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Haslemere Thespians presented a Staged of The River Line by Charles Morgan
On Saturday September 16th at The Staged play readings provide
an opportunity for both experienced and novice actors to work together to
present a play within a limited time-frame. The emphasis is on simplicity in
terms of blocking, props and characterisation. Mime may be used with regard
to certain props/movements. The actors carry scripts throughout the
performance. This gripping drama, revolving around three
survivors of one of the many escape routes operated by the French Resistance
during the Second World War for British and American airmen stranded in enemy
occupied territory, was sometimes so intense that the audience forgot the
actors were carrying scripts. The clever blend of appropriate costume and minimal
props on the Museum’s small stage enabled the audience to sense the dramatic
differences between the sparseness of the hideaway during the war and the
tranquillity of the English countryside in 1947. Alastair Vartan’s direction created just the right mood
during the play’s, often complicated, scenes. The actors delivered their lines with great panache and
this form of introducing difficult plays to a discerning audience is to be
encouraged. Another benefit of such an evening is the excellent
ploughman’s supper arranged and prepared by Rob Lloyd and Lian Barrow. CAST
Refreshments were available both
before the production and during two fifteen minute intervals.
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