Nevilles Island by Tim Firth: Riverside Drama Company

Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Maverickme

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RIVERSIDE Drama Company are to perform Tim Firth’s dark comedy ‘Neville’s Island’ at the Duchess Theatre, Chatsworth Centre, West Gate, Long Eaton, NG10 1EF from Wednesday 20th - Saturday 23rd March (7.30pm).

Tickets for Neville’s Island are priced £7 full and £6 concessions and are available via the groups web site http://tinyurl.com/cup5ldt from the Chatsworth Centre coffee mornings on Saturdays (10am-noon), or by calling 0115 9170327.

For their first production of 2013, Riverside hand over the reins to the men of the society who present Neville’s Island.

Laughs which come at a cracking pace in this dark comedy, which tells the tale of four middle-aged, middle-managers shipwrecked on a small island in the Lake District as part of a training event. We see their careers and relationships hit the rocks along with their boat as cold, hunger and paranoia kick in.

What should have been a bonding process for Gordon, Angus, Roy and Neville turns into a muddy, bloody fight for survival. Because when night settles in, strange things happen out in the wilds. And what took place on Neville's Island that foggy November weekend none of this particular middle-management team would ever forget.

Featuring Mike Evans as the hectoring, intimidating Gordon, Martin Holtom as patient Neville, the calm and reliable team leader, Paul Norris as the repressed Angus, and Dan Bates as Roy, the religious birdwatcher with a troubled past.

Director Rachel Kirkland says “With such a strong ensemble you will be captivated as you travel with them through a whole weekend marooned on the island. Bound in fog, menaced by wildlife and cut off from the world, this perfunctory middle-class exercise turns into a carnival of recriminations, French cricket and sausages...”

With a breath-taking set, featuring water, real life trees, amazing lighting and stand-out performances, this really is one not to be missed.

2012 was an extraordinary year for Riverside. They celebrated their 20th anniversary year by performing at the RSC Swan Theatre in Stratford as part of the Open Stages project to showcase the best of amateur theatre from around the UK. They followed this with a string of sold-out performances of the legendary Calendar Girls.

The group rehearse every Thursday night at Bramcote Church of England Primary School (7.30pm) and new members are always made welcome.

Riverside offer the chance for people of all ages, abilities and experience (or lack of) to try their hand at acting.

But for those who have no wish to tread the boards, the group also offer a wealth of opportunities to become involved with all aspects of modern theatre from backstage to front of house.

If you would like to become involved, simply turn up any Thursday at the Bramcote Church of England School or you can e-mail contact@riversidedrama.com or telephone the above number.