Programme

1989

Vis-à-vis Theater, Kosterberg, Basel

1/2/3/4 November 1989

Too Long An Autumn, by Jimmie Chinn

Directed by Flavio De Rosa

Cast:

Maisie May, a former music-hall star  -  Joan Kuster

Arnold Windrush  -  Graham Simons

Ursula Windrush -  Sheila Weir

Dad  -  Ted Ford

Chris Tavistock-Smythe  -  Dennis Dell

Miss Tate  -  Ruth Meier

Dora Coxhall  -  Sonia Dell

Long Autumn, appropriately named, is a retirement home for theatricals in the autumn of their lives, where euphemism reigns supreme, together with a firm belief that "elderly" equals "senile". Into their midst is flung Maisie May, a former music-hall star, too much of a burden for her strait-laced son and daughter-in-law, who do not find Maisie amusing. Initially the ever-cheerful, irrepressible Maisie copes with the rigours of Long Autumn in her own inimitable style, but she becomes increasingly depressed. Then one day a breezy impresario, Chris, arrives with big plans for Maisie. She is tempted back to the stage, showing us that it is possible to be old in years, but young in spirit.

Five Revue Sketches by Harold Pinter

Directed by Richard Levitt

"Request Stop" tells of a woman who is insulted at the bus stop - or is she?

First woman: Joy Scherer; small man: Graham Simons; tall Man: Norman Koeth; other woman: Cynthia Baer

     Frist woman: Joy Scherer; Second woman: Cynthia Baer

Production Manager: Rudolf Kuster

Stage manager: Richard Levitt