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 · 1997 and 1998: Red Spider: This professionally written adaptation of the novel by Baring-Gould was written and produced as a spectacular community play by Tim Laycock. It was so successful that popular demand led to a rerun in 1998. |
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 · 1999: Sabine and the Zinging Men: A series of 6 biographical sketches with linking narrative and songs, which tell the story of how Baring-Gould went about the business of collecting folk songs. Researched and written by a member, this production drew on Baring-Gould’s own humorous anecdotes, his compassionate observations of the old singing men and his collection of songs. |
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| · 2000: Margery of Quither: The black humour of the Baring-Gould short story, ‘Margery of Quether’ proved the ideal subject for a member to dramatise as a shadow puppet play. Children from Lewtrenchard Primary School nobly filled the role of puppeteers alongside adult readers, singers, sound effects and musicians. |
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 · 2000: Grand National Day: A break from Baring -Gould, this hilarious present day comedy, written by yet another member, was set in an old folk’s home. Not all the cast were genuine oldies!
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 · 1999: Old Roads: This rehearsed reading of selections from Baring-Gould’s work on local history and culture accompanied by folk songs was presented outdoors at the opening of the local scenic route known as ‘The West Devon Drive.’ Not to be outdone, the company’s junior members from local schools performed traditional dances to tunes collected by Baring-Gould. |
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 · 1998 and 1999: Annual Lew Trenchard Heritage Walk:
For 2 years running, selected sketches drawn from ‘Sabine and the Zinging Men’ and ‘Reminiscences’ have been performed, outdoors in all weathers, by junior and adult members of the Company at this popular annual heritage walk. Folk songs have also been sung by the Red Spider Singers. (‘Reminiscences’ is another play by a member which has yet to be performed in its entirety and which draws on events in the life of Sabine Baring-Gould to highlight aspects of his character as well as his achievements). |
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 Autumn 2000 Kitty Alone: R SC''s Production of 'Kitty Alone' staged at the Parish Hall, Bratton Clovelly on 19, 20, 21 October was a spectacular success and attracted sell-out audiences at the Friday and Saturday evening performances.
In collaboration with R SC, Tim Laycock made a splendid job of adapting and then producing the novel by Sabine Baring-Gould.
With a cast of 70, and action taking place all around and in amongst the audience and a plethora of visual effects and props to carry forward the plot in a crowded fairground, through fire, over water, up on Dartmoor and among a village orchestra practising in the local pub this was no mean achievement.
All the cast, from the pensioners at one end to the host of primary school children at the other turned in magnificent performances and it would be invidious to single out individuals for praise.
Below is a selection of images from the production. To see larger more detailed versions of the pictures simply click on the images. |
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| 2001 'Sounds and Sweet Airs: After a slow start much affected by foot and mouth the year ended with this very well received programme of prose and poetry readings, the highlight of which was a dramatic interpretation of the trial scene from 'Alice in Wonderland.' All the readers did well, but the star of the show has to be David Duttson with, among other tasty morsels, 'Good Morning, Mr Croco-doco-dile'. The Bridestowe Singers and The Red Spider Singers sang for us and the two choirs came together, under the direction of Ann Tait for one song. Guest artistes, Bobby and Helge Vindennes, played a delightful programme of music by Faure, Mozart, Bach and Tchaikovsky on piano and flute. The evening was promoted by St George's Church, Thrushelton and was in aid of restoration of the Church. |
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| Spring 2002 'Said the Spider': This revue was another new departure for Red Spider Company. Coming, as it did, just as the community was beginning to recover from a dreadful year, the humour was very well received by a capacity audience in the Victory Hall. All the sketches had been written by members as had several of the songs. There were many fine cameo performances but we will long remember Pam and Mike Ingham as two disreputable cleaners together with Roy Stacey and Albert Spry as inept guides on the West Devon Drive. This was a red letter day for the Red Spider Singers who celebrated their independence by singing their socks off for their new musical director, Paul Kemeny. Other musical relief from dialogue was provided by the B&Q duo of Barry Albrighton and Quentin des Clayes as well as Bobby Vindennes who nobly accompanied several of the solo singers. |
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| Christmas 2002: 'Come Into My Parlour' saw a return to the mixture of rehearsed readings of poetry and prose, music and mime which had proved so successful in 'Sounds and Sweet Airs' It was all very relaxed and great fun. Quintin des Clayes found us a splendid 4-piece quartet (sic), the Singers gave us some stirring stuff and Bill Stuart delighted us with the return of Albert Ramsbottom. There were a host of other memorable vignettes all interspersed with the flowers of Wonderland complaining bitterly to Alice, and Mole and Ratty finding Mole's old home just in time to lead the field mice and us in some Christmas carols. |
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| ‘Nuts In May,' 30/31 May 2003 : A double bill with two very different comedies. ‘Dress Rehearsal,' produced by Susanne Clayton, was an deliciously hilarious send-up of ‘Amdram,' while ‘From Three to Four' produced by Alan Payne, gave more gentle and more thought provoking humour, touching as it did on hospital visiting time. |
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| ‘Supper with Scrooge,' 22 November 2003: A rehearsed reading with a difference. This brief dramatisation by Alan Payne of Dickens's ‘A Christmas Carol' in two scenes was presented as the entertainment between the courses of a Christmas supper. The scenery was surprisingly sophisticated and the play so well rehearsed that the ‘reading' was barely noticeable. |
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| ‘Cinders in Boots,' 27 November 2004: Written and sort of produced by Alan Payne, this was a schizophrenic panto-party where the ‘guests' were both audience and cast and the characters seemed to wander from fairy story to fairy story –but they all lived happily ever after! |
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 25,26 November 2005: A ‘Genteel Evening with Red Spider Company' featured a varied programme of songs from those long standing associates of Red Spider Company, the Pack Horse Singers. This was followed by a three course meal and the venting was rounded off by a performance of ‘Genteel,' a delightful comedy by Evelyn Hood. The production was staged on a weekend otherwise notable for the worst snows in this part of Devon for many years. Unlike many other local events, the production was not cancelled and the Spiders were rewarded by a superb level of attendance by their faithful followers: |
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| 'Mine's A Double', June 2006: Alan Ayckbourn is a Red Spider favourite so what more natural than a double bill presenting two of his subtly amusing one act comedies, ‘Between Mouthfuls' and ‘Gosforth Fete'. These were two very different plays but each displaying both humour and pathos. Both were challenging in very different ways, both introduced fresh faces and both delivered the goods. |
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March 2007, 'Like A Buoy': Directed by Anthony Richards, with music under the direction of Alan Boxer and a company of around one hundred, this dramatisation of the life of Lew Trenchard's famous squarson, Sabine Baring-Gould, researched and written by Ron Wawman, was undoubtedly the biggest and most ambitious of the three community staged so far by Red Spider Company and a fitting celebration of its first 10 years. Staged ‘in the round' at the Parish Hall, Bratton Clovelly, the play allowed a cavalcade of actors, folk singers, musicians and dancers to follow Sabine for 76 years and gave the audience a unique and magical glimpse of his life and times. See www.likeabuoy.co.uk for more photos and details..
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January 2008, 'Wind In The Willows': Red Spider Company could have been forgiven for resting on its laurels after Like A Buoy but, instead, not only did it take up the challenge of staging its first ever full-length production without a professional director, but it also made it's very first move into the genre of Christmas entertainment. We were treated to a real pantomime horse and a delightfully seductive villain to hiss and boo – but this was not pantomime; no, the delights of this superb dramatisation, by Steve Eaton Evans, of Kenneth Graham's Wind in the Willows were altogether more gentle and subtle. They say that you should avoid acting with children and animals but, defiantly, this production had plenty of both. Yes, I know that Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad were in reality grown up human beings, but the characterisations were so convincing that it was wonderfully easy to believe we really were on the riverbank or in the wild wood of our childhood imagination and the deception was aided by the clever use of quite simple but convincing props and stunning scenery.
With so many fine characterisations and cameo performances woven together under the confident direction of Susanne Clayton – who somehow also managed to shine as the fearsome Fenella Ferret – I am reluctant to single out any one player; but on this occasion there is no other option. The finely polished interpretation of Toad by Rosa Watkinson, who never stopped manipulating both the other animals and the audience, was utterly convincing; that swagger, those gestures, that voice, those myriad expressive grimaces. She whacked us and whacked us. Poop, poop!
There were so many pictures from this performance that I've added a selection of them to a separate page.
Please click here to view images from the 'Wind In The Willows' production. |
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