Maskers' Studio Theatre
on19th to 22nd March 2014
A New York park & a lift in a high-rise office block
The play concerns two characters, Peter and Jerry. Peter is a middle-class publishing executive with a wife, two daughters, two cats and two parakeets. Jerry is an isolated and disheartened man. They meet on a park bench in Central Park, New York on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Jerry is desperate to have a meaningful conversation with another human being and intrudes on Peter’s peaceful state by interrogating him and forcing him to listen to stories and the reason behind his visit to the zoo. The elements of ironic humour and unrelenting dramatic suspense are brought to a climax when Jerry brings his victim down to his own savage level.
Note: Contains strong language
Edward Albee III ... is an American playwright who is known for works such as The Zoo Story (1958), The Sandbox (1959) and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962). His works are considered well-crafted, often unsympathetic examinations of the modern condition. His early works reflect a mastery and Americanisation of the Theatre of the Absurd that found its peak in works by European playwrights such as Samuel Beckett, Eugène Ionesco and Jean Genet. Albee continues to experiment in works such as The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? (2002)
Southern Daily Echo - 11:20am Friday 21st March 2014 in Curtain Call by Ham Quentin.
The Zoo Story - EDWARD ALBEE'S script brings two men together on a New York park bench. Peter's the more conventional spirit but, played by RUBEN SANCHEZ-GARCIA, even his longest stretches of silent attention are highly suggestive, making him an excellent acting partner for STUART MUIRS, as Jerry, the more down market and troubling of the two. IAN WILSON'S direction does Albee full justice, enabling Muirs, in his acting début, to give a performance which is always convincing, sometimes mesmerising.
| The Zoo Story - Cast | |
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Ian Wilson - Director - Ian has been with Maskers since 2007, appearing in a number of productions. He has directed twice for the company, Chair by Edward Bond for the All England Festival and Closer by Patrick Marber. He is looking forward to tackling complexities of The Zoo Story. |
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Peter, a middle aged married man with a wife, two children, to cats and two parakeets, is played by Ruben Sanchez-Garcia. Ruben joined Maskers in 2010 and since then has played a pirate in Treasure Island, a soldier in Chair, Oberon in Midsummer Night's Dream, and directed Butteryfly Kiss at the Maskers Studio last May. He's equally delighted and terrified to play a Spanish version of Peter in this production. |
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Jerry is played by Stuart Muirs. Stuart has been involved in acting for over 20 years and, in that time, has had the pleasure to take on and perform some interesting roles. John Proctor in The Crucible, Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mr Smee in Peter Pan, Glendower/The Douglas in Henry IV Pt. 1, the porter in Macbeth and Jimmy Farrell in the Playboy of the Western World. This is Stuart’s first role for Maskers and he is thrilled and excited to be taking on and performing such a challenging role as Jerry in The Zoo Story. |
| The 13th Floor - Cast | |
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Matt Avery - Director - Matt trained at Bretton Hall, before beginning a career in directing which began with two West End shows, ‘Relative Values’ at the Savoy Theatre, and ‘Eurovision’ at the Vaudeville Theatre. He went on to direct a number of shows, both in the UK and abroad, including the award-winning comedy musical ‘Flush!’. This is Matt’s first directing role with the Maskers. |
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James Brooks, the Managing Director of ‘Home James!’ mortgage company is played by Eric Petterson. Eric's introduction to the Maskers was in 2012 in the "Christmas Charivari". His first piece of straight acting was when he played the guard in "Forward to the Right” followed by Jack in “The Weir” in 2013. He is really enjoying rehearsing for a comedy for a change and is currently perfecting his dive off the tea trolley into Myfanwy’s ample bosom. |
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Sapphire Crumlord is played by Suze Avery. Her last two characters having been a mouse and a fairy, Suze is delighted to be playing a human again (or as close as she ever gets!). And the part of Sapphire Crumlord has allowed Suze to achieve a lifelong ambition - working with stunt pants. |
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Kim Stein is played by Sarah-Jayne Wareham. Since joining Maskers Sarah-Jayne has played spinsters, sirens and even a parrot, but this is the first time she's been asked to do it in a lift. She is hoping to rise to the challenge! |
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Myfanwy Davies is played by Ros Liddiard. Ros claims to have very little in common with Myfanwy. She isn't Welsh, isn't really motherly and doesn't work with a trolley. However, she is off her trolley, is in her 60s and is said to have a large and welcoming bosom, a prop effectively used as a 'comfort zone' by the guys in the cast. |
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Mike Collins is played by James Daybell. This is James' first play with Maskers, having moved down from London last year. He has appeared with various London companies in the role of Martin in the Between Mouthfuls, John Proctor in The Crucible, Fenton in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Brink in Road, Captain in Bed, Dakin in The History Boys and as Maitland in The Chalk Garden to name a few. |
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Georgina Baldwin is played by Nay Walton. From her first production with Maskers playing a foul mouthed lingerie-clad young woman to a second production playing a lesbian goth... her mum would like to know when she'll play a "nice" character! |
| Courier is played by Peter Liddiard | |
A brand new comedy from the award winning writers of ‘Flush!’
When six apparent strangers find themselves trapped in a lift, in a building evacuated because of a bomb scare, they think things can't get much worse - until the silence is suddenly broken by an ominous ticking...
Fortunately Myfanwy is on hand with her tea trolley and oversized urn, to calm frayed nerves, and Sapphire realises that although her life might be going nowhere, despite her new all-juice diet, she does at least have a pot to piss in. Meanwhile the inept Managing Director, and his starry-eyed (very) personal assistant, attempt to remedy the situation, while Kim, who just wishes she was back in America, contents herself with frequently reminding everyone that they are all about to die. Their problems seem at an end, however, when a mysterious stranger suddenly introduces himself as 'Bomb Disposal'. But all is not as it seems…
‘The 13th Floor’ is a brand new, fast-paced, no-holds-barred comedy in one act, from the writing team which took the Edinburgh Festival by storm with their comedy musical ‘Flush!’, winning The Independent newspaper’s ‘Pick of the Fringe’, before embarking on a twice-extended sell-out run in London with the show which Time Out described as, ‘Fast, fun, and very, very silly, with sparkling dialogue and witty humour throughout.’
Note: Contains strong language
Matt Avery & David Nichols... have been writing comedy for radio and theatre for twenty years. Their hit comedy musical ‘Flush!’ won The Independent newspaper’s ‘Pick of the Fringe’ at the Edinburgh Festival, before embarking on a twice-extended sell-out run in London, being described by Time Out magazine as ‘Fast, fun, and very, very silly, with sparkling dialogue and witty humour throughout.’ Their other works include ‘Between Love & Passion’, which enjoyed an off-West End run, and numerous comedy sketches for Radio 4.
Southern Daily Echo - 11:20am Friday 21st March 2014 in Curtain Call by Ham Quentin.
The 13th Floor - MATT AVERY and DAVID NICHOLS' new comedy (Avery's Directing début) has characters trapped in a lift, their panic increased when a bomb is discovered. It's all played for fun, with few surprises but good effects and a cast that has fun, including ERIC PETTERSON as a panicky business leader type and ROS LIDDIARD, a breathless Welsh matron who's always ready to hug nervous fellow passenger Mike (JAMES DAYBELL'S acting début with Maskers) to her bosom.
| The Crew (for both shows) | |
| Stage Manager | Robert Osborne |
| Assistant Stage Manager | Peter Liddiard |
| Technical Director | Jamie McCarthy |
| Lighting Designer & Operator | David Cowley |
| Sound Designer & Operator | Mike Matthias |
| Lighting Consultant | Clive Weeks |
| Set Designer | Peter Liddiard |
| Set Construction | Roger Lockett, Ken Hann, Geoff Cook, Graham Buchannan, Peter Liddiard |
| Properties | Sarah Russell |
| Costume Design (The 13th Floor) | Suze Avery and Sarah-Jayne Wareham |
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