This week, we caught up with Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club trustee, Sue Twilley...
Q. Where in Lincolnshire are you based,and what was your first ever live performance that you participated in ? Be it onstage or backstage role .
"The Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club is based in North Lincolnshire. My first role was making the props for The Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club’s pantomime , ‘Mother Goose’, directed by Samantha McGowan."
Q. What was it that first drew you to the local theatre /arts scene ? Has it been a constant in your life , or was there a hiatus due to work/life commitments? What sparked or, indeed, relighted your interest?
"I first came to The Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club after a family bereavement , and I was looking for a hobby to occupy my spare time. What initially sparked my interest was watching what took place backstage while I was standing at the props table. Backstage is always a hive of activity!"
Q. Give me three words that describe what theatre means to you.
"Fun , Friendship , Teamwork."
Q. I see via your website (www.littletheatreclub.co.uk) that, as a society, you’ve produced everything from farce to Shakespeare... What do you think appeals to Scunthorpe audiences? Why do they support the society?
"I think that The Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club aims to appeal to a very broad audience range, from it’s fun filled family pantomimes, to dark Victorian plays such as ‘ Gaslight‘, and then plays with a comedy element such as ‘BlackAdder the Third’, and our latest play ‘The Canterbury Tales‘.
I think that our audiences support us because we offer good value for money, and we are a very visible group in our local area, be that online or at local events where we promote our shows and get to know our audience members."
Q. Can you share with us your fondest, or a particularly strong, on-stage /backstage memory?
"My fondest memory was sitting at the sound desk, between Alan Needham (sound) and Malcolm Smith (lighting), watching the cast that I had directed in ‘Abigail’s Party’ bring the play to life onstage."
Q. What is the current production that you’re involved in, and your role within the company?
"The current production that I’m involved in is The Canterbury Tales. I am heading up the costume team with Ross Cryer. I am also playing Gervais, Venus, Pertelote, and The Wife of Bath."
Q. Talk me through the rehearsal process at SLTC …..I appreciate every production varies, however, how much in advance are play titles decided, and what is the selection process, and then, how long is the rehearsal process before opening night?
"We have a play selection meeting which is usually held in June. All members are invited to attend to offer up suggestions as to what plays they would like us to perform. We also take this opportunity to thin down the current list , removing shows that are not viable and adding shows where we have a member who would like to direct that particular show.
We are currently in rehearsals for ‘The Canterbury Tales, and in this case , as in all of our shows , the casting week followed immediately after our previous show had ended.
The first rehearsal took place on 27th January and we will be rehearsing three nights a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday, until Wednesday 7th May before we enter the Plowright Theatre for our show week on Sunday 11th May."
Q. Do you have any incidents or stories from this or previous productions where it has, perhaps, been far from an enviable situation?
"For ‘Yes, Prime Minister ‘ I was the prompt for the show . On the day of the ‘Get In’ we discovered that the gentleman playing ‘Bernard ‘ was unwell. Sitting on the stage, trying out the chairs, I suggested - half jokingly - could ‘ Bernard’ perhaps become ‘Bernice’? As a consequence of that suggestion, I was asked by the director of the show and the Stage Manager if I would go on in place of ‘Bernard’. I had a script on stage, there was no time to learn the lines, and despite initially feeling extremely nervous, the cast were so very supportive and the audience was very understanding of the situation. I played ‘Bernice‘ from Wednesday to Friday, and on the final night ‘Bernard’ returned and I went back to my position in prompt corner, so it all turned out well in the end."
Q. What creative work is on the horizon for you?
"This is a question that I will struggle to answer. There is so much talent at The Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club so there is always something to learn, from sourcing costumes, to making props. Then there’s the set building , lighting, sound. Not only that but at SLTC there is no such thing as a ‘stupid question ‘ so every day we can learn something new."
Q. Back to ‘The Canterbury Tales’ , could you give me one popular song title that describes ‘The Canterbury Tales’ experience for the audience. NB. It doesn’t have to be a song in the show, but it may well be.
"The music that I think describes ‘The Canterbury Tales’ experience for the audience is ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ by Queen. The play is fast paced , and the cast all have three or four roles each , so there is literally no time to stop , as we change, often onstage, from one character to another."
'The Canterbury Tales' will be staged by Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club at the Plowright Theatre from Wednesday 14th to Saturday 17th May, 2025. Tickets will be made available soon via the website www.scunthorpetheatres.co.uk.
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