An Ideal Husband

An Ideal Husband

Oscar Wilde's

Tauntonhespians

Programme

present

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An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde

The Brewhouse

4th - 8th November 2008

Director's ThoughtsOne wonders if the climate of Europe was very much better in the early years of the last century than it has been since. It has been said that the Edwardian period, deemed to be from the beginning of the last century to the outbreak of World War I, was ‘the last good time of the upper classes’. Not being a member of ‘the upper class’, I wouldn’t know for sure. But it was certainly a time of elegance.Edwardian society modelled itself to suit the King’s personal demands. In the publication Edward VII and His Circle it is stated that “There was an avalanche of balls, dinners and country house parties. More money was spent on clothes, more food was consumed, more horses were raced and more infidelities were committed”. Had I read this before I agreed to direct I would have started rehearsals earlier, in order to practise all this and ‘get us all in the right frame of mind’, so to speak!

Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband was first staged in January 1895. It is a melodramatic comedy that revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and public and private honour. “Sooner or later”, writes Wilde, “we shall all have to pay for what we do”. I wonder if politicians know this? However, he does go on to say that “No one should be entirely judged by their past”. Ah! well.This play has been difficult to stage. With four Acts and without the necessary amount of ‘black gang’ to lift and hoist, we decided to stage it without a box set. We hope, dear friends, that you will use your imagination and pretend that you can see the opulence of the Chiltern and Goring homes. Of course, the authenticity of the costume and furnishings, not to mention the performances of this talented cast, should transport you straight to Belgravia!Our, and in particular my, thanks must go to you all once again for your continued support. I can’t remember how many times I have written this in the last

40 years, but it is still nevertheless sincere.

Sylvia Fellgett

Tauntonhespians

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Oscar Wilde and An Ideal Husband;

Playwright and playAn Ideal Husband premiered in London, England, on January 3rd, 1895, and was published in 1896. It was the third of Wilde’s four comedic plays to be staged, and it was as big a success with audiences as the previous two. However, critics of the time were not as appreciative as audiences, which was the case for all of Wilde’s social comedies. Critics thought these plays more flippant than substantive; audiences were delighted by the wonderful wit of the dramas. Numerous choice one-liners and other pithy witticisms that Wilde’s dramatic characters deliver are still quoted by people today. An Ideal Husband is often called a social comedy because it has both a serious (social) as well as a comedic plot line. On the one hand, the play is about a prominent politician who is in danger of losing his reputation as a paragon of integrity, owing to a youthful indiscretion which the play’s villain is

threatening to expose. Although the politician’s transgression is not exposed, this plot line conveys the idea that there are very few people in the world who are wholly good and to pretend so is hypocritical. This is a message for Wilde’s contemporaries, a late-Victorian group obsessed with purity and goodness but, of course, as imperfect as the people of any other age. On the other hand, the play is supposed to be funny, as it is, thanks to the witty bantering of the characters, especially in moments when the play is not directly concerned with the social plot.From: “An Ideal Husband: Introduction.” Drama for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 21. Detroit: Gale, 1998. eNotes.com.

Picture: Statue of Oscar Wilde from Merrion Square, Dublin

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DÉJÀ REVUE - Lowering the ToneDeja Revue recently presented Taunton Thespian members with a fantabulosa Club Night, when we previewed our 2008-9 season cabaret, Lowering The Tone. Thanks to a small but persistent core of writers, we were able to present a quantity of new and original material, which had a refreshingly different ‘feel’. I’m also extremely grateful to all the members of the cast for lowering their standards and their inhibitions, as well as the general Tone. (If anything else was lowered, they didn’t make me aware of it.)We’re now ready to inflict ourselves on the general public, so, over the next few weeks, I will be writing to known convicts contacts and asking them if they’d like their tone lowered. They can only say no. But I’d love to hear from all of you out there in Theatreland as well.So if you know anyone to whom you bear a particular grudge, do let me know. It will be our pleasure to go round and ruin their evening.

JANE EDWARDS, Director, Déjà RevueTel: 01823 322440 or Email: jane@tauntonthespians.org.uk

revueTaunton

hespians

déjàdéjà

Taunton Thespians are members of NODAThe National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA), founded in 1899, is the main representative body for amateur theatre in the UK. It has a membership of some 2500 amateur/community theatre groups and 3000 individual enthusiasts throughout the UK, staging musicals, operas, plays, concerts and pantomimes in a wide variety of performing venues, ranging from the country's leading professional theatres to village halls. Members have access to a wide range of benefits.

NODA aimsTo give a shared voice to the amateur theatre sector To help amateur societies and individuals achieve the highest standards of best practice and performance To provide leadership and advice to enable the amateur theatre sector to tackle the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century

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Murder Mystery EveningsWhat happens? Here is an outline of events: actors from the Taunton Thespians will take on the characters of an oddly assorted group of people gathered together for some seemingly innocent purpose. As the evening progresses, you will meet all the different characters and will learn about the relationships between them. At some point, there will be a murder most foul and then the detective will recruit the whole audience to help him solve the mystery. Usually at this point, showing great sensitivity, we break for supper. After supper, the detective will ask the audience to help him question the suspects so don't forget to watch out for clues and hints. Beware of the red herrings!How do I book?In the first instance, to check availability and discuss possible themes, contact the Treasurer. To provide the entertainment for an evening, typically from 7.00pm to 10.00pm, we charge £200. Plus supper for the cast and crew.What mysteries are available?New ideas are being developed all the time, but currently we have

READY, STEADY... KILL• Panto-Crime• “The Mummy’s Revenge” or “The Legend of The Curse of the • Tomb of the Mummy”Murder Party• Murder at the Music Hall•

Can I have a mystery written for me?Several of the murder mysteries can be altered to include local references, names, topical comment, local gossip etc at no extra charge. If you would like a purpose written mystery, please contact the Treasurer to discuss time scales etc..

NICOLA DAWSON, Treasurer and Sleuth-in-ChiefEmail: treasurer@tauntonthespians.org.uk

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About Taunton ThespiansThe society has passed (or celebrated) its eightieth anniversary; we have been providing live theatre for and by the people of Taunton and surrounding area since 1928. That February, Ian Hay’s Tilly of Bloomsbury was staged for 3 nights at the Lyceum Theatre, and was a great success. Over the intervening decades we have staged over 300 productions of all types. Thespians were instrumental in creating the theatre in which we’re performing tonight.Every year we entertain thousands of people by:

Staging two major productions, currently at the Brewhouse • (Matt Webber got a Rose Bowl nomination last year)Participating in drama festivals (we’ve reached the English • Semi-final two years running)Spending two weeks touring a classic comedy every summer • (Sheridan’s The Rivals last summer gained two Rose Bowl nominations, winning Best Actress for Jane Edwards)

We also provide Murder Mystery evenings and Cabaret shows for parties and fund-raising events around the area, (more details elsewhere in this programme).To see what's happening in amateur drama in Taunton, come along to a Club Night. There's no charge, and you're very welcome. Just drop along to “The Place” in Wilfred Road, Taunton at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of any month from October to May. If you do fancy joining us, there’s plenty to do, and it doesn’t have to involve getting up on stage. Actors and actresses are always welcome, of course, but we do need people who want to design and build our sets, sort out costumes, do make up and hair — all sorts of things. This production alone has taken the combined efforts of more than 50 people. Membership is only £12 a year, and it’s just about the most fun you can have for a pound a month!

Taunton Thespians is a Registered Charity, Number 800217

For more details call John Burbery on 01823 442118 or email membership@tauntonthespians.org.uk

Programme.indd 8 29/10/2008 08:25:26

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Programme.indd 9 29/10/2008 08:25:27

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‘The only thing to do with good advice is pass it on. It is never any use to oneself.’ - Oscar Wilde

- pass it on

Programme.indd 10 29/10/2008 08:25:27

AcknowledgmentsAlongside the people named as members of cast and crew, Taunton Thespians would like to thank the following for their generous support in the making of this production:For displaying Billboards: . . . Mrs Tooze, Chelston; Asda Taunton; The

Westgate Inn; Holiday Inn Taunton; Prockter’s Farm Shop, Monkton Heathfield; The Civil Service Sports & Social Club, Taunton.

For Help with Costumes: . .Somerset Opera Group, Warehouse Theatre, Pyrford Little Theatre, Janis Brockis, Chris Moore

For Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pam HunterFor all their help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Members of Taunton Thespians For their support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Our advertisers and sponsors

Why Corot?In the play, we learn that Sir Robert has a collection of Corots. Why Corot, specifically? The extract below from Wikipedia may shed some light on this. The images behind the cast are all Corot paintings.The strong market for Corot’s works and his relatively easy-to-imitate late painting style resulted in a huge production of Corot forgeries between 1870 and 1939. Though the famous quip by René Huyghe is a humorous exaggeration, namely that ”Corot painted three thousand canvases, ten thousand of which have been sold in America”, in fact, thousands of forgeries have been amassed, with the Jousseaume collection alone containing 2,414 such works. Adding to the problem was Corot’s lax attitude which encouraged copying and forgery: allowing his students to copy his works and to even borrow the works for later return; touching up and signing student and collector copies; and loaning works to professional copiers and to rental agencies. According to Corot cataloguist Etienne Moreau-Nélaton, at one copying studio; “The master’s complacent brush authenticated these replicas with a few personal and decisive retouchings. When he was no longer there to finish his “doubles”, his students went on producing them without him.” The cataloguing of Corot’s works in an attempt to separate the copies from the originals backfired when forgers used the publications as guides to expand and refine their bogus paintings.Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. (2008, October 23). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:45,

October 26, 2008

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Players Mrs Marchmont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charlotte Briggs The Countess of Basildon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kate Guest Vicomte de Nanjac; Mason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Gilbert The Earl of Caversham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Roberts Lady Chiltern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Verity Martindill Mabel Chiltern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alison Jenkinson Lady Markby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jacqueline Roberts Mrs Cheveley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vivienne Sharland Sir Robert Chiltern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Stenner Lord Goring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bryan Hallett Phipps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tony Venn Guests . . . . . . . . . . Jane Palmer, Jonny Leach, Angela Widgery, Ray Court, Nigel Stuart-Thorn, John Burbery, Alex Marshall, Moira

Douglas, Nikki Court, Jill Venn, Dennis Venn

The Scenes of the PlayACT I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Octagon Room in Sir Robert Chiltern’s House in Grosvenor Square.ACT II.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Morning-room in Sir Robert Chiltern’s House.ACT III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Library of Lord Goring’s House in Curzon Street.ACT IV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Same as Act II.Time & Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edwardian London. The action of the play is completed within twenty-four hours.

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Behind the ScenesDirector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sylvia FellgettProducer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mark DawsonStage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tony BeavenDSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keith GibbonsSet Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ray CourtLighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graham ReeksSound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Martin JevonWardrobe Supervisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Polly BrayAsst Wardrobe. . . . . . Jane Palmer, Jacqueline Roberts, Alex

Marshall, Jenny GreyProps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pam FlemingAsst Props . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan Swan, Angela WidgeryPrompt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joy ReasonBlack Gang . . . . . . . Louise Mitchell, Nigel Stuart-Thorn, John

Burbery, Jonny Leach, Ray CourtFront of House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jane EdwardsPublicity Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael GilbertPublicity Team . . . . . Ron Roberts, Jane Edwards, Matt WebberCast photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark Dawson

The Scenes of the PlayACT I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Octagon Room in Sir Robert Chiltern’s House in Grosvenor Square.ACT II.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Morning-room in Sir Robert Chiltern’s House.ACT III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Library of Lord Goring’s House in Curzon Street.ACT IV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Same as Act II.Time & Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edwardian London. The action of the play is completed within twenty-four hours.

Programme.indd 13 29/10/2008 08:25:29

Kate Guest - Lady BasildonI was so pleased to be offered the part of Lady Basildon. I last performed with the Thespians as Judy in There Goes the Bride. Judy spent most of her time having hysterics on stage as her wedding became more and more of a distant vision! Lady Basildon is much more together, but bored by her husband, and tiring of the tedious parties. I’m currently studying psychology up in Newcastle, and so there has been the added excitement of commuting to and from there for rehearsals. It has been wonderful to be welcomed back into the Thespians and amongst a new cast. All the hours of travel have been worth it!

Charlotte Briggs - Mrs MarchmontIt’s been a year since I did my first performance with the Thespians in Cash on Delivery. In that I spent much of the play slamming doors into people and

crying with my therapist about my husband’s bras! I have travelled back in time since then to the 1920’s in Thoroughly Modern Millie with TAOS and am glad to have arrived in a more refined era for An Ideal Husband. Playing Mrs Marchmont has been great fun; she and her friend Lady Basildon appear to have found their Ideals already but are clearly bored of

them! Whether or not you have found your Ideal, I’m sure you’ll

enjoy Wilde’s witty comments on their pros and cons!

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Ron Roberts - The Earl of CavershamMy first performance was at the age of four in a sailor suit in an aunt’s concert party and I’ve hardly stopped since! My theatrical career has included appearances with major amateur companies world-wide both on-stage and back-stage. Favourite roles include C.S.Lewis (Shadowlands), The Fourth Earl (Ruling Class), Toad

(Toad of Toad Hall), Beckett (Murder in the Cathedral) and Sebastian Cruttwell

(Terence Rattigan’s In Praise of Love). Favourite directing oeuvre was A Man For All Seasons. I have been lucky enough to enjoy both film and television experiences. Have survived

being chairman of Taunton Thespians for a five-year stint, I am on the

committee of the Somerset Fellowship of Drama and currently, for my

sins, the moderator of SFD’s pantomime competition.

Michael Gilbert - The Vicomte de Nanjac, MasonI held on to five roles in Jane Eyre, so the two in Husband should be a doddle... Except when they are both, in theory, on stage at the same time. And then having to convey all of Mason’s character in the occasional brief word or two is harder than it seems. However, at least there are fewer lines to learn, as the committing of words to memory is my eternal weakness. Being a sucker for punishment, I’m Publicity Officer for Thespians, too, so making sure you hear about the play and have something to read whilst waiting for it to get started has also been my bag. However, that’s all done now, and you’re here, so just sit back and enjoy the show.

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Alison Jenkinson - Mabel ChilternIt must be my year for pretty dresses, as I have been lucky enough to play Sally Shingle in Robinson Crusoe with The Wayfarers, Gloria in Thoroughly Modern Millie with TAOS and now Mabel Chiltern

in An Ideal Husband for the Taunton Thespians!

I have been an active member of the Thespians for a number of years, on and off the stage and love being involved in all aspects of a production. My last performance with the society was as Elizabeth Hartley-Trumpington in the very

funny Murdered to Death. Mabel is much more girl-like than Elizabeth, but just as cunning, especially in her pursuit for her “Ideal Husband”.

Verity Martindill - Lady Gertrude ChilternI am inclined to agree with Jack Worthing, who said, in The Importance of being Earnest, "A high moral tone can hardly be said to conduce very much to either one's health or one's happiness". It has therefore been a struggle against nature to play the righteous and upstanding example of English womanhood that is Lady Chiltern, though the frocks go some way to smoothing the path. As for the language of the fan, Lady C's speaks a surprising slang. Don't read too much into it.

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Jacqueline Roberts - Lady MarkbyActing for over six decades means that I have been ‘at it’ since kindergarten school days. For the Thespians I have played in award-winning Festivals and enjoyed roles in Murder in the Cathedral, Nude With Violin and A Midsummer-Night’s Dream. I particularly relished playing Lady Angatell in The Hollow, taking on the lead role in an emergency only two weeks before performance and collecting a Phoebe Rees Best Actress nomination. I survived a four year stint as the Thespians’ Secretary, assisted with wardrobe endlessly and for the past eight years have run the finances of our ten-performance summer tour. I have been a committee member of the Somerset Fellowship of Drama for ten years and am currently their Treasurer.

Viv Sharland - Mrs CheveleyMy first performance with Taunton

Thespians was in 1979 as one of Cleopatra’s girls in Caesar and Cleopatra. Since then I have had some terrific fun as:A maid, a Shakespearian, school mistress, girl of ill repute, ghost, mouse,

gangster’s moll, witch, drug addict, mother of the bride etc., etc..

Mrs Cheveley is not a woman I want to relate to in many ways, however, I have arrived at the ‘romantic stage’. I’m trying to get Lord Goring to come ‘up to scratch’. I wonder if he will indeed make an ‘Ideal Husband’?

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Brian Hallett - Lord GoringThis is my second production with the Thespians, following Tom Jones, and mercifully on this occasion, the audience is

spared the possibility of getting a wet backside. Since flashing my own in the dubious name

of art, I have played Norman in The Dresser and Henry in The Real Thing, both at the Swan Theatre in Yeovil, and Biff Loman in Ilminster Warehouse’s Death of a Salesman. Between rehearsals

and failing to decorate the bathroom, I tour with my own brand of mayhem known

as Murder to Measure, available for dinners, weddings and bar-

mitzvahs the length and breadth of the country.

Richard Stenner - Sir Robert ChilternIn the mid 1970s, I became actively involved in SCAT productions of The Importance of Being Earnest, Guys and Dolls and Stoppard's The Real Inspector Hound. Whilst working in London, I took parts with the Old Admiralty Dramatic Society in Whitehall, and later I performed with the Minehead Dramatic Society, the Barnstormers and then acted for 10 years with the Dunkery Players at Wootton Courtenay.This is my second performance with the Taunton Thespians and I am delighted to have been offered the rôle of Sir Robert Chiltern in this compelling drama. It has been a great pleasure to work with such a good, strong and dedicated cast and director.

Programme.indd 19 29/10/2008 08:26:15

The GuestsIt would be hard to create the feeling of a political party in Act One with the core players alone, so we are grateful to those who stood around and decorated the setting so admirably for us. It would not have been the same without them

and their rhubarb...

Tony Venn - PhippsAct Three in which Phipps first appears gives some indication that even in the very formal age in which the play is set, an informal, or should I say a less formal, relationship between master and servant could arise. Lord Goring airs some personal views before his butler in the knowledge that the conversation will not be repeated as with a person friend: loyalty being the common factor. It has been suggested that these exchanges, brief as they are, provided the foundation for the creation of Jeeves, certainly the most famous butler of them all. Perhaps this is so. Oscar Wilde certainly wanted his actors to relish the language he created for them, as did Wodehouse, although in an altogether more racy style.

Programme.indd 20 29/10/2008 08:26:25

Come and read the script: 7.30pm 11th December 2008Open Auditions: 7.30pm 15th & 16th December

The Place, Wilfred Road, TauntonContact Ron Roberts for details : 01458 241374

productions@tauntonthespians.org.uk

~ Coffee will be provided ~

by Agatha Christ ieBlackCoffee

The ButlerA Famous ScientistSir Claude’s sisterHis sonHis nieceHis secretaryRichard’s wifeAn ItalianA Belgian detectiveAn English gentlemanA doctorFrom Scotland YardA policeman

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Tuesday 17th - Saturday 21st March 2009

at The Brewhouse

Coming next:

Programme.indd 21 29/10/2008 08:26:37

This production is entered for

The Phoebe Rees Awards

Founded by Phoebe Rees and run by the Somerset Fellowship of Drama, the competition is open to amateur drama societies and groups in Somerset. Plays are adjudicated by members of the Fellowship’s committee who also run an annual Original Playwriting Festival and the county’s first round of the All England Theatre Festival, and organise drama training.

The Rose Bowl Awards

Founded by the families of Walter Hawkins and John Coe, this is now funded through the Quartet Community Foundation, with individual awards sponsored by the Bristol Evening Post. Amateur operatic and dramatic productions throughout former Avon, Gloucester and Somerset are assessed by GODA qualified adjudicators.

Programme.indd 22 29/10/2008 08:26:39

Ms J. ApperleyMrs P. Attrill

Mr. M. BarryMr. D. BeachMr. & Mrs A. J. BeavenMrs. P. BradnumMrs P. BrayMiss C. BriggsMr. & Mrs. J. BurberyMrs. J. BurtMiss C. BurtMr. J. CarterMr. T. CooneyMiss H. CooperMr. & Mrs R. CourtMr. J. R. CozensMr & Mrs B. DaleMr & Mrs. M. DawsonMr DoigMiss M. H. DouglasMrs J. DyerMrs J. EdwardsMiss K FarrellMrs. S. FellgettMr. T. FinnMr K. GibbonsMr. M. GilbertMr. D. Goodall

Mrs M. Goodall

Miss K. GuestMr & Mrs K. HagueMr. B. HallettMrs. J. HancockMrs. L. HendenMrs. J. HoleMr. J. HoweMrs J. HughesMs R. HumphreysMrs A. JenkinsonMrs L. JevonMr. M. JevonMrs. C. JonesMr. R. KingMr. J. LeachMiss J. LeakeyMr S. LindleyMr. M. LinhamMr. C. LinthorneMr. S. LyddonMr. A. C. LynchMrs. J. MannMiss A. MarshallMiss H. MarshallMrs V. MartindillMr. & Mrs. J. MeikleMr A. MillerMiss L. MitchellMrs. B. Morris

Mr. D. NortheyMr. M. PalmerMrs J.. PalmerMr. M. PetersMr. S. PowellMrs. D. RawleMrs. J. ReasonMr. G. ReeksMr & Mrs R. RobertsMrs. Z. RyanMrs. V. SharlandMiss S. ShaxonMr. R. K. SmithMr. R. StennerMr. M. StepneyMrs F. StoreyCllr. N. Stuart-ThornMrs. S. SwanMrs. V. SweetingMr. S. SymondsMiss S. TookeyMr. A. VennMiss A. VickeryMrs. T. WanderMiss M. WayMr. M. WebberMrs. A. WidgeryMs H. Witcomb

Taunton Thespians arePresident - John Meikle

Vice Presidents - Margaret Way, Thelma Wander, Ron Roberts

Programme.indd 23 29/10/2008 08:26:39

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