Production Notes for Blood Beast Horror

Welcome to Mystery of the Blood Beast Horror of Wolfbane Manor Mystery, which my computer accepts with only a query on Wolfbane. Who says computers are more reliable than humans?

You may remember a couple of years ago we announced that we were looking for larger premises. Well, despite suggestions and investigations of various doomed premises, we drew a blank. Except that one plan, which we gave you a brief update on last year, did emerge: the new Seckford Theatre at Woodbridge School. I asked you to watch this space and it has all come to fruition so that it has allowed us to have the best of both worlds: retaining the main body of performances at the Sir John Mills, but supplementing the run with a week at Woodbridge in their 350-seat theatre. This should mean that we can soak up more of those anguished calls for last minute seats and access to the show when our SJM run has sold out, which seems to get sooner every year.

So if you’ve enjoyed the show and want to shout about it when you wake up tomorrow (we’d rather you didn’t shout when you leave the theatre) then give way to that urge, phone your friends and tell them they can catch it at Woodbridge.

But what a year! We presented three new shows even before the end of March: revivals of The Sutton Hoo Mob and East Anglian Psychos, and a youth theatre piece Idun's Apples, all of which were included in the gigantic Pride of Place Festival which was so stunningly successful. And before we had time to draw breath we were immersed in Renaissance Italy with The Anatomist and a two week run in Highgate, London and a final stretch in the old hangar at Bentwaters where the nuclear bombers tested their engines, the aptly (you have to have been there) named Hush House. Again the summer was barely over before we were overrun by Greeks and Turks for our adaptation of Louis de Bernières’ latest novel Birds Without Wings. Does this mean we’re abandoning our interest in the region? Not at all. Both plays were written here and fit our artistic policy like a glove.

Next year we have Peapickers from Coggeshall-born writer Nicola Werenowska and then Truckstop by Lot Vekemans, which although set in Holland, could be one of those diners you drive past on the edge of fens full of truck-drivers from Spalding. We are hoping to take this show to Edinburgh and across the country to further promote the name of Eastern Angles on a national stage.

At this point I usually thank the Angels who help staff the theatre throughout our season, but it seems churlish to restrict that thanks to Christmas when they have turned out for all the shows listed above, including Pride of Place, tithe barns and the Hush House, in fact anywhere we are promoting ourselves. We salute you. Without you we could not survive.

Once again thanks to Ensors, the accountants who have associated themselves with cowboys, high wire acts, vampires, earth wobblers, and now werewolves. No one can accuse them of lacking a sense of humour!

Enjoy.

Ivan Cutting

Artistic Director