A message to all actors from French's acting editions. Shakespeare 400 Actors: Your Shakespeare Needs You On Friday 22nd April we're marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death with a special event at the Samuel French shop. And what better way to do this than with amazing performances to bring his work to life? We're looking for actors to come along at lunchtime and read their favourite Shakespeare speech outside the shop. No limits. No direction. This is your opportunity to celebrate the Bard however you choose. Everyone who takes part can enter our lucky dip, with a top prize of £50 to spend in the shop. Plus there'll be food and drink, and 20% off everything in the shop. A day like this only comes along once every 400 years, so it'll be a lot of fun. If you'd like to take part, please register using the button below and we'll send you more details. Register to take part - click this link http://samuelfrench.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=22175aa2d5bfcbe495fcb7549&id=8f09e46f36&e=b8cead6df7

The Marlow Players' 'Out of Sight, Out of Murder' is performing at The Shelley Theatre, Marlow this Thursday to Saturday (14-16 April). Thank you! Gloria

Welcome to The Players Theatre - the home of Thame Players

Great news all. See How They Run has a matinee performance on Sat 7th May at 2.30pm as well as the normal Tuesday to Saturday evening performances at 7.45pm. Tickets available at Spear Travels or on Thame Players website at www.thameplayers.co.uk

Does anyone have a sofa that Prestwood Theatre Club could borrow for their May production - Fifty - which is a farce, on at the village hall on the 13th and 14th May? Please message/comment if you can help!

Timeline Photos

The New Foxtrot Serenaders will be at the theatre on Saturday, 9th April from 7:45pm. Their music conjures up memories of great singers and songwriters such as George Gershwin, Jelly Roll Morton, Hoagy Carmichael, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin and many more. Recently revelling in 'Strictly Gershwin', they will be getting those dancing feet moving this year introducing a Fred and Ginger theme 'Cheek to Cheek'. Tickets available from Ticketsource: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/thametheatre/ or via Spear Travels: 01844 217 228

REMINDER - AUDITIONS for THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA by Federico Garcia Lorca in a new English translation by David Hare on MONDAY 11th APRIL at 7.45p.m. in the THEATRE Lorca finished writing the play in 1936 for an all female cast. The play explores the themes of the oppression of women, tradition and class prejudice, described as “Lorca’s great masterpiece of love and loathing”. For more information please contact Bernadette Tildesley on 01844 212 867 or email tildesley3bb@btinternet.com.

I Can't Believe It's Not Buddy at 7.45pm on Sunday 3rd April Buddy Holly & The Crickets are brought back to life, as they looked and sounded in 1958 when they first toured the UK. Spencer J & the Copy-Cat Crickets create the feel of a Rock 'n' Roll concert, straight from the fifties. The band will take you back to the age when a young Texan first played his heart out to screaming crowds in theatres and concert halls across Great Britain. At every performance, audiences clap, cheer and sing along. They dance, yell for encores and ask for photographs. And at the end of every show, the question is always "When are you coming back?" Song choices are based on Buddy Holly's late-fifties performances. Besides legendary hits like 'Peggy Sue', 'That'll Be The Day', 'Oh Boy' and 'Heartbeat', other gems from his catalogue are also featured, as well as hits by the other Kings of Rock 'n' Roll, all of which Buddy actually performed at live shows ('La Bamba', 'Blue Suede Shoes', 'Rip It Up', 'Shake Rattle & Roll'.) In terms of energy, originality and ability to connect with an audience, Spencer, JJ, Gerry and Spencer succeed in re-creating The Crickets' special brand of "feel-good fifties fun". And whenever they are on stage, fans everywhere agree that, once again, Buddy Holly lives! Tickets cost £12 from Spear Travels, 01844 217228 or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk

Dear Oxfordshire Drama Network Groups, this is a reminder to you about sending in your One Act plays for the ODN Playwriting Competition 2016. Confusingly the form says 14th April and the Newsletter says 1st May as closing date so we apologise for the confusion. We have therefore extended the deadline to 1st May. Please note that this date is final and no entries can be considered if they are received after that date. Many thanks for your continuing support of ODN. Best wishes, Sue Tibbles, Membership Secretary on behalf of Deidre Jones, Chair of Oxfordshire Drama Network.

See How They Run by Philip King – 3rd to 7th May 2016 Rehearsals are now under way for this farce and tickets are available on the website so can be booked as soon as you like. This is sure to be a sell-out so book early to avoid disappointment. Don’t forget tickets £9 with £8 concessions from Spear Travels, 01844 217228 or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk

That’s Entertainment - The New Foxtrot Serenaders at 7.45pm on Saturday 9th April The New Foxtrot Serenaders return for their annual visit to The Players Theatre. This year the show is called That’s Entertainment and includes a host of songs from great musicals from stage and screen. Led by singer Graham Wright, an evening of superb big band music will rock the theatre to the rafters and our ever faithful and enthusiastic audience will be singing along and applauding with great vigour. Once again veteran Radio Oxford presenter, Bill Rennells, will be hosting the show from his big red leather chair at the front of the stage. With his gentle dry humour and the band’s great love of the music a thoroughly enjoyable evening is guaranteed. Tickets cost £10, concessions £9, available from Spear Travels, 01844 217228 or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk

I Can't Believe It's Not Buddy at 7.45pm on Sunday 3rd April Buddy Holly & The Crickets are brought back to life, as they looked and sounded in 1958 when they first toured the UK. Spencer J & the Copy-Cat Crickets create the feel of a Rock 'n' Roll concert, straight from the fifties. The band will take you back to the age when a young Texan first played his heart out to screaming crowds in theatres and concert halls across Great Britain. At every performance, audiences clap, cheer and sing along. They dance, yell for encores and ask for photographs. And at the end of every show, the question is always "When are you coming back?" Song choices are based on Buddy Holly's late-fifties performances. Besides legendary hits like 'Peggy Sue', 'That'll Be The Day', 'Oh Boy' and 'Heartbeat', other gems from his catalogue are also featured, as well as hits by the other Kings of Rock 'n' Roll, all of which Buddy actually performed at live shows ('La Bamba', 'Blue Suede Shoes', 'Rip It Up', 'Shake Rattle & Roll'.) In terms of energy, originality and ability to connect with an audience, Spencer, JJ, Gerry and Spencer succeed in re-creating The Crickets' special brand of "feel-good fifties fun". And whenever they are on stage, fans everywhere agree that, once again, Buddy Holly lives! Tickets cost £12 from Spear Travels, 01844 217228 or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk

AUDITIONS on 11th APRIL 2016 at 7.45 p.m. in the Theatre for an amateur production of THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA by FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA in a new English version by David Hare to be performed on 6th to 10th SEPTEMBER 2016 This is an all female cast (and there are lots of them - 16) with the characters ranging from 20 to 80 years old, some parts are quite large and others very small, so there is lots of choice. The play is set in a village in rural Andalusia in the early 1930s where the funeral of Bernarda’s second husband has just taken place. She insists that her five daughters observe a long period of mourning, but her youngest one, Adela, who is 20, rebels. However, the eldest Angustias, who is 39, has an arranged marriage to prepare for, to a handsome man who is several years younger and this leads to a lot of sexual tension amongst the sisters which ends in tragedy. The “down to earth” Housekeeper tries to give advice whilst the silly, mad old Grandmother says that she too is getting married and will have lots of babies as well. This beautifully written play explores the themes of oppression of women, tradition and class prejudice. Federico Garcia Lorca finished writing it on 19th June 1936, only two months before he was assassinated just after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War by Franco’s supporters. For more information please contact me on 01844 212867 or tildesley3bb@btinternet.com Bernadette Tildesley