Getting To Know You...

We managed to tear The Gift and The Glory actors away from their hectic rehearsal schedule to answer a few burning questions...

Noel White- Tom

Have you experienced any outdoor incidents or misadventures in the past?

I went skinny dipping in a strangley quiet bay near Marseille while on a trip with a mate over 20 years ago, only to discover we were splashing about near the outlet of a sewage pipe! The moment of realisation that the warmth of the water was entirely man-made haunts me still.
[Noel]

In the early 90s my boyfriend at the time was a Derbyshire lad whow was into rockclimbing. He
took me up to Black Rocks in the Peak District, harnessed me up and tried to get me to climb an 'easy' stretch about four times my height. Half-way up I got completely freaked out and scared, threw a total tantrum and had to be hauled up to the top because I was too scared to do any actual climbing! [Nicky]

When teaching briefly, I took a group of children to an outdoor pursuits centre at Buckden in Yorkshire. Trying to encourage, I threw myself into abseiling- only to descend in jerks into the path of a mini-waterfall - to the cheers of the kids and other teachers at the top! [Anne]

My dog attacked a sheep and I had to rescue it (the sheep, not the dog). [Jim]

Jim Kitson- Jed

Do you have a favourite place in The Lakes?

I worked at the Theatre by The Lake in Keswick recently and for the first time experienced and therefore understood the appeal of fell walking. Standing on Latrigg in two feet of snow with Derwent Water and the North Lakes stretching out before me makes it my favourite place. [Noel]

Ullswater is fantastic- I had only ever driven through The Lakes, before managing to spend a weekend there. Fantastic! [Anne]

If you could go back in time 20 years and offer your character any advice, what would it be and why?

Have more sex while you're young...it dries up. [Jim]

In the words of 'Hey Jude,' "Don't carry the world upon your shoulders." [Anne]


Are there any similarities between yourself and the character you play?

Irreverance and humour as a default position; constant fear of impending old-age! [Nicky]

I'm fortunate to have a few friends I have known most of my life so can recognise the verbal shorthand that Tom and Jed share. Tom is more organised and emotionally steady than me. [Noel]

Too many. [Jim]

A tendency to think I've got to keep smiling in the face of disaster! [Anne]





















Nicky Goldie- Joy


What is your personal favourite moment in the play and why?

I like all the bits that reminded me of me- they made me laugh (mostly at myself!) [Nicky]

Singing 'I'll Fly Away'...amongst others too numerous to mention! [Anne]


Do you have any previous connection to The Dukes or Lancaster?

None, but happy to have now! [Jim]

I played Heracles in last year's Williamson Park production of Jason and The Argonauts, and returned soon after to play Slim in Of Mice and Men in the main house. [Noel]

I had a brilliant time rehearsing and playing in My Mother Said I Never Should! [Anne]

I was The Queen/Mum in the B.F.G. at The Dukes in 1900 and frozen stiff!! [Nicky]

The Gift and The Glory begins its run here at The Dukes on Wednesday 31st March at 7.30pm in The Round.









Anne Kavanagh- Lizzie

A Day In The Country...

Cast and crew wisely wrapped up warm last week, as they ventured out to Grasmere to try to get a feel for the sights, sounds and emotions they hope to translate to the stage in the shape of upcoming homegrown production The Gift and The Glory.

Tracing the same route as the characters take around Codale and Easdale tarns in the play, they wanted to see what it was like to 'walk a mile in their shoes.' All in the name of research, of course...

The Gift and The Glory opens on Wednesday 31st March.

Hello!!!

They've arrived!!

The Gift & The Glory actors Jim Kitson, Noel White, Nicky Goldie and Anne Kavanagh have rambled their way through the Lakeland foothills and arrived safely here at The Dukes.

After a swift meet and greet, cast, crew and staff sat down in The Gallery for the first read-through of the scripts.

Later, the cast joined directors Joe Sumsion and Louie Ingham for early rehearsals, and took the opportunity to practice getting to grips with some of those tricky high notes!

Get Your Rocks Off!!

So as the curtain draws closed on another production here at The Dukes following the successful February run of My Mother Said I Never Should, so opens another in the shape of early production on our new double-bill of plays The Gift and The Glory.

Set in the heart of The Lakes, designer Alison Heffernan decided she would use rocks as part of the set design to emphasise the feeling of the outdoors. Here at The Dukes we don't do things by halves, and so Alison and Production and Operations Manager John Newman-Holden ventured out to Ingleton Quarry to source some rather large boulders...

The Show Must Go On!!

Due to recent electrical maintenance here at The Dukes, Wednesday's matinee performance of My Mother Said I Never Should was shrouded in darkness. But the show must go on, and our talented and resourceful creative and stage team were on hand with head torches and emergency lighting (and a labyrinth of extension cable) to save the day, and see it go ahead without incident. Their mothers obviously told them to always keep a cool head under pressure!

Stage Manager Graeme, complete with head torch, collecting costume and props

Emergency lighting in the Ladies'!

Deputy Stage Manager Vicky (also donning trusty head-torch) carefully arranges props on stage

Graeme tends to a costume rail

'Careful!..' Vicky eases open a cupboard door on set

My Mother Said I Never Should enters its final week at The Dukes this Saturday. Tickets are still available if you fancy popping down!

Curtains Raised!

Rehearsals are over, the stage set and the curtain finally raised on Charlotte Keatley's My Mother Said I Never Should.

The early reviews are coming steadily in, and tickets are still selling fast as we near the mid-point of the February show schedule here at The Dukes.

And don't forget we still want to hear from you and any of your mother's wise (or pehaps unwise!) words of wisdom on our blog!

http://things-my-mother-said-i-never-should.blogspot.com/

New Menu!

Hi it's Emily! Been here at The Dukes now for 3 weeks. I'm currently finalising a new Dukes menu with the catering team at QSF. Culinary delights ahoy! Hopefully if you're popping into The Dukes next week you'll be able to sample it for yourself. Watch this space for more!

Emily, Bar & Catering Supervisor.

Season Launch

Last Wednesday we had The Dukes Season Launch, introducing all the work we plan to put on here this season. The Dukes Board members attended, as did many of the companies that are touring to The Dukes this season. Emily Coates, our new Bar and Catering Supervisor, cooked up some fantastic mixed canapes and by 7pm the bar was packed with everyone talking about the new season. Dukes staff and associate artists presented to the crowds, introducing and describing the work to look forward to.

A great night!

They're here!

The four actresses for My Mother Said I Never Should, arrived at The Dukes today for a meet-and-greet cuppa, first read-through of the play, and discussions with our wardrobe department about measurements for their costumes.

We all got chatting about 'What did our mothers say we never should?' - the main topic of conversation at The Dukes at the moment. We have uploaded the ladies' comments to our blog if you fancy a read. And don't forget, it's not too late to send us yours!

http://things-my-mother-said-i-never-should.blogspot.com/

No More Oz

:( So we have waved goodbye to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy, Toto and the rest of the gang. Oz has been wiped from The Dukes; the lights have come down, the stalls taken away and all the bunting taken down. At home, we have all started taking our Christmas Trees down too. Oh well, the journey was fun and we have our Dukes Toy Theatres up to remind us of Oz! Happy New Year, everyone.

The Dukes

We're Off To See The Wizard...

The Great Veaney, The Lion and Tim Mann took a bit of a detour on Saturday. On the way to Oz, they decided to go via Lancaster City Centre! And what a lovely day out it was... the Tin Man got the chance to enjoy Morecambe Brass Band, The Lion indulged in some flower arranging at Dalton Square Florist and everyone had a look at some of the bizarre DVDs on sale in HMV. They'll be passing through again tomorrow (19th December) so keep on the look out for their giant orange balloons. You may just be allowed to join the yellow brick road!

What Did YOUR Mother Say You Never Should?

We want to hear your memories!!

We had the design meeting for 'My Mother Said I Never Should' on Friday - the set will look brilliant, and we're all looking forward to meeting the cast. It came across in the meeting that the play is a lot about memories. It's really disjointed, not told chronologically - just like our memories are. And this is something Amy (director) and Hayley (designer) are focusing on.

So we are asking you, our audience, to send us your memories...

What did your mother say you never should?

Visit the 'My Mother Said' Blog to find out how to send us your memories.

New John Hegley Poem for The Dukes

I was so excited to receive a specially written poem from top performer and all-round good sport John Hegley (who’ll be appearing here in January). As part of our work to promote ‘My Mother Said I Never Should’, we asked a few famous faces to tell us what their mother said they never should do. And this is what John created:

My mother told me not to tease
my little sister Angie-Boo
but I contracted a disease
that meant what was prohibited
was exactly what I had to do.

Thanks John!

Maria Major, Marketing and Press Officer, The Dukes

A Very Urban Christmas at DT3

The Urban Crossover is back at DT3 for another spectacular urban music event for young people. The event will feature performances from some of the best young MCs and DJs in the North West. We are looking for more performers so if you are interested in getting involved and getting on stage come down to the workshops at your local youth club. Workshops will be happening across Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham so that no matter where you live you can come along and get involved in creating the Crossover Xmas party. All the info on how to get involved and the list of Youth Clubs to contact is here

Pom Poms, Knitting and Wheelie Bins

Hi everyone,

We've been getting very into our knitting up at DT3, and are well on with knitting the set for our production of 'It Snows', on at The Dukes next year.

There are 20 actors, 1 young technician, 20 knitters, a director, an assistant, a composer, a production manager, a creative associate, a wool sponsor, and umpteen volunteer pom pom makers! We're a huge crowd with a whole lotta wool; and it's such a nice feeling being part of such a collaborative act. We're learning lots from each other, sharing experiences and knitting our way towards what will be a really innovative story.

It's becoming such a journey already and hopefully the audience will feel the same when they see the show in Feb.

We meet on Mondays and vary our time together. We've danced, played winter sports games, run, skipped, hopped and even watched White Christmas (attempting a bit of ballroom....!).

We've shared snow stories, created toboggans, played with wheelie bins and learnt to skate on the most un-slippy floor imaginable!

We're working our little woollen socks off to tell this story to you in February.

Back to the knitting board...

Louie Ingham, Director 'It Snows'

My Mother Said I Never Should

We're all looking forward to meeting the cast for 'My Mother Said I Never Should'. They will be coming to The Dukes in January but what are they up to at the minute?

Josie Daxter (playing Rosie) is with Blind Summit Theatre at the mo, performing George Orwell's '1984' (pictured).

Anne Kavanagh (playing Doris) has just finished touring with the English Touring Theatre with their production of Steinbeck's 'The Grapes of Wrath'.

Only a month or so and they'll be in their pinafores rehearsing the lines of Charlotte Keatley. We should be getting some great pictures of them in costume in the first few weeks of rehearsals so watch this space...

Is That Really The Same Man!?

This put a right big smile on our faces!

So Noel White is at Theatre by the Lake in Grimm Tales, Andy Ashford is back down in London having a rest and Chris Jack has just finished working with us in local schools... but what are the rest of The Of Mice and Men cast up to?

Here, Stuart Robertson (who appeared as Candy in Of Mice and Men here this Autumn) is looking very beautiful and completely transformed into a lovely Dame in the panto at the Cochrane Theatre, London.

Here he is meeting Sir Ian Mckellen... how awesome, good luck with everything Stu! You make a gorgeous dame!

New Blog!

Welcome to The Dukes new blog! Visit this page to see all the backstage and behind the scenes info about what we are up to on a day-to-day basis...