Now with extra peril!

William Shakespeare’s classic (are they ever anything else?) A Midsummer Nights Dream is being staged by Hartley Arts Group’s HAG Youngstars next month. The group was started in autumn of last year and, under the tutelage of Francesca Nethercott, has gone from strength to strength and offers the talented younger members of the community an outlet for their performing creativity. So it’s with great excitement that they are already staging their own production – at The Victoria Hall! Tickets are just £5pp and the play goes live for one date only – Wednesday 11th July 2012 at 7:30pm. Please come along and support the stars of tomorrow.

Thursday 7th June and the first piece of real production on FRANKENSTEIN occurred. The audio recording of the play was undertaken with the cast – the first time all of them have got together (bar one!). We’re off and rolling on this VERY exciting production. Stay tuned for updates as we go along…

Well, there go Gilbert & Sullivan. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in their company and will be left with a lasting impression. Thank you to the show’s author, Andrew G Marshall, for writing a musical play that everyone enjoyed. Thank you to every single member of the audience who came to see us, your support is greatly appreciated.

So now it’s strike the set and prepare for our next production which is in advanced preparation – it’s going to be a real treat!

As a celebration of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee we played a short video tribute before our final performance of Modern Major General. We thought you’d like to see it too.

Tonight we stage our final performance of Modern Major General. After many, many hours of being involved in the world of contemporary Gilbert & Sullivan we say a bombastic goodbye to the tunes we’ve come to know (most nights) and love. It’s been a true celebration of british musical oeuvre during these Jubilee celebrations and we’re planning on going out with a song and a dance – mainly because that’s what’s in the script.

Audience reaction has been overwhelmingly positive; people remarking that the show was much better than they’d expected. The mix of G&S and modern lyrics was a real test of our confidence – we could easily have staged a well-worn musical but we felt that MMG was just the right celebratory piece to bring to the Victoria Hall – a mix of historical and modern day sensibilities. So, with one eye on the future and one eye on what the audience want to see we say ‘thank you’ to those who came to watch – we really wouldn’t do it without you!

Juliette, Keith (beard) and Jo pose for the camera backstage during our first week of performances – and WHAT performances! We were graced with the pleasure of having the show’s author in to watch us on Saturday evening and he came backstage to congratulate us all – thank you Andrew!

We’ve only got three more performances left and we’d really like you to see one of them and experience a unique evening in the heart of Hartley Wintney. Lots of hard work has been put into a fantastic new musical play with lots of favourite Gilbert & Sullivan songs to get caught in your head. We promise you it’ll be a night that you’ll be glad you came to see – come and support us if you can!

We’re performed the show twice now and we’ve had some really lovely reviews, amongst them; “I am so glad to have had the chance to see it” and “It was absolutely brilliant”.

There are four more performances to go (Sat 26th May, Thurs 31st May, Fri 1st June and Sat 2nd June – all at The Victoria Hall 7.45pm). It’s a joyful evening out in sunny Hartley Wintney!

Here’s a song from the show – Juliette (as Jo) sings. Enjoy! (With thanks to the show’s author Andrew G Marshall).

Here are the ten changes in the spot the difference quiz in the show programme on sale now.

Well, tonight sees the opening performance of Modern Major General! After many, many months of work in the (deep breath) singing, acting, dancing, costume, props, stage set, painting, lighting, design, publicity, construction, photography, video and sound departments, we’re ‘ready to ruuumble!’!

We’re so pleased with the result (well we would say that). This is the most nerve-wracking part of course – but also the most rewarding – we get to show off to an audience, with clapping and everything!

If you’re coming along, we’ll see you at The Victoria Hall for a great evening of G&S – you’re guaranteed to leave with an ‘earworm’ or two.

To everyone in the production (and there are 24 on stage)- break a leg!

We’re delighted to announce the very fine cast for our innovative and exciting autumn (October/November) production:

Victor/Creature GARY COMERFORD
Victor/Creature RAITH MUNRO
Henry Clerval JAMES KINGHAM
Elizabeth Lavenza HELEN LEWIS
Frau Frankenstein JO LONG
Sophie SIAN RICHARDS
Justine JULIE MACDONALD
Ernst JIM GOODMAN