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A brilliant opening to the tour at Brixham Theatre - have a look at these photos! Pictures by Robbie Clymo, Cliff Luke and David Sneyd. Audience feedback has been wonderful, and we are looking forward to the rest of the tour. That includes Exeter, Budleigh Salterton, Kingsbridge, Torquay, Buckfastleigh, Kingskerswell, and London - you can check the dates etc (and buy tickets) at our box office HERE Pictures from David Sneyd Pictures from Robbie Clymo                      Photos by Cliff Luke                                                
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BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE We are celebrating our 20th anniversay, with a whole slew of great things happening for the team. As well as its summer tour of The Scarlet Pimpernel, featuring over 20 local actors and stage/costume crew, and 60 handmade 18th century period costumes made from recycled fabrics, the South Devon Players is having a very exciting anniversary year. The theatre company has signed an ongoing TV streaming deal with the channel Vomo, available globally on Roku and Amazon, and, as if that isnt enough, is also very excited at the prospect of its London debut in August, at a small but well known fringe theatre - the Etcetera Theatre. A key mission of the South Devon Players is highlighting the incredible talent and skills that appear in Devon based theatre, in exciting, engaging productions combining innovation with tradition, suitable for all ages and backgrounds. The public show tour dates are: Sat. June 13th - Brixham Theatre Fri.June 19th - Cygnet Theatre, Exeter Sat. June 27th- Budleigh Salterton Public Hall Sat. July 4th- Kingskerswell Village Hall Sat. July 11th - Stokenham Village Hall Sat. July 18th - Royal Lyceum Theatre, Torquay Sat. July 25th- Buckfastleigh Town Hall Sat. Aug 1st - The Etcetera Theatre, London BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE This show contains 60 handmade costumes created from recycled fabrics and materials, to historical patterns, ranging from court fashions of the 18th century, to rough street clothes. The South Devon Players places a great deal of importance on keeping productions “green” and eco-friendly, both for the environment and also for budget. Travelling is done by car share and public transport with props and costumes carried in holdalls on laps. The fundraising for the minibus to get the team to London was facilitated by Brixham Pirate Festival, allowing us to have our space for fundraising on Middle Street. The Scarlet Pimpernel is a drama of disguise, adventure, and conspiracy set between London and Paris, during the height of the French Revolution in 1792. Combining drama and humour in equal measure, this is a production of pure escapism and suspense. In 1792, at the height of the French Revolution, in Paris, aristocrats destined for the Guillotine, begin to be rescued, by a mysterious figure, who always eludes capture. This rescuer can never be found or identified, except by little slips of paper featuring the image of a small English flower, the Scarlet Pimpernel. Meanwhile, in London, Sir Percy Blakeney; who is widely known to be the leader of London fashion, and a carefree, whimsical fop, marries Marguerite, a beautiful, intelligent French actress and friend of the revolutionary government in France, while Citizen Chauvelin, an agent of the French government, arrives in London, seeking the identity of the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel.his is a drama based on the novel by Baroness Orczy and including wider historical and cultural research of the time. This setting is coupled with the South Devon Players core values of inclusion, leading to a show featuring a wonderful diverse cast and crew with a total age range spanning over 50 years on stage, with actors taking their first professional stage role, through to those who have been professionally performing across the UK for twenty or thirty years, all working alongside one another in a joyful creative environment, regardless of age, experience, neurodivergence, ethnicity or gender.  What a fabulous turnout and show fo Jekyll & Hyde at Budleigh Salterton Public Hall tonight. Every second was pure joy, our cast and crew absolutely rocked it. Thank you so much to everyone Photos by Sophie- lighting tech Experience adventure and drama, in The Three Musketeers , at Brixham Theatre! Brixham, UK17/10/2024  Experience adventure and drama, in The Three Musketeers , at Brixham Theatre!Brixham, UK –
Join us for a swashbuckling adventure suitable for all ages as the South Devon Players bring the classic tale of The Three Musketeers to life at Brixham Theatre! This thrilling production will take place on Saturday, November 9th, with performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. These performances launch the winter tour of The South Devon Players, from November to January across South Devon.Set in vibrant 1620s Paris, France: this adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' beloved novel, created by the South Devon Players, follows a young swordsman who arrives in Paris determined to join the Royal Guards. Faced with challenges and intrigue, he teams up with the King’s Musketeers to thwart a sinister plot against the monarchy, all while proving his courage and loyalty. With stunning costumes, dramatic sword-fighting scenes, and a fast-paced storyline, this is a theatrical experience you won’t want to miss! The cast of this show are actors of all ages from 11 to the sky's the limit, drawn from local towns across South Devon, at all stages of their careers as actors – from complete beginners making their first ever on-stage debut, to those who have been working professionally for decades, everyone joining together to make this show a reality. The cast have worked tirelessly from the end of the summer, using a local community centre to craft the show, hand make most of the costumes, design & choreograph dramatic action sequences, and create the stage set. All of this – and all the other shows and projects by South Devon Players - is funded by hand making and selling jewellery via a local coffee & gift shop the Crafty Cwtch, and sorting donated used stamps to sell to collectors on ebay. This production demonstrates the quality of theatre which can be achieved though ingenuity, dedication and creativity. Performance Details: Venue: Brixham Theatre, Town Hall, New Road, Brixham TQ5 8TA Dates: Saturday, November 9thShowtimes: 2.30pm & 7.30pmRun-time: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, plus a 20-30 minute interva lAge Suitability: Suitable for all agesTickets: £10 full, £8 concessions Available online at www.brixhamtheatre.co.ukBy phone: 01803 415987I n person at Brixham Theatre or Brixham LibraryContent Advisory: No nudity No strobe lighting May contain loud sound effects and staged sword fighting Please note: These performances will also be filmed for broadcast on a USA-based TV channel. Audience members will not be identifiably recorded, and camera operators will not obstruct views or enjoyment. What the Critics Are Saying: “Stunning performances and choreography” “Dynamic, dramatic, distinctive” “Seamlessly combining tradition with innovation” About South Devon Players: Founded by Laura Jury in 2005, the South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company is a professional, female-led touring theatre company based in Brixham. Specializing in dramas rooted in history and classical literature, the company creates inclusive opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to engage with the performing arts. The South Devon Players also provide educational materials and run training classes, valuing the social and educational benefits of theatre highly. For more information, please contact: Email: [email protected] Phone/Text: 07855 090589 Website: www.southdevonplayers.com Follow us on Twitter: @sdevonplayers and Facebook: facebook.com/sdevonplayers Join us for an unforgettable evening of adventure, camaraderie, and theatrical magic. Get your tickets today! NOTES TO EDITOR: Photos: Attached (in Googledrive) https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qhoKDTbHo_kW-1t7PMaD5TsavLBwSiZk?usp=sharing Folder of our posters Folder of Rehearsal photographs =- actors names roles left to right as image name. Photos by Laura Jury during rehearsals. Press release from Laura Jury, founder of South Devon Playersemail [email protected]  Thank you so much to YES Brixham for hosting us at the 2024 music and community "Yestival" at Brixham Rugby Club - we had a great showcase of the work in progress - the opening dress parade for our coming theatre tour of The Three Musketeers - worked really well, great audience feedback and some enquiries about getting involved with us, (and also a big thank you to those come came and bought jewlery from our fundraising stall).
It was a great windswept day and an absolutely brilliant showcase (Tour opening at Brixham Theatre in November then touring across Devon, and streaming on The MTS Network. show dates and tickets at https://www.southdevonplayers.com/box-office.html, ) #threemusketeers #brixhamtheatre #brixhamdevon #brixham #devonlife #devontheatre #torbaybusiness #torbay #actor #actors #actorslife #alexandredumas #britishtheatre #makingthingshappen #JoyfulMoments #rehearsal #swashbuckling 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.
 We are looking for an actor to take on the role of Quintus Arrius, plus some additional one-scene roles for our theatre production of Ben Hur. This is a touring theatre show (touring the southwest of England), on our biggest tour ever, set in the 1st Century Roman Empire, based on the novel by Lew Wallace.
Covid Safety Covid safety protocols are in place for the rehearsals and shows, in line with that provided by Equity. All actors and crew are asked to test themselves before attending. We keep a good airflow through the rehearsal space at all times, and the director & fight trainer together disinfect the space (a rented community centre room) thoroughly before the rest of cast and crew arrive, ahead of each session. Actor's roles: Recasting Quintus Arrius. Quintus Arrius is a pivotal character in the story of Ben Hur. Arrius is the Roman naval commander who is rescued during a sea battle by Judah Ben Hur, and later frees, and adopts Judah. The original character in the story is male although the original actor playing the role with us was female, so the casting is genderblind and based purely on "rightness for the part". Age is unimportant, we are ideally looking for late thirties up to seventies, but happy to be flexible. It is not a role suitable for a child. As with the majority of actors in our show, the actor will also be asked to take on small additional roles in the show. The main scenes are below. FULL speaking scene list for this actor - (As Roman soldier): The arrest of Judah Ben Hur & family - ( As Quintus Arrius): Arrival at the port in Misenum - ( As Quintus Arrius): The Roman Galley - ( As Quintus Arrius): The Sea Battle - ( As Quintus Arrius): meeting Emperor Tiberias in Rome - (As gladiator): The Roman Games in Jerusalem - ( As Quintus Arrius): Final scene where Arrius reunites with the Hur family This role involves fight action (Sea Battle and Roman Games). Fight scenes are choreographed with out fight choreographer and cannot be "improvised" No scenes for this show involve nudity or sexual content. The actor must be based in Devon, UK (Ideally in the Torbay area) because of attending rehearsals in person. We are delighted to consider any actor who wishes to apply, regardless of ethnicity, religion, nationality, or accent. Script, costumes, rehearsal refreshments all provided. Rehearsal Dates & Location Rehearsals are already underway, and take place on a Wednesday evening 6.30pm - 9/ 9.30pm, and Sundays, 12.30pm to 4/ 5pm. Rehearsals are in a large community centre room at Chestnut Community Centre, 1-3 Poplar Close, Brixham, Devon TQ5 0SA. We expect 75% attendance for the rehearsals in which your character appears. For safety, we do require you to attend all mutually agreed fight calls for your gladiatorial scene. If you cannot attend rehearsals, you do need to let us know ahead of the session. Just as you rely on the other actors in your scene to be there to rehearse with, so they rely on you as well. (any absence due to Covid etc is treated as unavoidable and not treated as "missing rehearsals".) Ongoing no-showing may result in the role being recast Show dates Our confirmed show dates are as advertised on the left, with the note that we are in discussions about two additional performance dates. These would be either a Friday evening or a Saturday within/ close to the timeframe of the other shows. The potential locations are in Torquay and Exeter. Payment (financial) and remuneration (in kind) - Equal profitshare. This is the money we earn from ticket sales performing at the venues, split equally among the actors and crew in that performance. We do not deduct for costumes/ props/ rehearsals/ advertising costs as those are funded by selling second hand items on ebay etc. All actors and crew are given full access to the final box office sales reports from venues, for openness, in all profit-share situations. - Portfolio photos and videos. We always do costumed/ character photoshoots for each actor, to promote the show, which the actors are also most welcome to use in their portfolios, and we may also be able to provide generic actor headshots. We also film the show for streaming and online screening, all cast and crew are also provided with the footage for their own portfolio/ showreel use. - Refreshments We always supply simple refreshments at rehearsals and backstage. These are tea, coffee, squash and biscuits. - Spotlight eligibility Several actors have been able to get their Spotlight registrations at least in part based on credits working with our shows. A credit in a show with us, therefore, counts towards getting your Spotlight, if that is something you are working towards. NOTE: We are currently waiting to hear from the Arts Council re funding for full payments but as it is therefore we can only promise what we can guarantee. All actors and crew in our shows, join on a project by project basis, as self employed, freelance creatives, who must report their earnings to HMRC. The show is fully insured. About the director The show is directed by our theatre company founder Laura Jury. Laura is a freelance actor, as well as working with the South Devon Players as an actor, director and producer. She has been an actor since 1996, a director since 2000, and founded the South Devon Players in 2005, to make opportunities for local freelance creatives and those wishing to embark on a career in theatre. Laura is a member of the Equity trade union Directors & Designers committee. Laura is also autistic, this is stated openly in case it affects communication or why she may appear "different", but doesn't affect the creating of awardwinning theatre projects, and it does not affect the care and respect for the rest of the team! To apply Please email Laura on [email protected] to arrange an audition. Laura will ask to meet you for a face to face audition in Brixham, alongside Rich, the fight director, and some of the stage crew, as soon as is possible. This will involve working with some excerpts of the show script. We had a brilliant meeting with our volunteer Vikki, to discuss the launch of the test phase of our free inclusion project, Theatre Buddies, helping local people struggling with isolation and loneliness to access and enjoy theatre- and make friends.
The draft ideas are at https://www.southdevonplayers.com/buddies.html Due to autumn availabilities for Vikki, and Laura (group founder) being seriously ill and currently unable to take on extra things, Vikki and Laura sadly agreed that Theatre Buddies will publicly launch in Spring 2022. This allows more time for preparing the project. This is later than we would have liked but with illness and life commitments eating time this autumn, there has been no choice but to push it to Spring 2022. It will center around a befriender being available to meet with people who would like to attend our shows at the theatre but have nobody to go with and are anxious about going on their own. The befriender, Vikki, will provide that welcoming, friendly face at our shows. We are also considering having social meetups, maybe once every three months or so, where local people struggling with isolation, depression and loneliness, can meet up with others who have the shared interest of theatre.
 Great news! We are so pleased to be returning to the live stage this year, with our production of William Shakspeare's Henry V.
Yes! A theatre show, on an actual STAGE! - **AT LAST!!** Tickets have gone on sale at Brixham Theatre - you can book now at http://brixhamtheatre.uk (direct link at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/brixham-theatre/the-south-devon-players-present-shakespeares-henry-v/e-vpblzv) Brixham Theatre will have full covid safety procedures in place when it reopens in September 2021, and any questions relating to keeping your visit to Brixham Theatre safe, can be answered by emailing [email protected] |
This is our new format news page. To read all our news between 2010 and Jan 2015, please see our old format news page HERE The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company, is the trading name of The South Devon Players Limited;
Registered at Companies House: Company number 11569166 
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