In January, there were three performances for the price of one: Bazaar and Rummage by Sue Townsend (of Adrian Mole fame) sandwiched between two short farces by Michael Frayn (Look Away Now and Toasters).
In May, professional actor, ex-Testbourne student and WADS alumnus Ben Riddle held a short series of acting master class workshops in Whitchurch. Ben – a graduate of Guildford School of Acting and who had just finished a tour of Dennis Potter’s Blue Remembered Hills – worked with participants to look at different ways of interpreting the text of Terry Pratchett’s Carpe Jugulum, the play WADS chose as its next production in November.
Carpe Jugulum is one of the Discworld series and features a number of the characters from Wyrd Sisters, which WADS performed back in 2007. It is a pastiche on the traditions of vampire literature, where vampires were bright clothes, drink wine and stay up until noon. The show ran for three nights in November, with the Friday and Saturday performances selling out.