Our most hearty congratulations to Lauren and Keith! It was an absolutely wonderful moment - we’re really pleased we could help!
CAST-DIARY: The Demon Spofforth by Alistair Carr
“During the Saturday evening performance I was being the Vicar and meandering round the audience with Vicky selling cakes during the village fete induction scene. One lady said, ‘ooh they look lovely, so tempting’, and I said ‘you should always give in to temptation’ and then suddenly realised that wasn’t a terribly vicarish thing to say.
Also, is it too late to change my name to ‘The Demon Spofforth’ in the programme?”
For those unsure of where we’re performing the York run - wonder no longer - here’s the Google map to Rowntree Park stage.
Looks like a smiley face from the air!
Victoria Morris in 'The Stage'
Our very own Victoria Morris is interviewed in this weeks copy of ‘The Stage’ about her leading role as Katherina in The Taming of the Shrew as well as her work running the Paul Nicholas School of Acting in Wetherby.
Available from all good newstands!
CAST-DIARY: The Night I Killed Biondello by Alistair Carr
“And so we come to the last scene, and a brief chat about what our characters, in my case Vincentio, have achieved since the previous scene.
Now, Vincentio ends the previous scene threatening, quite correctly in the opinion of any right-thinking man, to slit the nose of Tranio, his son’s servant. Jonathan, who is playing Tranio goes before me, and announces that Tranio has been suspended for a day for his appalling behaviour (come and see the show to see what it is, but it’s ok girls, he keeps them on) and then let
back to work, with no mention of even a slit nose. I had assumed that he had been battered to within an inch of his life by Vincentio, and then thrown to some tigers to finish him off, but it seems not.
So, instead I reluctantly admit to having let Tranio back into my service, but having had Biondello, Tranio’s man and accomplice, suspended…. from the neck until he was dead. And sure enough we never see Biondello again, as Lara leaves his clothes behind and takes on those of a widow (come and see the play…). But the start of the final scene now begins with Lucentio (Vincentio’s son) and Tranio mourning Biondello briefly.
Which is utterly wrong. Vincentio has a fondness for Biondello, there may even be a hint of the illegitimate son about him, his rage is aimed for Tranio straight. So if anyone is responsible for Biondello’s passing, it must be Tranio, weaselling his way out of his punishment by passing the blame onto the lad, and also persuading his master that Biondello’s death is the only way to make for a happy ending.
So, faithful audience member, when you watch that scene, mourn with Lucentio and Tranio for Biondello, but remember, it was Tranio, with his scar-less nose, not Vincentio, who sent him to his grave. But the strange thing was, as I was walking home in my Vincentio big coat, cane and beard a rough street-urchin ran up to me and rudely shouted ‘Seeeenior Vincentio, Seeeenior Vincentio, a geeeeft from Anteeeepholus of Eeeepheeeesus’, and gave me a small silver box, the size of a fag packet.
And when I opened it, it contained the amputated right ring finger of dear Biondello.
True story.”
