The Importance of Being Ernest – Cast and Crew – The Marlow Players

The Crew

Director	Jimmy Keene
Stage Manager	Graham Evans
Set construction	Graham Evans Elena Spisto Suze Ward Tony Bew
Lighting	Graham Everitt
Sound	Rod Paterson
Properties	Suze Ward
Costumes	Elena Spisto Gloria Kendrick
Front of house	Hilary Cox And members of the society
Posters	Brian Couling
Telephone bookings	Elena Spisto
Advertising	Brian Couling Maura Ross Olive Smith
Programme	Tony Bew
Transport	Alan Samson

	Graham Evans Stage Manager Graham has been with us for three years. As stage manager/set builder, he has been beavering away in the studio filling it with his set creations. This happy snap of him was taken just as he found out Jimmy had had another idea.
	Elena Spisto Costumes Elena is now a seasoned backstage organiser although she started on stage as Phillipa Haymes in “A Murder is Announced”. Once more she has been a hive of activity and, not content with organising the costumes, she has been our telephone bookings contact (at least one booking taken at the top of the piste in France) and assistant set builder
	Suze Ward Properties Suze has been with us since “Hobson’s Choice” and last played Madge in “Kindly Leave the Stage”. Another of the backstage crew not content with one job, she too has been helping out Graham building the set.
	Rod Paterson Sound Rod first turned his hand to sound effects in 1999 for “The Weekend” after his first and last appearance onstage in “On the Razzle”. Now he is our audio mainstay and works in conjunction with the stage manager and Graham “The Lights” in synchronising the production.
	Hilary Cox Front of House Hilary has temporarily taken over the mantle of Front of House from Olive Smith, who is having a hopefully brief respite. She last appeared onstage as Annie Boggis in “Accrington Pals”. Hilary is also organising the trip to France, so if she greets you in French, she’s just got the wrong hat on!
	Graham Everett Lighting Despite his youthful looks, Graham has been with the players for nearly 20 years, and this is a very old photo. He has been our main lighting man since 2001. He has acted on stage but prefers the anonymity and the view from the lighting box.

The Cast

(In Order of Appearance)

	Lane *Brian Couling* Brian is in his 15^th year with the Players and last appeared in “Acrington Pals” as Company Sergeant Major Rivers. As Lane, Algernon’s manservant, he has less lines than he had when he was running the front of house for “Kindly Leave the stage”, but that won’t stop him. Brian is a former chairman of the Players and now is reduced to counting the money and paying the bills at the end of each show.
	Algernon Moncreiff *James Taylor* This is James’ fourth 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 Charles in “Kindly Leave the Stage”. Like Jimmy, James has been itching to do this play for years and particularly the part of Algy.
	John Worthing *Dominic Walker* Dominic is a newcomer to the players but no stranger to the stage. Despite being recruited in one of Marlow’s many watering holes, his acting CV appears quite illustrious having appeared as a supporting actor in “The Power of One”, the 1991 Warner Brothers film featuring Morgan Freeman and dear Johnny Gielgud. He has since played lead roles in 6 staged murder mysteries for “Murder We Wrote”. Welcome Dominic.
	Lady Bracknell *Gloria Kendrick* Gloria has been with the Players since 1997. After a variety of roles from hat shop owner, through spy, put upon wife, retired actress, a bit on the side, murderess and most recently as the shining example of British girlhood in “Daisy Pulls it Off” in 2005, Gloria embarks upon the role of Lady Augusta Bracknell. Dame Edith Evans stamped her authority on this role, uttering one of the most famous lines in the theatre, and it takes a brave actress to follow in her footsteps.
	Gwendolen Fairfax *Sara Vaz* Sara has been in The Players for 11 years on and off but has rekindled her passion for the stage, appearing in the last five productions. As the Honourable Gwendolen Fairfax, she has had to adapt once more to a different role and genre. This is a play that Sara is also very keen on, so much so that she had her lines from the first rehearsal.
	Cecily Cardew *Pip Stacey* Pip started with The Marlow Players four years ago making her debut in “A Murder is Announced“ as Mitzi the maid. She last played the nurse-cum-theatre critic, Miss Brown, in “Kindly Leave the Stage”. She has worked in every production since her first appearance, mostly onstage, but this is probably her most demanding role.
	Letitia Prism Louise Green Louise last performed with the Players in the part of Dora, Lotta Bainbridge’s dresser in “Waiting in the Wings” in 2002. Another player to come rushing forward at the mention of “Earnest”, Louise’s enthusiasm is obvious. Perhaps she would not have been quite so keen had she known beforehand that she would be wrestling for the limelight with Tony Konieczny.
	Rev. Canon Chasuble D.D. *Tony Konieczny* Tony has been more of a regular performer for the Players recently although he joined us over 20 years ago. He last played Arthur Boggis in “Accrington Pals”. Canon Chasuble was not Tony’s first choice; he was very much minded to audition for Lady Bracknell, traces of whom you may well notice in his rendition of the dear doctor.
	Merriman *Tony Bew* Tony has not been on the stage since playing Henry Hobson in “Hobson’s Choice” in 2004 (not long enough, I hear you cry), but has been directing and stage-managing the last 4 productions. Another Player tempted by the part of Lady Bracknell, he has had to settle for showing off his ludicrous bugger-grips as Merriman, the antithesis of the cheerful country butler.