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CHALKFOOT UPDATE
January 2012

LOOKING BACK OVER THE PAST YEAR, 2011/12
plus your comments on "Queen Elizabeth's Elephant"

2011 was a good year for the company, with excellent feedback from audiences and critics for our last spring tour, "Queen Elizabeth's Elephant" and some great preliminary work on our forthcoming project, "Running for Glory" during a week long script development in the summer and a well attended script reading session at Ash Village Hall in September.

Thank you if you were one of the many contributors who took the time to let us know your views on our last Spring tour. Audience comments are below and you can also read our review by Susan Elkin in The Stage here.

"QUEEN ELIZABETH'S ELEPHANT"

Chalkfoot Spring tour 2011

Samples of audience feedback and promoter comments

Once again, an excellent evening's entertainment in Upchurch Village Hall. Whatever the subject of the production, your actors, producer and scenery staff give of the very best. I couldn't have had a better evening if I'd gone to one of the costly West End theatres. I hope you manage to obtain grants for you to continue to entertain us in this way.
Pat New (by email)

Felt I must congratulate you and the actors who took part, on an excellent play. Having been in on the preliminary reading at Blue Town, it was very interesting to see the end result. Your hard work and expertise as a playwright shone through and the actors did an excellent job. It was especially pleasing for the people of Sheerness to see the return of live theatre; the fact that it was a sell out was a good sign of their appreciation. I wish you continued success in all the other venues; it will be well deserved.
Betty Oldmeadow (by email)

I was fortunate enough to watch the performance of 'Queen Elizabeth's Elephant' at Upchurch Village Hall on Saturday 2nd April. I enjoyed it so much that I felt I wanted to let you all know how brilliant you are. The actors were outstanding, the scenery, props & puppets were so clever. Everyone enjoyed it immensely. I cannot wait for your next performance. Please make sure my name remains on your mailing list. Thank you again for a marvelous evening out.
Rosalind Sexton (by email)

The show went extremely well at the Barn and was much enjoyed by the audiences. Here is an email I received, which was typical of people's reaction:
"Last night's performance was delightful and much enjoyed by Cathy, Duncan and myself. Thank you for choosing such a play. We thoroughly enjoyed their previous 'Riddle of the Sands' and were again much taken with this production".
The cast were very good and easy to get on with as was Colin, they all did a splendid job.
Peter Mould, Barn Theatre (by email)

In 2010, Chalkfoot Theatre worked with local groups in Swale to tell the story (based on a recorded account) of the anticipation of a gift from Queen Elizabeth I by the townspeople of Queensborough - a gift in the form of an elephant. The terrific play "Queen Elizabeth's Elephant" was the result, much enjoyed by the audience in the Village Hall.
Ash Parish Magazine (excerpt from review)

Well done! Do hope you were happy with how it went. We thought it was a very clever set - the many apertures added extra dimensions - a clever way of stretching your small cast even further. It made for good snappy exchanges too. And of course there was always the anticipation of a trunk being caught in a snapping window - you let us have the satisfaction of one near miss I think, more would have spoiled it. Also loved the roof workers - would have liked them to return at some time - I'm sure you can find them some more jobs?? Could creep up on out-of-hours elephant look-out? The costumes were clever too - liked the all-purpose elephant cast outfits -they must have been a challenge to get in and out of quickly with all those appendages but did not see anyone with their 'dress tucked in their knickers' - congratulations to all!
Susan Harris (by email)

Just to say that as always, we have enjoyed your production at the Catsfield Village Hall of ''Queen Elizabeth's Elephant'', it amazes me how you maintain the standard of productions, year after year. My husband and I loved the performance tonight, thank you for a great evening.
Muriel Scott-Wood (by email)

Dear Chalkfoot Board Treaders
What a splendid production at Southfleet Village Hall! What a brilliant story and what brilliant acting. How very poignant and touching too. We liked the mummers and costumes. It was very well written and balanced. We all strongly thought that this production could actually go on to greater venues than our humble - though packed Village Hall. It is so original, funny and human. Very well done. Hoorah ! Encore !
Peers Carter (by email)

Just to say we thoroughly enjoyed the play last night. It must have been very hard work with critical continuity but it worked well. Thank you so much.
Christine and Eddie Hughes (by email)

Thanks to all concerned for the wonderful performance at Biddenden on Friday 18 March. At the risk of failing to mention other equally worthy features and individual roles, we particularly enjoyed ;
- the superb structure of the play. Our customary debate on our half-hour journey home covered the hubris / nemesis theme (supported by the Elephant Chorus), whether William's single act of vanity merited a fate so uncommonly like that of Don Giovanni, and whether Jan De Bleecker was an allegorical portrayal of today's banker, progressing seamlessly as he did from charlatan to philanderer to thief, and getting away with it. - the puppetry - especially William's fall from the roof. - Jon Atkins' portrayal of the archetypal mayor - from medieval Hamelin to modern London - whose many faults, and even whose one fatal blunder, are transcended by his determination to do his misguided best for his town. - Joseph Wicks' effortless switches between De Bleecker's faultless Vlanderen/Zeeland accent and the upper-class delivery of Willingale. - Emma Hay's final speech in which Agnes rejoices in her little Will-I-am and consigns the ups and downs of the drama toto the dustbin of passing time - rather as Auntie sighs "Just one of those rumours" at the end of Peter Grimes.
Very glad to see you back on the road again. Please keep up the good work.
Richard Reid (by email)

Chalkfoot Theatre Arts production of Queen Elizabeth's Elephant, by Claudia Leaf, was given a very warm reception by a large audience gathered in Higham Memorial Hall on Sunday, March 20th. The play, set around the 1580's, told an amusing story relating to the Mayor of Queenborough, Isle of Sheppey and the visit made to the village by Queen Elizabeth lst when she bestowed an exotic gift of an elephant. Many thanks go to Chalkfoot Theatre Arts, to Director, Phillip Dart, to all the production crew and to the cast of multi-talented actors Jon Atkins, Emma Hay and Joseph Wicks.
Village News review from Higham

What fun! Everything was so good. Actors, costumes, scenery, lighting, sound and the play. Lots of good vibes from the audience.
Sally Starbuck, Promoter, Higham Village Hall. (Comment form)

I attended Upchurch Village Hall last night to see the above play. May I say what an enjoyable evening it was. The play is brilliant, held me captive all through and with an unexpected end. What a marvellous story. May I compliment the superior acting from all three cast members. I have seen "Riddle of the Sands" now this. I will certainly look out for future productions. Very well done and good luck in the future.
Lynn Wilkinson (by email)

Outstanding Success
Jerry Slinn, Promoter, Biddenden

Quirky, funny and very enjoyable. Another great production from Chalkfoot, who can turn our village hall into a West End Theatre for the night. Our audience thoroughly enjoyed the play. One lady commented "Why on earth haven't I come and seen them before?" and our regulars who make up the majority of our audience all enjoyed the production. Thanks again for including us on your "rural tour"
Val Smith, Promoter, Woodchurch Village Hall (by email)

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