The first five years

Directed by Peter Clerke

Blue Apple’s Christmas Carol had all the well-known seasonal ingredients (Scrooge, Marley, Bob Cratchit and all) plus a few unexpected additions, including a pillow with a mind of its own.

The tale of Scrooge’s conversion from humbug to goodwill began with mulled wine, mince pies and carols around the grand piano in the foyer, before a main course of ghosts and startling revelations was served to a capacity audience in the theatre. Cratchit froze and Marley wailed as the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future took Scrooge (menacingly played by Shane Nickisson) on a journey back to his childhood and forward to his lonely, miserable old age. With only a cold, bleak gravestone, inscribed with the epitaph ‘the meanest man who ever lived’, to look forward to the lesson was finally learnt and, as Christmas Day dawned, a new man filled with Christmas goodwill emerged.

Blue Apple’s Christmas Carol was developed from Dickens’ short story over a period of two and a half months and involved the full acting company of over thirty performers. The production played over three nights at The Tower Arts Centre to full houses.

Directed by Anita Rogers

Anita Rogers took Blue Apple members on a really good journey. A Victorian school about to be demolished, a confident set of ‘cool ‘boys form the 21st century school next door who brought new music and saved the girls from being trapped in time, Dr Who and the magic clock, a house proud housekeeper, authoritarian Head Master all come together happily in the end.

Directed by John Tellett

Hurly Burly was the first Blue Apple show to be made up of lots of bits and pieces, some entirely devised by the company, some scripted from their ideas.

Directed by John Tellett

A wonderful pirate adventure curried from ideas from the cast, spiced with spirited movement and improvised dialogue, mixed with freshly ground drama games, jokes, treasure maps, all seasoned with lots of laughs

New Beginnings was the first Blue Apple show to focus heavily on dance and songs.

We start in an ale house, travelling players arrive for a Holy Day, but find the villagers grumpy and depressed because it keeps on raining, Noah enters the stage and we alternate between village affairs and stories on stage.

Written by William Jessop

Based on interviews with individual cast members and incorporating their own words into the script. 

Poisonings, evil witches, evil stepmothers, secret missions, soldiers, even love for the ugly sisters, and someone had to kiss the wolf! Extracts were also performed at the Langdon Down Centre for the Downs Syndrome Association Christmas show.

Blue Apple Theatre appeared at the Winchester Hat Fair on Sunday June 2nd 2006 in temperatures over 30 degrees. Members of the cast performed scenes from 'Jason and the Astronauts', involved members of the public in our drama games and sold our Born to be Blue hats.

Using Alex's wonderful soundtrack, 'Jason' and his heroes acted out variuous scenes and drew a good audience who then enjoyed the growlopalus dance and the fearsome roars of gon our dangerous dragon. 

Our 'heroes wanted' sign brought six gallant young men to our stand as volunteer heroes as 'Jason' taught them our special haka dance.

Jason and the Astronauts set out in Colin’s space ship on their intergalactic journey. Read through of their arrival at the Royal Court and meeting the King’s evil advisor!

All was not as it seemed. The meteor maids were dangerous ladies- you could not trust them... they liked to lead heroes astray.

Evil King and dragons are defeated, maidens rescued, victorious astronauts journey home with all the beautiful maidens.

Our first show Born to be Blue ( a title dreamed up by one of our members) in December 2005 was a showcase of work in progress where everyone had a role and a rudimentary costume which consisted of a T shirt and a hat they had made themselves.