The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company News

Bringing Macbeth to a local school and an amazing day

23/2/2024

We have had an absolutely incredible day today at Brixham Theatre bringing a full uncut performance to TSAT - Brixham College students, of our production of Macbeth, this concluding our show tour since November;
Hearing from one of the teachers that this is the first ever experience of live theatre for many of the students, and then seeing (and hearing from the school staff) that the students really engaged with and enjoyed the show was one of the best things in the world.

Also, a huge thank you to the Brixham Theatre staff for making it run smoothly and welcoming the students and teachers- and also to the students for being so lovely! It’s been a huge success for everyone and an absolute joy for our team <3

Dragons Den...

4/12/2023

Last Friday we were one of three Torbay organisations pitching at Local Spark: Torbay Community Supported Enterprise’s Dragons Den event - with Lisa Highton, Laura Jury and Rich Sandford, for help with new portable lights , marketing & outreach with our shows and education work, networking, touring transport etc.
Many many thanks to all those who offered consultancy, introductions to places & people who may be able to help us grow, and all sorts of useful help. They will all get followed up with alacrity over the next two or three weeks.
Also a huge thank you to Helen Ambler, Community Builder for Brixham for the photo of Laura pitching - and to everyone there for making it a truly excellent, positive, supportive space.
Thank you again to everyone

Great shows and Feedback from Brixham Theatre

15/11/2023

After a brilliant run of shows at Brixham Theatre we are now going on to our sold out show at the Barnfield in Exeter, before coming to Torquay, Kingskerswell, Ashburton and Stokenham.
It is brilliant to also have multiple schools coming along and being involved, and to have great audience feedback from the shows.
If you want to get tickets to any of our shows, (obviously Exeter is sold out but the rest have tickets available) please pop over to our Box Office page for dates and booking information.

Review from Brixham Theatre - original post at
www.facebook.com/BrixhamTheatreCIO/posts/pfbid02UYZWJzpohKKMwKf6ewPj6BaHjXUTd8xL1vGrMWf1a8uimcAabwLdHvvC7FtVkXnhl

"Something Wicked This Way Comes” - Macbeth at Brixham Theatre.
From the first glimpse beyond the rising curtain, it was evident that this performance from The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company, Brixham would be a distinctive and innovative take on the timeless classic.
Firstly, I felt the need to point out the sheer amount of lines these actors mastered is truly commendable!
The portrayal of the witches was a standout. Cloaked in mesmerising costumes, they weaved through dramatic movements. The use of lighting throughout the performance heightened moments of mystique, mental wellness, violence, and atmospheres that remained after the curtains closed.
What truly set this production apart was the incorporation of dynamic acting in the aisles. This had the bonus of drawing the audience into the narrative with an intensity and unpredictability rarely seen in traditional renditions.
The talented cast delivered performances that brought the characters to life in an authentic and emotionally charged manner. Set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop, the play's tragic beginning and foreshadowing set the stage for the Macbeths' descent into madness. It added a layer of relevance, making the timeless text accessible and relatable to a contemporary audience.
A poignant moment was Lady Macbeth's rendition of the "Out, Damned Spot" scene. The actress brought a haunting vulnerability to the character, inviting the audience to empathise with the internal torment of Lady Macbeth's descent into guilt-ridden madness.
The success of the production was not only a testament to the talent of the performers but also highlighted the dedication of the volunteers at Brixham Theatre. Their commitment ensured a seamless and enjoyable experience, contributing to the overall positive impression of the evening.
In reflection, a quote from Macbeth himself comes to mind: "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage." This production not only embraced the inherent theatricality of the play but also left a lasting impression, a shadow that will continue to "strut and fret" in the minds of the audience.
For those yet to experience this riveting rendition of Macbeth, tickets are still available. Don't miss the chance to witness a play seamlessly combining tradition with innovation, and classic themes with contemporary relevance. It is a great performance for those studying the play in school or college, or as a refreshing take on a classic for those who enjoy Shakespeare.
Ticket purchases and futher details can be found at www.brixhamtheatre.uk
By Brixham Theatre's Writer in Residence Bethan Rees

A look at Macbeth and our lovely team on video

19/10/2023

Hello all!
We have two lovely videos to bring you. First of all is our lovely Sean, in rehearsals as the Porter last night and absolutely rocking the role.

Then, our lovely Michael, put together a video trailer filmed down at Battery gardens the other day.

Taking Macbeth into a local primary school

11/10/2023

Yesterday our Macbeth cast took excerpts of the production into a local primary school. It was an absolutely amazing lovely day. It is always great to work with such interested, engaged youngsters, and bring theatre, arts and literature to life.

Welcoming lovely Sue.

16/9/2023

A big challenge which we have had since the day we started is support accessing writing grant applications and networking etc.

With being one person doing all that, and the theatre company admin, while also being autistic and of a minority, Laura has found it largely inaccessible both in terms of time and in terms of people/ organizations/ funders making negative judgements on “someone different from them”, and her own social anxiety and c-ptsd. This has of course had a huge knock on to what we have been able to achieve for the amazing local people we work with. Appeals for reliable help on this, for 17 years, fell on deaf ears.

Now the lovely Sue Slade from Paignton, also mother to two autistic teenagers who often become involved in our shows, has come on board as Laura’s access support for applying to grants, networking and building up those things, and being that contact whom outside bodies for funding, networking and the arts, may feel more comfortable accepting..
Already on Day 1; two applications have gone off with another two in the drafting stage.

Updates from Les Miserables (2023)

27/6/2023

. So, it has been a really long time since we got to update this page. Our tour of Les Miserables through May and June gained fabulous audience feedback at all venues, excluding Plymouth which we had to cancel due to a bereavement on our team and an outbreak of Covid among the venue staff.
Soon after the start of the run, the director's mother passed away suddenly, and other cast members also had illnesses and family emergencies, so it was quite a trial of fire to keep the show running - however, thanks to an amazing, supportive team of people, we kept it running.
It has been an absolute honour to work with such an amazing team of people. We hope very much to work with many more times in the future and all of whom I would highly recommend as amazing and competent theatre actors and crew.
Phenomenal audience feedback for the show, building a real fan following for our work there too.

We are having quite a short turn around before we come back in for Macbeth,

Coronation weekend

9/5/2023

A huge thank you to a bunch of our lovely actors who braved the heavy rain to join in with Brixham Future's Coronation parade to promote our performances of Les Miserables - and got lots of interested responses! And then a huge thank you to the Crafty Cwtch cafe for being a great base for drying off and getting a hot cuppa. #theatre #acting #actorslife #brixhamtheatre #britishtheatre #actors #lesmiserables #lesmis #devontheatre #DevonActors #torbay #Coronation2023

A huge thank you to our long time friends and supporters The Naked Sheep Hayle. This amazing family owned company in Cornwall makes handmade clothing and homewares from natural wools, sold all over the country. They are now supplying beautiful handmade tea cosies for sale at our friends cafe (Crafty Cwtch, 66 Middle Street, Brixham. , to raise funds for us here at The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company, Brixham. Thank you sooo much Allie and Janet

Brixham Good Companions

24/3/2023

Thank you so much to a bunch of our amazing Les Miserables actors who performed work-in-progress excerpts of the show for a local befriending group in town at Brixham United Reformed Church of his lunchtime. audience feedback was phenomenal
Les Miserables: The Memoirs of Jean Valjean - the theatre show tour

Touring Devon in May & June 2023.
Brixham Theatre - May 19th -20th
Kingskerswell Village hall - May 27th
Plymouth Stoke Damerel Church - June 2nd
Exeter Barnfield Theatre - June 9th
Torquay Royal Lyceum Theatre - June 16th
Ashburton Arts Centre - June 23rd

Tickets & venue information
onhttps://www.southdevonplayers.com/box-office.html

Great showcase/ workshop, concluding the 2022-23 winter theatre school

17/3/2023

We had a great conclusion to the theatre school as the final session of the six month drama classes, in which most of our students and a couple of guests from our production or Les Miserables performed a monologue, which was filmed for their portfolios.

The theatre school will return again next winter subject to funding to cover the costs, with various other workshops etc before then we hope. Well done to all the amazing people involved tonight and a huge thank you to Brixham Theatre for hosting the classes!