Nottingham Playhouse cast go down pit for research

Published: 2 February 2018
Reporter: Steve Orme

Deka Walmsley (Colonel), Tony Bell (Bobbo), Chris Ashby (Malcolm) and Joshua Glenister (Jimmy) in rehearsal for Wonderland Credit: Darren Bell
Matthew Cottle (Peter Walker) and Robin Bowerman (Ian MacGregor) Credit: Darren Bell
Jamie Beamish and director Adam Penford Credit: Darren Bell

The cast of Wonderland, the first play to be directed by Adam Penford since he took over as artistic director of Nottingham Playhouse, have visited the National Coal Mining Museum for England as part of their research into the play.

Wonderland by Beth Steele is set in 1983 at Welbeck Colliery in Nottinghamshire when pits are closing and a strike is called.

After the visit to the museum near Wakefield, Steele said, “it’s bringing what’s on the page to life. They’re going underground and getting the sensations, seeing the grime and the dirt and the low ceilings. It’s getting the work into them physically so they can go back to the rehearsal room and start to feel it differently.”

Jack Quarton who plays Fanny commented, “it’s so different reading about it to actually experiencing it first-hand, getting a sense for the smells, the real sense of the darkness and the closeness of it. It was really useful.”

Harry Hepple who plays Spud added, “a lot of the time we as actors have to imagine things that we have no experience of. But to get first-hand experience—the guys who took us down there were real miners—you get an element of what they went through and how it’s pushed them physically and mentally.

“That’s invaluable really because it’s what this play investigates, that community below ground.”

Two Nottinghamshire actors are in the cast, Chris Ashby who plays Malcolm and Joshua Glenister (Jimmy).

The rest of the cast comprises Jamie Beamish (David Hart / Mr Bishop / Chief of Metropolitan Police), Tony Bell (Bobbo), Robin Bowerman (Ian MacGregor), Matthew Cottle (Peter Walker), Nicholas Khan (Tilsley / Nicholas Ridley / Milton Friedman /security guard / Chief of Metropolitan Police) and Deka Walmsley (Colonel).

Designer is Morgan Large, lighting designer Jack Knowles, composer / sound designer Jon Nicholls, movement director Naomi Said, voice coach Kay Welch, dance captain Jamie Beamish and singing captain Jack Quarton.

Wonderland runs at Nottingham Playhouse from Friday 9 until Saturday 24 February.

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