Epsom Probus invites us to join with them for a trip to Sonning Mill Matinee on 12 November 2005. We will travel with Banstead Coaches for a matinee performance of Alan Ayckbourn's "A Garden Fete", from his folio entitled "Intimate Exchanges". Pick up at 10.10am in Ewell (Mongers Lane) in time to have a leisurely lunch at the Mill before the performance. All for only £38.50!
by ALAN AYCKBOURN
Sylvie is a round-shouldered and slatternly village girl who helps prim-and-proper Celia, the headmaster's wife, around the house. Devoid of self-esteem, poor Sylvie is taken advantage of by her chauvinist gardener boyfriend, Lionel, who constantly ticks her off for dressing like a "lollipop on legs" and tells her she must "buck up her ideas" if she wants to keep up with him.
Taking Lionel at his word, Sylvie sets about bettering herself. With the help of Toby the schoolmaster and Celia, she takes lessons in deportment and reading, to get her man. But doors open for Sylvie. Should she embrace her new-found life? Or reject it and throw-in her lot with that virile handyman and become a conventional village wife and mum?
A GARDEN FETE is one of a series of plays about a group of suburbanites written under the heading 'INTIMATE EXCHANGES'. The always brilliant Alan Ayckbourn, who never fails to delight Mill audiences, gives us two technically dazzling theatrical tricks in this funny and enjoyable story to surprise and enthral us until the last intriguing moment.
Eleven members and their wives will be joining Epsom Probus, a report will follow soon.
Sonning Mill
Here are a few words: from Gordon Mitchell Social Secretary for the Probus Club of Epsom It was a delight to see all the Ewell Probus members gathered on a sunny morning by Mongers Lane, Ewell. Safely aboard our Banstead Coach we cruised via Epsom Station and Ashtead onto the M25 andM4 and were soon picking up the cheery brown masked faces on the Sonning Mill Theatre direction signs. Soon the road became just a fraction wider that the coach and there was a final dramatic hump-backed bridge before we arrived at the Mill. We arrived early, so a little alcohol was enjoyed. It was a balance between this and joining the queue for the ascent up stairs to the dining room. At least we got to know each other, and another group from Surbiton Women’s Health and Beauty, before we got our buffet first course. After this, things got a little bit more civilised, and eventually we all made it in a relaxing and happy mood into our seats in the theatre. The Alan Ayckbourn play was a delight. A lovely script around a village Garden Fete, performed by only two actors, taking various parts. We felt a part of the Fete because of the intimacy of this small theatre.
