Who Saw Marjory Daw? - 2012 Outdoor Theatre Tour
Commedia dell'Arte! Physical theatre at its best!
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The Rudes' hilarious new summer play, "Who Saw Marjory Daw?" begins on Saturday 9th June and is a "comic mystery" set in 1968 London with lots of new songs and takes forward the characters of Gerald and Agnes Church from "Gentle Harry's Farm" as he gets involved in politics and she becomes a rookie reporter. Of course it will have all the 60's themes such as flower power, free love, fashion, astral flying, and so on, against a background of power politics, a dubious North African revolution and the Viet Nam war. The tour ends on Saturday 11th August.
The Story
It's 1968 and midnight as the printing presses of "The Daily Globe‟ newspaper hammer out across a misty Fleet Street. Press baron Murdo Denial calls a conference with his team. Rich young socialite, Marjory Dawson - girlfriend of Theodore Dorian-Ward, the charismatic entrepreneur and owner of the Magic Bus Company ("Expand your mind on the Kathmandu Trail!") - has gone missing. "Who Saw Marjory Daw?" suggests the editor. "Nice one, Simon! Print it!" And Murdo lights his cigarette.
No-one is listening, however, except the intrepid young press photographer, Trev Lovelady, as rookie reporter Agnes tries to explain that she has seen her – at Dorian-Ward's Park Lane HQ - a honey-pot for acid and free love, coming out of a bedroom - and not alone. On her arm is North African rebel leader, Colonel Musami.
With happy eyes they fly among cigarette trees and chocolate Kalashnikovs under a yellow sky. Is he really on an exchange visit to the London School of Economics to study librarianship?
Meanwhile in dark alleys lighters flare as murky figures in raincoats slink into shadows.
The critics
"Absorbing, layered and beautifully scripted. Modern comedies are routinely described as dark. The Gold Rush shows that today's taste for laughter tempered by grim reality has its roots in commedia. Fosca (Death) is the sole stock character who appears here undisguised, lurking halfway up the Golden Staircase to claim his victims. There is no happy ending, yet the triumph of this vibrant production is the lingering conviction that love, friendship, the stream of life and the human spirit all give Fosca a run for his money."
Jenny Gilbert - The Independent on Sunday - on 'The Gold Rush'
"It feels at once very familiar and quite alien, like a hybrid of kabuki and music hall...It's all done with great wit and invention, the action continually shifting from slapstick to more poignant and philosophic modes. Highly entertaining!"
Robert Shore – Time Out (‘The Wife’)
Tickets
Tickets can be bought online by following the links below. If there is no link or you do not wish to book online, then ring the Central Box Office. There are also walk-in box offices at many venues. Details for these can be found on posters near the venues, in parish mags or by ringing the Central Box office.
CENTRAL BOX OFFICE - 01323-501260
All tickets bought on the night are £13 for adults and £7 for children
'Note: The performance at The Abbey House, Abbotsbury, is hosted by St John Ambulance, Dorset, who have their own box office and prices.'
A wide range of concessions are available in advance from this website. Follow the links
All performances start at 7.30pm, except Michelham Priory (7.15pm).
| Kent Venues | ||
| Wednesday 13 June | RSPB Northward Hill, Cooling |  |
| Saturday 30 June | Fairseat Recreation Ground | |
| Sunday 1 July | Tayne Field, Lyminge | |
| Sunday 15 July | New Ash Green Primary School field | |
| Wednesday 25 July | The Castle Tea Garden, Whitstable (The Oyster Festival) | |
| West Sussex Venues | ||
| Sunday 10 June | St Cuthman’s Field, Steyning (Steyning Fest) | |
| Saturday 16 June | Mannings Heath Village Green | |
| Wednesday 20 June | Bignor Roman Villa | |
| Thursday 28 June | Dial Post Village Green | |
| Friday 29 June | West Chiltington Village Green | |
| Sunday 8 July | Halnaker Park Cottage, Halnaker | |
| Wednesday 11 July | Elsted Recreation Ground | |
| East Sussex Venues | ||
| Saturday 9 June | Crowhurst Recreation Ground | |
| Sunday 17 June | St Leonards Gardens, St Leonards on Sea | |
| Wednesday 27 June | Ditchling Village Green | |
| Wednesday 4 July | Filching Manor | |
| Thursday 5 July | Crouch Gardens, Seaford | |
| Tuesday 17 July | Little Horsted Primary School field | |
| Wednesday 18 July | Ringmer Village Green | |
| Thursday 19 July | The Green, Plumpton Green | |
| Thursday 26 July | The Croft, Hartfield | |
| Saturday 28 July | Southover Grange Gardens, Lewes | |
| Sunday 29 July | Southover Grange Gardens, Lewes | |
| Wednesday 1 August | Wadhurst Primary School field | |
| Thursday 2 August | The Tye, Alfriston | |
| Friday 3 August | Redlands, Vines Cross | |
| Saturday 4 August | Hadlow Down Cricket Field | |
| Sunday 5 August | Wivelsfield Recreation Ground | |
| Wednesday 8 August | The Star, Waldron | |
| Thursday 9 August | The Green, Rushlake Green | |
| Friday 10 August | Swan Meadow, Burwash | |
| Saturday 11 August | Michelham Priory, Near Hailsham | |
| Surrey Venues | ||
| Sunday 24 June | Hampton Court House School | |
| Hampshire Venues | ||
| Saturday 23 June | The Old Rectory, Droxford | |
| Friday 6 July | Selborne Primary School field, Selborne | |
| Saturday 7 July | Ropley Recreation Ground | |
| Friday 20 July | Conford Village Hall green | |
| Saturday 21 July | Hambledon Village Hall green | |
| Dorset Venues | ||
| Friday 15 June | Merley House, Wimborne | |
| Thursday 21 June | The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers | |
| Friday 22 June | The Abbey House, Abbotsbury | Phone 01305-751167 |
| Saturday 14 July | Durlston Country Park, Swanage | |
| Somerset Venues | ||
| Thursday 12 July | Tilham Farm, Baltonsborough | |
| Devon Venues | ||
| Friday 13 July | Plough Arts Centre 'Outdoors', Great Torrington | Phone 01805-624624 |
