directed on Broadway by Harold Prince
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD. on behalf of MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL of NEW YORK.
HMS Pinafore
EUSOG would like to invite one and all to watch our Fringe production of
Performance
We will be performing in Venue 115, Rocket @ Demarco Roxy Art House at 10pm from the 18th to the 23rd of August (Monday to Saturday of week3). The profits will be donated to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation who raise money for the Royal Edinburgh Hospital for Sick Children.
The Show
HMS Pinafore was Gilbert and Sullivan's first real smash hit. The story (in time honoured fashion) goes roughly thus:
Ralph, a handsome sailor, confesses to his shipmates his love for Josephine (daughter of the honourable Captain Corcoran), only to be reminded that the chances of getting it on with her are... minimal. Josephine meanwhile (despite harbouring a secret passion for Ralph), is being pursued by Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty. Perhaps unsurprisingly however she finds him rather stuffy and unattractive. After much general discussion of equality and the fact that any sailor is as good as his captain (and probably after no small amount of rum), Ralph (despite the admonitions of his shipmates) declares his love to Josephine who dutifully snubs him because (being a good and loyal daughter) she has decided to marry Sir Joseph. Ralph, in a depressed frenzy threatens suicide which snaps Josephine out of her bizzarro old-man fantasy world long enough to declare her true love for Ralph. Much rejoicing ensues and they decide to elope that night. Dick Deadeye (resident doom-sayer) warns that this is probably unwise, but then he's always bringing down the party, so no-one pays much attention.
The action continues in Act II where we see the mysterious "Little Buttercup" telling Captain Corcoran that things are not as they seem and that a change is coming. This is probably the best he can hope for at the moment as he is under threat of court-martial and has been deserted by all his friends. Sir Joseph moans to the Captain that his daughter has not yet accepted his proposal, to which the captain suggests a little more of the "love makes us all equal" banter which went down so well in Act I. This has rather the opposite of the intended effect on Josephine, who is now more determined than ever to marry Ralph. Dick Deadeye puts in his oar again and informs the captain of the elopers' plan, causing him to swear loudly on the deck, which is the final straw for Sir Joseph who relieves the Captain of duty. All is looking grim when Little Buttercup dons her Deus Ex Machina hat and announces that when she was a nursemaid and caring for both Ralph and the Captain, she inadvertently swapped them, meaning that Ralph is actually of moderately noble standing and the Captain is merely a common sailor. Now Josephine can marry Ralph, the Captain can marry Buttercup and sir Joseph gets it on with his cousin! Hooray!
Production Team |
Cast |
||
| Producer | Andrew Edmonstone | Ralph Rackstraw |
Jerry Meldrum |
| Assistant Producer | Chris Cotter | Josephine Corcoran |
Sarah Kim |
| Director | Geoff Lee | Captain Corcoran |
Chris Cotter |
| Assistent Director / Choreographer | Sarah Kim | Buttercup |
Jayne Phillips |
| Musical Director |
Sam Cable | Sir Joseph Porter |
Samuel J. Taunton |
| Assistant Musical Director / Assistant Director |
Léonie Hamway |
Dick Deadeye |
Jonathan Gunson |
| Technical Director | Neale Dutton | Cousin Hebe | Lindsey Robinson |
| Costume Manager | Iona Beange | Boatswain | Andrew Edmonstone |
| Artistic Designer | Claire Holden | Carpenter's Mate | Chris Drew |
|
Press Officer |
Kelly Forbes | ||
Gentlemen of the Chorus |
Ladies of the Chorus |
||
| Nick Clelland | Kirsty Ross | ||
| Richard Townhill | Gesine Strenge | ||
| Alex Gunn | Mary B. H. Clare | ||
| Iona Beange | |||
| Claire Freake | |||
| Courtney Glenny | |||
| Scarlett Bayfield | |||
| Cleo Parthenoglou | |||
Press
Please contact kelly@eusog.org for our press release.
Me And My Girl
Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group present their 2008 production of
11th-15th November, 7.30pm at the Adam House Theatre
Tickets Available Now!
£10 (£7.50 Concessions)
Contact tickets@eusog.org or
call Gesine on 07887521911 to order
Synopsis
Who turns out to be the long-lost heir to the Baronetcy of Hareford, its 17th Baron and 8th Viscount? Lambeth's own Cockney sparrow, Bill Snibson, that's who. He has his own girlfriend, Sally, but that won't stop gold-digger Lady Jacqueline. She ditches her dumbfounded boyfriend, Gerald, when Mr Parchester, the family solicitor, presents Bill to the flabbergasted family as the new son and heir. But Bill has still to win the family's approval to inherit the title - and the money. If he doesn't, he'll be given an annuity and sent away. The formidable Duchess is determined Bill should stay, insisting that all will be well and, with a little grooming, Bill will be suitable to inherit. There will be an official reception to introduce him to the county set. But Sally is not to be invited. Bill faces up to the Duchess - no Sally, no Bill. But Sally doesn't want to come anyway - not to a posh party. The party goes ahead and Sally turns up in full Cockney get-up complete with a posse of pearly kings and queens who perform the 'Lambeth Walk' to prove Bill doesn't belong. But they are all invited to the reception and go into dinner.
Next day there's croquet on the lawn. In an effort to make him stay and take up his inheritance, the Duchess has persuaded Sally to tell Bill she no longer loves him. Sally does this, and slips out to an unknown destination. Bill, helped by Sir John and Parchester, is determined to find Sally (whom he still loves). He is urged on by a Ruddigore-like gallery of ghostly portraits of his ancestors.
Back at her landlady's Sally decides to move on. She's got a telegram from Bill and must escape. However, Sir John arrives and has a cunning plan for her. When Bill arrives, her landlady says she's not there, but Bill waits. He expends all his energy on locating Sally and bringing her back. Sir John makes the Duchess soften her attitude towards Bill's beloved. Bill finally rejects Lady Jacqueline and she returns to Gerald. Bill is making to leave when Sir John enters with a new Eliza Doolittle - it's a posh Sally! The Duchess is delighted and Bill has his girl!
Featuring popular show tunes such as 'The Lambeth Walk', 'The Sun Has Got His Hat On', 'Leaning on a Lamppost' and 'Me and My Girl'.
Principals |
Production Team |
|||
| Charles | Will Bartlett | Director | Chloë Edworthy | |
| Lord Battersby/Constable | Hamish Colville | Kristoffer Bruce | ||
| Lady Battersby | Sarah Cromack | Musical Director | Sam Cable | |
| Jacquie | Clare Donovan | Choreographer | Sarah Kim | |
| Sir Jasper Tring | Alex Gunn | Assistant Producer | Chris Cotter | |
| Sir John | Andrew Kirkland | |||
| Bill | Geoff Lee | |||
| Duchess | Lauren Matthew | |||
| Gerald | Jerry Meldrum | |||
| Sally | Sarah Sherred | |||
| Parchester | Richard Townsend | |||
Cast |
||||
| Major Domo/Chorus | David Birchett | Cassie Anderson | ||
| Maid 2/Chorus | Heather Chalmers | Andrew Edmonstone | ||
| Mrs Brown/Chorus | Mary Clare | Jonathan Gunson | ||
| Chef/Chorus | Chris Drew | Sarah Kim | ||
| Sophia Stainsley/Chorus | Kitty Geddes | Lynsey Liddle | ||
| Lady Brighton/Chorus | Debbie Hicks | Deborah Miller | ||
| Maid 1/Chorus | Naomi Lawrence | Cat Morgan | ||
| Cook/Chorus | Jayne Phillips | Grainne O'Hogan | ||
| Mrs Worthingon/Chorus | Lindsey Robinson | Annalisa Round | ||