The Constant Wife – Cast and Crew – The Marlow Players

The Crew

Director	Gloria Kendrick
Stage Manager	Tony Bew
Set construction	Tony Bew Chris Richards Mark Woods
Hairdressing	Ciro Di Donna
Lighting	Graham Evans Andrew Dodds
Sound	Rod Paterson
Prompt	Wendy Gammond and James Taylor
Costumes	Gloria Kendrick Maura Ross Doreen Cartwright Stella Voaden
Properties	Wendy Gammond
Front of house	Olive Smith, Iris Plested and team
Posters	Brian Couling
Telephone bookings	Iris Plested
Advertising	Brian Couling Maura Ross Olive Smith
Programme	Tony Bew
Transport	Alan Samson

	Director *Gloria Kendrick* This is Gloria’s first outing as director and she has chosen a play in which she would have been well suited to play the lead. An ideal choice as she has a vision of how the whole, and each detail, should be played. The photo is superfluous as you will be able to spot her having kittens at the back of the auditorium.
	Sound *Rod Paterson* Rod first turned his hand to sound effects in 1999 for “The Weekend” after his first and last appearance onstage in “On the Razzle”. A techie through and through, he only found out last week that the production was in November.
	Lighting Graham Evans Graham is normally our stage manager and set builder, but work commitments have meant he has been unable to give as much time as he would wish to the job. Having erroneously appeared as “lighting“ a year ago he now gets to fill out the role for real.
	Assistant Stage Manager *Brian Plested* Brian, and his wife Iris, have been with the Players since 2002. Brian is an experienced back stager and has even had a dabble at directing. He has rarely been onstage except when the lighting team have caught him not as the curtains open! For this production Brian is bring papering skills to the set.
		Set Construction *Andrew Stafford* Andrew has been with the Players for more years than he cares to remember. During that time, he has acted and directed in numerous productions and last performed as The Dean of Paddington in “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime”. Andrew has kindly helped out papering the set with Brian.
		Rehearsal Prompt and properties *Wendy Gammond* With Wendy we’re in the middle of the hard core of Players from the last millennium. Wendy has had many roles both front and backstage, but I can’t remember when she did not play a woman with hidden depths. She last appeared as Lady Clementina Beauchamp in “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime”.

The Cast

			Mrs. Culver *Hilary Cox* A longstanding member and officer of the Marlow Players, Hilary’s involvement has spanned roles, serious and comic, leading and supporting, as well as backstage. She last played the part of Lady Windermere in “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime”. Here she has the juicy part of Constance’s waspish mother.
			Bentley *Tony Bew* Tony is the current Chairman of the Players and first appeared as Charles Condomine in “Blythe Spirit”. He has acted in and directed many productions over the last 10 years and having found a costume that fits, he’s going to stick to being a butler. He is also the stage manager of this production so he won’t be hanging around long on stage.
			Martha Culver *Pip Stacey* Pip has been with the Players for 6 years now and first appeared as Mitzi the mad maid in “A Murder is Announced”. Since then she has had a variety of roles including nurses, newly and nearly wedded brides, wards and daughters. She has even done a backstage apprenticeship in the lighting box.
			Barbara Fawcett *Maura Ross* Maura is one of the longest serving members of the Marlow Players. Her first appearance was in Not Now Darling, in 1975 and she has appeared numerous productions ever since. Her recent plays include; “When We Are Married”, “Haywire”, “Waiting in the Wings”, “A murder is Announced”. “Hay Fever”, “Daisy Pulls it Off” and lastly as Lady Julia Merton in “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime”.
			Constance Middleton *Jennifer Major* This is Jennifer’s fifth outing with the Players having first played the part of Maggie Hobson in the “Hobson’s Choice” and she last appeared in “House Guest” as the international journalist, Vivienne Norwood. There is a theme of independence that runs through all her roles that suits her admirably for the distinctly independent Constance.
		Marie-Louise Durham *Elena Spisto* Although Elena is now a seasoned backstage organiser, she started with the Players on stage as Phillipa Haymes in “A Murder is Announced”, and her last major role was as Miss Rosebud in “Cut & Run” in 2004. She has since been seen infrequently under the spotlight, but now returns as the object of John Middleton’s affections.
			John Middleton *Dominic Walker* Dominic’s first appearance with the players was as the eponymous Ernest in “The Importance of Being Ernest”. Since then he has been the male lead in the last three productions. As the distinguished surgeon, John Middleton, Dominic doesn’t have quite such a burden of words and he may have found an new niche, as a cad and a bounder.
			Bernard Kersal *Brian Couling* Brian is in his 17^th year with the Players and last appeared as Mr. Podgers in “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime”. Over these last couple of decades, Brian has missed very few productions and spent most of those as the male lead. Brian also does a great deal of work in the background as treasurer and general doer of deeds.
	Mortimer Durham *James Taylor* This is James’ fifth production with the Players, having first played Peregrine Ward in “Will you still love me in the morning?”, Ralph Catteral in “Accrington Pals” and, lastly, Algernon Moncrieff in “The Importance of being Earnest”. As Mortimer Durham, he is playing very much a cameo role compared to his previous outings. He is also, while not on stage, the prompt for the cast for the performances. Thanks James.