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Ruddigore 2008

Ruddigore Poster, 2008

Related Information 

There is a cast Facebook Group for the show.

A note from the chair..

Hello, and welcome to Ruddigore 2008 performed by the University of York Gilbert and Sullivan Society! Despite performing in two Gilbert and Sullivan shows already I had forgotten how much work putting on a show can be. Thankfully we have a fantastically fun cast and directors who have made the past two terms go very quickly (this may not be a good thing...). In my opinion Ruddigore is the funniest G&S show I've been involved in and I hope you enjoy the show as much as we enjoy performing it. Oh yes.. and I'm the one in the purple dress. I expect extra-loud applause! Hello Mum!
Lauren Mathews

..and from the directors!

Directing Ruddigore has been, well interesting. Seriously, we've had a fabulous time and are still mostly sane. From the early days explaining the plot to the cast through the medium of puppetry to the last few hectic hours, the whole experience has been a rollercoaster of emotion - and everyone knows rollercoasters are fun, don't they?
We'd like to think we've done justice to this relatively, and perhaps undeservedly, obscure member of the G&S canon. We wanted to use this slot to explain some of our artistic decisions, but we reckon that if you don't understand them you can always ask us. We'll be lurking in the foyer, panic in our eyes and cheap whisky on our breaths.
Enjoy the show!
Andy Lawson and Chris Charlton

Directors' Notes

Andrew Lawson

Andrew has been in the society for the past four years and has performed in seven shows. He's worn a dress, held the roles of society treasurer and chair, and also passed out on the floor of an aftershow party. Clearly, these experiences melted his brain because, after skipping last year's summer show, he returned to direct Ruddigore!

Chris Charlton

Chris joined the society in 2001 and is still not dead. He found the experience of directing The Pirates of Penzance last year so enjoyable that he leapt at the chance to join the Ruddigore team. His experience has been invaluable to the young 'uns and if he is occasionally cantankerous if he is disturbed during his afternoon nap, a warm cup of cocoa and an ear willing to listen to his war stories always cheers the old boy up.

Fiona Constantine

Fiona is thrilled to be musically directing Ruddigore. This is her fourth year with the society and she has previously sung in the chorus, taken principal roles and nearly had a nervous breakdown as technical director. Telling people that she is MD has provoked the reaction, 'How much are you getting paid?'. Ladies and gentlemen, she is doing this purely for the love of the society. And thoroughly enjoying it.

Chris Armstrong

This is Chris' fourth year with the society, starting as a stagehand in 2005's Princess Ida. After slowly moving through various positions, he finally made the Technical Director position for last year's successful Pirates of Penzance. Occasionally he takes time off from this demanding job to try and complete a chemistry degree.

A Word from our Technical Director

Gilbert and Sullivan productions are some of the most challenging of all university productions. Working to create idyllic fields and magnificent castles, rocky mountains, and ruined chapels, or rustic villages and haunted portrait galleries, from practically nothing in only a few months is a tremendous achievement. From getting messy with paint to hammering nails, sewing costumes to wiring the electrical equipment, everyone in the cast and society has been involved in some part with essential aspects of production, without which, the show wouldn't look or feel half as good as it does.
With two massive sets to construct, ghosts to make appear and disappear and being locked out of the society's storage container (which stores all the props, costumes, and importantly, the set) until late December, this year without doubt has been one of the more difficult productions undertaken by the society. Being short on time, the cast and crew have built sets twice a week, sometimes encroaching on much needed rehearsal time, to finish everything on time. As this is being written several weeks in advance, we hope the extra effort has paid off and all that have come to see Ruddigore will appreciate the show both musically and visually, and will join us next year for more.
Chris Armstrong

Principals

Robin Oakapple - Thomas Newby

This is Thomas' fifth show with the society, and he's enjoyed them so much, he's tried to taint the memories by being treasurer. (Only joking - playing with money is fun!) It's been a challenging time, learning the lines, music and dances, but the most difficult part has been trying to write this mini biography thingy. He's studying Chemistry: chemist don't... full... sentences... deal... something...

Richard Dauntless - J Mark Pim

Having directed the last two society show, Mark returns to the stage for Ruddigore and is glad to find it's just as he left it. Taking his first lead tenor role, he has invested in some tight trousers for this show to aid him in those top Bbs and has been practising for his swarthy seaman part by whistling airs from HMS Pinafore and drinking copious amounts of rum. He apologises for his 'Cornish' accent.

Sir Despard Murgatroyd - James Duckworth

If you happen to encounter James, he will almost certainly tell you that he played Tony Blair on the London Stage in 2007. He will then do a brief impersonation before swamping you with reviews from at least six national broadsheets. Our advice is to nod, smile and back away slowly until out of sight. You should be safely away before he's even begun to talk about the time he got the better of Neil Hamilton.

Old Adam Goodheart - James Gaughan

James is on his third show with the Gilbert and Sullivan Society and enjoying every minute of it. There are suspicions, in some quarters, that James' calm exterior and professed diffidence are in fact a thin veil for the maniacal and egotistical core that emerges when in sight of a stage. This will certainly not be restricted in any way by being given a name like Goodheart.

Sir Roderic Murgatroyd - James Knowles

Returning to the stage after directing the summer show, and using his free time to attend the occasional lecture, we find James in Ruddigore playing an old, dead Baron. (So not much needs to be said about acting abilities here then!) All sympathy and respect goes out to the directors of Ruddigore, along with directions to the nearest mental hospital for taking on such a big task!

Rose Maybud - Emma Bradley

Having spent all year teaching, Emma decided that a classroom of students wasn't audience enough and she desperately needed to perform to a bigger (and hopefully more appreciative) audience. Moving away from the complexities of the periodic table she has embraced her role of Rose Maybud and traded her customary labcoat and glasses for the white of a wedding dress.. and a/any groom!

Dame Hannah - Lauren Mathews

After being told repeatedly that Dame Hannah was a "really, really" old woman, Lauren felt she needed a bit of a sit-down. Having played the roles of old men in the past, the female equivalent might have been hard but she was encouraged to embrace her inner matriarch. Not hard since she is now well into her third year watching the 'young 'uns' spreading their wings. Aaaaaaahh!

Mad Margaret - Freya Jacklin

When not leaping around with her pet bundle of sticks, Freya enjoys wine, poking people, chocolate cake, and generally being gorgeous. And shoes. Her ambition is to be the next Bond girl, but she wants Sean Connery to come back first. Therefore, she will be waiting a long time.

Zorah - Lauren Wade

Having been bitten by the G&S bug at a young and impressionable age, Lauren cannot express the joy she feels at having justified promotion (in the histrionic art) from chorus maiden in 'Pirates' to principal Professional Bridesmaid. When not flogging half price Chocolate oranges to unsuspecting members of the public, she can be found a-taking of her dolce far niente reading French, German and linguistics.

Ruth - Morven Hamilton

Morven sometimes wonders what she's let herself in for with university. In the space of a year and a half, she's been in five exams, four societies, three shows, two committees, and one cardboard box. Of all of those, she can really only explain her presence in the last one. (Incidentally, it was because someone said she couldn't fit herself into it. She proved them wrong.)

Production Team

Directors:
Andy Lawson
Chris Charlton
Musical Director:
Fiona Constantine
Technical Director:
Chris Armstrong

Crew

Technical Director
Christopher Armstrong
Stage Manager
Vinca Russell
Lighting Manager
Andy Vick
Sound Manager
Peter Harbottle
Sound Assistant
Sarah Case
Follow Spot Operators
Ellen Cain
Ian Shaw
Assistant Stage Manager
Natalie Rukuts
Set and costumes by members of the society

Cast

Robin Oakapple
Thomas Newby
Richard Dauntless
J Mark Pim
Sir Despard Murgatroyd
James Duckworth
Old Adam Goodheart
James Gaughan
Sir Roderic Murgatroyd
James Knowles
Rose Maybud
Emma Bradley
Dame Hannah
Lauren Mathews
Mad Margaret
Freya Jacklin
Zorah
Lauren Wade
Ruth
Morven Hamilton

Chorus

  • Men
    • James Butterworth
    • Jim Durdin
    • Michael Houston
    • Stuart Roberts
    • Bill Ruddock
    • Tom Straszewski
  • Women
    • Megan Bryan
    • Alison Foster
    • Karrie Liu
    • Lilah Longden
    • Emma Maksymowicz
    • Danielle Neville
    • Jackie Smithers
    • Ellen-Marie Winther
    • Esme Wise
    • Chi-Lin Wu

Orchestra

Conductor
Fiona Constantine
Violin I
Rachel Smith
Matt Ferguson
Violin II
Michael Sanders
Viola
Yonathan van den Brink
Violincello
Heather Laws
Flute
Alex Williams
Hanna Mills
Oboe
Tim Olive-Besley
Clarinet
Rachel Baguley
Jennifer Paley
French Horn
Alex Milne
Trumpet
Jon Tandy
Mark Wrightson
Trombone
Darryl Rayner
Keyboard
Koki Imada
Percussion
Adam Leith
Rehearsal Repetiteur
Koki Imada

Acknowledgements

We'd like to thank everyone involved in this production, and in particular:

  • Andrew Boyes of Boyes
  • The University Porters
  • The Willow Restaurant
  • Peter Kidd
  • Jolene Jessiman
  • Glynn Fieldhouse
  • all at Room Bookings and central reservations
  • Marilyn and Derek Spicer
  • Ken, David and all at Reprotech
  • Sam Bayley
  • the SU Finance Office
  • Lois Cross
  • Koki Imada
  • Theatre Royal Costume Hire
  • Your:Shop
  • Jane Wyman