A pair of prestigious premieres feature in the newly-announced summer season drama line-up at Sheringham Little Theatre.
Shanty is a brand new comedy, with live music, based on a Cromer sea shanty singing fishermen and his family. Running from August 8-12 it charts daughter Shanty’s creation of a band to tackle the family’s fishing business woes. It is penned by North Norfolk based playwright, poet and EastEnders scriptwriter James McDermott.
Run For Your Man (August 22-26), by farce master Ray Cooney, is a modern twist on his classic Run For Your Wife – putting cabbie Jackie into the main role, juggling two husbands in two different towns, before her life unravels.
Run For Your Man (August 22-26), by farce master Ray Cooney, is a modern twist on his classic Run For Your Wife – putting cabbie Jackie into the main role, juggling two husbands in two different towns, before her life unravels.
Shanty will see its first ever performances, and Run for Your Man its UK debut, during the Sheringham summer season which comprises five plays, delivered by nine professional actors and four community cast members over six weeks.
James McDermott who wrote Shanty
The other summer shows are:
Theatre director Debbie Thompson said: “We always try to balance staging new work with traditional favourites, so we are thrilled to be able to host two premieres as well as some new slants on well-known dramas and some evergreen wit from Noel Coward. It fits our aim to provide something for everyone.”
A concert by the Sheringham Shantymen on July 30 sets the scene for Shanty a few days later, and there are two summer concerts raising funds for the theatre being held at Mannington Hall, the home of theatre president Lady Walpole – a party night with the Lee Vasey Big Band on Friday July 21 and a classical picnic concert by the Flutes and Frets Duo the following day.
Other spring and summer shows in the new season include:
Details of the shows which can be seen at, and the brochure downloaded from, its website www.sheringhamlittletheatre.com
Music, panto and local drama talent are among the highlights of the latest programme of events to be announced by Sheringham Little Theatre.
A new brochure flagging up shows between October and March includes a Blues, Roots and Americana music weekend, a Cinderella panto with a modern Netflix twist, and six “am dram” productions.
Theatre director Debbie Thompson said: “Cinderella is the best panto story – but as ever we are putting a new slant on it with our Prince Charming as a Netflix star looking for love through his documentary called A Charmed Life.”
Cinderella runs from December 15 to January 2 with Emily Kate Ann as Cinders, Samuel Garrett as Prince Charming, Kit Henson and Danniella Schindler as the Ugly Sisters Beeston and Bump, Grace Pennington as Buttonz and Shane Armstrong as the stepmother and fairy godmother.
On Sunday 13th August Sheringham RNLI held their annual Lifeboat Day. Hundreds of people flocked to the lifeboat station to see the lifeboat demonstrations including a mock rescue of a swimmer (played by Sheringham helmsman Steve Banks) and a joint demonstration involving Sheringham Lifeboat and both of Cromer’s Lifeboats.
There were also displays by the local HM Coastguard team, a tombola with prizes donated by local businesses, a teddy tombola, refreshments stall and a Welly Wanging competition.
At 1pm The Sheringham Shantymen put on a free performance with a collection in the famous RNLI yellow wellies at the end by crewmember Leanne McColm and Sam Farrow and at 3pm the station held their annual lifeboat service with representatives from all of Sheringham’s churches and music provided by the Sheringham Salvation Army band.
On Saturday 22nd July sixty two hardy collectors were out and about on the rainy streets of Sheringham collecting for the RNLI as part of the annual Flag Day.
A record £2181.62 was collected, Sheringham RNLI would like to say a huge thank you to the people of Sheringham for their generosity. Thanks also go to the many volunteers who helped organise the day, hold collection boxes and count the money (and particularly to the kind person who handed over a bag of coins totalling £70!)
Brian Farrow, Sheringham RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, said ‘We are greatly touched by the kindness and support we continue to receive from our fantastic community. To break our record for Flag Day collections at Sheringham during the current financial climate and on such a rainy day is truly heart-warming. Thank you all.’
The town of Sheringham morphed into a colourful clamour of bells for the first weekend in July, as has become traditional. Morris Sides from across the United Kingdom converged on the town for the highlight of the East Anglian Morris year.
From Newcastle to Norwich and from Laxfield to Leicester they, hopped, skipped and jumped their way to Sheringham to celebrate a festival of folk music and dancing. 37 groups of people showcased the real diversity that this art form supports and demonstrated the huge variety of forms of Morris dancing to delighted crowds who thronged to the town to support the weekend. For the uninitiated, this can include Molly, Rapper, Mummer, Cotswold, North West and Welsh Border styles of dance.
After a welcome from the Sheringham Town Crier, Mayor and Deputy Mayor, the 37 sides danced their way through the town before settling down around 11 performance venues in town for over 10 hours of dancing joy spread over Saturday and Sunday.
Sheringham is gearing up for a great weekend of fun on 30th June to 2nd July as the preparations continue for the annual Potty Festival – a celebration of Morris Dancing and Folk Music, which has taken place in the town for the last 30 years. Named after Sheringham’s “Lobster Potties” Morris side, the weekend will see 35 sides dancing all around town, showcasing some fantastic outfits and skills. Dancing will follow the various Morris forms including Molly, Rapper, Mummers, Cotswold, North West and Welsh Border.
The whole town comes alive for this festival of fun, with the 2018 Festival seeing a Guinness world record of 369 dancers dancing together – a spectacular sight.