Richard Harris' comedy Stepping Out is a warm and very funny play about the lives, laughs and loves of a group of women (and one man) attending a weekly tap class in a dingy North London church hall. A fairly hapless lot to begin with, as the play progresses the class's dancing improves to such an extent that by the climax, a grand charity show performance , they have been transformed into triumphant tappers, worthy of any chorus line.
The Cast
Mavis - Hayley Dennis
Sylvia - Louise Rouse
Dorothy - Debbie Hiles
Lynne - Amy Kent
Maxine - Jenny Lewis
Andy - Fiona Haylock
Mrs Fraser - Louise Smith
Geoffrey - Matthew Austin
Vera - Kay Crome
Rose - Lorna Hutchinson
Sugar Plum Fairy - Kate Oldfield
The Crew
Director - Matthew Austin
Choreographer - Penny Cooke
Stage Manager - Matthew Kerslake
Stage Crew - Richard Bennett, Daniel Wagg
Pianist - Kate Mould
Publicity - Megan Abbott
Props - Matthew Kerslake
Wadrobe - Judy Parsons and Leslie Judd
Lighting and Sounds - Barry Ayres
Front of House Manager - Cyril Pike
Front of House Team - Friends and members of the society
Box Office - Kate and Chip Carpenter
Bar - Steve and Nerys Brooks
Mavis - Hayley Dennis
Sylvia - Louise Rouse
Dorothy - Debbie Hiles
Lynne - Amy Kent
Maxine - Jenny Lewis
Andy - Fiona Haylock
Mrs Fraser - Louise Smith
Geoffrey - Matthew Austin
Vera - Kay Crome
Rose - Lorna Hutchinson
Sugar Plum Fairy - Kate Oldfield
The Crew
Director - Matthew Austin
Choreographer - Penny Cooke
Stage Manager - Matthew Kerslake
Stage Crew - Richard Bennett, Daniel Wagg
Pianist - Kate Mould
Publicity - Megan Abbott
Props - Matthew Kerslake
Wadrobe - Judy Parsons and Leslie Judd
Lighting and Sounds - Barry Ayres
Front of House Manager - Cyril Pike
Front of House Team - Friends and members of the society
Box Office - Kate and Chip Carpenter
Bar - Steve and Nerys Brooks
Lynn News Review
I had not come across Richard Harris’ comedy Stepping Out before so I was delighted to have the opportunity to get to know it when I attended the recent Watlington Players production locally.
The play was written in 1984 and the West End production received the Evening Standard Comedy of the Year Award. It also went to Broadway and was made into a successful film starring Liza Minnelli and Julie Walters. The show features a disparate group of eight characters attending weekly tap dancing classes in a North London church hall. Despite their individual problems and issues they finally come up with a well choreographed dance routine suited to their talents.
As we have come to expect from these players standards were high from the virtually all female cast (Matthew Austin the show’s director played the only male character - Geoffrey) and the comedy and tragedy of the characters were well portrayed. The play was effectively set with little scenery or props and although sometimes a little more voice projection was required from a few of
the cast this was a hugely enjoyable evening. I look forward to the Players next production.
Andy Tyler - 19th November 2012
The play was written in 1984 and the West End production received the Evening Standard Comedy of the Year Award. It also went to Broadway and was made into a successful film starring Liza Minnelli and Julie Walters. The show features a disparate group of eight characters attending weekly tap dancing classes in a North London church hall. Despite their individual problems and issues they finally come up with a well choreographed dance routine suited to their talents.
As we have come to expect from these players standards were high from the virtually all female cast (Matthew Austin the show’s director played the only male character - Geoffrey) and the comedy and tragedy of the characters were well portrayed. The play was effectively set with little scenery or props and although sometimes a little more voice projection was required from a few of
the cast this was a hugely enjoyable evening. I look forward to the Players next production.
Andy Tyler - 19th November 2012