Be My Baby by Amanda Whittington

Set in a Mother and Baby Home in 1964 in the north of England and peppered with songs from the period, "Be My Baby" follows the fortunes of Mary Adams, aged 19, unmarried and seven months pregnant. Forcibly sent to the home by a mother intent on keeping up appearances, Mary has to cope with the drawing realisation that she will have to give the baby up for adoption whether she likes it or not.

This poignant play opens the 2011/2012 season for the East Kilbride Rep Theatre.

A touching, yet funny play set in a mother and baby home in 1960s northern England and peppered with songs from the period, Be My Baby follows the fortunes of Mary Adams, aged 19, unmarried and seven months pregnant. Forcibly sent to the home by a mother intent on keeping up appearances, Mary and her fellow inmates have to cope with the shame of their pregnancy and the dawning realisation they must give up their baby for adoption. Yet despite the daily battles with a no-nonsense Matron, the girl's effervescence shines through. As they escape into the girl-groups songs they love, a touching and funny piece of work unfolds which is not only punctuated but defined by the songs of the day from artists of the time which include in this wonderful play the fabulous Dixie Cups, Dusty Springfield and The Supremes. This also an opportunity for schools and colleges' English and Drama depts. Who use this as a set piece to let their students see a live production of a thought provoking yet humorous look at a continuing problem in society.

'You don't have to be young, female or unmarried to find it immensely touching' The Times

"Has the heartstring-tugging potency of a pop classic". The Independent Be My Baby

Written by Amanda Whittington
Directed by Fiona Chapman
Assistant Director Alan Davie
Choreography Jean Armstrong
Produced by E.K.Rep Theatre Club
Box Office telephone / Minicom text phone 01355 248 669
Or through the Arts Centre Tel: - 01355 261 000
Box office Fax. 01355 248 677
E-mail villagetheatre@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
EK Rep ONLINE www.ek-rep.org.uk
For further information contact
Ken Lawton, Publicity Team Tel: - 01355 227018 E -mail kenlawton@sky.com

The Big Event

BIGGER, BETTER & BURSTING with events for the over fifties with Seniors Together in South Lanarkshire's BIG EVENT.

Taster sessions have been going on in Lanark in February and Carluke in March. Then the summer programme was launched in June in Blantyre at The David Livingstone Centre - all this leading up to the Big Event on 16th September, 2011.

This will be year two of a five year plan and admission will still be FREE. It will be centred at the Palace Grounds in Hamilton as well as surrounding areas such as The Low Waters Museum and the Mausoleum. The organisers, Forward@Fifty of the Seniors Together, will be laying on NEW play facilities aimed at grandparents who have to look after grandchildren can bring them along and be able to keep them occupied, although it is not a crèche. There will be on tap for them such as Circus skills and for the more adventurous there will be, new this year, a climbing wall. This year the Big Event will be officially co-opened by Provost Russell Clearie MBE and who will be joined on the podium by one of Lanarkshire's leading business men and well loved figure Boyd Tunnock CBE, who has, not only last year but also this year, been a generous supporter of the event. You might even get a free wee biscuit. In the same vein, the restaurant in the adjacent ice rink will be putting on a nice two course lunch at a special price for all whom attend. "There are many sponsors this year for which we a very grateful." said Ken Lawton a spokesman for the event. "There are companies such as The Big lottery, South Lanarkshire Council, Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Trust, Tesco, Lightbody, Morrison's and several others. They all deserve a big thank you." he concluded. There will also be a huge Information Fair featuring Hands on Project, the EK Rep Theatre, Health valleys, Energy Saving Scotland Advice Centre, Department of Work and Pensions, Care and Repair, East Kilbride U3A, Age Scotland, Tunstall Telecom, Strathclyde fire and Rescue, Home safety and many others. These will be supported by Line dancing, Zumba, Scottish country dancing, Archery, Old time dancing and much, much more. This event promises to have something for every one and most of it is undercover.

The Memory of Water

Exhibition of Pantomime

Have you ever wondered what the origins of Pantomime are?
Why does a man play a woman?
Why is a woman a Principal Boy?
The EK Rep Theatre has been in the business of putting on an annual pantomime for over fifty years and at the EK Village Theatre for the last 33 years.

Why not come along to the EK Rep Theatre’s Pantomime exhibition to find out some answers. Meet Daisy the Cow and Priscilla the Goose. There will be a display of costumes from some of their past pantomimes, many worn by professionals from the likes of The Gaiety Theatre in Ayr. There is even one worn by Jack Anthony (1900–1962), a famous Glasgow comedian, as ‘Jackie Bunion a Spanish Onion’ in the Glasgow Pavilion’s 1945 Panto called Puss in Boots. There will be a full pictorial history of all the Rep’s pantomimes since 1966, supported with many photographs, programmes and other ephemera. There will also be Panto props on show. Were you a "Panto Child?" Come and check out the photographs to see if you can spot yourself. Learn the history of Pantomime in the UK, especially in Scotland. Old Panto posters from an era gone past. Do you have any memories of The EK Rep’s pantos why not come along and share them with us? Visit us and have a quiet chuckle or a big belly laugh at the highlights of pantomime with the EK Rep Theatre The Rep Panto tickets for their 2011 Cinderella at the EK Village Theatre are ON SALES NOW

Pantomime Exhibition
Title "Oh yes it is."
Under the auspices of the E.K.Rep Theatre Designed by Hazel Brown from an idea by Ken Lawton With thanks to Bob Bain Of the Scottish Music Hall Association.
EK Rep ONLINE www.ek-rep.org.uk
For further information contact
Ken Lawton, Publicity Team Tel: - 01355 227018 E -mail kenlawton@sky.com

Cinderella

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Laying the Ghost by Simon Williams