Summary
Lloyd Bruce-Howard (Jed Marshall) is an eccentric, middle aged actor long past his peak but looking for that second chance. That chance might just have arrived in the form of billionaire-turned-theatre producer Mr Lupowski (Robin Johnson), whom Lloyd plans to charm into commissioning the work of old friend Brian McLeish and land himself the lead role. However his frivolous lifestyle manages to provide all manner of obstacles to his dream of returning to stardom.
Heavily hungover after a particularly raucous party, he finds his drunken promises are coming back to haunt him. First to come calling at his Hyde Park apartment is star-struck budding writer Nigel, a timid young man in perpetual awe of his idol Lloyd. Soon to follow is Lloyd’s clingy mistress Celia (Sarah Divall), a very world-wearied Brian, Lloyd’s ballsy ex-wife Angela (Amy Fitzgibbon) and her brash American lover Roger (Chris Barlow), a leaking pipe and a disgruntled Polish plumber Patryk (Patrick Haste).
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Cast
Chris Barlow – Roger McClain
Chris has been acting from the tender age of 10 and became obsessed with the stage when he was cast in his junior school’s easter production as singing cowboy Jesus. Since then he has gone on to appear in plays and musicals such as Oklahoma! as Curly, Grease as Kenickie, When We Are Married as Herbert Soppit and The Memory of Water as Mike. With the University Theatre Group has performed as Pip in Great Expectations (5 Stars) and Sebastian in Twelfth Night (5 Stars) and is currently cast as Joe in Keeping Down with the Joneses.
Sarah Divall – Celia Monroe
Acting started for Sarah when she was nine, after her parents decided that paying for drama lessons was preferable to another one woman play in the in the living room. Since then she has never looked back and has been involved in many productions, her favourites including Macbeth (Lady Macbeth), Twelfth Night (Olivia) and The Goblin Men (a touring TiE production in which she played a bright pink fairy). While at University she has continued acting, first as Adriana in The Comedy of Errors and more recently Mrs Sheinkopf in FAME. She is also working alongside Jed Marshall in Friends and Wellwishers an independent film and with the University television station on their medieval revenge drama Elfrida.
Amy Fitzgibbon – Angela Bruce-Howard
Amy has loved acting from around the age of 12. She had parts in several secondary school productions including Jan in Grease and Blousey in Bugsy Malone. Last year she continued acting at University and has since been in 5 shows with the Theatre Group society including Edward Bond’s Lear at the Nuffield Theatre in Southampton and has had supporting female roles in 2 original plays, Vindice and Ruthlessness, the latter of which she was lucky enough to perform for 3 weeks in the Edinburgh Fringe festival 2012 with University’s Theatre Group. She has produced a production of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors and starred as Lady Macduff in Macbeth. She is currently starring as Miss Sherman in a production of FAME with the Musical Theatre Society also at University.
Patrick Haste – Patryk Ozga
Since playing Zeus at the age of 11, Patrick has been a passionately committed actor, winning his school’s drama festival with an original play at the age of 14 and recitation competition at 13. Throughout his career he has taken on a variety of roles, sometimes within the same play, with great succes. His recent plays include Much Ado about Nothing (as Don Pedro), the Comedy of Errors (as the intimidating law-enforcer of Ephesus who wishes Aegeon dead – 4 stars) and Catch-22 (as Major Major, a grieving irish father and brutal military policeman – 4 stars). Always willing to contribute new ideas to any production he is in, Patrick is renowned for the intensity that he brings to every role he is in, however similar or different the character is to himself, camp or macho, and he wishes to pursue a career as an actor at all cost.
Robin Johnson – Igor Lupowski
Robin has only existed on the theatrical plane for four years but with fourteen productions already under his belt, it’s safe to assume he has caught the thespian bug. Amongst these credits include roles in the iconic musicals Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd and Parade (4 stars), alongside a starring turn as The Producers’ Leo Bloom in the opening of a local theatre. When not pretending to keep in time with choreography, his acting roles include Joe Gargery in the University Theatre Group’s Great Expectations (5 stars) and Mr Kirby in You Can’t Take It With You. He has also made a recent stand-up comedy debut, and is currently co-directing a production of Keeping Down With the Joneses. When not under a spotlight, Robin masquerades as a Software Engineering student, although having thrived off the adrenaline of performances for so long now, he expects to end up in the performing world one way or another.
Jed Marshall – Lloyd Bruce-Howard
Jed is currently the lead role in an independent film production Friends and well-wishers; a dark comedy drama, co-directing a production of Keeping down with the Joneses and is in the planning stages of directing Marat/Sade in the University’s theatre. Recently he played the lead role Anthipholus of Syracuse in Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors (4 Stars) and has directed, written and starred in a sell-out comedy sketch show Clusterf**k (4 Stars). In his teens he has performed in the musical Smokey Joe’s Café and as Irwin in a reduced production of The History Boys. His no-holds-barred and energetic performance style makes him an instantly memorable and recognisable actor, he takes an intensive professional attitude to all attitudes of life and has ambitions to pursue a career in comedy writing and performance.
Caitlin Meredith – Julia Bevan
Although Caitlin’s first exposure to theatre was being cast as a ‘Tree 2’ in the local church pantomime, she likes to think she has since refined her acting craft. During her time at secondary school she stared as Mrs Peterson in the musical Bye Bye Birdie, Mrs Erlynne in Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan and Bottom in a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Newbury Corn Exchange Theatre. Aside from donkeys and middle aged mothers, Caitlin played the roles of Linda in Berkoff’s Dahling, You Were Marvelous and Mrs. Pearce in Confusions, by Alan Ayckbourn during her time at King’s College London. As well as performing in Southampton University Theatre Group’s production of A Comedy of Errors, Caitlin has achieved Distinction in grade 8 of LAMDA Speech and Drama examinations.
Luke Nicholls – Nigel Chapman
Luke began his acting career aged 9 playing the role of Jesus for his school’s Easter play, followed soon afterwards by The Artful Dodger in Oliver! He has performed in a wide variety of roles in the ensuing years ranging from Malcolm in Macbeth to Lieutenant Schrank in West Side Story, and Bosun in Return to the Forbidden Planet. More recent performances include Colonel Cathcart in Catch-22 with Southampton University, and Roger in Rent for Look Theatre in Wantage. Although Luke has had many serious acting roles he is very much looking forward to continuing his recent trend of appearing in comedies.
Peter Ward – Brian McLeish
Peter, or “Peewee” as he is generally known, is returning to the fringe for the third time this year, having previously Assistant Directed Lillia for SUSU Showstoppers, and last year starred in Good Grief for Gone Rogue Productions. He started acting with the Gala Theatre Stage School in Durham at a young age and has been performing ever since, racking up a number of musicals and plays that he struggles to count nowadays. Recent credits include “Thomas” in the UK premiere of The Boys in the Photograph, “Timms” in The History Boys, as well as directing the UK premiere of [title of show] and attending the National Student Drama festival as a member of the Festival Company. He aims to audition for drama schools in the near future.
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