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Welcome to Michael Friend Productions |
  
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The Theatre Production
Company established in 1992, touring productions of Classical and Modern
Plays. Shaw - Wilde - Coward - Feydeau - J.K.Jerome - Ben Travers - D.H.Wilson - Stella Gibbons - Henry James - Brandon Thomas - A.W.Pinero - Robert Shearman - Molière -Fielding - John Ford - Lewis Dixon - Fredrerick Knott - Ayckbourn - Eric Chapple - Hugh Whitemore - Bennett
2008 The 17th SEASON includes : THE MILLIONAIRESS by Bernard Shaw and a Summer Season at Broadstairs in association with the Sarah Thorne Theatre Club comprising THE MILLIONAIRESS two of Alan Ayckbourn's "Damsels in Distress" plays ROLEPLAY and GAMEPLANand TALKING HEADS by Alan Bennett See CALENDAR for detailed information regarding dates ABOUT - Information about earlier seasons - recent productions - and future performances. MORE - Archive information - cast lists - photographs. CALENDAR - Dates for your diary.CONTACT INFO - how to get in touch with MFP - check the availability of plays - email your questions. NEWS - Productions for 2008. HISTORY LINKS
PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS 2008 has included : The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde Caught by the Tail by Georges Feydeau Review of Caught By The Tail "Hilarious ooh la la la!" by aline waites for remotegoat on 13/04/08 CAUGHT BY THE TAIL at Pentameters Theatre Hampstead until 20/04/08 "Farce is extraordinary things happening to ordinary people" and what is impressive about this production is that the characters are totally honest and never play for laughs. As Fernand, Matt Hebden is handsome and well cast, convincingly romancing both ladies and becoming more and more distraught, as the deception begins to catch up with him. Both the objects of his affection are very attractive and well contrasted. The fiery and passionate Lucette is played by brunette, Emily Holden and the sweet and innocent Vivienne who secretly longs to marry a roue with a murky past is blonde Fiona McGregor. Lesley-Anne Webb plays a Scottish maid who cannot understand the language, so everything has to be repeated to her in a strong Glaswegian accent. Raymond Daniel-Davies is dominant as the crazy foreigner General Irrigua. The unfortunate Fontanet who cannot understand why everyone smells a bad odour when he is around is Nicholas Evans and the pathetic scapegoat Bouzin who takes the rap for every else's misfortunes is played by J.T.Eaton. The characters are without exception well played, very funny and well directed by Michael Friend, who also produces. The 2007 SEASON included: SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER by Oliver Goldsmith MRS WARREN'S PROFESSION by Bernard Shaw MARGATE REPERTORY SEASONS 2006 BLITHE SPIRIT GAME PLAN WE'RE STRANGERS HERE "Michael Friend skilfully directs (Ayckbourn's) black comedy Game Plan...There were many times when the cast had to pause their dialogue to allow the laughter to subside. This is always a sure sign of a great performance from one and all. I don't always leave a theatre wanting more but I certainly did on this occasion." RICHARD SIROT 2005 PRIVATE LIVES WAIT UNTIL DARK INTIMATE EXCHANGES "Michael Friend's direction was slick and polished without being condescending. His cast were a joy to behold as they ensured Coward's script lost none of its original crispness." "Good provincial theatre is a rarity these days, so when it comes along it should be savoured." Richard Sirot, THANET EXTRA ARMS AND THE MAN "Liz Garland gives a top-notch performance as the lovelorn Raina who must chose between the less than loyal Sergius - played by Callum Coates- and her new love, Swiss soldier Bluntschli, portrayed in an equally commanding performance here from James Harwood. Nick Fawcett gives a fine performance too, as the ineffectual Major Petkoff ... Michael Friend's production, which he also directs, is accessible and spledidly staged and acted." THE STAGE THE MISER "Michael Friend's production ... boasts an extravagance of talent. This Henry Fielding version of the Moliere classic is a joyous hoot which rolls along at an engaging pace throughout. Terence Denville plays the tight-fisted Lovegold as a bumbling fool with great panache ... Abbey Norman with her down to earth Cockney tones is particularly effective as Lappet the maid ... Callum Coates is a first-rate Frederick ... With so many deceits and subterfuges, it is sometimes confusing as to who wants to marry who and why. But that is all part of the fun of this well-presented classy little romp." THE STAGE "Rich wit of stylish gem... Fielding displays much of Moliere's deftness and elegance in his own style and is beautifully captured in Michael Friend's stylish, well paced production ... a real sense of ensemble playing, and the fluency, polish and skilfully moderated comedy was a pleasure, exposing the enduring quality of good writing and the value of reviving the classics." SOMERSET COUNTY GAZETTE
"With this production Friend has not so much revived Pygmalion, he has restored it." TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT "…the denouement is all the more effective for the exemplary pacing of Michael Friend's production.. The same actors will go Wilde from Thursday to Saturday, when staging another classic comedy of English social manners, The Importance of Being Earnest. On the evidence of Pygmalion, it should be another night of champagne summer entertainment." YORK EVENING PRESS "Intelligent, thought provoking, and very funny ...Particularly impressive was Roger Ringrose as revolutionary,John Tanner, who loses sight of his emotions whilst putting the world to rights. All the cast were fine, including Elizabeth Jasicki as the manipulating Ann Whitefield, Stephen Israel as the poetic brigand Mendoza, and Ciáran Corsar as the omniscient - and whistling - chauffer Henry Straker. And director Michael Friend has helmed the production with a steady hand". EASTBOURNE HERALD "A stylish adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's epic masterpiece Man and Superman ... Littered with dry, witty, one-liners, many parts of the play, penned in 1900, will ring true with today's audiences and made the play a pleasure to watch ... Tanner, delightfully played by Roger Ringrose ... Impressive performances were put in by all the cast, including Andrew Wheaton as prudish Ramsden, Elizabeth Jasicki as mischievous Ann, Genevieve Swallow as strong Violet, and Simon Jarrett as inoffensive Octavius." WORTHING HERALD
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