NODA Award Winning Production

LBDG recently won an award for the region's Best Drama Production 2004 from the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA). This prestigious award recognises the quality and energy of the group's productions and all those involved.

Director's Introduction

'The Killing of Sister George', the comedy by Frank Marcus, played to near capacity houses at Leighton Buzzard Theatre in September and was one of the group's most successful productions in recent times. Set in the late sixties the action takes place against the backdrop of a fictional TV series and is a scathing indictment of show business. Sister George is a soap opera character who is to be 'killed off' in the pursuit of ratings, but the actress who plays her is not going to go quietly. With an all-female cast and a lesbian relationship at its centre the play exposes a society unable to tolerate truths that aren't sugar-coated.

Bob writes: For many years I’ve wanted to direct this terrific play, always popular with audiences. When it was first staged in the mid sixties the title role of Sister George was taken by Beryl Reid, who subsequently appeared in the film adaptation. My intention was to keep it in period for the LBDG production.

It has a main cast of four females but there are one or two additional small non-appearance parts for men that are pre-recorded on tape. Sister George is a fictional character in a popular radio (or television) soap about English village life. To boost ratings the character is to be killed off and Mrs Mercy of the BBC must face the indomitable June Buckridge who has played the part for some 2000 performances.

June has a lesbian relationship with ‘Childie’ McNaught, a babyish girl-woman who shares her home, and the impending catastrophe of June’s lost job tips the insecure relationship over. Madame Xenia, who lives in the same building, is of foreign origin and professes to read the future.

The play is a comedy, but it’s also quite dark in places. It has a naturalistic and dramatic foundation that offers magnificent acting opportunities to its cast.

Characters