Our Recent Show
In November 2021 we revived Journey’s End to celebrate Armistice Day (Poppy Day) in the new Esher Theatre, in Surrey.
JOURNEY’S END
by R.C. Sherriff
An extraordinary, gripping production of a great anti-war classic, full of beautifully observed humanity: Set in the trenches during the First World War, this story plays out in a dugout over four days, from 18th March to 21st March 1918, during the run-up to the last major German offensive of the War.
Click to watch the video trailer!
About Journey’s End
Five British officers are preparing apprehensively for the upcoming attack. Raleigh, an eighteen-year-old officer fresh out of English public school, joins the company of his friend and cricketing hero Captain Stanhope and finds him dramatically changed. Osborne, the 2nd in command, is a middle-aged public school teacher and father figure. Trotter, who has worked his way up through the ranks, has a drily humorous response to the officers’ situation, whilst Hibbert reveals a ‘less than British’ attitude to their predicament.
Production Photos 2021
Production Photos 2018
We’re part of the inaugural season of the newly restored Esher Theatre; a stage where RC Sherriff himself trod the boards.
We also helped to raise funds for SSAFA and the RBL.
About RC Sherriff
R. C. Sherriff was born on 6th June 1896 in Hampton Wick. He was educated at Kingston Grammar School from 1905-1913 and considered going up to Oxford but decided he could not afford to, and instead began employment at the Sun Insurance Company, where his father and grandfather had worked.
Audience Quotes
To see all of the comments follow this link.
“We left the theatre so stunned by what we had witnessed, my wife and I hardly spoke on the drive home. Magnificently performed by the cast, tragic, poignant and heart-rending were just some of the words that eventually came to mind. I’d recommend it to anyone… GA “
“Very impressed” ,”Brilliant” , “Beautifully directed” , “I was gripped all night” , “So professional” , “A pulsating drama …” (various)
“Absolutely amazing performance. Blown away by the ending. So moving and poignant. Wow!!” AP [Ann Pickering]
“The play was awesome. VERY well done. All extremely moving. You should be in the West end.” MM
“This was an extremely moving production and performance from a highly talented company.” Prof. A. Bowman [Glasgow University]
Previous Productions
In the summer of 2021 we teamed up with Close Quarter Productions to present:
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
Three Comedy-Dramas by Giles Cole
The Weatherman – Still Dancers – An Occasional Cup of Tea
Directed by Graham Pountney with Hilary Townley, Nicholas Day, Catharine Humphrys and Graham Pountney
Nominated for Outstanding Theatre Award, Brighton Fringe 2021
A Comedy-Drama, direct from the Brighton Fringe Festival 2021.
“Delightful vignettes of reminiscences and regrets, forgetfulness and the future.”
Richard Bect, Broadway Baby
This three-act Chekhovian elegy for the dance of age is in a league of its own. A superb play, it should be, as one director present said, in the West End. Some of the finest acting I’ve seen at the Fringe.”
Simon Jenner, Fringe Review
A delicious chance to enjoy three linked short plays – where time has a habit of taking its revenges… and having the last laugh!
Chuckles, belly-laughs, whimsy, pathos and shocks – not to mention the revival of The Weatherman – last seen hilariously in 2019!
Keep an eye out for squalls of laughter when we meet the wives!
After All These Years is a trim three-act comedy play developed from the acclaimed one-act comedy The Weatherman.
Alf and Joan, Charlie and Marianne are two former showbiz couples whose later years leave much to be desired. Time takes its revenges. Secrets will out.
And just how well do they know each other after all these years?
In 2019, under the title
Summer Love we presented a lively selection of three short plays.
Click on the linked titles above to see a taster video clip of each play.
There were two very special ones by Anthony Minghella, (writer/director of the film The English Patient): Hang Up – a captivating two-hander between two long-distant lovers and Days Like These – a riveting monologue of reminiscence. The third play was The Weatherman by new writer Giles Cole; a laugh-out-loud contemplation of love in the third age! Graham Pountney directed a wonderfully focused evening, featuring Virginia Stride, Rupert Bates, Alex Mircica and Pamela Donald.
Who Are We?
We’re a young, professional Theatre Company from Ryde, Isle of Wight.
We serve the local area with revivals of popular, entertaining and thought-provoking theatre!
We use local talent back-stage and on-stage and we’re bringing back into the community an opportunity for audiences to enjoy seasonal, affordable theatre productions.
Come and see our exciting shows!
We are a not-for-profit, professional Theatre Company, serving the local community with popular, entertaining and thought-provoking theatre. We also use local talent backstage and on-stage, and are bringing seasonal repertory theatre back into fashion! You’ll have a great evening!
Our Partners
Where Are We?
Our Venues
Minghella Theatre, Quay Arts, Isle of Wight
Apollo Theatre, Newport, Isle of Wight
Esher Theatre, Surrey
Leatherhead Theatre, Leatherhead, Surrey
Our Vision
We are reviving seasonal theatre productions in the Isle of Wight, Surrey and the south of England because we passionately believe in entertaining local audiences, at affordable prices.
We present classic and culturally significant plays – as well as fun, poignant and diverting entertainments.
We are planning to present major shows on schools’ English and Drama curricula – and we’ll be running Technical Skills Workshops for young people in association with Theatrical Youth Training (TYT).
Our productions are always ambitious, popular and often thought-provoking.
Forthcoming Shows
November 11th – 14th 2021
Journey’s End
Esher Theatre, Surrey
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Graham Pountney
Graham is a Ryde resident, an actor, director, producer and communications skills coach. He grew up in West Byfleet and East Horsley, raised a family in Stoke d’Abernon and Leatherhead and now lives in Ryde, Isle of Wight with his wife Suki Turner.
With 45 years in the performing media his career has encompassed Weekly Rep and Repetory Theatre in the UK and International touring, working with the Royal National Theatre and in London’s West End.
He founded the British Actors Theatre Company in the late 1980s and was a founder and director of The Original Shakespeare Company in the 1990s performing before Her Majesty the Queen in the opening ceremony of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Graham was recently the Associate Artistic Director of the Leatherhead Theatre Rep Company. He has been creating, producing and directing plays, films, workshops, radio programmes and fundraising ‘edutainments’ for many years and continues to work as an actor exploring new characters, with credits in popular TV series (eg Howards Way, Life Begins, New Tricks, Hustle, etc).
