Past Productions
Comic Potential - Alan Ayckbourn
Directed by Domininc Parford Nov. 2025
The story involves a young writer with wild ideas about reviving traditional comedy, who finds himself drawn to a synthetic actress, or 'actoid', because she's inexplicably able to laugh. The play features comedy and romance, all set within a retro-future aesthetic, and questions whether a machine can ever truly understand love and laughter.
• Jacie – Anna Piggott
• Adam – Paul Huggins
• Chandler – Tony Cotterill
• Carla – Karen Heyworth
• Prim – Susan Gerlach
• Trudi– Andrea Wilkins
• Lester – Steven Tester
• Mother/Wife– Harriet Muir
• Marmion/Son/Technician– Harry Doyle
• Doctor/Farmer/Man in Dress Shop/Turkey – Colin Rogal
• Shop Assistant/Prostitute– Enid Gayle
• Woman in Dress Shop – Antonella Harrison
• Hotel Receptionist/Waiter– Chris Hodges
The story involves a young writer with wild ideas about reviving traditional comedy, who finds himself drawn to a synthetic actress, or 'actoid', because she's inexplicably able to laugh. The play features comedy and romance, all set within a retro-future aesthetic, and questions whether a machine can ever truly understand love and laughter.
• Jacie – Anna Piggott
• Adam – Paul Huggins
• Chandler – Tony Cotterill
• Carla – Karen Heyworth
• Prim – Susan Gerlach
• Trudi– Andrea Wilkins
• Lester – Steven Tester
• Mother/Wife– Harriet Muir
• Marmion/Son/Technician– Harry Doyle
• Doctor/Farmer/Man in Dress Shop/Turkey – Colin Rogal
• Shop Assistant/Prostitute– Enid Gayle
• Woman in Dress Shop – Antonella Harrison
• Hotel Receptionist/Waiter– Chris Hodges
Laburnum Grove (Swan Award Winner)
Written by J.B Priestley
A quiet suburban street, a respectable family, and… a secret big enough to blow the net curtains off.
A quiet suburban street, a respectable family, and… a secret big enough to blow the net curtains off.
Spider's Web - Agatha Christie (Swan Award Nominee)
Directed by Anna Piggott - November 2024
Set in 1958 this is Agatha Christie's only comedy thriller.
Clarissa, wife of a diplomat, is adept at spinning tales of adventure, but when a murder takes place in her drawing room, she finds live drama much harder to cope with
Desperate to dispose of the body before her husband arrives with an important politician, she enlists the help of her guests
Hilarity ensues when they are interrupted by the arrival of wry detective Inspector Lord.
Clarissa Hailsham-Brown Ellie Amstrong
Henry Hailsham-Brown Dominic Lloyd
Sir Rowland Delahaye Tony Cotterill
Mildred Peake Felicity Morgan
Hugo Birch Jeremy Gill
Jeremy Warrender Matt Tester
Oliver Costello Dominic Parford
Mrs Elgin Enid Gayle
Inspector Lord Harry Doyle
Constable Jones Mark Saunders
Pippa Hailsham-Brown Ava Beatie-Wilson
Set in 1958 this is Agatha Christie's only comedy thriller.
Clarissa, wife of a diplomat, is adept at spinning tales of adventure, but when a murder takes place in her drawing room, she finds live drama much harder to cope with
Desperate to dispose of the body before her husband arrives with an important politician, she enlists the help of her guests
Hilarity ensues when they are interrupted by the arrival of wry detective Inspector Lord.
Clarissa Hailsham-Brown Ellie Amstrong
Henry Hailsham-Brown Dominic Lloyd
Sir Rowland Delahaye Tony Cotterill
Mildred Peake Felicity Morgan
Hugo Birch Jeremy Gill
Jeremy Warrender Matt Tester
Oliver Costello Dominic Parford
Mrs Elgin Enid Gayle
Inspector Lord Harry Doyle
Constable Jones Mark Saunders
Pippa Hailsham-Brown Ava Beatie-Wilson
- Double Bill - Dominium and Marble Arch (Swan Award Nominee)
Dominium written & directed by Karen Heyworth
Marble Arch written by John Mortimer & directed by Harriet Muir
April 2024
Dominium A great thought provoking script written and directed by Karen Heyworth. Tension built nicely, shocks all along the way. The ending left us wanting to know more, lots of food for thought.
We never really know what happens behind closed doors and how well do we know anybody?
The two main characters Lilybella Bayliss as Faye and Dominic Parford as Jasper were excellent.
Marble Arch
A delightful contrast to Dominium, Marble Arch directed by Harriet Muir had all the elements of a classic farce. Very enjoyable, laugh out loud typical British humour. The main character Laura Logan played by Isabelle Crean was superb.
Marble Arch written by John Mortimer & directed by Harriet Muir
April 2024
Dominium A great thought provoking script written and directed by Karen Heyworth. Tension built nicely, shocks all along the way. The ending left us wanting to know more, lots of food for thought.
We never really know what happens behind closed doors and how well do we know anybody?
The two main characters Lilybella Bayliss as Faye and Dominic Parford as Jasper were excellent.
Marble Arch
A delightful contrast to Dominium, Marble Arch directed by Harriet Muir had all the elements of a classic farce. Very enjoyable, laugh out loud typical British humour. The main character Laura Logan played by Isabelle Crean was superb.
Bullshot Crummond - (Swan Award Winner)
Directed by Dominic Parford
November 2023
Captain Hugh "Bullshot" Crummond, part-time super-sleuth, full-time outstanding gentleman, must once again save the world from the dastardly Count Otto Von Brunno, his wartime adversary, and win the heart of the damsel in distress Rosemary Fenton. There will be close-calls with combustible cakes, nail-biting brushes with barbaric brutes, and death-defying duels in the dark recesses of an abandoned, aging Abbey. Don't miss what one patron described as 'presented to us in a timely fashion.', and 'Definitely worth the thruppenny-bit I paid for admittance.'
November 2023
Captain Hugh "Bullshot" Crummond, part-time super-sleuth, full-time outstanding gentleman, must once again save the world from the dastardly Count Otto Von Brunno, his wartime adversary, and win the heart of the damsel in distress Rosemary Fenton. There will be close-calls with combustible cakes, nail-biting brushes with barbaric brutes, and death-defying duels in the dark recesses of an abandoned, aging Abbey. Don't miss what one patron described as 'presented to us in a timely fashion.', and 'Definitely worth the thruppenny-bit I paid for admittance.'
Braken Moor
Written by Alexi Kaye Campbell and directed by Harriet Muir
April 2022
Review - https://markaspen.com/2023/04/21/brack-moor/
April 2022
Review - https://markaspen.com/2023/04/21/brack-moor/
It Runs In the Family (Swan Award Winner)
Written by Ray Cooney and directed by Tony Cotterill
November 2022
David Hugh Cox
Mike Paul Huggins
Hubert Dominic Parford
Drake Malcolm McAlister
Leslie Matt Tester
Sergeant Dominic Upton
Bill Stephen Tester
Rosemary Anna Piggott
Matron Felicity Morgan
Jane Fiona Poole
Sister Andrea Wilkins
Mother Harriet Muir
Long standing member Tony Cotterill is returning to the role of director for our new show which is a farce. Performances 10-12th November at The National Archives. It holds the usual assortment of farcical wild running in and out of doors mistaking everybody for someone else, Dr. Mortimore tries to fend off a paternity suit, an ex-wife, a punkish son, and various other eccentrics so that he may, at last, deliver the Ponsonby Lecture in an international conference.
Maynard’s End
Written and directed by Jeremy Gill
May 2022
In this quiet country village in the middle of nowhere nothing ever happens here.. except murder, arson, betrayal, water course pollution, intoxication of members of the local Women’s Institute with hallucinogenic drugs and so much more.
May 2022
In this quiet country village in the middle of nowhere nothing ever happens here.. except murder, arson, betrayal, water course pollution, intoxication of members of the local Women’s Institute with hallucinogenic drugs and so much more.
Nell Gwynn
Written by Jessica Swale, directed by Polly Beauwin
Oct 2021
The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 brought with it a burst of energy and innovation. The King, Charles II was interested in science, exploration, trade and the theatre. And women. Lots of women.
The most popular of those women was, and remains, the incomparable Nell Gwynn. From her downright disreputable beginnings she rose to prominence as an actress through her wit, her humour, her vivacity and a tremendous talent for comedy.
In Jessica Swale’s Nell Gwynn, Charles is asked what he sees in the theatre. He replies “Joy – and gaiety”.And, as he later points out “What’s the point of having a country if it’s sapped of all joy?”
Cast
Nell Gwynn – Cat Lamin
Rose Gwynn – Elanor Greenwood-Stemp
Nancy – Rachel Burnham
Lady Castlemaine/ Louise de Keroualle – Juliette Sexton
Queen Catherine – Ileana Falcone
Ma Gwynn – Simone White
King Charles II – Tim Williams
Charles Hart – Hugh Cox
Thomas Killigrew – Toby Doncaster
Edward Kynaston – Tony Cotterill
John Dryden – Dominic Parford
Lord Arlington – Marcus Ezekiel
Ned Spiggett – Fred Ezekiel
Oct 2021
The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 brought with it a burst of energy and innovation. The King, Charles II was interested in science, exploration, trade and the theatre. And women. Lots of women.
The most popular of those women was, and remains, the incomparable Nell Gwynn. From her downright disreputable beginnings she rose to prominence as an actress through her wit, her humour, her vivacity and a tremendous talent for comedy.
In Jessica Swale’s Nell Gwynn, Charles is asked what he sees in the theatre. He replies “Joy – and gaiety”.And, as he later points out “What’s the point of having a country if it’s sapped of all joy?”
Cast
Nell Gwynn – Cat Lamin
Rose Gwynn – Elanor Greenwood-Stemp
Nancy – Rachel Burnham
Lady Castlemaine/ Louise de Keroualle – Juliette Sexton
Queen Catherine – Ileana Falcone
Ma Gwynn – Simone White
King Charles II – Tim Williams
Charles Hart – Hugh Cox
Thomas Killigrew – Toby Doncaster
Edward Kynaston – Tony Cotterill
John Dryden – Dominic Parford
Lord Arlington – Marcus Ezekiel
Ned Spiggett – Fred Ezekiel