Noel Coward’s “Tonight at 8.30”
In his 125th Anniversary Year, The Players Theatre Company was proud to present Sir Noël Coward’s cycle of 9 short plays, written in 1935 and first performed in London in 1936.
Intended to be played in trios on successive evenings, they marked Noël’s desire to revive the dying art of the one-act play and to display, in multiple roles, the highly popular acting talents of Gertrude Lawrence and Coward himself.
Over 3 weekends, The Players Theatre Company replicated this theatrical feast: 9 plays, 19 actors, 74 characters, music, drama and comedy, laughter and tears- all in an intimate setting with audiences able to enjoy a G&T at their tables.
Family Album
Just back from their father’s funeral, the Featherway children cannot pull long faces nor feign regret for long. The last one to break into laughter is pious Lavinia, father’s companion until his death!
The Astonished Heart
In psychiatrist Christian Faber’s drawing room sits his weeping wife and his sad assistants, waiting for the siren Leonora. In four flashbacks the story emerges…
Red Peppers
Doing a song and dance act in a vaudeville theatre are George Pepper and his wife, Lily. They also have a genius for picking quarrels and insulting others!
Week 1: 15-17 February 2024
Hands Across the Sea
Lady Gilpin (Piggie) is so busy with social duties and gossip that she has no time for coherent thinking. She is set aflutter when her drawing room starts becoming increasingly filled with unexpected guests!
Fumed Oak
Henry Gow sits silently as his grumbling mother-in-law, his snappish wife and his whining daughter bicker over breakfast. There are changes afoot.
Shadow Play
On returning from the theatre, Victoria takes three Anytal tablets just before her husband enters and announces divorce plans. What follows is real life, a fantasy or a dream?
Week 2: 22-24 February 2024
Ways and Means
In a bedroom in Mrs Lloyd Ransome’s fabulous villa on the Cote d’Azur are heiress, Stella Cartwright and her husband, a gambler. They are plagued by debts and their prolonged stay at the villa is becoming embarrassing when fate offers a hand!
We Were Dancing
Set at a dinner-dance on a South Pacific island, where two married people fall suddenly in love while they are dancing – unfortunately they are not married to each other!
Still Life
The prequel to iconic romantic film, “Brief Encounter”. In a suburban rail station, Dr Harvey removes a cinder from Laura’s eye and forbidden love ensues. Follow the trajectory of their relationship over a year, against the backdrop of the lives and loves of the station staff!
Week 3: 7-9 March 2024
What was the experience like?
Audiences entered The Coward Club, a tabled seating environment with candles & nibbles! Take your wine (or Martini) to your seat, sit back & enjoy the atmosphere, and of course the plays. Enjoy 3 plays per night performed in front of and around you, listen to the live piano played by our Maestro.
“A beautifully performed sequence of short plays with great atmosphere and laughter throughout. All brought to life by fabulous costumes, wonderful staging and a brilliant cast!” (Audience review: Feb. 16th, 2024)
“A wonderful selection of plays, moving between the comic and poignant with a hugely talented cast and great acting, singing and dancing throughout. I loved the costumes and the cabaret style setting worked perfectly for the period.” (Louise B.)
What’s so special about “Tonight at 8.30”?
To use the words of Bloomsbury on publishing the scripts:
“Intended to showcase Coward’s & Lawrence’s talents, the plays vary in tone and provide actors with a mix of acting, singing and dancing. Running the plays in trios, what resulted was a sparkling, fast-paced and remarkably varied selection of theatrical gems, well-received by the audience and still enjoyed today”.
Gertrude Lawrence wrote to Coward in 1947: “Dearest Noel, wherever I go…all I hear is ‘please revive Tonight at 8:30!’”
Casts
Red Peppers
George Pepper – Ash Baker
Lily Pepper – Connie O’Donnell
Bert Bentley – Ben Sowden
Mr Edwards – Haydn Davis
Mabel Grace – Lynne Magennis
Alf – Andrew Peter Shaw
The Astonished Heart
Christian Faber – Paris Arnold
Barbara Faber – Sarah Howell
Leonora Vail – Connie O’Donnell
Tim Verney – Ash Baker
Susan Birch – Filipa Garrido
Sir Reginald French – Dan O’Donnell
Ernest – Ben Sowden
Family Album
Jasper Featherways – Andrew Peter Shaw
Jane Featherways – Sarah Howell
Lavinia Featherways – Lynne Magennis
Richard Featherways – Haydn Davis
Harriet Winter – Niki Lewarne
Charles Winter – Dan O’Donnell
Emily Valance – Jane Stokes
Edward Valance – Ash Baker
Burrows – Ben Sowden
Hands Across the Sea
Lady Maureen Gilpin (Piggie) – Niki Lewarne
Commander Peter Gilpin RN – Ash Baker
The Hon. Clare Wedderburn – Sarah Howell
Lieut.Commander Alastair Corbett RN – Andrew Peter Shaw
Major Gosling (Bogey) – Ben Sowden
Mr Wadhurst – Haydn Davis
Mrs Wadhurst – Sonya Boyce
Mr Burnham – Dan O’Donnell
Walters – Issy Bladen
Fumed Oak
Henry Gow – Ben Sowden
Doris Gow – Janine Wall
Elsie – Matilda Dowdall
Mrs Rocket – Jane Stokes
Shadow Play
Victoria Gayforth – Connie O’Donnell
Simon Gayforth – Andrew Peter Shaw
Martha Cunningham – Lynne Magennis
George Cunningham – Haydn Davis
Lena – Alison Moore
Sibyl Heston – Niki Lewarne
Michael Doyle – Paris Arnold
Young Man – Ash Baker
Hodge – Dan O’Donnell
Ways and Means
Stella Cartwright – Connie O’Donnell
Toby Cartwright – Ben Sowden
Olive Lloyd-Ransome – Sarah Howell
Lord Chapworth (Chaps) – Andrew Peter Shaw
Nanny – Sonya Boyce
Murdoch – Haydn Davis
Stevens – Ash Baker
Princess Elena Krassiloff – Alison Moore
Gaston – Dan O’Donnell
We Were Dancing
Louise Charteris – Niki Lewarne
Hubert Charteris – Andrew Peter Shaw
Karl Sandys – Ash Baker
Clara Bethel – Janine Wall
George Davies – Paris Arnold
Eva Blake – Alison Moore
Major Blake – Haydn Davis
Ippaga – Issy Bladen
Still Life
Laura Jesson – Connie O’Donnell
Myrtle Bagot – Lynne Magennis
Beryl Waters – Jane Stokes
Stanley – Ben Sowden
Albert Godby – Andrew Peter Shaw
Alec Harvey – Paris Arnold
Woman – Alison Moore
Bill – Dan O’Donnell
Johnnie – Haydn Davis
Mildred – Issy Bladen
Dolly Messiters – Sarah Howell
Creative Team
Director – Sarah Jones
Musical Director – Peter Dodsworth
Choreographer – Connie O’Donnell
Stage Manager – Jo Livingstone
Production – Lynne Magennis, Dan O’Donnell, Adrian Magennis, Jay White & members of the Company
Production Information
Performed at
The Library Theatre, Leighton Buzzard
Week 1 – 15th to 17th February 2024
Week 2 – 22nd to 24th February 2024
Week 3 – 7th to 9th March 2024