Reviews
The Village Hall
A well-written play that would be brilliant for a drama group to perform, with a good range of ages and a simple set.
It is a good read, with a rather unique ending. Whatever is happening behind the doors of the Village Hall,
it's probably not what you'd expect!
________
I saw this when it was premiered by Stage Direct at the Atrium in North Walsham. It is expertly crafted,
and crammed with the type of observational humour of the human condition that Alan Ayckbourn excels at.
I would love to think that Alan Ayckbourn might get to see it eventually!
There is a particular scene where a number of different stories between different characters are unfolding on
the stage simultaneously. It is both funny and ingenious.
I'm delighted that copies can now be bought on Amazon, because I want to encourage my little local
drama group to read it with a view to staging it in our own village hall!
I look forward to seeing more work from Ashley Burgoyne in the future.
________
Great play for Am Dram group to put on.
We put this play on in June 2022. We are a village am dram group who perform in our local Village Hall and needed something to produce with a very simple set and this fit perfectly. The play was well paced and the characters nicely written. The final scene is so well written and the timing amazing. We had great fun rehearsing it and our audiences enjoyed it.
Can definitely recommend this for your group to perform.
________
Intriguing insight into power dynamics with comedic genius.
Superb play. We went to the second night of its debut weekend and thoroughly enjoyed the story.
________
A play that belongs on stage.
A well observed and character driven play that deserves to be staged. Well paced and full of humour.
________
Lovely gentle comedy for an am-dram group.
________
NODA North, Adult Performance Awards 2023
District 5 Best Drama
Ovingham is the epitome of a local amateur drama group and, in something of a departure for them,
this production featuring many familiar faces, all on top form, in a comedy drama performed in the presence
of the writer, Ashley Burgoyne. Directed by Lorraine White, it told the tale of two English villages vying with
each other to win the coveted “Village Games” trophy with all the amusing skulduggery that entailed.
The Winner is Ovingham Drama Group - The Village Hall.
Michael Avery - NODA Regional Representative
The Hotel Room
A fun play to perform!
The Phoenix Players, Chesham, performed the World Premiere of this play. It was a lot of fun and also gave us pause for thought. It's easy to rehearse because it involves 4 couples who have self-contained scenes, and two hilarious chambermaids who have the potential to steal the show, whilst making the bed. The audience loved it, and we were delighted to have the author there for the final performance to see his creation come to life for the first time. Highly recommended!
________
A little glimpse into the extraordinariness of ordinary lives.
This second play from the author of The Village Hall, gives us a brief glimpse into the lives of four couples who check into the same hotel room on four separate nights. The room means very different things to each of the couples, who are connected by more than the rather faded décor of the hotel. Each scene is punctuated by a rather comedic duo of chambermaids who come in to clean, but more often to gossip, about the comings and goings in the room. Misunderstandings between the couples, other unseen guests and staff, and the two chambermaids, offset the more poignant moments to hilarious effect. This play is easy to read as a story; the narrative carrying the reader nicely from one couple to the next as the story unfolds. So if you think plays are not for you, this is one to try!
________
I came across this play when researching possibilities for our local group. On the surface, this play is a series of self-contained scenes with their own themes - from observational humour, through farce and ending with a gentle, rather poignant scene. The connecting threads running through the scenes become more apparent on a second reading, giving a depth to the play that can be explored more in rehearsals. The scenes are linked by two "character" parts, which I can visualise certain members of our group making the most of!
In conclusion, The Hotel Room fits the bill for us perfectly. Plenty of scope for all of the actors, a good evening out for the audience and all performed in one set - no scene changes!
________
Longford's Backstage Theatre Group present a five-star Hotel Room
Backstage Theatre Group wowed audiences on two nights last weekend as they delivered an hilarious comedy.
The drama collective continued their 35th anniversary programme by staging their production of
The Hotel Room by Ashley Burgoyne.
The play is the second full length production this year, following the very successful run by the group with
John B Keane's play, Sive, earlier this year.
The Hotel Room is a situation comedy, written by Ashley Burgoyne. It tells the story of four couples using the same hotel room on four consecutive nights. Each couple has their own expectations of their stay, and the maids thrive on the gossip.
The hotel room is not the only thing which the four couples have in common.
Connections go beyond their choice of overnight accommodation.
First to enter the hotel room were Susan (Sarah O'Keeffe) and Andrew (Anthony Heavey). The couple are trying desperately to have a romantic night away from the kids for the first time in four years, but things don’t exactly go as planned.
The actors played excellently together, drawing the audience in and playing on both comedy and the mystery of the script. They succeeded in piquing the interest of the audience in the unfolding plot.
The chambermaids, Megan (Niamh Quinn Hanley) and Trish (Dee Monahan), gave outstanding performances as they cracked the audience up with their observations on the goings on in Room 27.
George (Peter Columb) and Caroline (Mary McLoughlin), are the next guests on a one-night stopover before their holiday. The two actors gave fine performances as they maintained the pace established by the earlier duo.
The comedy of Dallas (Killian Reid) and Olivia (Michelle Ciba), as the young couple who check in under an alias, kept the momentum up. The humorous tone established by the duo was crucial for the final scene.
The last occupants, Claire (Eileen Murphy) and Peter (Damien Bennett), linked the interconnected story. Murphy and Bennett are actors of exemplary talent and they extracted every gram of emotion from a script that demands nuance.
The set design was simple, yet effective. The faded former glamour of the hotel was wonderfully conveyed. The light and sound design for the performance was a professional standard.
Backstage Theatre Group have every right to be proud of their second production in their 35th year.
Review by Longford Leader Newspaper 29th Oct 2023
The Park Bench
Gentle comedy with a good range of character parts across the age ranges. A simple set, and the opportunity for plenty of actors to get involved, makes this a great play for any drama group. The story is centred around Charles, who used to share the same bench with his wife. When he mislays something important, new people enter his life and his world opens up again.
________
Having seen The Village Hall performed and read The Hotel Room, both by the same author, I bought this play safe in the knowledge that it would be an enjoyable read. I wasn't disappointed - the characters are engaging from the start. The situation allows for some very comedic moments, while at the same time gently warning of the folly of making assumptions. The age-range of the characters and the simple set makes it a perfect play for amateur groups.
________
Congratulations to Phoenix Players for the production of The Park Bench. I hardly stopped laughing all the way through... funniest play I've seen for ages! Highly recommended!!
________
Great!
A great a little play that moves along nicely, some great lines and feel good factor about the whole play.
👏👏👏
________
A very funny, charming and poignant play.
I performed in this play as Tina. The character was really fun to perform.
The play itself is really funny and we got a lot of laughs from the audience. The play has some really strong characters, who you can relate to and empathise with. The cast and myself had a great week performing this play and I would recommend it to other amateur groups.
________
The Nenagh Players, Co Tipperary, Ireland, thoroughly enjoyed doing a rehearsed reading of The Park Bench by Ashley Burgoyne. Some of our members performed for their peers and the feedback was that it was excellent to watch, very humorous and engaging with a wonderful play on words. The main character is both funny and sympathetic. The other characters weave through the story with light-hearted comical wit. The storyline itself is a believable look into the results of miscommunication and misunderstandings with just enough farce to keep the audience laughing throughout, without overdoing it. All in all a brilliant show to watch and take part in. We hope, in the future, to perhaps get the opportunity to perform it to an audience outside of our group! Many thanks to Ashley Burgoyne for writing a fun script for us to read!
________
Well constructed and beautifully written. Also very funny!
I had great fun performing this play in the role of Colin. He is a lovely character with a penchant for getting things wrong in all sorts of hilarious ways. The whole play has plenty of laughs throughout, with some very poignant and heart warming moments. Terrific!
________
I loved it, they loved it, you will love it too
I was lucky enough to play Charles, a somewhat forgetful elderly gentleman, in The Park Bench. It is a play with 6 main characters. We had two males and 4 females although it was written for 3 males and three females but could equally have 4 males and two females. There is also a small part for a police officer who does not need to be on stage (as written) although our police officer did appear. The cast, crew and director chuckled throughout rehearsals. Happily the audience also laughed (in all the right places) and many of them said it was the best play they had seen us put on. Each character had their own foibles but they were all likeable. The set was simple - suitable for a village hall with just a small stage. Both Dalston Drama and our audience are looking forward to another Ashley Burgoyne play in the not too far distant future.
________
A comedy providing a night full of laughter.
The Changing Room
A fast-paced play with loads of humour and a good range of ages for the actors.
While the pavilion is out of action, the local cricket and football teams have to share a changing room.
Cue a few mix-ups and misunderstandings, a couple of dodgy covers bands and some even dodgier cocktails
as the backdrop to the lives and loves of the players. Great fun for any drama group to perform.
The Poolside
When it comes to holidays, Richard and Andrea know what they like, and like what they know.
Settling in to familiar life in their favourite Greek hotel/apartment complex, their comfy routine is disturbed
by the arrival of various first-timers. Within days, their usual holiday has been turned on its head.
Lots of laughs in this sun-drenched comedy play, with a good range of actors, and no pool required!
Follow Waldo
A little look at the importance of life and love.
Something a little different to other plays by this author. Les lives alone after the loss of his wife,
but has plenty to keep him busy, including regular visitors who he welcomes with his own brand of humour.
As Les tells his story to the audience we watch his life over several weeks. One visitor in particular changes his
life in ways that he could never have expected, and makes Les and the people close to him think about
what matters to them most in life and love. This is a slightly shorter play that packs lots of emotion and not a
little humour into its pages, with a few twists and turns and a central character bound to win any audience's heart!
Housewarming
Having enjoyed The Hotel Room, I'm delighted to see the four couples return in this new play.
One of the couples, Susan and Andrew, have a new house and a new set of twins.
The other couples converge on the house to celebrate at Susan and Andrew's housewarming party,
and misunderstandings about the catering arrangements, a badly housetrained cat and some crossed wires
all make for a party that is at various times hilarious and poignant.
I think you can appreciate this play if you haven't read The Hotel Room, but read that one too for the full effect!
The One That Got Away
Musings on love and loss.
This gentle comedy follows Trevor, who spends his days fishing and remembering a lost love. His story, and those of his friends by the riverside, are told partly in comedic flashbacks, which counterpoint some of the more poignant events of the present day. Following some successful productions of this playwright's work across the country, this new play is a fine addition to the collection. Ideal play for any group to perform.
Eddie Ross
Great little adventure/fantasy story for late Primary ages upwards.
Fires young imaginations and promotes themes of friendship and teamwork, as Eddie and his friends
find themselves in another world with a series of challenges to face and overcome.
Crocodile Keith!
Take the time to read these rhymes.
A heartwarming story. Beautifully illustrated.
________
Take a journey through the jungle with Crocodile Keith, his friends - and, of course, his teeth!
An original, easy to read story with fun illustrations.
Fun for all ages!
________
A perfect story for young children. Full of humour and beautiful illustrations.
________
A fun rhyming story filled with likeable, friendly animals who are determined to find out the secret behind
Crocodile Keith's scary looking white teeth. Perfect for reading aloud to young children with beautiful,
colourful illustrations to capture their imaginations, and an important message too!
________
Original story, brilliant for reading to your little ones. Beautiful drawings add to the wonderful tale perfectly.
________
Bought this for my grandson's birthday. He absolutely loved it.
The Sublime and the Ridiculous
This book made me laugh out loud, made my heart swell, grow goosebumps and made me weep a little.
So much emotion to be shared on a lovely journey through both poets lives. Highly recommended, a
book of poems that truly reflects both the sublime and the ridiculous in this crazy life, written with
wit, love and beautiful imagery.
From Len to Lil With Love and a Lick
Wartime love story
These letters are one side of a correspondence between two sweethearts as war raged around them.
They are filled with lots of humour and give a real sense of the times. We don't see Lil's replies,
but I'm not surprised that Len's wonderful letters won her heart! A really lovely read.