Theatre group's drama trauma

By James Fraser

THERE'S been yet another twist in the drama to stage a hit play in Felixstowe as an am dram group announced today that they are forced to pull the plug on their planned production because they ran out of men.

Felixstowe Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society has changed a play for their run at the resort's Spa Pavilion theatre next month following "insuperable" production difficulties.

The group had planned to put on Amy's View by acclaimed writer David Hare from March 28 to March 30.

But after what are believed to have been problems in recasting male roles after ill-health struck the cast, director Roy Cutting has chosen instead to stage Bazaar and Rummage by Adrian Mole author, Sue Townsend, which boasts an all-female cast.

The tragi-comedy tells the story of a self-help group of agoraphobics who organise a church hall bazaar.

The move comes as a disappointment to many theatre-goers as it is the second time FADOS have been forced to scrap plans to stage the David Hare work, whose compelling rendition of mother and daughter relationships sold out during its run in London's West End four years ago.

Veronica Sykes, president of FADOS, said that a professional tour of the play scuppered their chances of staging the play last year, which meant The Importance of Being Earnest was chosen as a last minute-replacement.

"This time it's a bit of bad luck in not being able to get new cast members," she said. "Finding replacement cast members was the problem. The new play has an all-woman cast and is much easier to cope with."

Unfortunately finding the men for the job is a common problem for amateur acting groups.

A lack of leading men has also beset preparations for the musical, Me and My Girl, which Stowmarket Operatic and Dramatic Society are putting on at Stowmarket's Regal Theatre this summer.