Hobson's Choice (2024)

Hobson's Choice
[[File: |300px]] Hobson's Choice promotional image
Dates	28 June - 7 July 2024
Venue	The Tower Theatre
Director	Graham Jeffery
Producer	Becki Reynolds

The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic and Dramatic Society presented Hobson's Choice on 16-18 May 2024 at The Tower Theatre, Folkestone. An amateur production by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd on behalf of Samuel French Ltd.

A message from the director...

Hobson's Choice was first produced in London in 1916 and, since then, has remained popular with both professional and amateur theatre companies alike. In fact, it was the last production at FHODS' Little Theatre in 2006, before they moved to The Tower Theatre.

Although more than 100 years old, the play remains both contemporary and honest, with ideas and attitudes concerning gender roles and class divisions. By updating the play to a more modern era, I feel it brings it closer to us.

Two of the key themes of the play are the right of women to determine their own lives, and the rebellion of the younger generation against their parents' outdated values; concepts that were very mcuh to the fore in the mid 60s.

Hobson's Choice is at heart a very human story; a love story in fact.

It is also very funny.

It may be set in Lancashire and detail the decline and fall of a tyrannical Salford shoe shop owner, but it is about people everywhere. I hope you enjoy it.

This is my debut as a director for FHODS and I couldn't have asked for a finer cas or better technical and backstage support to tell our story. So, welcome to Salford in 1966 and to Hobson's shoe shop...

...Rebooted!

Graham Jeffery, Director

Cast

• Patrick McNamee as Henry Horatio Hobson
• Alice Hawkins as Maggie Hobson
• Rachael Parry-Taylor as Alice Hobson
• Karen Prineas as Vickey Hobson
• Graham Burgess as Albert Prosser
• Murray Ethell as Fred Beenstock
• Chris Henry as William Mossop
• Eleanor Prineas as Ada Figgins
• Paul Moran as Jim Heeler
• Charmian Heselden as Mrs Hepworth
• Ben Forrest as Dr Macfarlane
• James Durkin as Timothy Tubby Wadlow

The Production Team

• Director: Graham Jeffery
• Producer: Becki Reynolds
• Stage Manager: Owen Wilshire
• Deputy Stage Manager: Nicola Jarrett
• Lighting: Dan Smith
• Sound: Steve Hawkins
• Props: Myra Collingridge
• Stage Right: Myra Collingridge
• Stage Left: Hannah Manton
• Stagehand: Paul Milton
• Wardrobe: David Lewis & Denise Lewis
• Hair and Wigs: Davey Lewis
• Prompt: Jeanette Lewis
• Set Designer: Robert Emptage
• Set Construction: Graham Burgess, Ben Forrest, Graham Jeffery, Pat McNamee, Rachael Parry-Taylor, Karen Prineas, Paul Hoveman, Michael Pearce, Chris Henry, Robert Emptage, David Lewis, John Kennett, Murray Ethell and Nat Shucksmith
• Illustrations: Eleanor Prineas
• Artwork & Design: Aaron Birks
• Media: Malcolm Laye
• Marketing: Merewyn Forrest
• Photography: George Holness

For The Tower Theatre

• Technical Theatre Manager: Robert White
• Events/Marketing Manager: Michelle Hartley
• Duty Manager: Gary Ingoldby-Spate
• Box Office and Admin: Ella Riley