Pittwater Life January 2017 Issue

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Showtime
Players just love to
be beside the seaside
Local amateur drama
group the Elanora Players
enter their 51st year of
productions on the Northern
Beaches in in 2017, kicking
off with Australian playwright
Hannie Rayson’s ‘Hotel
Sorrento’ in January.
Set in the Victorian town of
Sorrento on the Mornington
Peninsula, it tells the story of
a family reunion in the quiet
bayside/seaside resort. Hilary
is the eldest of three sisters.
She has remained in the town
caring for her father, Wal, and
her teenage daughter, Tory.
Her sisters, Meg and Pippi,
are returning from a 10-year
absence overseas. Meg, who
has been living in the UK, is
the author of a novel which
is short listed for the Booker
Prize. Pippi has made her
mark in marketing in the USA.
Against the background of a
holiday township where not a
lot changes, the play explores
the intricacies of family life:
the ties that bind and the tensions
that divide. This is done
with a mixture of warmth
and humour and moments of
intense drama.
The cast is a blend of
familiar faces and new and
recent comers to the Players.
The newest recruit is Alison
Akhurst in the role of teenage
daughter Tory. Samantha
Dickenson plays Pippi,
following her recent debut
with the Players as a Russian
mobster’s girlfriend in ‘Old
Actors Never Die: They Simply
Lose the Plot’. Chris Richardson
as Hilary, Robert Longley
as Wal, Tracey Keene as Meg
and Gerard Hawkins as Meg’s
English husband Edwin will be
readily recognised by regular
patrons of EP. Audiences will
also recognise, from appearances
in recent EP productions,
Vicki Castorina and Matt Burke
(pictured) as townsfolk with
an interest in the novel and its
connections with the family.
Director Jen Davidson, who
has appeared in numerous EP
productions over recent years,
makes her debut as a firsttime
director, with Bill Akhurst
as assistant director.
“Jen’s energetic style of
direction has produced similarly
energetic performances
from her cast,” says Bill. “This
promises a highly entertaining
season of performances.”
The play will be staged at
the Elanora Community Centre
from January 13 to 21; bookings
9979 9694.
Showtime
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JANUARY 2017 61