Thame Players to present John Osborne masterpiece

THAME PLAYERS will be presenting John Osborne’s masterpiece, The Entertainer, on between May 8 and 12, at the Players Theatre, Nelson Street.

The Entertainer was first performed in 1957 at The Royal Court Theatre, with Laurence Olivier in the role of Archie Rice which he made famous, both on stage and on film. At the time Olivier was living with his wife, Vivien Leigh, at Notley Abbey, just outside Thame. He was at the same time having an affair with Joan Plowright, who later became his wife, and who played the part of Jean in The Entertainer. Osborne sent the first act of The Entertainer to Olivier who accepted the Archie Rice part as soon as he had read it.

Osborne took many of the characters and situations from life, chiefly his relatives. He said of his research for the play, ?Music Hall was on its last legs but there were still a few halls in and around London for me to visit, and not yet quite defeated by grey, front parlour television.?

The original production had trouble with the Lord Chamberlain. On Britannia he said ?Nudes are allowed provided they are motionless and expressionless in the face of the audience.? He also required the song ?The old church bells won?t ring tonight ?cos the vicars got the clappers? to be changed to ??.the vicar?s dropped a clanger. How times change!

Thame Players will perform The Entertainer, the story of an ageing, second rate stand up comic as their next production. The play is being directed by long serving member of the Players, Bernadette Tildesley and the demanding Archie Rice role, with its stand up routines and comedy songs, is to be played by Peter Sawyer.

Performances will begin 7.45pm each evening and the tickets, which cost