Visit The Penrith Players’ website HERE.
Click here for ‘A Christmas Carol’, December 2021
When Dorothy and Keith retired to Cumbria in 2002, they went to the local amateur theatre in Penrith, and discovered a lively, old established, company doing a wide range of shows.
Keith joined them in 2003. What follows is a list of the productions he has been involved in, either as actor or director. The 160 seat theatre is situated near the centre of town, next to a large Morrisons supermarket.
In a normal year the Players will stage five shows, with a Junior section performing as well.
There are also visiting shows, and regular performances by local dance and theatre groups.
The theatre has a licensed bar, and once a month hosts Plug and Play, an open mike evening for local musicians with guest artists.
List of productions involving Keith, 2003-2019
- 2003
Farndale Avenue Drama Society Production of ‘Macbeth’, by David McGillivray & Walter Zevlin Jnr. Directed by Jan Kirk. Keith played George Peach. Visiting drama adjudicator, who appears at the end in drag!
‘Allo, ‘allo (taken from the popular TV show). Directed by Bruce Armstrong Payne. Played Colonel von Strohm.
- 2004
South Pacific, Rodgers & Hammerstein. Directed by Valerie Fox.
Played non-singing role of Capt. George Brackett
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Directed by Geoff Bennett.
Played Candy, along with a toy dog!
- 2005
Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw. Directed by Jenny Wilson.
Played Henry Higgins
Separate Tables by Terence Rattigan. Directed by Keith.
Dad’s Army by J.Perry & D. Croft. Directed by Bruce Armstrong Payne.
Played Corporal Jones.
- 2007
Educating Rita by Willy Russell. Directed by Keith
- 2009
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Directed by Mike Head.
Played Malvolio
- 2010
Fawlty Towers by John Cleese & Connie Booth. Directed by Bruce Armstrong Payne.
Played Major Given
The Cherry Orchard by Anton Checkhov. Directed by Keith.
- 2011
Talking Heads by Alan Bennett. Co-directed by Keith, Roger Bird & Dennis Henderson.
Seasons Greetings by Alan Ayckbourn. Directed by Bill Turner.
- 2014
Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett. Directed by Ian Baker.
Played Underwood
- 2015
Breaking the Code by Hugh Whitemore. Directed by Dennis Henderson.
Played Dilwyn Knox. (Run ended by storm Desmond!)
Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward. Directed by Mike Head.
Played Dr. Bradman
- 2016
Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime by Oscar Wilde. Directed by John Davies.
Played the Butler, Baines.
- 2017
One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean. Directed by Andy Keogh.
Played Harry Dangle.
Duet for One by Tom Kempinski. Directed by Keith.
(Included live solo Bach violin music from Helmut Jakubowitz)
- 2018
Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. Directed by John Davies.
Played Baptista
- 2019
Quartet by Ronald Harwood, directed by Keith. Music by Giuseppe Verdi.
- 2021
A Christmas Carol, from Charles Dickens. Directed by Jon Davies. Played Scrooge. Images here.
- 2022
Under Milkwood by Dylan Thomas. Played Revd. Eli Jenkins
Hobson’s Choice by Harold Brighouse. Directed by Keith
