Lindisfarne Productions present
No Sex Please We’re British!
Tuesday 3rd – Saturday 7th May 2022
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
No Sex Please We’re British!
Tuesday 3rd – Saturday 7th May 2022
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
Lindisfarne Productions are presenting the classic farce No Sex Please We’re British! – This once held the record for the longest running British farce with 6,761 performances performances from June 1971 to January 1987. Michael Crawford and David Jason both starred during its long West End run.
Peter and Frances Hunter live above the National United Bank, where Peter works. When Frances orders Swedish glassware she receives something quite unexpected. They enlist the help of hapless Bank employee Brian Runnicles to get rid of the “incriminating evidence”. Needless to say it all goes awry resulting in chaos and pandemonium.
What with mother-in-law’s, Bank Managers, Inspectors and unexpectedly guests and visitors all descending on their small domicile the Hunters have a lot to contend with.
All audiences have to worry about is laughing raucously at this hilarious farce directed by Steve McCartney.
Performances are nightly at 7:45 pm with a Saturday matinee at 2:30 pm. From Tuesday 3rd – Saturday 7th May at the Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea.
Tickets are available at the Cliffs and Palace Box Office or by calling 0343 310 0030
And also via the Southend Theatres website:
https://southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/tickets-no-sex-please-were-british-southend-2022
Priced £15.50 and £14.50.
Peter and Frances Hunter live above the National United Bank, where Peter works. When Frances orders Swedish glassware she receives something quite unexpected. They enlist the help of hapless Bank employee Brian Runnicles to get rid of the “incriminating evidence”. Needless to say it all goes awry resulting in chaos and pandemonium.
What with mother-in-law’s, Bank Managers, Inspectors and unexpectedly guests and visitors all descending on their small domicile the Hunters have a lot to contend with.
All audiences have to worry about is laughing raucously at this hilarious farce directed by Steve McCartney.
Performances are nightly at 7:45 pm with a Saturday matinee at 2:30 pm. From Tuesday 3rd – Saturday 7th May at the Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea.
Tickets are available at the Cliffs and Palace Box Office or by calling 0343 310 0030
And also via the Southend Theatres website:
https://southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/tickets-no-sex-please-were-british-southend-2022
Priced £15.50 and £14.50.
The cast in rehearsal...
Curtain Call
with Adam Mayhew who plays Brian Runnicles in the show
with Adam Mayhew who plays Brian Runnicles in the show
When did you start to take an interest in theatre? Did you take part in any productions at school?
When I was about 3 my parents started me up at Hildale Dance Academy, ended up staying there till I was about 15 learning modern and Tap. That is probably where my interest in theatre sparked from. In primary school we didn’t really have any productions however towards the end of secondary school I got involved in the school musicals, culminating in playing the role of Galileo in “We Will Rock You” which was a dream at that time.
Are or were any members of your immediate family involved in drama?
My Gran loved the theatre and was part of her local amateur dramatics group back in her younger years but only backstage. Other than that no, just me.
Have you done any sort of formal training for acting/singing/dancing?
As I mentioned I trained with Hildale Perfoming Arts Academy in Hockely for around 13 years. Once I left sixth form I went on to study Community Drama at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts obtaining a BA (Hons).
Do you have any specialist skills – anything from stilt walking to dress-making – which you work into your repertoire?
I am not too bad with accents and can pick them up fairly quickly, but other than that unfortunately no.
Which experience/role do you regard as the highlight of your am dram career to date?
Probably playing Hal in Lindisfarne’s production of Loot would be a big highlight as it was my first main role outside of school productions. Working with that incredible cast of local actors made it even more memorable. Playing Lockwood in History Boys as well will live long in the memory purely on how hard all of us worked in the cast and behind the curtain to make that show such a huge success.
What has been your most embarrassing moment involving drama, on or off stage?
I’m lucky in the fact that there hasn’t really been many embarrassing moments for me! Touch wood it never does but drama has a funny way of biting you in the bum!
How do you earn your living?
I work as an office manager for a Construction company in Brentwood.
Following on from the previous question, has your theatre career ever been useful in your day job, and/or have you ever drawn on your day job for any of your stage activities?
Not so much in this job, however in my previous job in sales I definitely think the ability to be able to ad-lib and think on my feet came in helpful!
Are your friends mostly involved in theatre - perhaps even working with you on a regular basis - or do you socialise across a wider circle?
No not at all. All of my friends come and support me but they aren’t involved. A few friends from drama school are still actively working in the arts, whether it be with their own theatre companies or freelancing, but my social circle is very varied.
Which actor do you most admire and why?
James McAvoy is someone whose work I have admired for a very long time. The versatility in the character work he has is truly staggering.
What role would you most like to play and why?
Francis Henshall in “One Man Two Governors”. I watched it when it came to the west end and fell in love with the play and that character. The comedy, the interaction with the audience, the sheer panic, everything about that part looks like such good fun and I think that you could do so many different things with the character.
Ever corpsed on stage? What happened?
The only time I remember was when in Loot, Keith Chanter who was playing Truscott had one line which was something along the lines of “being as useful as” and every night he would change it, without prompting. I remember having to hold back the laughter most nights.
Tell us a bit about your part in "No Sex Please We’re British!”
I am playing Brian Runnicles, Peter’s assistant and, in his eyes at least, friend. He is your every day, happy go lucky man who is willing to help always without any question asked, which in this play is his downfall. Try as he might everything he does to help always seems to make every situation worse. It’s very different from anything I have done before and I hope I have put a unique spin on the character. In other productions he is almost played very geeky, which I just didn’t feel worked for what we were trying to do.
Any plans for the future, after “No Sex Please We’re British!”
Nothing in terms of theatre unfortunately. When auditions for other productions come up and I feel like that is a bit of me I will of course throw my hat in the ring. Other than that is just planning for my wedding next year which will be upon me before I know it, I can’t wait!
When I was about 3 my parents started me up at Hildale Dance Academy, ended up staying there till I was about 15 learning modern and Tap. That is probably where my interest in theatre sparked from. In primary school we didn’t really have any productions however towards the end of secondary school I got involved in the school musicals, culminating in playing the role of Galileo in “We Will Rock You” which was a dream at that time.
Are or were any members of your immediate family involved in drama?
My Gran loved the theatre and was part of her local amateur dramatics group back in her younger years but only backstage. Other than that no, just me.
Have you done any sort of formal training for acting/singing/dancing?
As I mentioned I trained with Hildale Perfoming Arts Academy in Hockely for around 13 years. Once I left sixth form I went on to study Community Drama at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts obtaining a BA (Hons).
Do you have any specialist skills – anything from stilt walking to dress-making – which you work into your repertoire?
I am not too bad with accents and can pick them up fairly quickly, but other than that unfortunately no.
Which experience/role do you regard as the highlight of your am dram career to date?
Probably playing Hal in Lindisfarne’s production of Loot would be a big highlight as it was my first main role outside of school productions. Working with that incredible cast of local actors made it even more memorable. Playing Lockwood in History Boys as well will live long in the memory purely on how hard all of us worked in the cast and behind the curtain to make that show such a huge success.
What has been your most embarrassing moment involving drama, on or off stage?
I’m lucky in the fact that there hasn’t really been many embarrassing moments for me! Touch wood it never does but drama has a funny way of biting you in the bum!
How do you earn your living?
I work as an office manager for a Construction company in Brentwood.
Following on from the previous question, has your theatre career ever been useful in your day job, and/or have you ever drawn on your day job for any of your stage activities?
Not so much in this job, however in my previous job in sales I definitely think the ability to be able to ad-lib and think on my feet came in helpful!
Are your friends mostly involved in theatre - perhaps even working with you on a regular basis - or do you socialise across a wider circle?
No not at all. All of my friends come and support me but they aren’t involved. A few friends from drama school are still actively working in the arts, whether it be with their own theatre companies or freelancing, but my social circle is very varied.
Which actor do you most admire and why?
James McAvoy is someone whose work I have admired for a very long time. The versatility in the character work he has is truly staggering.
What role would you most like to play and why?
Francis Henshall in “One Man Two Governors”. I watched it when it came to the west end and fell in love with the play and that character. The comedy, the interaction with the audience, the sheer panic, everything about that part looks like such good fun and I think that you could do so many different things with the character.
Ever corpsed on stage? What happened?
The only time I remember was when in Loot, Keith Chanter who was playing Truscott had one line which was something along the lines of “being as useful as” and every night he would change it, without prompting. I remember having to hold back the laughter most nights.
Tell us a bit about your part in "No Sex Please We’re British!”
I am playing Brian Runnicles, Peter’s assistant and, in his eyes at least, friend. He is your every day, happy go lucky man who is willing to help always without any question asked, which in this play is his downfall. Try as he might everything he does to help always seems to make every situation worse. It’s very different from anything I have done before and I hope I have put a unique spin on the character. In other productions he is almost played very geeky, which I just didn’t feel worked for what we were trying to do.
Any plans for the future, after “No Sex Please We’re British!”
Nothing in terms of theatre unfortunately. When auditions for other productions come up and I feel like that is a bit of me I will of course throw my hat in the ring. Other than that is just planning for my wedding next year which will be upon me before I know it, I can’t wait!