show
The Maskers' Studio Theatre

17th - 22nd September 2024

at 7:30pm.

Extra performance added on Sunday 22nd at 4:00pm

Note that this performance will be filmed live by a camera operator, and will include a Q&A session.
Ticket price for this performance will be £10.

Sold Out

 

Note: Friday's performance will include the opportunity to stay for a post-show Q&A with the play's author!

Occasional use of strong language. Recommended for ages 12+.

Warning: This play contains flashing lights and the use of non-allergenic haze.

'What they decide will affect us all...'

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The Reviews

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17 September 2024

The opportunity to review the premiere of a new play, by a drama group new to us, and at a venue that we’ve never been to before was an appealing prospect from the outset, and, as anticipated, we were rewarded with an evening of thought-provoking entertainment in the cosy 40-seater Maskers’ studio theatre. Though new to us, the Maskers’ Theatre Company has been around since 1968 and we now know it has a well-deserved reputation for producing quality amateur theatre. They can now add Murder in the Citizens’ Jury to their list of successes.

Written by local author and scriptwriter Denise A Baden, who is also Professor of Sustainability Practice at the University of Southampton, Murder in the Citizens’ Jury is a shortened adaptation of the award-winning TV script ‘The Assassin’. As suggested by its title, the play is concerned with a murder, and, superficially, it’s a typical Agatha Christie-esque ‘Whodunnit’ scenario. However, the story is really about the climate change crisis and the pressing need to take urgent and effective action to stop the doomsday clock from ticking down.  The murder victim is a member of the first Citizens’ Jury in the UK, which is composed of eight ordinary people who have been carefully selected as being representative of society as a whole. The Jury has been given executive power to make legally binding decisions on possible solutions to the looming crisis – but each and every member of the Jury must be fully in agreement with the measures for them to be actually implemented. This appears to be a straightforward arrangement, but it proves not to be the case because the Jury is riddled with conflict as each member pursues their own individual agenda. With the tension building and time running out, the members of the Jury start to compromise around a proposed solution, but one person is having none of it and will not give in to the others. If the Jury fails to deliver anything at all then this new political system will almost certainly be abandoned, and nothing will change.

The murder victim is revealed in the opening scene and, owing to political sensitivities around the Citizens’ Jury experiment, the matter is referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for investigation. His enquiries involve interviewing each of the Jury members and the events are re-enacted from the beginning, with many amusing moments along the way as the characters tear each other to shreds.

Having discovered the relevant facts, the Director of Public Prosecutions is confronted with the moral dilemma of whether or not to prosecute the killer. With so much at stake and the future of the Citizens’ Jury hanging in the balance, the audience is invited to help in deciding the course of action. Needless to say, the outcome may well be different for each performance of the play!

The cast of nine actors assembled for this production are a mixture of long-standing Maskers’ performers and others who are relatively new to the company. Although there was evidence of first night nerves and here and there a missed line or two, (which will undoubtedly be polished up for subsequent shows), all of the players acquit themselves well and turn in convincing performances of high emotion and authenticity for their parts. Emily Smith is particularly powerful in the leading part of Sarah, Chair of the Jury and an activist who is committed to changing the status quo. As Sarah, Emily definitely leads from the front. Philip deGrouchy, also stands out in the other leading part of the conflicted Director of Public Prosecutions, who struggles to reconcile legal and moral imperatives.  The performances of the other players are no less significant and are just as worthy of praise in their roles as members of the Jury.

The production team have created an impressive setting for the play in a limited space. Most remarkable, at the rear of the stage, is a large screen displaying a doomsday clock which is continuously resetting as it follows the timing of the events, but is inextricably ticking towards zero hour. The sound effects and background music are also perfectly synchronized and enhances the overall effect.

Apparently, this is Director Jo Fox’s first foray into directing and on this showing, it shouldn’t be the last.

- Philip & Julie McStraw



A revolutionary change in our democratic system and our best chance to avert the climate crisis.

Eight people in the first Citizens’ Jury to have been granted full legal powers are discussing the most important challenge in the history of humanity – how to save ourselves from the looming climate crisis.   Exciting new solutions are proposed, each with their own champions and detractors.   What they decide will affect us all.   But they all have their own issues to deal with, and one of them has a hidden agenda.

Who is the assassin and who are they there to kill?

This thought-provoking, entertaining and interactive new play also invites the audience to help the Director of Public Prosecutions with the moral dilemma of whether to prosecute the killer.   If he does, it could spell the end of Citizens’ Juries which many believe are the magic bullet to help us make decisions that will avert climate change.

What will you decide?

The play is a shortened adaptation of the TV series ‘The Assassin’ which recently won ‘Writing Climate Pitchfest’ and is now under consideration by Hollywood producers!

Director & Cast

The Director of this production is Jo Fox
Jo has been an active Masker for over 15 years and has played a variety of roles in that time, including Lady Jane Rochford in Anne Boleyn, Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest, Ursula in Much Ado About Nothing and Luna the Monkey in The Jungle Book. She most recently appeared as the confused newlywed wife Samantha Tuttle in Maskers' December studio production, Sorry! Wrong Chimney!
As well as acting, Jo has kept busy behind the scenes at Maskers and was Company Secretary on the committee from 2019 - 2023. She has also been Stage Manager, Production Manager and Props coordinator for previous productions. This show will be Jo's first foray into directing! She is excited to have the chance to bring this brand-new play to the stage for the first time and is really enjoying working with this great cast and crew.

Robert - Director of Public Prosecutions is played by Philip de Grouchy
Philip was most recently involved in Romeo and Juliet, Cash on Delivery, and Almost, Maine as an actor and Blithe Spirit as director. He has been active with the Maskers and local theatre since time immemorial (nearly).

Sarah - Chair of the Citizens' Jury is played by Emily Smith
Emily initially studied acting at Academy of Art University before moving behind the scenes for a film degree. She has been a Masker for over a year, but has only recently returned to the stage, appearing in Almost, Maine in January. Being a part of Murder in the Citizens’ Jury has been an incredible experience and she is excited to finally help present it to an audience for the very first time.

Steve - Member of the Citizens' Jury is played by Matthew Meehan
Matthew is a writer, actor and director with over 25 years of experience. He has appeared in plays ranging from Oedipus and Antigone to Abigail's Party. His own work includes the black comedies Searching and Pina Coladas. Outside of theatre his interests are Poe, Lovecraft and Motorcycles.

Jason - Member of the Citizens' Jury is played by Daniel Chopra
This is Daniel’s third play with Maskers, having previously been in The Three Musketeers and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Daniel has been in appearing in productions with other theatres since 2015, such as The Little Mermaid and Macbeth.

Naomi - Member of the Citizens' Jury is played by Katy de Haviland
Having begun acting as a child in the Midlands, Katy studied Drama and Performing Arts at college before joining her local theatre company. After a 20-year break, she joined Maskers last May and has since played Elvira in Blithe Spirit and Susan in Murder in the Studio.
She's excited to now be part of this brand-new production!

Marco - Member of the Citizens' Jury is played by Ruben Sanchez-Garcia
Ruben joined Maskers in 2010 and has since acted, directed and helped backstage in a number of shows. He has particularly fond memories of his first show with the Maskers, Treasure Island in 2011, as well as playing Peter in Zoo Story and Andrey in Afterplay, and directing both Butterfly Kiss in the Maskers Studio, and an open-air production of Don Quixote at Hamptworth. He's looking forward to playing Marco and thankful to Denise for accommodating his Spanish background by changing the character's name from Barry!

Devanika - Member of the Citizens' Jury is played by Clare Britton
Clare is new to Maskers. She did the costume design for Agatha Christie's Murder in The Studio recently, but this will be her first acting role with them. Theatre has been very much in her life starting with classical ballet and gaining qualifications in Theatre Makeup, Wig Making and Management. She has been a sound design technician and directed in community theatre. Some of her favourite roles include Adele in Die Fledermaus, Thelma in Pack of Lies, Conrade in Much Ado About Nothing, Mary in Flint Street Nativity, Winsome in Bombshells, and Alison in Searching. Clare has enjoyed this strong character and feels privileged to get the environmental issue message out there.

Needles - Member of the Citizens' Jury is played by Christine Baker
Chris has been a member of the company for many years, and has been involved in numerous productions both on and off stage. She can generally be found greeting the audience in our box office. She is delighted to be playing the part of Needles in this new play, and to be bringing her knitting skills to the stage.

Andrew - The Auditor is played by Paul Baker
Paul joined Maskers in 1996 and since then has been in over twenty-five shows in the open air for Maskers. He has played a variety of roles including Weasel Norman in The Wind in the Willows, Thomas Cromwell in Anne Boleyn and often multiple parts in the same production as evidenced when he played four different characters in The Three Musketeers. Paul has appeared in most of the recent productions in Maskers Studio, having played Sepulchrave in Gormenghast and Chris Kriegle, the Santa Burglar, in Sorry! Wrong Chimney!, uncle George in Cash on Delivery and, most recently, three different characters in Murder in the Studio.

Creative Team

Production Manager
Robert Osborne
Stage Manager
Jill Desborough
Set Design
Jo Fox
Set Construction
Clive Weeks & team
Set Painting
Robert Osborne & Jo Fox
Set Dressing
tba
Lighting Design
Tom Foyle
Lighting Assistant
Kathryn Salmon
Sound Design
Jamie McCarthy
Lighting & Sound Operators
Tom Foyle & Kathryn Salmon
Wardrobe & Costumes
Chris Baker, Anna Hussey and cast
Properties
Lucy Lockyer
Rehearsal Prompt
tba
Poster Design
Lucy Lockyer

Ticket Information

Tickets £15

No concessions

Customers are requested to arrive promptly as late comers cannot be admitted.

On arrival at the Masker’s Studio

  • Please give your name (or the name the tickets were booked under) to our Box Office receptionist, and they will confirm your booking.
  • If you have pre-ordered a programme you will be given it on arrival. Programmes will also be available for purchase from a FOH member.
  • For the safety of all our audience members and staff are still operating some Covid risk reduction actions.  Please use the hand sanitising stations on arrival.  We will also be increasing the fresh air circulating throughout the venue.
  • Wearing of face coverings is optional.
  • Our bar will be open for purchases of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.  We would encourage you to pre-order your interval drinks, to assist our bar staff and reduce crowding at the bar.
  • We are now able to take, and prefer, card payments but can also take cash.

During your visit

  • A stairlift and disabled toilet facilities are available.
  • Hand sanitiser will be available for your use at various points around the theatre building.
  • We have installed an extra extractor fan to vent studio air to the outside pulling fresh air in from the other side of the building.
  • Where possible windows will also remain open.  This may make the venue cooler than you are used to, so please be prepared.
  • Enhanced cleaning will take place throughout the venue before, and after the performance.
  • The taking of photographs or videos whilst the show is on is not permitted.

Exiting the building/event at the end of the performance

  • When leaving, please do not crowd the stairwell and allow everyone to leave easily and quickly.
  • As you go down the alleyway, please take extra care and keep to the marked footpath as the road is very uneven.
  • Please take any rubbish with you or leave it in the bins provided.

What if I have specific access needs?

  • The stair chair lift is available and our FOH staff will assist you should you need to use it.
  • Any other requirements may be discussed with our Box Office manager in advance of your arrival.

What happens if a show is cancelled?

  • If we are required to cancel a performance, we will offer you tickets for an alternative performance.

Poster, Flyer & Programme

For the Maskers

Technical Manager:- Jamie McCarthy;   Lighting Consultant:- Clive Weeks;   Sound Consultant:- Jamie McCarthy;   Marketing Team:- Angela Stansbridge, Clive Weeks, Robert Osborne, Meri Mackney, Paul Baker;   Front of House & Box Office Manager:- Chris Baker;   Photographer:- Clive Weeks;   Bar Manager:- Meri Mackney
 
 
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Shirley's own LOCAL theatre!

Maskers Theatre Company
Off Emsworth Road
Shirley
Southampton
SO15 3LX

Registered Charity 900067

Established 1968

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