Time After Time, the latest summer show from the award-winning Orchard Players, is a simple love story, says writer and director Bex Nicholls.
Boy meets girl, she has to move away, they split up, boy goes to find her, girl’s dating someone else who’s horrible but it all works out she assures me.
The story is told through classic hits from the 1970s and 1980s. Pulling the show together was a big eye opener, laughs first-time director Bex, who’s been helped by Cheryll Burton and Linda Garrad, plus Orchard Players’ dependable musical director Maria King.
Bex has been with the Capel St Mary-based group for 23 years, starting off as a dancer before taking on choreography duties too.
She’s written small bits for another group but this is her first time scripting a full-length tale for the Players.
“It took quite a while. I chose the songs first and fit the story around them. The original song line-up is not a lot like the final line-up. There were quite a few tweaks. There were so many songs from these two decades which were just amazing - I had like a list of about 50 songs.”
These include everything from September and Your Song to Ballroom Blitz and Footloose. Naturally, there’s a lot of dance numbers with six people putting the 30-strong cast of nine to 70 year olds through their paces.
“It’s really difficult to put a show like this together. Rehearsals started back at the end of February and we’ve been solid at it ever since,” says Cheryll.
“I’ve pushed this cast really hard,” adds Bex, inspired by the musical Rock of Ages more than Grease. “There’s dancing, dialogue with lots of laughs, more than 30 songs...”
“The cast have worked so hard and I think that energy comes across. The show is so energetic, action packed; you come off stage and you’re gasping for breath.”
• Time After Time, by the Orchard Players, runs July 6-8 at Capel St Mary Village Hall. Tickets are £8 adults, £6 concessions and £5 children. They are available by calling 07933 292175.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here