September is here already and with it the usual routine of the school run. Those precious six weeks have simply flown past and before I knew it I was buying school uniform and making sure everything was washed, pressed and labelled. I hate it when the children go back to school. It seems even worse when the weather is so lovely, it makes me want to go to the seaside for the day again. But I mustn’t encourage the children to miss school! It’s just not the same building sand castles on your own and you do get some funny looks from people!

Anyway, back into the routine for the school run maybe, but the Jubilee Players have been working hard during the summer break. Rehearsals are in full flow and already our director, Gay Lloyd, has uttered those two dreadful words, guaranteed to strike terror into any actors heart; Books down. As you may recall, the Players are working on a production of Alan Ayckbourn’s Seasons Greetings. (The sunshine is streaming through the study window and I am mentioning Christmas, I must be mad!) The set for this production is even more complicated than the script. On the stage you will be able to see three rooms at once. Also there will be conversations overlapping each other with the ‘action’ being carried out in more than one room at a time with separate story lines. So our rehearsals have been carried out with large, thin pieces of wood lying on the floor marking out each room and how much space we have to walk between. Every so often a little voice will be heard crying out ‘No you can’t walk there. If you do, you will be walking through a wall’ or ‘No, if you stand there people will only be able to hear you because the wall will be blocking you out’. It is very confusing, but great fun.

Obviously the title gives the time of year away; it is set at Christmas in Neville and Belinda’s house. Like many people at that time of year, their house is full of family and friends. But a stranger is invited to the house by Belinda’s sister, Rachel, and he causes quite a commotion. It is an extremely funny play with lots to look out for, and Ayckbourn always writes a funny script.

The performances will take place on Wednesday 29th, Thursday 30th and Friday 31st October at 7.30pm at the Tithe Barn, Horstead. Tickets will be going on sale on the 29th September at the astonishingly low price of £3.50. The tickets will be available from Carol White at The Forge, Norwich Road, Horstead, telephone number (01603) 737665. So book early to avoid disappointment and I do hope you will all enjoy it!

Jayne Downing