Diary > Past Events

Tue 14th May 2013, Welsh Church Hall, 7.30pm

Play Reading/Pub Night:
The Acid Test

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

'The Acid Test' by Anya Reiss

"This has been the worst day of my life. So can you please get drunk with me?"
Dana, Ruth and Jess down shots to console the heart-broken, to comfort the anxious and just pass the time. Kicked out from the family home Jess' Dad, Jim, invades the party with just as much recklessness as the girls. There are tears, tantrums and tequila in this excruciatingly accurate play by an award-winning young playwright.

WARNING - Contains very strong language and LOTS of Vodka.

Hosted by Sarah Fox

Tue 30th April 2013, Welsh Church Hall, 7.30pm

Play Choosing

All members are invited to attend a meeting on Tuesday 30 April to choose the plays for our autumn 2013 productions and 2014 panto/Christmas show. Anyone wanting to propose a play should send details (title, author, confirmation that rights are available and cost of rights) to the Chair by Friday 26 April.

General information about how play-choosing meetings work and how to advocate a play is at http://www.woodhouseplayers.co.uk/members_programming.html Additional information about these particular slots is given below:

The September slot is for a studio production and will take place w/c 16 September. Auditions will take place mid-late May and rehearsals will start in early June. A studio production means a small-scale show that needs no scenery (furniture and props are of course allowed) and has simple technical requirements. This is because during the summer we need to free up our technical helpers to work on important maintenance tasks at the hall rather than set-building. To better balance the year and work round other users of the hall we are planning one performance week only. This could include mid-week performances or performances at a venue other then the Welsh Church Hall. A short play would be preferable if mid-week performances are intended, to take account of the need to dismantle the hall after a mid-week performances.

The late autumn slot will take place on 25/26 October and 1/2 November. Auditions will take place in early July and rehearsals will start in late July/early August

The 2014 Panto/Christmas show will take place on 10/11 17/18 January. Auditions will take place late August/early September, and rehearsals will start in late September. If you would like to direct a particular Panto but do not have a script, speak to a member of the Committee and we will help you find one.

Please note that postal voting is not allowed at play-choosing meetings. This because it is fairer for plays to be chosen on the basis of everyone having heard, and had a chance to ask questions of, all potential directors.

Final list of plays advocated:

For the September slot:

"The Acid Test" by Anya Reiss advocated by Sarah Fox

For the October/November slot:

"The Real Thing" by Tom Stoppard, advocated by James McKendrick

"Pygmalion" by George Bernard Shaw advocated by Cathy Love

For the January 2014 slot:

"It's a Wonderful Life" adapted from the Frank Capra film by Anthony E. Palermo, advocated by Colin Heinink

"1001 Nights (and a Matinee)" - a pantomime by tlc Creative, advocated by Elizabeth Braithwaite

Tue 26th March 2013, 7.30pm

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

'Allo 'Allo by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft
[Being performed in the July slot]

Hosted by Rachel and Ben - details to follow.

Tue 12th March 2013

Committee Meeting

8th, 9th, 15th, 16th March 2013, Welsh Church Hall

Triple Bill

Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet

A Separate Peace by Tom Stoppard

The Book Club of Little Witterington by Joan Greening

Three one-act plays with intervals inbetween.

See the triple bill production page for full details of each of the productions.

Tue 26th February 2013, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

The Winslow Boy, by Terence Rattigan, author of Separate Tables, (staged by Woodhouse Players last year)
Hosted by Oliver Clement

The play, first staged in 1946 and set around 1912, is a drama concerned with an extremely respectable middle- class family's struggle to clear the name of the youngest child . He is a naval cadet, who has been unjustly accused of stealing a five shilling postal order - loosely based on a famous real - life case. It relies on strong characterisations of the various family members, including the unyielding father and the feminist daughter, and of the distinguished and charismatic barrister who takes on the case. It has been described thus - 'as well-made an example of a well-made play as you will find anywhere'. The first half of the play ends with a famous succession of dramatic reversals of audience expectations.

Tue 12 February 2013, 7.30pm
Sat 16 Feburary 2013, 2.30pm
Tue 19 February 2013, 7.30pm
Welsh Church Hall

Open auditions for The Oedipus Plays

Andy Harker will be holding auditions for The Oedipus Plays on the above dates. Full details and audition pieces can be found on the production page.

Tue 29th January 2013

Committee Meeting

Tues 22nd January 2013, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

The Oedipus Plays by Caroline Reader
Hosted by Andrew Harker.

An advance play reading pub night of the May/June production - please see the production page for details.

11th, 12th, 18th, 19th January 2013, Welsh Church Hall

Snow White

See the production page for full details of our pantomime.

Tue 18 December 2012

Committee Meeting

20th, 24th November 2013, Welsh Church Hall

Triple Bill auditions

Open auditions for the 2013 Triple Bill.
See the production page for full details of audition times

Tues 13th November 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

"For Services Rendered" by W Somerset Maugham - written in 1932, the play examines the continuing impact of the First World War on a middle class family in a Britain that is now in the grip of the Depression.

The Ardsleys, headed by complacent Solicitor Leonard, live in a small town in Kent that offers few prospects for the young. Son Sydney was blinded during the war and is now a bitter and manipulative invalid, the responsibility for whose care largely falls on his sister Eva, who lost her fiancee in the war and is presumed by the family to be content with her lot as domestic "saint". Middle daughter of the family, Ethel, made an unwise war-time marriage and is now dealing with the consequences. Family friend Collie was laid off from his career in the navy in post-war defence cuts and is now struggling to make a success of civilian life. Only youngest daughter Lois seems to have a chance of escape - by running away with a married man more than twice her age whom she does not love. The play uses all the conventions of the genteel drawing room drama - down to the French Windows and the games of tennis - but turns them into something surprisingly dark and hard-hitting.

Hosted by Gill Taylor

Tue 6th November 2012, 6.30pm - Welsh Church Hall

Committee Meeting / Play choosing

Committee meetings are, as always, open to all members. For more information on who makes up the committee, and to see recent minutes, see the committee page. Contact the Secretary to arrange attendance.

Also for members:
Nominations for the second half of our March 2013 Double Bill (to be paired with "Glengarry Glen Ross") are now in:

- The Book Club of Little Witterington by Joan Greening - cast 5F, 30 minutes
advocated by Colin Heinink

- A Separate Peace by Tom Stoppard - cast 2M, 4F, 30 minutes
advocated by Helen Thomas

2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th November 2012, Welsh Church Hall

A Voyage Round My Father

by John Mortimer

Sat 27th October 2012, 1pm, Wanstead Station

Flyering for Voyage Round My Father

Spend an hour flyering then head off for a coffee or a spot of lunch.
Note that the Leytonstone to Woodford section of the Central Line is closed for engineering works. Access via bus only.

Tue 23rd October 2012, Welsh Church Hall

Play Choosing Meeting

To select plays plays for March, June and July 2013 production slots.

Advocated plays are as follows:

For the March Double Bill

Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet
advocated/directed by Chris Jefferies

It Was A Carry On by Anthony Smith (new writing)
advocated/directed by Anthony Smith

Top Girls (Act 1) by Caryl Churchill
advocated/directed by Liz Braithwaite

For the June/July slots

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
advocated/directed by Margaret Winniak

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
advocated/directed by Ben Wille

The Oedipus Plays by Caroline Reader
advocated/directed by Andy Harker

'Allo 'Allo by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft
advocated/directed by Rachel Peter

The Rainmaker by N. Richard Nash
advocated by Benn Hurren

Tues 16th October 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Hosted by Margaret Winniak

A timeless classic set in the American Midwest during the 1930s Depression. It's a story of enduring friendship, of people sticking together no matter what, of hopes and dreams that may never be achieved by individuals, but for a group can become reality.

Themes covered include: sexism - the poor female character doesn't even have a name, but her dreams are equally as important as those of the men; racism - the black labourer cannot sleep in the same large room as the white farm hands; violence; murder; and the group's own form of justice.

8 M, 1F

Tue 9th October 2012

Committee Meeting

Tue 2nd, Wed 3rd and Wed 10th October 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Open auditions for Snow White

For details see the Production Page.

21st, 22nd, 28th, 29th September 2012, Welsh Church Hall

Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning, Juliet)

by Anne-Marie MacDonald

Sat 15th September 2012, 11am, Wanstead Station

Flyering for Goodnight Desdemona

Spend an hour flyering then head off for a coffee or a spot of lunch.

Tue 11th September 2012

Committee Meeting

Sat 8th September 2012, 11am, Leytonstone Station (Church Lane entrance)

Flyering for Goodnight Desdemona

Spend an hour flyering then head off for a coffee or a spot of lunch.

Sat 8th September 2012, 2pm, Welsh Church Hall

Meeting to start planning 30th Anniversary celebration

In Autumn 2013 it will be 30 years since the Woodhouse Players' first production - a play called "Once In A Blue Moon", probably by John Dole* - and we need an enthusiastic and imaginative bunch of people to plan our Anniversary celebrations. For any members who would like to help do this, there will be an initial meeting at 2pm on Saturday 8th September in the Welsh Church Hall to start kicking a few ideas around. If you can't come then, but would like to be involved, please e-mail the Secretary to be kept informed of dates of future meetings.

* - if anyone knows anything about this play, we'd be interested to find out. The author isn't listed on the website, but a bit of googling suggests this is the most likely candidate.

Sat 1st September 2012, 11am, Welsh Church Hall

Special Meeting to set up Sub-Group to revise Woodhouse Players Constitution

Invitation to join sub-group to revise the Woodhouse Players Constitution

It was agreed at the AGM that the Woodhouse Players Constitution needed to be thoroughly revised. The Committee is therefore setting up a sub-group to do this, and would like to invite members to attend the first meeting of that sub-group, which will take place at 11am on Saturday 1 September in the Welsh Church Hall. If you are unable to attend that meeting but would like to attend future meetings, or be kept in touch with the work of the group, please contact the the Secretary.

The group's Terms of Reference are:

To produce, by February 2013, a new draft Constitution for the Woodhouse Players, to be put to the group at large at an Extraordinary General Meeting

In particular (but not exclusively) to:

Examine the implications of, and make recommendations on, the Group's becoming a Registered Charity;
Make recommendations on the level and structure of membership fees;
Make recommendations on the future and structure of the Patrons scheme;
Make recommendations on the role of the President of the Group, including arrangements for appointing/selecting the President;
Make recommendations on the process for electing the Committee and the management of General Meetings, including:

what number should constitute a Quorum at General Meetings;
whether Group members wishing to stand for election to the Committee should be proposed and seconded by other members of the Group;
the process for electing Committee members (including proxy/postal votes); and
which officers of the society should be separately elected at the AGM rather than being chosen by the Committee itself from amongst the ordinary members.

Make recommendations on whether further changes should be made to the Complaints process.

The first meeting of the Sub-Group will be chaired by a member of the Committee. The Sub-Group will elect a Chair for future meetings at the first meeting.

Meetings of the sub-group will be open to all members of the Woodhouse Players.

Tues 21st August 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall (please note change of date)

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

"For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

A tale of two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It is among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.

The main characters of the play feature in our September production of Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet).

Hosted by Mansoor Mir

Tues 14th August 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Meeting to choose Panto/Xmas show 2013

The deadline for submitting proposals has now passed. The following two plays have been proposed:

Old King Cole by Ken Campbell - proposed by Jeannette Tucker
Snow White - proposed by Lesley Winterflood/Cathy Love

At the meeting the proposers will present excerpts from the plays and outline their ideas for producing them. Members will then be invited to vote for their preferred choice.

Sun 12th August 2012, 12 noon, Wanstead Station

Flyering for Goodnight Desdemona at Wanstead Festival

Meet at Wanstead Station at 12. 00. Spend an hour flyering then have a cuppa (or cream tea if the Church has them). Enjoy the fun of the Festival! Suitable for littl'uns too

Tues 24th and Wed 25th July 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Open Auditions for A Voyage Round My Father

Tues 17th July 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

Othello by William Shakespeare

"...then, must you speak
Of one that lov'd not wisely but too well"

A tale of racism, love, jealousy and betrayal. The play follows the attempts of Iago to manipulate the life of his superior officer, Othello, and those around them both in order to engineer the play's tragic conclusion.

The main characters of the play feature in our September production of Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet).

Hosted by Mansoor Mir

Mon 16th July 2012

Committee Meeting

13th, 14th, 18th, 20th, 21st July 2012, Welsh Church Hall

The Rivals

by Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Sat 7th July 2012, 11am, Wanstead Station

Flyering for The Rivals

Contact: Jackie

Sat 30th June 2012, 11am, Leytonstone Station (Church Lane entrance)

Flyering for The Rivals

Contacts: Gill or Sharon

Tues 19th June 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

A Voyage Round My Father by John Mortimer

A chance to get to know the play that will be our November 2012 production.

There are parts for three children (two boys and a girl aged around 10-14), so any younger friends of the group will be welcome at the reading.

Tue 12th & Wed 13th June 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Open Auditions for Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)

See the production page for details

Mon 11th June 2012, Hawthorne Theatre, Welwyn Garden City

TrueFM

by Andy Harker

Part of the Welwyn Drama Festival 2012

1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th June 2012, Welsh Church Hall

Honour

by Joanna Murray-Smith

Mon 28th May 2012

Committee Meeting

Sat 26th May 2012, 11am, Wanstead Station

Flyering for Honour

Come along and help publicize Woodhouse's next production and have coffee and cake afterwards with fellow members.

Tues 22nd May 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

Hamlet Part II by Perry Pontac

One of Perry Pontac's series of Shakespearean spoofs, Codpieces, Hamlet Part II takes up where Part I leaves off (spoiler alert: everyone is dead) and imagines what happens next. It's very silly, fun to read (it's written in iambic pentameter and fairly bounces along) and works brilliantly whether you're a Shakespeare expert or not. Four parts, 3m 1f.

Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet

In the dog-eat-dog world of American real estate four ruthless salesmen are battling it out to win a brand new Cadillac. But in a gloomy Chinese restaurant an underhand plan is hatched to rob the company's head office. David Mamet's masterpiece is packed with intrigue, tension, bombastic egos and short tempers. (Warning: contains very strong language throughout)

Hosted by Chris Jeffries and Helen Thomas

Sat 19th May 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Woodhouse Cabaret 2012

An event for members, their families and friends. If you would like to be one of the acts, please email Stu, Andy and Mo.

Sat 19th May 2012, 11am, Leytonstone Tube (Church Lane entrance)

Flyering for Honour

Come along and help publicize Woodhouse's next production and have coffee and cake afterwards with fellow members.

Tues 15th May 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Annual General Meeting

The Woodhouse Players' Annual General Meeting will take place at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 15 May in the Welsh Church Hall 879 High Road Leytonstone E11 1HR. All paid-up members are invited to attend. The meeting will receive the annual reports from the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, offer an opportunity for members to discuss the group's activities and future plans, and elect the Committee for 2012-13.

This year the Committee elections will be preceded by a vote to amend the Constitution to increase the number of places for ordinary members on the Committee from five to seven. The Quorum for meeting to vote on amending the Constitution is 10 or one third of the membership, whichever is greater. This means that in order to take this step, which is necessary to provide the group with the support it needs to carry on all its desired activities, we need at least 25 members to attend the meeting or submit "postal"/proxy votes.

Members who wish to stand for election for the posts of Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer, or as an ordinary Committee member, should submit their names to the Secretary at least 48 hours before the start of the meeting (ie by 7.30pm on Sunday 13 May.)

The Agenda and details of how to submit "postal"/proxy votes will be emailed to members before the meeting and will also be posted to the website AGM page.

Sat 12th May 2012, 2.00pm, Welsh Church Hall

Stage Makeup Workshop

Have you ever been frightened by a tube of lipstick or looked on in puzzlement as your fellow actors started painting their faces with an odd assortment of colours? Have you ever wondered how you, too, can achieve dignified age lines or fantastic cheek bones? If so (or even if not), our own Ceri Wilkinson is hosting a workshop on Stage Makeup, explaining the whys and hows of putting on basic makeup for stage and why everyone needs it, even on smaller stages. As well as instruction there will be plenty of time for hands on experimenting so that you have time to hone your makeup talents! Ceri is also happy to cover specific topics as requested (e.g. facial prosthetics, animals, crepe hair) but please send your requests to Jessie Greer by 28 April. Prices are �5 for members (�10 for non-members) to help cover the cost of supplies. Places are limited so please book online (see below). If you do not wish to book online or have any questions, please email Jessie Greer

Tue 1st May 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Choosing Meeting

To choose plays for the November 2012 production and the 2012/2013 Christmas Show - details on this process can be found on the Members Programming page.

Plays proposed for November

An Enemy of the People (Ibsen) - proposed by Oliver Clement/Gill Taylor, directed by Gill Taylor
Glengarry Glen Ross (David Mamet) - proposed/directed by Chris Jefferies
Of Mice and Men (Steinbeck) - proposed/directed by Margaret Winniak
A Voyage Round My Father (John Mortimer) - proposed/directed by Gill Taylor

Play proposed for Christmas Show (January 2013)

Santa in Space (Paul Reakes) - proposed by Margaret Winniak (if chosen, Margaret will withdraw her proposal for directing Of Mice and Men in November)

Sat 28th April 2012, 7pm, Welsh Church Hall

Stage Lighting Workshop

Run by Robert Bettelheim. No charge

"The Woodhouse Stage presents some real challenges to the director and the lighting designer. There are things that are easy but might seem really hard, and then some of the most basic things that you'll have seen in the West End are actually really hard in the Welsh Church.

"This workshop is intended to demonstrate stylistic choices in lighting, dramatic effects, and why getting lighting right makes an enormous difference to a scene and its drama.

"Rather than concentrating on the technical side of what lights do what, this little expose should be about how to start designing lighting from the first conception of the play to the refinement of it in the technical rehearsal. I could talk about Freznels, LEDs and the inverse square law, but instead I'm going to point lights at the stage and give people a chance to try things out."

Please email Jessie Greer with any enquiries and to confirm your place.

Thurs 26th April 2012, 7.45pm, Questors Theatre, Ealing

Open Stages Showcase Production

An excerpt from Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)

A preview of part of our September production, performed as part of the RSC's Open Stages project. Plus two other plays by different groups.

Tues 24th April 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

It Was a Carry On by Anthony Smith (Hosted by Anthony Smith)

It's 1967 and the cast of the movie Carry on Doctor have gathered at the famous Pinewood Studios in London to finish filming some scenes before they break for Christmas. When the cameras stop rolling the relationship between the actors and the ups and downs they have had with each other all come to light.

This new play, written by a Woodhouse member, is full of good old-fashioned humour, bringing to life these great iconic stars of the Carry On films who became so famous around the world.

US and THEM by David Campion (Hosted by Jackie Withnall)

A one-act play written in 1977 which is still regularly seen at drama festivals and can be performed by any number of actors of either sex. It's quite a physical play and I thought it might be fun to actually get up and move around. The dialogue can be divided between the characters in different ways. Characterisation is projected onto the lines. Essentially the story is about two different groups who meet midpoint and how they interact. A Recorder observes the scene and comments on it. Will anyone learn from the notes he has taken?

Sat 21st April 2012, 1.30-5.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Stage Combat Workshop

Come learn to throw a punch with professional choreographer Alison De Burgh! She has an impressive resume which includes stunt choreography at the National Theatre and RSC. Her most recent work includes the Fight Director for The Lady Killers, which is currently on at the West End. Alison will teach the basic skills of stage combat and there will be plenty of time for partner work in a safe environment to ensure the best learning possible, but also to make things much more fun!

Please make sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes that you would be comfortable sitting and rolling on the floor in. To cover costs there will be a fee of �12 for members, �20 for non-members (�9 for concessions). Places are limited so please book online (see below). If you do not wish to book online or have any questions, please email Jessie Greer

Tue 17th April 2012

Committee Meeting

Tue 10th and Wednesday 11th April 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Open Auditions for The Rivals

Open to members and non-members. Details of how to audition are on the production page.

Tue 20th March to Sat 24th March 2012, Chingford Assembly Hall

Waltham Forest Festival of Theatre

Six sessions of two or three short plays performed by 11 amateur companies with an adjudication at the end of each session and award of prizes on the Saturday evening. Woodhouse will be performing this year's Double Bill plays: TrueFM on 22nd March and Bed on 24th March. For full details click here.

9th, 10th, 16th, 17th March 2012, Welsh Church Hall

Spring Double Bill

TrueFM by Andy Harker and Bed by Jim Cartwright

Tues 13th March 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

The Rivals by Richard Brinsley Sheridan

What to do when you're in love with someone who is in love with you, only because they think you're actually someone else? Two young couples, a moralistic widow, an Irish suitor, disguise, intrigue, love letters, Sheridan's rapier wit and satire are the perfect ingredients for this ultimate cocktail of a comedy of manners.

If you're not already familiar with this classic comedy, this is your chance to get to know it ahead of auditions for parts in our July production

Hosted by L J Hickerton

Thu 1st March at 7pm

Committee Meeting

Committee meetings are, as always, open to all members. For more information on who makes up the committee, and to see recent minutes, see the committee page. If you wish to attend the meeting please email the Secretary for details.

Tue 28th February at 6.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Open Auditions for Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)(Extract)

These auditions are for an extract to be performed at the Questors Theatre, Ealing, as part of the RSC Open Stages London Regional Showcase on 26 April. See the production page for details. Later in the year there will be separate auditions for the full performance in Leytonstone scheduled for September.

Sat 25th February at 2pm and Tue 28th February at 8pm, Welsh Church Hall

Open Auditions for Honour

See the production page for details

Tues 21st February 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

Honour by Joanna Murray Smith

First produced in Melbourne in 1995, then at the National Theatre in 2003 and the West End in 2006, this modern classic brings a wrenchingly honest look at a familiar theme - the break up of a 30-year marriage. The play charts the shifting power balance between the four characters: George, the rather pompous literary critic; Honor, who gave up her writing career to to be the devoted wife; their fiesty daugher Sophie; and Claudia, the attractive ambitious young journalist who sets her cap at George. The play explores the nature of love. passion and commitment with honesty and humour and provides four cracking parts for actors.�

Hosted by Sharon Trotter

Tues 24th January 2012, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

Special read-through of Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) by Ann-Marie MacDonald

Constance Ledbelly, a drab and dusty academic, deciphers a cryptic manuscript she believes to be the original source for Othello and Romeo and Juliet. She is transported into the plays themselves, visits Juliet and Desdemona, has a hand in saving them from the deaths the Bard had planned for them, and finds out what these women are all about.
In true Shakespearean spirit, Constance plunders the plays and creates something new, all the while engaging in a personal voyage of self-discovery and encountering an abundance of twists, fights, dances, seductions and wild surprises.

The evening will be hosted by Mansoor Mir, who will also be directing the play in September 2012.

The production in September 2012 will be part of the RSC Open Stages scheme. We shall also performing an extract from the play on Thursday 26th September at the Questors Theatre in Ealing as part of the Open Stages Showcase event. The Playreading Pub Night on 24th January will be used to help cast this production. If you are interested in participating in the Showcase (on or off stage), then please do come along. If you can't make it on January 24th, please contact Mansoor to express your interest.

Please note that casting will be re-opened for the main production in September. There will therefore be two further open auditions in the spring (dates to be confirmed).

Tue 17th January 2012, 7.30pm Welsh Church Hall

Committee Meeting

13th, 14th, 20th, 21st January 2012, Welsh Church Hall

Babes in the Wood

by Damian Trasler, David Lovesy and Steve Clark

�8 adults, �5 concessions, special rates for parties

See Production Page for details

Sat 7th January 2012, 11am, Wanstead Tube

Flyering for Babes in the Wood

Come along and help publicize Woodhouse's next production and have a coffee afterwards with fellow members.

Sat 31st December 2011, 12 noon, Leytonstone Tube (Church Lane entrance)

Flyering for Babes in the Wood

Come along and help publicize Woodhouse's next production and have a coffee afterwards with fellow members. Please let Sharon know if you intend coming along.

Sat 17th December 2011, 11am, Wanstead Tube

Flyering for Babes in the Wood

Come along and help publicize Woodhouse's next production and have a coffee afterwards with fellow members.

Mon 12th December 2011, Star of India

Christmas Meal

Pre-meal drinks at the Walnut Tree at 7.30pm, meal at Star of India at 8.15pm

Book your place for the Christmas dinner by Monday 5 December. You can RSVP on the Facebook event page by clicking "yes", writing on the wall, or contacting Jessie Greer via Facebook or email. You won't want to miss it! Also all of those attending the dinner please bring along a wrapped unisex prezzie (�5 limit).

Tues 6th and Wed 7th December 2011, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Open Auditions for the Double Bill

For information about the two plays and how to audition for parts please see the Production Page.

Tues 6th December 2011, 7.30pm, Upstairs at the Sheepwalk, 692 High Rd, E11 3AA

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley

A funny and spooky tale by Arnold Ridley, who later found fame as "Private Godfrey" in Dad's Army. An ill-assorted group of travellers are stranded late at night on a remote Cornish train station which, long ago, was the site of an horrific rail disaster - and which, according to�local legend, is now haunted by a ghostly�express train that means death to all who see it. . . �Lots of fun parts for actors�and actresses of all ages.�

Hosted by Gill Taylor

Tue 29th November 2011, 7.30pm Welsh Church Hall

Committee Meeting

Tues 15th November, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Reading/Pub Night

What is a Play Reading Pub Night? Click here to find out.

Crawl to be Kind by Troy Banyan

Bristol-based playwright Troy Banyan has had plays published by Samuel French or performed at Drama festivals and would welcome feedback on this one. It focuses on PAT, a recently divorced woman who has decided to break away from inner city life and live in more rural surroundings. Because the proceeds from her house sale were not enough to buy the new house alone, she has persuaded her elderly mother MONA to move with in her rather than going through with her plan of moving into Sheltered Housing in the city with some of her friends.

When they arrive at the new house they find a note apparently from the previous occupants to say that while packing up they dropped a tank containing their son’s pet tarantula, which they could not find and could not spend any more time looking for as they were catching a flight to Australia. As Pat is an arachnophobe (‘money spiders bring her out in a cold sweat’), she naturally panics, but unbeknownst to her this is a plot arranged by Mona, partly with the intention of helping Pat to face her arachnophobia but also as revenge for coercing her to into moving in with her. However, with the arrival of some "helpful" neighbours, a health-and-safety-conscious removal man and another arachnophobe from the Electricity Company, things soon get out of hand. . .

Deadline by Robert Shearman

What if... Doctor Who did not materialise as a television series?

Martin Bannister was once a promising young writer, but somewhere along the line everything went wrong. His career is now in tatters, he has a son who hates him, all his wives keep dying in the wrong order, and there's a nasty green stain in his bedroom that could be an alien footprint (or mould). As he looks back on the ruin of his life, he wonders whether it all started with that children's science fiction programme that never got produced. Whatever became of Doctor Who?

Originally released as an audio drama by Big Finish Productions in 2003 (and featuring Sir Derek Jacobi in the lead role) the play effortlessly blends comedy, tragedy, fantasy and mundane reality in order to illustrate Martin's rapidly deteriorating mental state.

Hosted by Mansoor Mir

4th, 5th, 11th and 12th November, Welsh Church Hall

Terry Pratchett's Carpe Jugulum

See Production Page for details

Tue 8th November, 7.30pm, Welsh Church Hall

Play Choosing Meeting

All current paid-up members are invited to a meeting to select plays for the March, June and July 2012 production slots.

A list of plays to be advocated at the meeting is now available here.

Sat 29th October, 11am, Leytonstone Tube (Church Lane side)

Flyering for Carpe Jugulum

Come along and help publicize Woodhouse's next production and have a coffee afterwards with fellow members. If you plan to attend please email Sharon Trotter.

Sat 22nd October, 11am, Wanstead Station

Flyering for Carpe Jugulum

Come along and help publicize Woodhouse's next production and have a coffee afterwards with fellow members. If you plan to attend please email Jackie Withnall.

Tue 18th October, 7.30pm Welsh Church Hall

Committee Meeting

Sat 15th October, 1pm, Welsh Church Hall

Autumn Clear-Out

We would be very grateful to see anyone with a few hours to spare at the Welsh Church Hall, where we will be tidying up and clearing out our storage space in the sheds and the new cupboard, as well as tidying the stage after "What the Butler Saw" and continuing set-building for "Carpe Jugulum". As anyone who has tried to find something in the sheds recently will know, this sort of regular house-keeping is essential. And it's quite fun. And we will probably end up in the Walnut Tree or Star of India. . . We'll be at the hall from 1pm onwards

Fri 14th October, 7.30pm, and Sat 15th October, 2pm, Welsh Church Hall

Open Auditions for Babes in the Wood

23, 24, 30 September, 1 October 2011, Welsh Church Hall

What the Butler Saw

by Joe Orton

Please see the production page for further details

Monday 29 August 2011, The Duck, Newney Green, Chelmsford

Blind Date

by Frank Marcus

Please see the production page for further details

Tue 26th July, 7.30pm Welsh Church Hall

Committee Meeting

ARCHIVE OF EARLIER EVENTS (July 2004-July 2011)