Congratulations to all the winners of the Crescent awards 2012. Below is a list of these winners as well as some comments about them.
Production Design – Colin Judges – anyone who saw the set of American Buffalo could not fail to be impressed with the attention to detail that Colin brought to the show. Each night the set was smashed to pieces and yet magically recreated for the next show.
Costume Design – Stewart Snape – considering the number of actors and costume changes required in Grand Hotel, it was credit to Stewart to maintain a level of quality, glamour and invention to each costume.
Newcomer – Hannah Parker – Hannah appeared in two plays at the Crescent theatre this year and both times brought a sense of quiet authority to her performances, particularly for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.
Female in a supporting role – Elaine Griffin – Elaine took the difficult role of Estelle in Gabriel. An adult playing a child can always be tricky prospect and yet she brought a sense of playfulness and abandon to the part.
Male in a supporting role – Andrew Cowie – Andrew made the character of Tupolski the most sarcastic and scariest police officer you will ever likely to meet. You never knew which way he was going to turn.
Musical performance – Mark Horne – Mark took the role of Otto Kringelein and made it his own. The scene where he gets more and more drunk and sings his heart whilst straddling the bar was a joy to behold.
Female in a leading role – Tiffany Cawthorne – Tiffany‘s performance as Lesley in Alan Bennett’s Her Big chance was the first time she had acted out an entire monologue piece and she captured all the denial and naivety of her character.
Male in a leading role – Colin Simmonds – Colin brought to life the feral, scuzzy qualities of Teach and yet still managed to make him appear human even at his most desperate and violent scenes.
Best Production – Grand Hotel – An ambitious project taken on by the Crescent theatre company that was pulled off with aplomb by cast and crew.
Not forgetting of course all the awards given to all the backroom staff and volunteers that kept all the shows and theatre going throughout the year. Afterwards everybody relaxed and chilled out in the bar whilst listening to the Crescent Smooth band and reminiscing about all the great experiences and times they have had at the theatre.

The first show this season in the Ron Barber studio will be ‘Strawberries in January’. A modern romantic comedy, it is an interesting change for the Crescent theatre company. The original play was written by Évelyne de la Chenelière, a French Canadian playwright. It was translated by Rona Munro for a new version at the Edinburgh festival in 2006 but the French influence is still there to see as it displays a sophisticated, off beat edge.
At its heart, it is a straightforward tale of 4 characters that are all connected and how they all came into each others lives. One of the central themes of the play asks the question can a friendship ever become a serious relationship. Each of the characters is a dreamer in their own way. The play explores how we think our love life will turn out and how it never goes quite according to plan. Although there is a touch of whimsy and magic in the tale, someone always brings it back to reality. As one of the characters says “I just hate schmaltz”.

Last Saturday was the 2012 Crescent Awards Evening. This was a chance to celebrate what The Crescent Theatre has achieved over the last year. There have been a lot of interesting and engaging shows produced by the Theatre company. From modern character pieces such as Gabriel and The Pillowman to the American plays like American Buffalo, The Gin Game and Grand Hotel, as well as new adaptations of Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice.
Each of these shows has presented various challenges and what has been inspiring is how the directors, actors and technical crew have responded to these challenges. There has been an incredible high standard of excellence maintained throughout all the shows, something that both members and audiences have constantly commented on. The Crescent Theatre Company’s shows may be produced on an amateur basis but we have strived to reach a high professional level. It is this approach that has attracted new members and audiences to come here again and again. The challenge for the year ahead is to continue this effort and gain the theatre the recognition it deserves.

Strawberries in January

The familiarisation and audition dates for Strawberries in January have now been added to The Crescent Theatre website’s auditions page. You can also download a draft rehearsal schedule to check if the rehearsals will fit in with your summer holidays before you decide to read for the play.

I hope to see you there.

Andrew Cowie (director).