Stamford Shakespeare Festival: All In Good Company  

[prev]… company’s marketing manager, joined as a teenager back in 1976. It’s a kind of a family here – you get to know people’s strengths and weaknesses very well. But of course, we also have a regular influx of new people.

YOU ARE AN AMATEUR COMPANY OF ACTORS, BUT MANY OF YOUR REVIEWS INSIST YOU’RE ANYTHING BUT AMATEUR! HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO MAINTAIN SUCH A HIGH STANDARD?
It’s basically experience. In the early days we had some very capable directors who were able to give us the benefit of their experience. Jean Harley, who started the whole thing off in 1968, trained at RADA [The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art] and we’ve had two or three directors who were retired professional directors. Our present artistic director, Carol King, was in charge of drama at Goldsmiths College. So there are people who have a lot of knowledge who we’ve all learnt from. And of course they’ve also given us the gold standard – the standard that we aspire to all the time. Provided we have that standard to try and reach, we eventually get there. We also have very long rehearsal periods, from January to June, so you get to know the play inside out. The advantage to this is that you then get to perform for more than just a single week; most amateur companies don’t get to do that. And you’d be surprised how a performance grows over its run as the actors get those additional nuances and learn as they go along.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE VENUE. IT’S QUITE SPECIAL ISN’T IT?
I don’t think there’s another quite like it. To start with it is in a natural amphitheatre, so the stage is surrounded by woodland and shrubs. The auditorium is covered so no customer ever gets wet, though we do! We have a lovely glade between the seats and the River Gwash that runs along the back. We are planting more trees and shrubs to bring the glade closer to the audience. We feel lucky to have such a wonderful, unique venue right on our doorstep. It’s only 15 or so miles from Peterborough and it makes for a wonderful evening out. You can come along, bring your picnic to enjoy on the picnic slope, look over to the old hall and soak up the lovely atmosphere. If it’s a pleasant evening there’s nothing like it. Then once you’ve had your picnic and glass of wine, you can head down to the theatre. It’s a complete package.

Many productions have non-Elizabethan settings, putting them in a refreshingly new context

SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT THE AUDITORIUM CANOPY IS MADE FROM THE SAME MATERIAL USED ON THE ROOF OF THE MILLENNIUM DOME
I’m glad you’ve mentioned that because we used this material long before the Dome was put up. I’m sure they must have come to us to see what it was like!

DOES PERFORMING IN AN OPEN VENUE PRESENT CHALLENGES? YOU MUST HAVE TO PROJECT YOUR VOICE VERY CLEARLY
We certainly do. We don’t use microphones so the actors must learn to project their voice and throw it into the audience. It’s a skill – you have to acquire it then develop it. If you don’t, you find yourself trying to shout and before you know it you’ve lost your voice. You need to use your breathing more effectively than you would in an indoor theatre. And of course your general stage presence has got to compensate as well, because you’re acting in quite a large area.

AS DIRECTOR OF THIS SEASON’S PRODUCTION OF TOM JONES, WHAT OTHER ADVICE WILL YOU BE OFFERING YOUR PERFORMERS?
There’s one tip that any director will tell the cast: don’t forget to tell the story. Getting the story across to the audience is the most important thing. You need to actually live it. Everything goes towards telling that story – the set, the costumes, the music, the lighting and, last but not least, the acting and backstage.

WHAT CAN THEATRE-GOERS EXPECT FROM YOUR TAKE ON TOM JONES?
A rattling good story! It is bawdy but it’s not smutty. The play explores Tom Jones’s adventures. He finds himself in situations that are fun, comical and, every now and then, rather sad. For instance, he gets into all sorts of scrapes so eventually his step-father loses patience with him and turns him away. It’s a real low point for poor old Tom, so he sets off on his travels intending to go and join the army to fight the 1745 Scottish Rebellion. It’s all set within a proper historical perspective.

CAN THEATRE-GOERS EXPECT THE USUAL HIGH PRODUCTION VALUES – DETAILED STAGE SETS AND EXQUISITE COSTUMES?
Absolutely. We don’t skimp on production values because you can always tell. So many of our customers like to come and see the wonderful sets that we’ve produced and the fantastic costumes. We spend £75,000 on set construction, fabrics and costumes each season, so theatregoers can expect a really polished result. The company is proud of its high standards and this season will be no exception.

Stamford Shakespeare Company 2015 Season
■ Henry V: 2015 is the 600th anniversary of the battle of Agincourt and we will be commemorating this famous victory with this rousing and inspiring play.
■ Romeo and Juliet: The greatest love story the world has ever known set amid the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets.
■ Tom Jones: Step back in time to the bawdy, fun-loving world of the 1700s with the hilarious romantic comedy of Henry Fielding’s masterpiece Tom Jones.

To book, call the box office on 01780 756133 or 01780 763203. Alternatively visit www. stamfordshakespeare.co.uk where you can also read more about the plays and the facilities at Tolethorpe Hall.