After so many years of being the dutiful and busy vicar’s wife Grace is now bereft of husband, home and job. She’s always been feisty, not your typical clergy wife at all – and now she’s relishing her newfound freedom to say and do what she likes. But the return of her eccentric missionary sister Ruth brings disturbing revelations that force Grace to confront her husband’s ghost – and the truth of her marriage. Everyone has shocks and secrets – but throughout, the laughter constantly bubbles up. ‘It is summer in the garden of a slightly dilapidated Vicarage. Everything in the garden is not rosy’. “Entertaining Angels” began life by opening the main 2006 season at The Chichester Festival Theatre, playing to a record-breaking 26,000 people in just over 3 weeks. There followed a sell-out UK national tour playing to over 100,000 people. The play has just celebrated its 200th production and we are delighted that the playwright, Richard Everett will be giving a Q+A following the Friday performance on Friday 29th November. The Bible verse that discusses entertaining angels is Hebrews 13.2 which says, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” Where Did That Idea Come From? 10 Steps to designing a stage set – Kim and Peter, Entertaining Angels set designers, reflect on creating Grace and Bardy’s garden. Step 1 – read script, scratch head, take dog for a walk, drink large coffee. Step 2 – repeat above but substitute beer for coffee. Step 3 - write down what has to be present for the actors to tell the story. Step 4 – kick ideas around between us – are we doing an “actual” representational set or are we going for a more contemporary approach. This time its “actual” as it suits the story best – although a garden is always very challenging on stage. Stage 5 – Talk to Gilly the director about our general thoughts. Find out that she wants an actual stream with WATER on stage!! Step 6 – More beer. Step 7- Initial budget meeting with production team and treasurer who informs us that we can have about half of what we hoped for. Step 8 – Start creating a stage picture with rough sketches (Kim) later made into accurate scaled drawings (Peter). Think about a conventional image of a Vicarage garden but with a hint of some dysfunction. Step 9 – More meetings and discussions with Gilly and Graham (Sprout to his friends – long story) our magician of a set builder who has an unique talent for creating what we need from ”something I’ve got behind the shed” for virtually zero cost! Between us we devise a way of making a stream that flows without flooding the Electric Theatre. Step 10 – Meet with production team including lighting, sound and props – all important elements of the “stage picture”. After many adjustments and re-drafts Grace and Bardy’s garden emerges to compliment the fine acting of what promises to be a stellar cast. They are the stars – the set is merely a backdrop that puts you, our audience, in an old vicarage garden on a summer’s day. Kim Ferguson
Cast (Order of Appearance) Grace Caroline Whillans Sarah Sam Remnant Jo Amy Kaye Ruth Kathryn Attwood Bardy Neil James Creative Director Gilly Fick Stage Manager Tina Wareham Designer Kim Ferguson ASM Howard Benbrook Design Realisation Peter Elliott Production Manager Barbara Tresidder Set Construction Lead Graham Russell-Price Transport Graham Russell-Price & Set Construction Team David Hemsley Brown & Michael Burne Michael Burne Programme Tom Charlton Sound Phil Vale Programme Editor Gilly Fick Lighting Chris Goldsmith Photography/Digital Image Design Jonathan Constant Costumes Jane Hemsley Brown Marketing/Graphic Design Gilly Fick Properties Pru Harrold Company Treasurer Mike Dean Prompt Cheryl Malam Acts Act 1 A summer’s day Act 2 Two days later and 11 months later
A Quick Word .. I was recently being shown round the new London offices of the agency that handles the amateur and international rights to my work. Their Head of Acquisitions commented on how significant the amateur theatrical market is now and gone are the days when ‘the am drams’ were the poor relative of the industry. The commitment, expertise and very high standard of many so-called amateur companies are these days a match for, and even at times exceed, the work of established professional companies. Guildburys Theatre Co is no exception - in fact it’s a trail-blazing company with exceptionally high production values significantly contributing to the theatrical and cultural life of the country. It’s a while since I wrote Entertaining Angels and in spite of it enjoying productions all over the world, here it is finding another home on my own doorstep. For me, it’s a bit like a reunion of old friends (old not in the ageist but in the valued sense!) and seeing how they might have changed. I’m reminded how a play once written gains a life of its own and whenever it is performed the characters reveal their story in new ways that I simply didn’t expect. For this reason, whenever I attend rehearsals I always make it clear to the actors that I am there not to protect my play but, with their help and expertise, to explore and discover what I have written. Like many playwrights I realise I am the servant of the piece not its master, and merely a conduit to ‘somewhere else’. A play is a living thing and one of the unique gifts of live theatre is that no one production and no one performance is like any other - so what you see tonight has never been seen before and will never be seen again! I hope you enjoy it - and in particular enjoy meeting these delightfully eccentric old friends of mine. Richard Everett. https://richardeverett.co.uk Directors Notes Entertaining? Oh yes! As a director the search for plays to submit for selection is both a challenge and a delight; judging books by their covers - or in this case, play scripts - is not an option and it is a lengthy process. Cast size is always a consideration, and needless to say, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child with a cast of 30 didn’t make it. Staging requirements and a host of other criteria come into the frame. (A play with a stream? No problem!) It’s then onwards into synopses followed by the reading of many scripts; the process continues and what transpires is the immense delight of finding ‘the one’. It’s a friendship that leads to a passionate love affair, developing into commitment – and to something magical and lasting. It wasn’t difficult to fall in love with the play – it was inevitable. The themes are universal and instantly recognisable; they are those that we all experience in our lives - Love, Family, Belief, Bereavement, Conflict, Commitment and Relationships. As Grace’s daughter Jo, so memorably asks “Relationships Aunty Ruth - why can’t they be simple?” My relationship with this very special play has been a simple delight – a marriage of heart and mind in every sense. Thank you to my very talented cast, to my extraordinary production team, my design and build team and to Richard Everett for writing it – and for his tremendous support and involvement in our production of his play. We hope you enjoy your time in our vicarage and that you leave having had your answers questioned. Gilly Fick Director
I found it compelling on many levels. It is, of course, very funny indeed in places; but the underlying emotional current is wonderfully captured, and Grace is a completely believable creation. Part of the achievement .... is to have created characters who, without just being ‘attractive’ in a simple sense, demand to be taken seriously and - well, loved. I found it all in all a moving and impressive play. In Case You Were Wondering? Grace to Sarah : “Pax vobiscum” A Latin phrase that means “peace be with you”: It is used in Christian liturgies. The earliest known use of the phrase in English was in the 1810s. Bardy’s Sermon - The Parable of The Fig Tree. (Mark 11: 12-22) The cursing of the fig tree is a foreshadowing of what will happen to hypocrites. This parable of a barren fig tree is meant to teach a vital truth. Repentance is necessary, and it is possible with God’s help. He is patient and grants us time to change and bear fruit. Yet at the same time, none of us knows how much time we have left—so we’d better get moving! All leaves and no fruit? Gardening tips for aspiring fig growers Avoid water stress and don’t over-water Don’t use high nitrogen fertiliser Be patient - typically, a fig tree will not fruit until it reaches two years old, but it can take some trees as long as six years to reach the right maturity. Thoughts From The Vicarage CAROLINE WHILLANS - I love Grace and, to a degree, identify with her. She is comfortable expressing her opinions and has reached an age where she doesn’t mind what others think of her. The part is undoubtedly challenging. I love its acerbic wit and balancing that with the pathos isn’t always easy. The play itself has so many layers. The fact that the rehearsal room has seen so much debate is a testament to how engaging it is. AMY KAYE - Jo is a compelling character; she embodies a blend of independence and vulnerability, both tough and tender, often at odds with her family yet yearning for connection and I have relished being able to deep dive into such conflicts during our 8-week rehearsal period. Through Jo, I’ve rediscovered my love for acting, exploring themes of forgiveness and identity in a way that feels both personal and universal, making this role an enriching and fulfilling return to the stage. I hope you enjoy the show. NEIL JAMES - Bardy appears to be a model of urbane contentment, never happier than when he’s pottering around in the greenhouse or reciting scripture, but is he really at peace? The play draws you in with the angst and the joy we all recognise from our own family relationships, and then it knocks you for six with something you never expected. Just like real life. Having Richard Everett in the rehearsal room with us has been fantastic. Discussing what remains unwritten and unsaid, beneath the surface for each character has been a unique opportunity. SAM REMNANT – Sarah has been a delight to play. Throughout the play she carries so much inside—her grief, her guilt, her fear of not being good enough. She has made mistakes, has regrets, and she is deeply affected by her past choices. It has been a challenge to play that vulnerability and to step inside her, but extremely rewarding. She understands what it is to struggle and learns to embrace her frailty and her own humanity. It has been a pleasure to go with her on her journey. KATHRYN ATTWOOD – What’s not to like about dear old batty Aunt Ruth? Described in the script notes as “dishevelled” but with a “ natural warmth” she has been a joy to get to know. On the surface, a brusque, gardening-obsessed eccentric who has spent the past 30 years living and working in Uganda as a Christian mission partner. But underneath she is as full of emotion, doubt, anxiety and regret as any of us. Kudos to playwright Richard Everett for creating five fully-rounded and relatable characters that the cast and crew are all going to miss very much when our time in their company is over.
Photographs by Jonathan Constant
Happy Now (2023) Electric Theatre The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall Jamaica Inn (2024) Minack Theatre Guildburys Theatre Company has been staging plays in Surrey since 1963. Since those early days, the company has built an enviable reputation for high quality productions and well-crafted live shows. Our repertoire covers the full range - comedy, drama, farce, contemporary and classics. Spring and Autumn typically sees us at The Electric Theatre in Guildford, and in summer the venue for our annual Picnic Theatre production is at Merrist Wood just outside Guildford. Every third year we tour our summer show to the Minack Theatre in Cornwall - a truly spectacular venue and it is a privilege to be invited to perform there.. We have performed at The Edinburgh Fringe, Hatchlands Park and at the Guildford Fringe Festival and 2025 sees us perform in the Studio Guildford’s GLive - we hope that will become a regular venue. Interested in becoming a Guildbury’s Member or getting updates on our latest shows? Join our mailing list at: www.guildburys.com NODA was founded in 1899. It has a memebership of over 2000 amatuer groups and 1000 individuals. Members stage musicals, operas, plays, concerts and pantomimes. Member venues range from professional theatres to village halls. It supports the needs of youth and adult theatre, on and off stage. It’s magazine, NODA Today, is published three times a year. Read it for free at noda.org.uk The Guildbury’s Theatre Company is a member of Guildford Amateur Theatre Association (GATA), an umbrella organisation of local groups dedicated to promoting community theatre, raising awareness and encouraging involvement in the diverse range of performing arts in Guildford and the local surrounding areas. Productions take place at a variety of venues. Upcoming GATA productions are detailed below. For full information go to www.gata.org.uk Godalming Theatre Group - Cinderella 18th - 22nd December This amateur production of Entertaining Angels is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd Follow Us www.guildburys.com
Everyman - Spring Production 2025 from 26-29 – at The Electric Theatre, Guildford. Adapted by former poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, this is an Everyman on steroids. Ev is successful, popular and flying high; it’s his 40th birthday and he’s celebrating with a party for all eternity. But Death turns up - without an invitation - telling him his time is up. Desperately he embarks on a frantic search to recruit a friend – anyone – to speak in his defence. But Death is close behind..... This stunning adaptation was hailed at its National Theatre premier in 2015 for its sparkle, boldness and wit. Hold on tight - this is a darkly humorous morality tale for the Here and Now. Educating Rita - Spring Production 2025 from May 7-10 – at Guildford’s GLive Studio, Educating Rita by Willy Russell almost needs no introduction. Perhaps best known from the film adaptation starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters, the original play sparkles with wit and poignancy and is as relevant today as ever it was. In Liverpool, 27-year-old hairdresser Rita decides to finally complete her basic education before having children, as desired by her husband Denny. She joins a literature course offered by the open university and is tutored by middle-aged Dr. Frank Bryant, an alcoholic, debauched upper-class professor whose life has left him emotionally drained and totally lacking in self-esteem. Rita’s humour and determination to improve herself is contagious. She gives motivation to Frank, who helps prepare her for the exams to join the university, and be able to leave Denny. Will she succeed in the exams? Intimate, uplifting, poignant and very funny. Pride and Prejudice - Summer 2025 at Guildburys Merrist Wood Picnic Theatre from July 1619 “Delightful ... breathes life into the novel, transforming Austen’s wry, verbal humour into lightness and gaiety, while not overlooking the novel’s darker themes.” VANCOUVER COURIER More than 200 years after the novel first appeared in print, Janet Munsil’s witty, romantic, and ingenious adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved tale of the independent-minded Elizabeth Bennet and enigmatic Mr Darcy is remarkable for capturing the tone and compressing the complexity of the story into a fast-paced, funny, and fiercely romantic two hours on stage. Witness the unfolding of love, family dynamics, and the politics of marriage, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Merrist Wood House. Bridgerton with clothes on! 19-22 November 2025 – at The Electric Theatre, Guildford. Hangmen by Martin McDonagh. The last word in gallows humour. A killer comedy. It’s 1965 in some drab little corner of England, where Harry has the distinct honour of being both the second-best hangman in the land and the proud owner of a modest pub he lives above with his fretful wife, Alice, and teenage daughter, Shirley. Capital punishment has just been outlawed, and a local journalist comes looking for a money quote from the man who once oversaw the eternal rest of several hundred souls, give or take. Harry — blusteringly assured of both his moral fortitude and his rope skills — is more than happy to hold court. Chaos and the blackest of black humour ensues. Winner: 2016 Olivier Award for Best New Play.
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