Be sure to come and watch the award-winning ELAPs Juniors in their abridged version of Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice', by Tom Stoppard.

The Juniors' performance starts off ELAPs' Spring production of three one-act plays taking place in East Leake Village Hall at 7.30pm, Thursday 17th, Friday 18th and Saturday 19th May.

Starring Ellie Bowness as Shylock, and Larissa Oates as Portia, both highly commended for their acting at this year's NANDA (Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Drama Association) Youth Theatre Festival last Saturday, the cast of 20 aged from 7 to 17, won plaudits from the adjudicator for their creative, disciplined and mature interpretation of the language.  Essentially, they brought the play alive.

Which is why the adjudicator, Jill Gautrey, gave her special prize to the group as an ensemble for successfully tackling a challenging piece of theatre.  George Hutton played Antonio, Max Carter Bassanio, Tom Burrows Graziano, Tom Hind Lorenzo, Jessica McVay Nerissa, Nadia Oates Jessica, Bethan Roberts Launcelot Gobbo and Joe Spencer was both Tubal and the Duke of Venice.  In her summing up, the adjudicator said  that the actors had established their characters and relationships very well, even in the smaller parts such as Solario (Daisy Johnston) and Salerio (Patricia Gregory). Sonya Oates was the director and Jean Makin the producer.

The second play of the evening, 'Hindsight', has been written by Gill Bowness, an ELAPs member since 2002.  This is Gill's first venture into writing a complete play, although she has done short pieces before.  Starring Hayley Masom and Keith Benedict, the play examines the blossoming and withering of an affair in harmony with the year's seasons.  'Hindsight' is being entered into NANDA's playwright of the year competition in July, and the company is certain that it will do well.

The evening concludes with a black comedy, 'Miss Glossop's Weekend Break.'  Miss Glossop is a meddling amateur sleuth, rather in the style of Miss Marple, except that she misses some key clues.  The cast includes Meg Dowdeswell as Miss Glossop, Steve Fordyce as Alan, the hotel manager, Nicky Spencer as his wife Margaret, Richard Hesk as Jean-Pierre the chef, Ania Roberts as an extremely tempting Russian hotel waitress, Kevin Spencer as Derek, a private investigator, Mandy Randall as Linda, Derek's secretary, hoping vainly for a romantic weekend, Jarrod Makin as Detective Sergeant Watkins, and finally, Sue Hutton as Mrs Jarvis, described at one point as, 'the idiot that some village lost!'

Both 'Hindsight' and 'Miss Glossop's Weekend Break' are being directed jointly by Gill Bowness and Gerry Wilson, their first foray into direction.  Gisela Petschler is the producer.

Tickets are £5 or £3.50 for concessions, from East Leake Village Post Office, and The Olde Bakehouse in Main Street, East Leake.

ELAPs had an outstanding night at the Sixth Salute to Pantomime at Guthlaxton Community College in Wigston on 24th March, winning one award and being nominated in five categories overall, for last December's production of Aladdin.  To cap it all, the company came joint second overall in the contest for the Blue Balloon Award, equal with Wycliffe Drama Group.

Mike Barclay won the award for best young actor, for his performance as the genie of the lamp.

Additional accolades went to Gerry Wilson and Jason Billin for set design, Emma Heath for choreography, Hayley Masom for best supporting female role, and Larissa Oates for Principal Boy.  Larissa had also been this year's winner of our own Nikki Dinnie award for on-stage achievement.