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Posted: Wednesday 31 August, 2011
Bath's Next Stage theatre company will be celebrating this week's success down at the cliff top Minack Theatre in Cornwall with a comedy revival when they return to base at the city's Mission Theatre.
This week the company is performing The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in Cornwall and on their return will be raising their cocktail glasses to a revival of John Godber and Jane Thornton's Shakers Re-stirred.
The play first opened at Hull Truck's old theatre behind the bus station in Hull back in the eighties. It was the couple's female answer to John's hugely successful comedy Bouncers which had opened a year or so earlier.
Shakers was revived a few months ago and came to the Theatre Royal Bath as part of a national tour but is now in the experienced hands of young people from Next Stage.
The production opens at the city's Mission Theatre on Tuesday, September 6 and runs for the rest of the week.
The play's four cocktail waitresses work in a bar, where people go to be seen and in an attempt to try to forget their aching feet and the long night ahead they dream of very different lives while mimicking and mocking their endless stream of customers.
From girls on a dress-to-impress night out to lads on the make, all are fodder for the sharp observations of the Shakers.
The play showcases the talents of four of the company's best young actors and demonstrates one of Next Stage's particular strengths which is that young people can join the Next Stage Youth group from 11 years old, receive training at the hands of some of Next Stage's talented adult actors, and then if they want they can move on seamlessly into the adult company at 18.
The Shakers cast celebrates Lydia Cook's first adult production following her outstanding performances in such youth shows as Living With Lady Macbeth and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Georgi Bassil has been with the company for more than 10 years and this is also her first adult leading role and she is also now a tutor for Next Stage Youth.
Hayley Fitton is a Next Stage youth tutor and is involved every Sunday, along with Georgi, in working with the group's 60 youngsters.
Liz Wilson is a familiar face with the adult company and made her debut playing Lyra in His Dark Materials, a joint Youth and adult Next Stage production.
For this new production The Mission's versatile auditorium will be transformed into a snazzy cocktail bar with audiences welcomed by the Shakers girls when they arrive and invited to buy drinks at the bar and imbibe the atmosphere before the play begins.
Tickets, costing £10 and £8, can be booked by calling 01225 428600 or 463362.
Christopher Hansford, Bath Chronicle
25/8/11
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