Tag: Chris Gibson

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REVIEW: MARMITE Theatre in Ladies’ Day, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York ****

Nicki Clay’s Shelley, left, and Gemma McDonald’s Linda in MARMiTE Theatre’s Ladies Day

AMANDA Whittington’s frisky-as-a-colt northern comedy-drama is on to a winner once more, this time trained by Martyn Hunter in the colours of MARMiTE Theatre.

Premiered by Hull Truck Theatre in 2005 to take advantage of Royal Ascot’s migration north to York Racecourse that summer, Ladies’ Day was last saddled up at Theatre@41, Monkgate, by Robert Readman’s Pick Me Up Theatre in 2019 with a cast led by the formidable female frontline of Rosy Rowley, Florence Poskett, Bromwyn Jennison and May Tether.

Lucy Beaumont, later to flourish as a none-more-Hull comedian, had made her professional debut as shy Linda in the Hull Truck show by the way.

Jeanette Hunter’s Pearl, left, Nicki Clay’s Shelley and Jackie Cox’s sozzled Jan in MARMiTE Theatre’s Ladies Day. Picture: Lucy Baines

Martyn Hunter had no hesitation in picking his principal quartet without auditions for MARMiTE Theatre’s second production, following up last autumn’s sold-out debut account of The Vicar Of Dibley.

Jeanette Hunter’s Pearl is on the cusp of leaving the Hessle fish-filleting factory where she works with food-obsessed Jan (Jackie Cox), diffident Tony Christie fan Linda (Rowntree Players pantomime goofball Gemma McDonald) and brassy, brittle wannabe celebrity Shelley (Nicki Clay, so splendid as vicar Geraldine in The Vicar Of  Dibley).

Readman had favoured two burgeoning talents in Poskitt and the now professional Tether, alongside Rowley and Jemmison, whereas Hunter banks on years and years of experience in his quartet, as Pearl heads off with the girls to Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot on the Knavesmire track for her “non-retirement” party.

Jeanette Hunter’s Pearl, left, Nicki Clay’s Shelley, Jackie Cox’s Jan and Gemma McDonald’s Linda hoping for victory for Broken Dream in the sixth race in Ladies’ Day. Picture: Lucy Baines

Matched by Hunter’s design switching from white tiles and work surfaces to the pageantry of the racecourse, depicted in scenery artist Lucy Baines’s Knavesmire mural, they transform from peaked caps and white wellies to their Ascot glad rags and fascinators. Like Cinderella, all they need now is a ticket to have a ball, whereupon Linda chances across a mislaid handbag with four tickets inside.

“It’s stealing,” she says. “It’s fate,” says last-chance saloon dreamer Shelley, and in they go, placing a jackpot accumulator across the race card with each selection picked for its Tony Christie connection.

What ensues is a comedy whose breeding bears hallmarks of both Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady and John Godber’s stable of fast and furious, physical, happy-sad plays, where characters look to improve their circumstances as the ordinary briefly encounters the extraordinary.

Trevor Britain’s world-weary Irish jockey Patrick and Gemma McDonald’s Linda, Tony Christie’s number one fan, in Ladies’ Day. Picture: Lucy Baines

At work, the girls gossip, tease, spark and spar to counter the monotony,  singing Tony Christie’s (Is This The Way To) Amarillo and Michael Jackson’s Ben, and dreaming beyond the Hessle hustle and bustle. On the course, they still gossip, tease, spark and spar, but Whittington’s broad, brash comedy is underscored by darkness, in part influenced by the prodigious intake of alcohol by all but Linda.

Each makes a startling revelation as the day at the races progresses and the accumulator wins pile up towards the climactic sixth race. If Broken Dream wins, they will take home £500,000. If not, their dreams are broken.

In Hull, York pantomime regular Martin Barrass had brought chameleon character acting skills and comic craft to playing all of Whittington’s roster of men, who each crave an injection of happiness in their daily routines.

Jackie Cox’s Jan listens to Jeanette Hunter’s Pearl as she reveals her secret in Ladies’ Day. Picture: Lucy Baines

Hunter makes the decision to spread the roles, being rewarded by colourful turns by Chris Gibson’s Joe, the Australia-bound factory foreman; Robbie Howe’s leery, jaundiced TV racing pundit Jim McCormack; Stuart Rae’s cynical ticket tout Fred and drunken betting addict Kevin and Trevor Britain’s exotically coiffured Tony Christie and wistful veteran Irish jockey Patrick.

Martyn Hunter makes a late cameo appearance as bookie Barry in the play’s most heart-rending scene with wife Jeanette’s Pearl, to the accompaniment of Westverse’s cover of Unchained Melody. Pearl, who has hidden a secret for seven years, brings out the full range of Jeanette’s acting, adding grit to the familiar sparkle.  

Cox handles the tricky challenge of Jan’s drunk-as-a-skunk  behaviour with aplomb; McDonald’s Linda, the quiet one with the troublesome mother, suddenly blossoms with new radiance; Clay’s Shelley is the tour-de-force standout, even more vulnerable than the rest behind the boldest of fronts.

Robbie Howe’s TV racing pundit Jim spins his yarn to Nicki Clay’s Shelley in Ladies’ Day. Picture: Lucy Baines

Hunter’s design uses York Races and Royal Ascot insignia, a railing and foliage to set the scene, while a television screen announces each scene change and the betting odds for each race. Look out for the MARMiTE name on the fish factory sign.

There is so much to love about MARMiTE Theatre’s version of  a play long established as worthy of the winner’s enclosure.  Should you see it?  You bet!

MARMiTE Theatre presents Ladies’ Day, Theatre@41, Monkgate, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus  2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

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MARMiTE Theatre’s racecourse comedy-drama Ladies Day comes under starter’s orders at Theatre@41, Monkgate

Jeanette Hunter’s Pearl, left, Jackie Cox’s Jan, Nicki Clay’s Shelley and Gemma McDonald’s Linda in MARMiTE Theatre’s Ladies Day. Picture: Lucy Baines

YORK company MARMiTE Theatre’s second production, Amanda Whittington’s racecourse comedy-drama Ladies Day, comes under starter’s orders  next Tuesday.

Rehearsals are in the final furlong for artistic director and company founder Martyn Hunter’s production at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, from September 8 to 12.

Premiered at Hull Truck Theatre in June 2005, Ladies Day’s tale of friendship, sisterly support and, above all, love follows Hull fish-filleting factory packers Pearl, Jan, Shelley and Linda as they embark on Pearl’s “I’m not retiring” leaving-do.

Out go the hairnets, wellies and overalls, in come the outrageous hats, high heels and posh frocks, as the four friends set off for Ladies Day at Royal Ascot in the one-off summer when the racing festival relocated to York’s Knavesmire course in 2005.

Jackie Cox’s Jan in rehearsal for MARMiTE Theatre’s Ladies Day. Picture: Lucy Baines

“As the racing begins and the champagne flows, we find out there is more to the mundane fish-packing lives of our four friends than we first thought,” says Martyn. “As the day unfolds and the races go by, we see their loves, losses and insecurities laid bare, but if their luck holds they could still hit the jackpot and a lot more besides.”

Jeanette Hunter’s Pearl will be joined in MARMiTE Theatre’s cast by Jackie Cox’s Jan, Nicki Clay’s Shelley, Gemma McDonald’s Linda, Chris Gibson’s Joe, Stuart Rae’s Fred and Kevin, Robbie Howe’s Jim, Martyn Hunter’s Barry and Trevor Britain’s Patrick and Tony Christie (yes, the South Yorkshire crooner).

Ladies Day has since spawned Whittington’s plays Ladies Down Under and Ladies Unleashed, but MARMiTE Theatre picked her original play as the racing cert for a winning production. “It was on our radar for quite some time, and then our hand was forced by not being able to do our second Vicar Of Dibley production, The Second Coming, as the follow-up to our sold-out November 2025 debut,” says Martyn.

“Or, rather, we decided not to do it, because the story of Hugo and Alice setting out on married life and parenthood was heavily written around the Christmas Nativity and the birth of their fist child.

MARMiTE Theatre artistic director Martyn Hunter

“We had permission from Ian Gower to adapt the script, but we didn’t think a September run quite gelled with a Christmas setting. Ladies Day was always in my mind to do and we knew we wouldn’t have any problems staging it.”

Last performed at Theatre@41, Monkgate, by Robert Readman’s company Pick Me Up Theatre in 2019, Ladies Day appealed to Martyn on several grounds. “Firstly, Amanda Whittington is one of the attractions because people know of the quality of the plays she’s written. Then there are the local connections: the four women coming from Hull, and York Racecourse – everyone of a certain age remembers Royal Ascot coming to York and all the chaos and opportunities that went with it!

“The  play also fits MARMiTE Theatre’s ethos of presenting light comedies, not deep-thinking plays. Audiences can buy a ticket, have a great time, go home.”

Martyn suggests audiences and actors alike are drawn to Whittington’s characters being ‘real people’. “Just to read it, it’s such a funny play that people can identify with, but then when you start rehearsing it, you realise they’re not superficial characters. They’re deeper than that, which is true to life. Everyone has a story to tell,” he says.

Off to the races: Jackie Cox’s Jan, left, Nicki Clay’s Shelley, Gemma McDonald’s Linda and Jeanette Hunter’s Pearl, front, in MARMiTE Theatre’s Ladies Day. Picture: Lucy Baines

York pantomime luminary Martin Barrass memorably played all the male characters in the Hull Truck premiere, but Martyn made the decision to divide the parts this time. “I’m glad we’ve spread them across five actors, who bring different qualities to the characters,” he says.

“I’ve looked at clips of amateur companies doing the show with one actor doing all the male roles, and often the actor looks ludicrous when playing the jockey. We have a guy called Trevor Britain in that role, who looks the part. He’s been in his local panto for years and has done a couple of shows with Escrick Monday Players. He’s the right stature, and even before opening his mouth, you think, ‘yeah, he could be a jockey’.”

Martyn handpicked Jeanette Hunter for Pearl, Jackie Cox for Jan, Nicki Clay for Shelley and Rowntree Players pantomime regular Gemma McDonald for Linda from “being in shows with them or seeing them on stage”. “I knew they were highly competent to take on their roles, and they all have that fun, easy-going character about them, which makes them great to work with,” he says.

“Rehearsing through July and August has been enlightening and enjoyable, but at the same a nightmare,” he jokes. “Can you imagine spending every Sunday with four loud, giggly ladies?! But at the end of the day, you will see the sacrifice has been worthwhile!

Jackie Cox’s Jan and Jeanette Hunter in fish-filleting garb in rehearsal for MARMiTE Theatre’s Ladies Day. Picture: Lucy Baines

“They’re all good for a laugh and nobody takes themselves too seriously, which is a big part of making rehearsals work. They’re good company to be with and it’s just a bonus that they’re all such talented actresses.”

Martyn has turned his hand to the set design too, one that will feature a racecourse mural, painted specially for the production by Lucy Baines. “It will all come together on Monday afternoon in time for Tuesday,” he says.

Looking ahead, a second coming for The Vicar Of Dibley: The Second Coming  could yet be on the cards for MARMITE Theatre. “I’m still very hopeful that we can do it in November 2027 at Theatre@41,” says Martyn. Watch this space.

MARMiTE Theatre in Ladies Day, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, September 8 to 12, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Did you know?

MARTYN and Jeanette Hunter are no strangers to enjoying Ladies Day, having attended Ladies Day at Ripon Racecourse for the past decade.

MARMiTE Theatre’s poster for Ladies Day at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York

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Under starter’s orders: MARMiTE Theatre to stage racing comedy Ladies Day at Theatre@41, Monkgate, from Sept 8 to 12

MARMiTE Theatre’s show announcement poster for Ladies Day at Theatre@41, Monkgate

YORK company MARMiTE Theatre will begin rehearsals on June 21 for Ladies Day, Amanda Whittington’s “racecourse comedy-drama to warm the cockles of your heart”.

Directed again by company founder Martyn Hunter, the company’s second production will run at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, from September 8 to 12.

Premiered at Hull Truck Theatre in June 2005, Ladies Day’s tale of friendship, sisterly support and, above all, love follows Hull fish-filleting factory packers Pearl, Jan, Shelley and Linda as they embark on Pearl’s “I’m not retiring” leaving-do.

Nicki Clay’s Geraldine Granger in MARMiTE Theatre’s debut production, The Vicar Of Dibley, last November

Out go the hairnets, wellies and overalls, in come the outrageous hats, high heels and posh frocks, as the four friends set off for Ladies Day at Royal Ascot in the one-off summer when the racing festival relocated to York’s Knavesmire course in 2005.

“As the racing begins and the champagne flows, we find out there is more to the mundane fish-packing lives of our four friends than we first thought,” says Martyn. “As the day unfolds and the races go by, we see their loves, losses and insecurities laid bare, but if their luck holds they could still hit the jackpot and a lot more besides.”

Ladies Day playwright Amanda Whittington

Jeanette Hunter’s Pearl will be joined in MARMiTE Theatre’s cast by Jackie Cox’s Jan, Nicki Clay’s Shelley, Gemma McDonald’s Linda, Chris Gibson’s Joe, Stuart Rae’s Fred and Kevin, Robbie Howe’s Jim, Martyn Hunter’s Barry and Trevor Britain’s Patrick and Tony Christie.

“MARMiTE Theatre had hoped to follow up November 2025’s sell-out debut production of The Vicar Of Dibley with a return to the village of Dibley this year to continue the  story of Hugo and Alice as they set out on married life & parenthood,” says Martyn. 

“However, due to unforeseen difficulties, we’ve had to postpone a second visit but are keen to return to Dibley in 2027.” Watch this space.

Tickets for Ladies Day cost £15 at tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

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REVIEW: Wharfemede Productions in Little Women – The Broadway Musical, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, Feb 18-22 ****

Rachel Higgs’s Beth, left, Connie Howcroft’s Jo, Tess Ellis’s Amy and Catherine Foster’s Meg March in Wharfemede Productions’ Little Women – The Broadway Musical

WHARFEMEDE Productions emerged in butterfly form for the first time with Little Women after their chrysalis co-production of Browne’s The Last Five Years in tandem with fellow York company Black Sheep Theatre Productions last October.

Formed by chief artistic director Helen “Bells” Spencer and chief operating officer Nick Sephton, cornerstones of the York musical theatre scene, the company brought together similarly experienced leading players for a production bursting with impressive singing power.

Louisa May Alcott’s Alcott’s coming-of-age tale of the March sisters growing up in well-to-do New England during the American Civil War had never been staged in York on your reviewer’s four-decade theatre watch, until Juliet Forster’s free-flowing staging of screenwriter, novelist and playwright Anne-Marie Casey’s adaptation for the Theatre Royal last October.

You know the saying: like buses, you wait for ages for one, and then along come two in quick succession. On this occasion, the same story burst forth from Louisa May Alcott’s 1868–1869 two-volume novel, but now wrapped in all the Broadway trimmings the title proclaimed.

Helen Spencer’s Marmee reads a letter to the March daughters, Meg (Catherine Foster, left), Jo (Connie Howcroft), Beth (Rachel Higgs) and Amy (Tess Ellis)

Allan Knee, Mindi Dickstein and Jason Howland’s show shares Casey’s central focus on headstrong emerging writer Jo (Connie Howcroft) while not putting her fellow sisters, traditional Meg (Catherine Foster), timid, piano-playing Beth (Rachel Higgs) and romantic, impatient Amy (Tess Ellis), in the corner.

Spencer took on the role of the family drama’s emotional ballast as their beloved mother Marmee, holding everything together at home in Concord, Massachusetts, amid the discord of the American Civil War that has taken away their father to serve as a Union Army chaplain. Spencer has a way of making the world stop when she sings, and she did so twice here in songs that expressed feelings she could not reveal to her family.

The daughters, in turn, need to shed their fledgling feathers, travelling hither and thither in different directions, save for Beth, who is blighted by health problems. Songs served as a means to crystalising their feelings, their thoughts, their hopes, in heartfelt solos: always a strong suit in a character-driven musical.

Howcroft’s Jo had the pick of those songs, Astonishing, albeit that the majority were impactful in the moment under Matthew Clare’s musical direction, rather than memorable beyond the final curtain.  

Connie Howcroft’s Jo and Rachel Higgs’s Beth in Wharfemede Productions’ Little Women – The Broadway Musical

Around those songs, the show took the form of a series of vignettes, chapters if you like, intercut with short stories from the wild imaginings of Jo in her attic studio, performed in humorously melodramatic fashion on the John Cooper Studio’s mezzanine level in a directorial flourish from Spencer that paid off to the max.

Howcroft’s fiery and fervent Jo encapsulated the show’s ability to both tug at the heart strings and locate the funny bone; Foster’s Meg was suitably unflappable; Higgs’s quiet Beth had a stillness to her, contrasting with the restless energy of Ellis’s Amy, so desperate to grow up too soon.

Rosy Rowley revelled in the disapproving air of starchy Aunt March, with a nod to those thespian dames, Maggie Smith and Edith Evans, while Spencer’s many hours devoted to character development with her cast paid off in the contrasting men in the Little Women’s lives: Nick Sephton’s slow-blossoming Professor Bhaer;  Andrew Roberts’s good egg Mr Brooke, Chris Gibson’s sturdy Mr Lawrence and Steven Jobson, the pick of a very good bunch as eager Laurie.

The set design of house interiors had one particularly striking motif, whereby the individual clothing palette of each March daughter was matched by a drape from the balcony. When Beth died, spoiler alert, her drape fell to the floor. On such attention to detail did Spencer’s production make its mark.

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