'The Key' was specially written for a company of 60 mixed-ability (sight/ hearing/ mobility/ learning impaired) performers, musicians, technicians and puppeteers. The company came together from the Freewheelers, Seeability and Discovery groups in Guildford, with support from the Nomad Theatre Company. Two workshop sessions were held, lead by Anita, the director Brandon McGuire and musical director Jay Bristow. These were designed to get to know the company, their tastes and requirements. Images, objects and sounds were used as triggers for imagination and storytelling. A script was written incorporating as many of the ideas generated in the workshops as possible. The play was rehearsed in one week and staged on the Saturday and Sunday of that week, to a sell-out audience. Hence the name of the project 'Play in a Week'.
'The Key' is a rollicking time-travelling adventure through the sordid history of a Victorian seaside-hotel. It starts with a wedding reception, a stolen bride and a mysterious master key. As the bride and groom roam the hotel trying to find each other they encounter a wealth of extraordinary characters, all of whom have been touched by the hotel's dark secret. What will the key unlock?
• The Hotel cat (narrator)
• The Hotel cat (performer)
• Bride (‘Emma’)
• Groom (‘Steve’)
• Porter
• Drunk Aunt Agnes
• Gran
• Wedding photographer
• Pop star (‘April Ravine’)
• Pop star’s Manager
• Business woman
• Puppet show barker
• Dandy (puppet voice)
• Maid (puppet voice)
• Dad (puppet voice)
• War widow (shadow play)
• Soldier Bert (shadow play)
• Soldier Jo (shadow play)
• Preacher
Wedding guests, cowboys, flames, holiday-makers, soldiers, church congregation and puppeteers all played by the company (numbers flexible).
The play takes place in a hotel in the present day- but each of the rooms opens into a different decade of the hotel's history.
Performed 21st and 22nd of July 2007 at the Nomad's Theatre Surrey.
[The wedding photographer starts the show by organising the guests into a photo.]
PHOTOGRAPHER -Bride and Groom in the middle, please. Family at the front. Big hats at the back. That’s it. Smile!
[He takes the photo. As the flash goes off the company freezes].
CAT -Welcome. This is my place. I’m the hotel cat. And over the years,
I’ve seen things that would make your whiskers curl.
PHOTOGRAPHER -Lovely! [The company un-freezes]. Smile! It may never happen.
[As the flash goes off the company re-freezes].
CAT -So let me tell you a little story… It all began with an unhappy couple,
back in 1927…No. It probably makes more sense to tell this story backwards.
It starts with a happy couple, in 2007.
PHOTOGRAPHER -Lovely!
[The company un-freezes. The Bride and Groom kiss, the rest of the guests break up and mingle].
BRIDE -Steve, this really is the happiest day of my life.
GROOM -Emma. I bought you a little something.
[He presents her with a small gift. She opens it. It is a necklace with a pendant.]
BRIDE -It’s… unusual. What is it?
GROOM -It’s from the 1920’s. A love token. The Latin means ‘For
All Time’. Do you like it?
BRIDE -I shall wear it always.
GROOM -I love you, Mrs Gibson.
BRIDE -I love you too, Mr Gibson.
AGNES -[Very drunk.] Ladies and Gents. Don’t sheet on your asses: raish
your glashes… to the lovely bird and grime!
ALL -The bird and grime!
[Music plays and the Bride and Groom dance. Everyone else joins them. The music slows, the dancers go into slow motion and the lights pick out the Bride. The Porter dances her away from the Groom. He whirls her out of the crowd. Music/ time return to normal. The Groom looks for the Bride, calling for her.]
GROOM -Emma! Emma!
AGNES -Don’t worry. She’s probably just gone for a peesh…
of cake.
GROOM -A stranger. Took her. Did no one else see?
GRAN -I did. Emma is in danger. You must find her. Take this. It’s a key
to every room in the Hotel.
GROOM -Thank you, Gran.
GRAN -And where do you think you’re going? I’m coming too, young
man.
GROOM -But Gran…. You’re nearly eighty...
GRAN -Exactly. I have valuable experience. Chop chop!
CAT -So the happy couple aren’t so happy now. Our story has begun. Who
is the mysterious Porter who stole the Bride? He smelt a bit fishy to me. And
who is the Granny with her strange old key? What yarn will she unravel? Let
us see…
The production was not reviewed by the press, but here are some of the reactions from participants and audience members:
"I am still walking on air after our incredible evening on Saturday. The faces on all those who took part told its own story. You must be walking around with a permanent smile on your face".
"A wonderful week followed by a wonder night. Everyone must be over the moon. I am still smiling, thinking about all those incredible actors and those backstage. Also the pride and pleasure on the faces of the relatives - it will stay with me always".
Below are some of the images used in the initial workshops sources of inspiration
The hotel cat became a key figure and the fire became a major plot-point.
This image (actually of a group of very famous jazz musicians) inspired a gospel-style song.
And this image evolved into a whole video/ dance sequence.