Preview: Lend Me A Tenor, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, May 21-23 (From York Press)

Preview: Lend Me A Tenor, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, May 21-23

11:57am Friday 15th May 2009 in

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CAROLINE Heppell is directing her first “straight” play for Rowntree Players, fresh from taking over the reins of the society’s pantomime only six weeks before Sleeping Beauty opened last December.

“Expect to see more of Caroline Heppell in the director’s chair,” predicted The Press review in its closing comment.

Sure enough, Caroline, the Players’ secretary, is now working her magic on Ken Ludwig’s fast-paced farce, Lend Me A Tenor.

“The play revolves around the world-famous opera singer and larger-than-life character Tito Mirelli and his performance for the Cleveland Opera Company. What follows is a chain reaction of mistaken identity, plot twists, double entendres, innuendoes, and constant entrances and exits through many doors,” says Caroline, who is directing the play with support from Howard Ella and John Hall.

Big-voiced Lee Gemmell leads the cast as Tito Mirelli; Gareth Cheesman makes his Players’ debut as Saunders; and Joanne Heyes takes on her first principal role as Maria. Other roles go to Leon Thompson as Max, Claire Horsley as Maggie, Sian Davies as Maria Mirelli, Rachel Parkinson as Julia and Oliver Tattersfield as the Bellboy.

Lend Me A Tenor runs at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, from Thursday to Saturday at 7.30pm nightly. Tickets: £9, £8, on 01904 623568, yorktheatreroyal.co.uk or on the door.