Stepping Out

Publicity #1: Stepping Out
Publication: Shoreham Herald
Publication Data: August 4 1989 issue – page 17
Reporter: Fiona Wallace
Text Header: “Busy Wick pause to remember Forty years stagecraft”
Text: Content

ONE, TWO, three, one two three, one, two, three. Women dressed in leotards and shorts mutter the beat to themselves. A tape playing in the background is rewound for the second time and the women go through their steps again. One, two, three, one, two, three.

Such is the scene at Southwick Community Centre as Wick Theatre players are put through their paces for their next production, Stepping Out. The amateur dramatic society, now getting ready for its 41st season, is one of the longest running groups in Adur. With more than 100 members, Wick Theatre has progressed from its very first performance of four one-act plays to more recent shows like Cabaret, Liver Birds and When We Are Married. Nearly 150 plays have been performed since the group was founded in 1949. A few founder members, like Ralph and Betty Dawes, remain at the group’s core and provide a firm basis essential for any group to survive.

Stepping Out, a play recently released at London’s West End, is directed by long-time member Frances Moulton. Frances has been involved with amateur dramatics for more than 30 years. It’s obvious she thrives on it. Even when directing Stepping Out she insists on having a go at the dancing. “If you’re directing a play it’s important to know what everyone else is going through”, she explained. And the Stepping Out cast certainly have some tricky dance numbers to conquer.

The play revolves around a tap dancing group and follows them through the trials and tribulations of learning to tap dance and putting on a successful performance. The tap dancing is something which the cast must conquer – even if it means regular nightly rehearsals. Teacher Trudy Nash gives an expert hand with the steps. The group are used to hard work. They are a determined cast and will meet any challenge.

But surely it has not been 40 years of success after success? “We’ve only had one or two mishaps”, laughs Betty Dawes. “Once was when we had a power cut and the audience wanted us to continue using candles. The other occasion was when a member forgot his lines and ended up having a conversation with the prompter – the audience loved him!”

Special acting evenings, speech lesson and drama essentials are organised by Wick when they aren’t any play rehearsals. These help provide the basic grounding for new and old members alike. But no newcomer is thrown in at the deep end at Wick Theatre. “We always place new players in smaller parts to help ease them into the group,” explained Frances. And the group doesn’t just offer an outlet for acting. Budding artists can try their hand at stage-design or costume making and there’s also lighting to get involved with. And when the show’s over there’s always the social side of the group to look forward to; dances, cheese and wine evenings and dinners.

Publicity #1: Stepping Out
Publication: Shoreham Herald
Publication Data: October 6 1989 issue – page 15
Text Header: “Ready to Step Out”
Text: Content

LAUGHTER AND tears will be ‘on tap’ at the Barn Theatre in Southwick for four nights from Wednesday to Saturday at 7.45pm.

The Wick Theatre Company is delighted to be among the first amateur groups to perform the Richard Harris comedy
Stepping Out. Director Frances Moulton and choreographer Trudy Nash have been putting everyone through their paces for the story of would-be tap dancers preparing for a big show.

Neil Shephard plays the sole male dancer, out numbered by high-kicking females. He is joined by Sheila Neesham, Trudy Nash, Jane Porter, Margaret Faggetter, Margaret Ockenden, Doreen Sands, Betty Dawes and Rosemary Mose.

Tickets cost £3 and £2.50 and are selling well at the box office, telephone Brighton 597094.

Review #1: Stepping Out
Publication: Shoreham Herald
Publication Data: October 20 1989 issue – page 22
Reviewer: Fiona Wallace
Text Header: “Stepping Out on road to success!”
Text: Content

A GROUP of women, a stark church hall and tap dancing shoes seem unlikely ingredients for a successful comedy. But Wick Theatre company’s production of Richard Harris’ West End hit Stepping Out last Wednesday at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, was exactly that. Ordinary people and an ordinary story usually provide the best entertainment because everyone can relate to them. And the cast of Stepping Out certainly provided a host of amusing characters for an audience to enjoy. Tap dancing teacher Mavis [Sheila Neesham] holds weekly lessons at a London church hall for a mixed bunch of women and one token man.

Brilliant

Pianist Mrs. Fraser [Daphne Thornton] supplies the music and a brilliant array of one-liners. All through the play she sits at the piano either eating or complaining. Meanwhile the women attempt to get their ‘act’ together in every sense of the word. One of the stars of the show was Vera [Rosemary Mose] whose ability to offend everyone without realising was hysterical. Her snobbery was unbounded and even went to the extreme of regularly cleaning out the hall toilet. Vera was brilliant. Her supply of gaudy leotards with matching headbands were truly dreadful but reflected her character to the ground.

Meanwhile Andy – long for Ann – [Margaret Ockenden] was a down trodden do-gooder who took an obvious liking to Geoffrey [Neil Shephard]. Andy moped about the hall wrapped in scarves and cardigans and presented a pitiful picture. Only later in the play did the audience discover she has reasons to be pitiful. Rose [Betty Dawes] was an Irish housewife whose do-it-yourself hair dye went wrong, forcing her to wear a wig for part of the show. All the characters developed well throughout the play and came together in a tap dancing routine staged for a local charity show. Weeks of practice finally paid off and, despite their ordinary lives, they achieved something which they thought was beyond them. Underneath all the laughter Stepping Out conveyed a genuine feeling of caring among the dancers.

Tap dance

Choreographer Trudy Nash – who also played nervous nurse Lynne – taught the cast to tap dance and took them to a very high standard. Director Frances Moulton picked a winner of a play. She said, “When I saw Stepping Out a few years ago I laughed from beginning to end. The secret of its success is that we can all identify with a character in the play.”