Award nomination for Courts Players (From Thurrock Gazette)

Award nomination for Courts Players

7:00am Saturday 23rd March 2013 in News

AN AMATEUR dramatics group has been nominated for a prestigious award.

Thurrock Courts Players has been nominated for a National Operatic and Dramatic Association award for the Best Play of 2012 for the South East of England.

The play, How The Other Half Loves by Alan Ayckbourn, was performed at the Thameside Theatre in Grays in May and given a glowing review by the NODA representative.

It follows the interwoven lives of three couples and features a complex scene in which a couple attends two simultaneous dinner parties.

Vic Gray, director and chairman of Thurrock Courts Players, said: “It’s a real compliment to the company to be nominated for an award like this.

“Amateur drama is often understated, but we have a very talented and hard working group which is totally professional in their approach to a piece of theatre.

“Audience numbers are growing and we know that this is down to the standard of production we are able to achieve.

“We have a busy year planned for 2013 with four plays currently in rehearsal, so there should be something to entertain everyone.”

Courts’ diary for 2013 began with a performance of Ayckbourn’s Season’s Greetings, which reviewers on Facebook called “excellent, as always” and “just awesome”.

Work is now focusing on two one-act plays, to be presented at Southend and Waltham Forest drama festivals, before members appear at the Thameside Theatre on Wednesday, March 27, in their Buy One Get One Free event.

For £8, theatre lovers can see both Tea and Crumpet, written and directed by member Trevor Povey, and Babels In Arms, by David Ives.

More information about the group is on Facebook or at www.thurrockcourts players.co.uk