Your latest news from London's most exciting Little Theatre!
Don't miss this month's great shows at BLT...
Jumpy
Fri 10th - Sat 18th March
(No performance Sunday 12th March)
Hilary once protested at Greenham Common. But now, her protests tend to focus on her teenage daughter’s scant attire. Every day’s a crisis – it’s called being fifty! A frank and very funny comedy which premiered at the Royal Court in 2011 and went on to great acclaim in the West End, Jumpy makes us think (and laugh) about the relationships between teenagers, their parents and husbands and wives. A definite must-see!
Please note new dates!
A hilarious comedy about a ladies’ darts team in Yorkshire. Ron Rose, a successful TV script writer (The Bill and Heartbeat), wrote the play in 1976 and, thirty years later, it premiered at the Hull Truck, with John Godber directing. Ron has given special permission for BLT to perform his play and this will be the amateur premiere. A raucously funny comedy, punctuated by some great tunes of the period, it is also a celebration of the courage and lives of five working-class women. Don't miss it!
Booking for bar shows is open to members and their guests only
Power
Fri 13th - Sat 22nd April
Set in the court of Louis XIV of France, Power charts the rite of passage of the ‘Sun King’ from naive, tempestuous youth to absolute monarch. Dark, dazzling and passionate, Power will be BLT’s entry for the Bromley Theatre Guild and Kent Drama Association Full Length Play festivals.
Like its owner, Lady Dorothy Stacpoole’s stately home has seen better days. Both are in an advanced state of decay. Her younger sister wants to hand the house over to the National Trust, but Dorothy has more radical ideas...People is Alan Bennett at his best: elegiac yet satiric, provocative yet poignant and wickedly funny.
A popular novelist visits her husband’s former mistress. The two women reflect on their lives and relationship with the central, yet unseen male character. Staged in the West End in 2002, 'The Breath of Life' received great critical acclaim and is regarded as one of David Hare’s finest pieces of writing.
Booking for bar shows is open to members and their guests only
BLT auditions are open to non-members, but you must join if cast. Good luck!
Auditioning at 2pm:
Four Nights in Knaresborough
Directed by Tony Jenner Performance dates: 14th - 23rd September 2017
Forget everything you think you already know about that murder of that man in that cathedral. This is what happened next. Four men who have just made the worst career move in history. Four men on the run. Holed up in a draughty castle. For a year. What could possibly go wrong?
Directed by Jessica-Ann Jenner Performance dates: 6th - 15th July 2017
London, 1660: King Charles II has exploded on to the scene with a love of all things loud, extravagant and sexy. Meanwhile, at Drury Lane, a young Nell Gwynn is causing stirrings amongst theatregoers. The show charts Nell's rise to become Britain’s most celebrated actress and the King's favourite. It will also be our 2017 production at Hever Castle Festival.
by Mark Cantan Directed by Paul Ackroyd Perfromance dates: Wed 27th - Sun 1st Oct 2017
A clever comedy about what not to do when your sex life needs saving! Alan and Robin are a dynamic couple looking to spice up their sex life. Could a threesome be the answer to their problems? Unfortunately they choose Jezebel as the third corner of their triangle who, in spite of her name, is about the most unlikely candidate for such an adventure. The consequences for all three of them are as unexpected as they are hilarious...
In spite of the subject matter the play is in good taste with no nudity, sexual simulation or swearing....sorry !
Want to share your thoughts about BLT shows? Here’s your chance. We still need reviewers for some of our 2017 shows, most urgently for 'People' and 'Breath of Life' (our May productions).
All we ask is 600 - 800 well-chosen (and constructive) words and your review will be published in 'Spotlights' and on our website.
If you'd like to volunteer simply visit our Reviewers Page type your name next to the show (or shows) you'd like to review and that’s it! The page saves everything automatically – just close the window when you’re done. So sign up now and get ready to review!
The Sarnies: what a night!
Saturday 25th Feb saw the 2016 Sarnies Awards - BLT's very own Oscars night. But, unlike the ill-fated Oscars, the evening went without a hitch, thanks to brilliant compere-ing from Hilary Cordery and first-class organisation from Jess Jenner (pictured centre). For a full list of winners and nominees visit the new BLT website
A message from Nikki Packham
Also at the Sarnies the 'Lifetime Achievement' award was given to Dennis Packham, a much-loved and much-missed BLT stalwart who sadly passed away recently. His wife Nikki has asked us to include this message:
I was overwhelmed by the wonderful tribute paid to my dear husband at the Sarnies. Thank you to Jane and the Board and to all our very dear friends at Bromley Little Theatre, whose love and support are helping me to keep going and will always help me, I know, through life without my best friend. Bless you all. Nikki Packham.
A taste of the new website!
After weeks in the works the new BLT website is now up and running. Checked it out yet? If not, click here
BLT to join forces with the Churchill Theatre
Now that BLT has 'gone public' we need to make ourselves much more visible to Bromley theatregoers.
With that in mind we've been talking to the Churchill about helping each other to increase our respective audiences and have come up with several new initiatives.
To begin with we will publicise each other's shows by distributing and displaying posters and flyers. We will be linking the Churchill's online content to our BLTins and website and in return they will advertise our shows on their e-shots.
Another idea we are about to trial is to put BLT tickets on sale at the Churchill box office. This will be happening from our July production 'Nell Gwynn' onwards. BLT members wishing to take advantage of this service will of course need to quote their membership number.
We are also negotiating discounted tickets for some Churchill shows such as those recently offered for 'The Verdict'. These will be announced as they are made available on our website or in the BLTins, so watch this space!
Fundraising news
Our fundraising activities continue to bubble away although things have gone a little quiet at the moment as we wait for the definitive plans and costings for our future repairs and rebuild.
Contact with local businesses and organisations is steadily growing and, hopefully, you will start to see more revenue-generating advertising appearing in our programmes and other publications.
There are plans for a number of special one-off events - probably on Sunday evenings - and we hope to run a series of prize raffles offering "spectacular" prizes donated by local businesses and other supporters.
We're always on the lookout for new ideas to raise money, so please get in touch if you think you can help in any way. Ideas currently under consideration include selling tiles for our new roof and named seats in our auditorium or even dedicated rooms. Imagine having one of our toilets emblazoned with your name!! What do you think, Lou?
Don't forget you can also keep up with all the latest BLT news on our website, Facebook and Twitter
