| Love from a Stranger | |
[[File:.jpg) Love from a Stranger promotional image | |
| Dates | 13 - 15 November 2025 |
|---|---|
| Venue | The Tower Theatre |
| Director | Alex Ezrati |
| Producer | Friesia Schuil |
The Folkestone-Hythe Operatic and Dramatic Society presented Love from a Stranger on 13th 15th November 2025 at The Tower Theatre, Folkestone. An amateur production by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on belhalf of Samuel French Ltd.
Foreword
First of all, I'd like to personally welcome you all back to The Tower Theatre, abd another fantastic, fun and fright-filled FHODS production. Love from a Stranger was first performed at London's New Theatre, now the Noël Coward Theatre, in 1936. It was written by actor, director and playwright Frank Vosper, and was based on a lesser-known 1924 short story by the inimitable Agatha Christie named Philomel Cottage.
I admit to having never heard of the play before deciding to direct this production, but I was seeking a story of drama, darkness and dread, and was enraptured by the play and its characters immediately.
I shan't spoil anything by giving details, but although it is almost ninety years old, the themes, conflicts and relationships it portrays are chillingly timeless, and I hope they will resonate just as much with you as they did all those decades ago.
I have been blessed with an incredibly enthusiastic and talented cast, and we have had great fun immersing ourselves in the toils and tribulations of Vopser & Christie's characters, with the sincere hope that you are all taken along on the same emotional rollercoaster ride!
I would like to thank my dedicated production team, as well. I can't express enough just how much talent, effort and enthusiasm has been present behind the scenes, and the team has truly turned my vision into a reality.
I hope you enjoy the production, and we look forward to welcoming you all back for our upcoming pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, and all of our exciting offerings in the coming year.
Alex Ezrati Director
Agatha Christie
Born in Torquay in 1890, Agatha Christie became, and remains, the best-selling novelist of all time.
She is best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the world's longest-running play - The Mousetrap. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation.
Agatha Christie is the most successful female playwright of all time, holding world records for being the only female playwright to have three of her plays running simultaneously in London's West End, and for writing the longest-running show of any kind in the world - The Mousetrap; both feats that are yet to be overtaken. In her lifetime, Christie wrote over 20 stage plays, and had a collection of her world-famous stories adapted by herself and others into plays, which to this day are performed and anjoyed by many people around the world.
Cast
- Mark Yarrow as Dr. Gribble
- Anthony Leyton-Thomas as Nigel Lawrence
- Olivia Coley as Ethel
- Will Dean as Bruce Lovell
- Gloria Rowe as Cecily Harrington
- Charmian Heselden as Aunty Loo-Loo
- Damian McGuire as Hodgson
- Julie Morrow as Mavis Wilson
Production Team
- Director: Alex Ezrati
- Producer: Friesia Schuil
- Stage Manager: Michael Pearce
- Deputy Stage Manager: George Perkins
- Set Design: Hannah Manton
- Props: Myra Collingridge
- Backstage Crew: Myra Collingridge, Emma Franks, Ryan Holdstock, Nicola Jarrett and Kaz Sherman
- Lighting: Chris Willcox
- Sound: Eleanor Boyle
- Prompt: Caroline Dowling
- Wigs: Davey Lewis
- Set build: Chris Willcox, Mike Manton, Ben Forrest, Stu Parry, Paul Milton, Mark Smith, Myra Collingridge, Hannah Manton, Alex Ezrati, Friesia Schuil, Gloria Rowe, Damian McGuire, Mark Yarrow, Charmian Heselden, Olivia Coley, Julie Morrow, Anthony Leyton-Thomas, Will Dean, Andy Hartley and Adam Button.
- Costumes: Emma Franks
- Graphics/Media: Malcolm Laye
- Photography: George Holness and David Shackle
- FHODS Marketing: Merewyn Forrest
For The Tower Theatre
- Events and Marketing Manager: Michelle Hartley
- Front of House Manager: Gary Ingoldby-Spate
- Theatre Operations Lead: Andy Hartley
FHODS extends its thanks to the Front of House volunteers and Bar Team. Anyone interested in volunteering at the theatre can contact Joanne Pearce at foh@towertheatrefolkestone.co.uk.