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Habeas Corpus
by Alan Bennett
2nd, 3rd & 4th November 2006
at 8pm
Centre Culturel du Vieux Moulin, St Prex
Click here for photos from the show.
Click here for rehearsal photos.
This very funny, quick-fire, cleverly written play by Alan Bennett has been performed many times since its celebrated London première in 1973. It performs at two levels. First, it is a brilliant farce in the rich, slightly bawdy English style that has its roots in Chaucer, Shakespeare, Restoration Comedy and the raw turnabout laughter of pantomime. Second, it can be seen as a sharp satire on the sexual hypocrisy of middle-class society. At both levels, it is an extremely witty play that depends on Bennett’s skill with language. Come prepared for non-stop laughter at both the visual and verbal comedy.
Habeas Corpus is a joke in itself - almost every character in this play wants to have someone’s body. The two middle-aged male doctors can pretend a professional interest in undertaking ‘examinations’ - especially on young, attractive women. Their smooth seductive approach is offset by the gauche attempts of the younger characters to work it out for themselves - in various odd ways. Dowager-type women, who might be wives or lovers, refuse to be left out of the game. The pairings and couplings, discoverings and uncoverings, unfold and change with such rapidity that one wonders how on earth it will all end. The best thing is to come and find out for yourself, because this is pure theatre, a great entertainment impossible to perform in any medium except on the stage with live actors in front of an audience.
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The Cast
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| Dr Arthur Wicksteed | Ian Kirby |
| Muriel Wicksteed | Heather Gavin |
| Mrs Swabb | Pamela Jenkins |
| Dennis Wicksteed | Daniel Brigginshaw |
| Constance Wicksteed | Dorothy Brooks |
| Lady Rumpers | Elizabeth Sweeney |
| Felicity Rumpers | Penelope Moreau |
| Canon Throbbing | Davydd Marrie |
| Sir Percy Shorter | John McKillop |
| Mr Shanks | Christopher Jackson |
| Mr Purdue | John Middleton |
| Soloist | Veronica Marrie |
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The Crew
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| Director | Shirley Martin |
| Producer | Sylvia Rubli |
| Stage Manager & Props | Kees Langerak |
| Backstage | Mary Pivoda |
| Costumes | Shirley Martin & Carole Hetzel |
| Make-up Consultant | Sam Galtos |
| Lighting | Geraldine Coulthurst |
| Prompt | Mike Scott |
Publicity & Programmes |
Jo Greaney
Shirley Martin
Christopher Jackson
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Ticket Sales |
Vivienne Furtwangler
Jo Greaney |
| Front of House Manager | Derek Betson |
| Front of House |
Christa Baan
Alison Fairchild
Emilia Hablutzel
Carole Hetzel
Clive Martin
Hazel Moreau
Richard Powell
Ruth Preti
Liz Stewart
Charlie Sweeney
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