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Cast
Kerry Girdwood................... Miss Sheppard
Jimmy Sutcliffe........ ........... Alan 1
Mike Pyefinch...................... Alan 2
Murray Milne...................... Rufus
Cathy Gribble...................... Pauline
Polly Pyefinch...................... Social Worker
Bev Pearce............... ........... Mam
Richard Hamblett.... ........... Underwood
M.K. Taylor.......................... Doctor
Christopher Stedman.......... Leo
Kieran Spence..................... Ambulance Driver
Dee Brough......................... Interviewer
Shaelie Kreymborg
Rep Sound Technician
Shaelie Kreymborg is new to Repertory Theatre - in fact she’s new to Whanganui , arriving here just four weeks ago. With a background as an audio, lighting and PA Systems technician she’s the ideal person to fill the position of sound technician at the theatre. Shaelie honed her skills working at Sky City in Auckland.
How did she come to be in Whanganui? “There are several reasons really ,” Shaelie said. “I intended coming here eventually but my mother’s second husband died suddenly, leaving her alone. I didn’t like to think of Mum on her own. Also the lockdown in Auckland meant that I wasn’t able to leave and visit people. I have a lot of family in this part of the country so I don’t feel so lonely any more.”
The hours Shaelie worked at Sky City meant that she was sleeping during the day.” Now I just want to do normal things like gardening.”
When she was approached by some Rep members to help with the sound effects for our upcoming production ‘The Lady in the Van ‘ she thought it would be a good way to meet people and make new friends. She’s finding operating the sound system quite straightforward and yes, she is making new friends.
Welcome to Whanganui and Repertory Theatre Shaelie!
How did she come to be in Whanganui? “There are several reasons really ,” Shaelie said. “I intended coming here eventually but my mother’s second husband died suddenly, leaving her alone. I didn’t like to think of Mum on her own. Also the lockdown in Auckland meant that I wasn’t able to leave and visit people. I have a lot of family in this part of the country so I don’t feel so lonely any more.”
The hours Shaelie worked at Sky City meant that she was sleeping during the day.” Now I just want to do normal things like gardening.”
When she was approached by some Rep members to help with the sound effects for our upcoming production ‘The Lady in the Van ‘ she thought it would be a good way to meet people and make new friends. She’s finding operating the sound system quite straightforward and yes, she is making new friends.
Welcome to Whanganui and Repertory Theatre Shaelie!
Richard Hamblett
"Underwood"
Richard Hamblett hasn’t always been a Mystery Man but he has led a varied life. Born in Dunedin, raised in Christchurch he attended university at Lincoln College, Victoria University in Wellington and the University of New South Wales in Sydney.
He once told me that he’d sailed a lot so I asked him about his sailing days. “ I had the sailboat for about twenty five years. It was based in Wellington so I mainly sailed in Wellington Harbour and around the Sounds. I lived on it sometimes.” It sounds idyllic but wasn’t it cold in the winter? “ No, I was quite comfortable living on the boat, “ Richard assured me.
Until recently Richard was farming out at Okoia but has made the move into town where he’s rehearsing his role as ‘Underwood ‘ in ‘ The Lady in the Van.’
Who is Underwood?
Now that’s a bit of a mystery. “He behaves in a very sly, underhand manner“, Richard said. “He knows something about Miss Shepherd’s past and he sometimes hangs around her Van.” Why? What does he want?
Let’s go to Repertory Theatre and find out. ‘ The Lady in the Van ‘ opens on Thursday 25th August at 7.30. p.m. with performances on 26th, 27th August. There’s a 2.00.p.m, matinee on Sunday 28th August.Further performances are on 1st, 2nd and 3rd of September.
This is a sad/funny play about real people with real problems and real kindness. I’m looking forward to it.
He once told me that he’d sailed a lot so I asked him about his sailing days. “ I had the sailboat for about twenty five years. It was based in Wellington so I mainly sailed in Wellington Harbour and around the Sounds. I lived on it sometimes.” It sounds idyllic but wasn’t it cold in the winter? “ No, I was quite comfortable living on the boat, “ Richard assured me.
Until recently Richard was farming out at Okoia but has made the move into town where he’s rehearsing his role as ‘Underwood ‘ in ‘ The Lady in the Van.’
Who is Underwood?
Now that’s a bit of a mystery. “He behaves in a very sly, underhand manner“, Richard said. “He knows something about Miss Shepherd’s past and he sometimes hangs around her Van.” Why? What does he want?
Let’s go to Repertory Theatre and find out. ‘ The Lady in the Van ‘ opens on Thursday 25th August at 7.30. p.m. with performances on 26th, 27th August. There’s a 2.00.p.m, matinee on Sunday 28th August.Further performances are on 1st, 2nd and 3rd of September.
This is a sad/funny play about real people with real problems and real kindness. I’m looking forward to it.
Jimmy and Mike - the two Alans
Meet Mr Alan Bennett and Mr Alan Bennett.
Meet Mr Alan Bennett and Mr Alan Bennett. Why two Alan Bennetts ? “Well, Jimmy (Sutcliffe) plays Alan Bennett in the present and I play Alan Bennett twenty years later. The older Alan reflects on his time with Miss Shepherd, The Lady in the Van who parked her van in his front garden and lived there, in the Van for fifteen years.” Mike Pyefinch, who plays the elder Alan Bennett, told me.
How are they going to achieve similar appearances? “Jimmy ‘s going to shave off his moustache and we’re both going to be dressed similarly. Remember that I’m Alan Bennett twenty years later so there would be some differences in appearance.”
Both actors have a wealth of theatre experience. Jimmy told me that he’d been acting since he was eleven years old with roles in Tauranga and with Amdram. He did a degree in theatre at Victoria University where all aspects of theatre were covered. “ We learnt lightning, directing, script writing, making props and of course acting”, Jimmy explained.
“I counted up how many plays I’ve been in and it came to forty two. I’ve been treading the boards in Wellington, Levin, Palmerston and Foxton as well as Whanganui “, Mike Pyefinch said. Is he enjoying his role? “I love it. It’s a a beautiful part, fabulous dialogue, colourful and descriptive. You’ve got to learn the script correctly otherwise it doesn’t work. The timing’s important too.”
Jimmy agreed . “ The script’s witty. I’m really enjoying it and it’s interesting with the two Alans . We get to play off each other. We imitate each other but we don’t parody each other.”
I’m intrigued as to how this is going to work with two different chaps playing the same character. Do go along and see them at Repertory Theatre opening on Thursday 25th August at 7.30 p.m. with subsequent performances on 26th, 27th at 7.30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at two p.m. on 28th August. Further performances will be on Wednesday, 31st, Thursday 1st, Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd September.
Meet Mr Alan Bennett and Mr Alan Bennett. Why two Alan Bennetts ? “Well, Jimmy (Sutcliffe) plays Alan Bennett in the present and I play Alan Bennett twenty years later. The older Alan reflects on his time with Miss Shepherd, The Lady in the Van who parked her van in his front garden and lived there, in the Van for fifteen years.” Mike Pyefinch, who plays the elder Alan Bennett, told me.
How are they going to achieve similar appearances? “Jimmy ‘s going to shave off his moustache and we’re both going to be dressed similarly. Remember that I’m Alan Bennett twenty years later so there would be some differences in appearance.”
Both actors have a wealth of theatre experience. Jimmy told me that he’d been acting since he was eleven years old with roles in Tauranga and with Amdram. He did a degree in theatre at Victoria University where all aspects of theatre were covered. “ We learnt lightning, directing, script writing, making props and of course acting”, Jimmy explained.
“I counted up how many plays I’ve been in and it came to forty two. I’ve been treading the boards in Wellington, Levin, Palmerston and Foxton as well as Whanganui “, Mike Pyefinch said. Is he enjoying his role? “I love it. It’s a a beautiful part, fabulous dialogue, colourful and descriptive. You’ve got to learn the script correctly otherwise it doesn’t work. The timing’s important too.”
Jimmy agreed . “ The script’s witty. I’m really enjoying it and it’s interesting with the two Alans . We get to play off each other. We imitate each other but we don’t parody each other.”
I’m intrigued as to how this is going to work with two different chaps playing the same character. Do go along and see them at Repertory Theatre opening on Thursday 25th August at 7.30 p.m. with subsequent performances on 26th, 27th at 7.30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at two p.m. on 28th August. Further performances will be on Wednesday, 31st, Thursday 1st, Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd September.
Kerry Girdwood - Miss Shepherd
Kerry Girdwood bubbles with enthusiasm talking about her her role in ‘The Lady in the Van ‘. Miss Shepherd not only drove the van but lived in it for fifteen years in playwright Alan Bennett’s front garden.
“ I first saw the play in London in the year 2000 starring Maggie Smith. The stage play has a tension that the film lacks because the film explains a lot of Miss Shepherd’s story at the beginning , whereas the stage play gradually reveals her background, drawing the audience into the story.”
“It’s beautifully crafted. There’s not a wasted word in the script. You know, Alan Bennett rewrote the script several times and I think that’s why it took so long for the rights to become available,” Kerry said.
Both the characters of Miss Shepherd and Alan Bennett himself are based on real people but the other characters, e.g. the neighbours Rufus and Pauline are composites of people who were there at the time.
I asked Kerry about Alan Bennett’s relationship with Miss Shepherd. “ He’s fascinated by her and at the same time he’s appalled by her. He does rather admire her because she’s so indomitable and she’s determined to remain indomitable. She’s resilient too. Of course the older she gets the harder it gets but you can’t help but admire her.”
This experienced actor/ director ( Kerry directs ‘The Lady in the Van ‘ as well as acting in it) has a great deal of admiration for Alan Bennett. “In the U.K. Alan Bennett is the darling of the theatre world. He’s an award winning playwright having written ‘Single Spies’ about the Cambridge Group, Monty Python and many others.”
Kerry agrees that Alan Bennett also creates an interesting portrait of himself in ‘The Lady in the Van ‘.
Despite the fact that Miss Shepherd’s story is a tragic one there’s some really humorous dialogue. As the director says it has subtlety and is cleverly nuanced.
I know this play fairly well, having read it several times and watched it in rehearsal . It still has me chuckling . It’s a goodie so don’t miss it .
“ I first saw the play in London in the year 2000 starring Maggie Smith. The stage play has a tension that the film lacks because the film explains a lot of Miss Shepherd’s story at the beginning , whereas the stage play gradually reveals her background, drawing the audience into the story.”
“It’s beautifully crafted. There’s not a wasted word in the script. You know, Alan Bennett rewrote the script several times and I think that’s why it took so long for the rights to become available,” Kerry said.
Both the characters of Miss Shepherd and Alan Bennett himself are based on real people but the other characters, e.g. the neighbours Rufus and Pauline are composites of people who were there at the time.
I asked Kerry about Alan Bennett’s relationship with Miss Shepherd. “ He’s fascinated by her and at the same time he’s appalled by her. He does rather admire her because she’s so indomitable and she’s determined to remain indomitable. She’s resilient too. Of course the older she gets the harder it gets but you can’t help but admire her.”
This experienced actor/ director ( Kerry directs ‘The Lady in the Van ‘ as well as acting in it) has a great deal of admiration for Alan Bennett. “In the U.K. Alan Bennett is the darling of the theatre world. He’s an award winning playwright having written ‘Single Spies’ about the Cambridge Group, Monty Python and many others.”
Kerry agrees that Alan Bennett also creates an interesting portrait of himself in ‘The Lady in the Van ‘.
Despite the fact that Miss Shepherd’s story is a tragic one there’s some really humorous dialogue. As the director says it has subtlety and is cleverly nuanced.
I know this play fairly well, having read it several times and watched it in rehearsal . It still has me chuckling . It’s a goodie so don’t miss it .
Cast and Crew
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