Bottled
Spider
by Alistair Faulkner
directed by Sue Hickson
Friday 9th and Saturday 10th March 2001.
This play will also enter the Nidderdale Drama Festival which will be held 21st to 24th March in the Memorial Hall, Pateley Bridge. The Nidderdale Drama Festival is a first round of the All-England Drama Festival.
This surreal play verges on farce. To quote from the play itself - 'This is a farce - a tragedy'. The play bowls along with dream-like logic - (or non-logic) people with bizarre characters who take on different roles - Richard's mother becomes clerk of the court, Derek, the usher, by donning a wig takes on the role of the judge. Richard himself, becomes the accused because he was the loser in a game of musical chairs for a seat on the jury, on which two murderers act as pantomime knock-about clowns. It is a meta-theatrical play - a play about the theatre and role-playing - and therefore about identity crisis.
Peter Buller - Richard
When Richard Smith finds himself summoned for Jury Service,
he doesn’t expect to find himself in the dock, let alone on trial for
a variety of crimes including usurping the throne of England and
(possibly) selling his soul to the devil. His mum wants his father’s
loins left out of it, not to mention her womb, his defence council’s
wig is very small and is that really Sir Thomas Morse in the judge’s
outfit? But at least the witnesses can be relied on (can’t they?) -
after all they’ve sworn on a Guidedogs for the Blind Diary to tell
the truth (ish). And the beautiful Latimer Professor for History knows
where the truth lies - if only Richard will let her get her hands on it
(or him). But what about the kids………
Cast - Derek - Peter Meese, Joan - Christine Ward, Prosecutor - Jerry
Harvey, Richard - Peter Buller, First Murderer - Nevin Ward, Second
Murderer - Davey Evans, Latimer Professor of History - Linda Harvey, Jury
- Ann Hales, Sandy Meese, Sheila Smith, Charles Young, Carol Young.
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