Playwright
Simon Tytherleigh, adapted by Helena Gomm
Director
Helena Gomm
Overview
Our autumn 2019 production was a hilarious spoof Bond movie and was a first for Cheriton, inasmuch as it involved a mixture of filmed material and stage acting. As such, it was an interesting challenge and new experience for the actors (film acting is very different from stage acting) and meant a split rehearsal period – filming over the summer in various locations locally – and the stage rehearsals which started in September.
The synopsis:
HM the Queen and one of her corgis have been abducted, and MI6 have received a ransom video from an anonymous kidnapper with a suspiciously familiar mop of strange orange hair. Unless the Koh-i-Noor diamond is handed over, the Queen and the corgi are toast. This is clearly a job for Bond, but 007 is out on the tiles and his phone is answered by his hapless brother Trevor, who has always fancied having a go at this secret agent business. Meanwhile, the Queen’s disappearance must be kept from the public, so a lookalike is sought to take her place … All the familiar Bond characters are there: M, Q, Miss Spendapenny, a ‘Bond girl’ Fanny Stravaganza, plus a couple of devious villains and their henchmen. There are car chases, underwater scenes, and the villains’ lair is blown up just as Trevor hustles Queen and corgi out to freedom.
See what the reviewers said:
“Known for their ambitious productions and ability to very much ‘punch above their weight’ as a local drama group, the Players’ part-film, part-play production was new territory which groups of twice their size might have shied away from.” – Eleanor Marsden To read the abridged review, click here.
“There are levels of professionalism that the Cheriton Players achieve every time they put on a show… and then they go and reach the summit of Everest with this one.” – Kevin Gover, Winchester Today
To read the full review, click here.
“The attention to detail that this company always step up to never ceases to amaze me.” – Elaine Chapman, Theatre, Films and Arts Reviews
To read the full review, click here.
Director – Helena Gomm
Director of Photography/Camera/Editor – Jim Glaister
Producers/Location Managers – David Cradduck, Helena Gomm
Sound/Lighting/Video – Jamie Herdman, Graham Arnott
Still photography – Craig Robertson
For a full list of cast/crew, have a look at our online version of the programme.