Saturday, 30 May 2009

coming soon "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

















The "Union 08" adaptation of
“The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists” by Robert Tressell
The performance dates are:


Mon 29th June, 7.30pm, The Casa, Hope St, Liverpool, 0151 709 2148
Tuesday 30th June, 7.30pm. Kirby Unemployed centre, , 0771 684 8894
Wednesday 1st July, 7.30pm, The Met, Bury, 0161 761 2216
Thursday 2nd July, 7.30pm, Salford Arts Theatre, 0161 761 2216
Sat 4th July, 7.30pm, Concordia Hall, Church Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. 01424 460 735

All tickets £5/4 concessions.

One of the 20th century’s Big books, (“The Workers’ Bible”)adapted for today. ( First commissioned by PCS for Unions 08 in Liverpool and performed in Liverpool to great acclaim.)

Often called "The Workers' Bible", "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists" has been one of the most influential books of Modern times. It was often said that the book won Labour the 1946 General Election, when a stunned Tory party saw Winston Churchill defeated at the polls.

The book is undoubtedly the first realistic fictional portrayal of life amongst the working classes, brilliantly analysing the power structures that keep the status quo stable, even when people are clearly ill-treated and abused.

This adaptation honours the original, while tailoring the action for a modern audience – for how much has changed? Tressell wrote about a time of boom and bust; of high unemployment; of a slump in the building trade; of graft, sleaze and downright thieving amongst politicians and the wealthy. Sound familiar?

This adaptation was commissioned by PCS for Unions 08 – the Trade Unions contribution to Liverpool’s Capital of Culture year, where it won great acclaim from enthusiastic audiences.

-Robert Tressell Society

“I recently had the great pleasure of watching your stage adaptation of the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. I thought it struck just the right balance: respect for the original novel without being too reverential and “worthy” about it.”

- John Fay, Writer, Coronation Street.

“The cast brought Noonan to us magnificently. To say I was overwhelmed is not an overstatement.”
- John Winstanley, Retired Building Worker and UCATT member


The tour has been supported by The Unity Theatre Trust, The Barry Amiel Trust and PCS

More information from 0771 684 8894 or tomm562002@yahoo.co.uk














Tuesday, 26 May 2009

our next project -dramatic connections in the dingle


Update:
Dramatic Connections in the Dingle - (Thanks to the City of Liverpool for its financial support)
Dingle Community Theatre is starting on its Summer Community Drama Project, with what sems to be one of the most interesting yet, in our ten year (at least) continuous series of Summer Community Drama Festivals in the Dingle and neighbouring areas.
Our 09 Festival - Dramatic Connections in the Dingle - will pull together different strands of our activities.
Our community inclusive adult group will be working on a short play, so will our Youth Group, Perform L8, and this year St Finbar's Junior school in the Dingle will be working on a drama project relating to bees!
We also have our "Slice of Life" dramas...the result of a public script-writing competition.
dates so far:
Slice of Life....1st, 6th and 7th July at the Casa (evenings)
Community and Youth Wed 8th July at Mt Carmel Catholic Social Club, High Park Street, and Mon 13th July at The Joe H Makin Theatre, Pilgrim Street.
Youth and Junior, tue and Wed 14th and 15th July, at The Joe H Makin Theatre, Pilgrim Street.

Watch this space for more details!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Community Group Update...where to meet if you want to join the next project


our Chaucer adaptation went really well with a great night to finish at the casa.
our new project is one with an environmental theme and julian bond will be the group facilitator. he wants to have a first meeting this thursday, the 28th, at LIPA.6.45pm...meet in the reception area. look on the lipa page for directions if you don't know where it is...it's on upper duke st, opposite the anglican cathedrqal and up a bit.
we have 3 performance dates already, including an evening at the joe h makin theatre. remember it's an inclusive piece so any one who wants to act will be accomodated
julian's number is 0791 344 9396
our group mobile is 0771 684 8894


Friday, 15 May 2009

No Fool Like an Old Fool...thursday 21st and Sat 23rd may, 7.30pm




Dingle Community Theatre’s latest production - “No Fool Like an Old Fool” – is a cautionary tale about marriage across the age-gap, adapted from the original story “The Merchant’s Tale”, by Geofrey Chaucer.



Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales in the 14th Century. Each tale was told by a different Pilgrim travelling on the annual Holy pilgrimage to the shrine of Sir Thomas Becket.In the local group’s modern adaptation, the pilgrims are on their way to Lourdes, and the Merchant gets his young wife from an internet site devoted to finding rich old men brides from poor areas of Europe.



Devotees of Chaucer and classical literature will not be disappointed, however, as the adaptation sticks closely to the original storyline - including some naughty antics up a tree! The play will be performed at Mt Carmel Catholic Social Club, High Park Street on Thursday 21st May, and The Casa Club, Hope Street, Liverpool on Saturday 23rd May. Performances start at 7.30pm and cost £4/3 concessions.






Monday, 4 May 2009


Actors Wanted for “Slice of Life” Dramas
Dingle Community Theatre are looking for actors for their forthcoming Summer “Slice of Life” Dramas to be performed at the Casa Club, Hope St, Liverpool in early July.
The scripts to be performed have been chosen from members of the public who entered the group’s “Slice of Life” writing competition. The festival is being supported by Liverpool City Council’s Arts and Cultural Unit.
Auditions will be held at the Charles Dickens Centre 6pm on Tuesday 12th May and are open to all budding actors of adult years.

More details to follow soon.

Thursday, 30 April 2009

Our next production - No Fool Like an Old Fool and other tales thu May 21st and sat 23rd


The Merchant's Tale by Chaucer is a raunchy affair, a comic triangle of rich old man, young wife and randy man-servant. Somehow, though Chaucer turns it into an ironic human story of vanity and self-deception.
For their forthcoming adaptation of the tale, Dingle Community Theatre have kept the original plot (more or less) but updated it to modern times.

It will be performed at Mt Carmel Social Club, High Park Street, on Thursday 21st May and The Casa Club, Hope St, on the 23rd may....doors open 7.30pm £4/£3
tickets from info@dinglecommunitytheatre.co.uk or 0771 684 8894


More details in week or two

perform l8 at leverhulme youth festival


our youth group perform l8 did exceptionally well at the Leverhulme festival with their homelessness theme based play, getting particular credit for musical delivery


here they are outside the Gladstone Theatre

Friday, 17 April 2009


Invitation
Perform L8
Would like you to join their gang
For their
fund raising evening
On
Wed 22 April at 7 pm
At the
Belvidere Boys Club

(Miles Street)
for a preview of the play
Broken Promises
Plus
A showcase of talent
Refreshments will also be on sale
Admission by donation

Hope You Can Make It!

Friday, 10 April 2009

Dramatic Connections in the Dingle Summer 09…call for Directors




Dramatic Connections in the Dingle Summer 09…call for Directors
Ever fancied your hand at Directing?
Dingle Community Theatre are looking for people to direct 3 plays from their “Slice of Life” script-writing competition.
The plays are approximately 30-40 minutes long, written for a small cast, and will be performed at the Casa on July 1st, 6th and 7th as part of our “Dramatic Connections in the Dingle” festival, supported by Liverpool City Council.
We are asking would-be directors to apply by short letter (no more than two sides of a4) to The Secretary, 282 Beaufort Street, Liverpool L8 6UA or email to info@dinglecommunitytheatre.co.uk.
The letter should put forward why you should be given the chance of directing one of the plays.
It is expected that rehearsals would take place between late May through June.
The deadline to get your letter of application in is Monday 27th April 09

Sunday, 5 April 2009

u tube video of first Gladtsone Theatre billy fury play


found this clip on u tube of the first Gladstone Theatre Alan Bower Billy Fury Play: "Like I've Never Been Gone", produced by Dingle Community Theatre. Apart from the Gladstone Theatre, Port Sunlight, we've played at many theatres including The Arts Centre Myrtle Street, Unity Theatre, The Everyman (Youth Play "Only a Kid Having a Kid"), Playhouse Upstairs, as well as other venues like the Anglican Cathedral.