1997 productions

23–25 October 1997

A View From the Bridge

By Arthur Miller

Eddie Carbone, an Italian American lives with his wife, Beatrice and his orphaned niece, Catherine.

As the play begins, Eddie is protective and kind toward Catherine, although his feelings soon grow into something more. When Beatrice's two cousins, Marco and Rodolpho enter the country illegally, hoping for a better life in America. Catherine soon begins a relationship with Rodolpho.

When Eddie catches Rodolpho leaving the bedroom
with Catherine, Eddie becomes desperate to break them
up and calls the Immigration Bureau to report Marco and Rodolpho. Both are arrested and taken away for deportation.

Marco is released on bail and returns to confront Eddie on a street filled with his friends and family. Eddie brandishes a knife and attacks Marco, who turns the blade onto Eddie, killing him. Eddie dies as the curtain falls, calling out to Beatrice.

24–26 April 1997

Corpse

By Gerald Moon

Set in December 1936 on the day of Edward VIII's abdication, while everyone is at home listening to
the King's history-making speech on the radio, no-one
is paying attention to the comings and goings at
Evelyn's basement flat in Soho and in Rupert's house
in Regent's Park.

Twin brothers Evelyn and Rupert have sibling rivalry
to the extreme. Evelyn is an egocentric, out of work Shakespearian actor who is down on his luck with an intense loathing for his wealthy twin brother Rupert,
who is a big business tycoon.

Evelyn wants his brother dead so he can inherit the
fortune that Rupert has amassed. Evelyn devises a diabolical plan to get his hands on the fortune.

Evelyn hires a blustering and shady ex-British officer,
Major Powell, to depose of the twin so Evelyn can
assume his identity and inherit the family fortune.
Will the major help or hinder the plan?

29 January – 1 February 1997

The Emperor’s New Clothes

By Terence Cooling

The story of ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes” is obviously based upon the traditional fairytale by Hans Christian Anderson although it’s unlikely the original author will recognise much of the story apart from the title!

In our version the Emperor, Vanitarius IV, is seriously cheesing everybody off in the kingdom of Glist, with his demands for the latest fashions, so some seamstresses, a villainous knight, three witches, the Empress and the townspeople all plot to overthrow him.

Except that the seamstresses are not on the same side as the witches although they don’t know that. The witches are not on the same side as the knight although he thinks they are – he also thinks the Empress is on his side, but she isn’t, or perhaps she is. There’s also a beautiful princess (of course), a handsome wandering (or was that wondering) minstrel, some extremely silly soldiers, cheeky chappie Buttons and a seriously wicked fairy!