Nigel

RCTC Season 2018-19

We are proud to present our 2018/2019 season in Surrey and New Westminster

We’re bringing the best of live theatre!
Arsenic and Old Lace | October 2018
Hansel, Gretel and the Strolling Players | Dec 2018 / Jan 2019
A Bedfull of Foreigners | March 2019

Surrey Arts Centre
Surrey Arts Centre

 

Anvil Theatre, N.W.
Anvil Theatre, N.W.
HANSEL, GRETEL & THE STROLLING PLAYERS

Written & Directed by Ellie King

A Traditional British Panto

Surrey Arts Centre – Dec. 21-30, 2018


The apple crop has failed for the past five years which is a disaster for the famous strudel makers of the little village of Unterstrudel, situated somewhere between Austria and Hungary. But the Strolling Players have come to town bringing their own silly brand of entertainment to lighten the mood, and now love is in the air so it can’t all be bad, right?
Oh but what’s this? Young Hansel and his sister Gretel are in terrible danger from Mistress Grimm, their father’s fiancee who is scheming to kidnap them for her own nefarious ends. And nothing attracts youngsters like a Gingerbread House full of candy. Oh dear – who can save them from a terrible fate? (no, in this version she doesn’t eat them!)
All your favourite panto characters are here in this, the most traditional panto in BC. Join in the fun by booing the bad guys, cheering the good guys and add to your Holiday Cheer as this feel-good show sets your feet tapping and lifts your heart.
Suitable for the whole family.

 
TWO-FOR-ONE PREVIEW NIGHT – Friday, December 21, 2018 at 7:30 pm –
Adult Tickets $14 each
 Seniors and Students -Tickets $10 each

RELAXED PERFORMANCE  –  for those with intellectual, learning and other sensory and communications disorders

‘Ellie King’s Hansel, Gretel and the Strolling Players’ Relaxed Performance
Surrey Arts Centre Main stage
Thursday December 27th at 6.30 p.m

 

READ full details about this special presentation >

A BEDFULL OF FOREIGNERS
Written by Dave Freeman
Directed by Ellie King

Surrey Arts Centre – March 8-9, 2019
Anvil Centre, New West – March 14-16, 2019

Fawlty Towers meets Benny Hill in this hilarious, face-paced farce with a succession of enough disasters and misunderstandings, twists and turns to create the perfect comedy of chaos… and just the thing for an end-of-winter celebration.
The setting for the play is the dingy “Hotel Heinz” on the border between France and Germany where the inept staff create pandemonium when they book two couples into the same guest room! Mistresses, mistaken identities, misunderstandings and unexpected wives along with food poisoning outbreaks, monks and nun and a Bulgarian lady cyclist all add to the mayhem during the “Festival of St. Wolfgang.”
Some slightly suggestive situations.

RCTC Season 2018-19 Read More »

Hound of the Baskervilles – Opening 2017

Hound of the Baskervilles is probably Sherlock Holmes’ greatest mystery, but in this version COMEDY rules the day as three amazingly talented actors – plus one wandering fireplace – bring all the characters to life in an hilarious spoof that nonetheless stays true to the story’s fascinating plot. Running time 2 hrs., including intermission Slightly scary situations. Study guide available for high school students.

Hound of the Baskervilles – Opening 2017 Read More »

Oscar Night 2017 Dinner Menu



Chef Attended Station
Carved Peppered Baron of Beef
Served with assorted buns & rolls, fresh horseradish relish,
Dijon & grainy mustards, red wine jus
Chef Attended Station*
Mashed Potato “Martini” Bar
Yukon festival of potatoes, Whipped red, yellow & blue nuggets with butter & sour cream
Guest’s choice of garnish:
Wasabi & celeriac, crumbled English stilton & double smoked bacon, caramelized onions,
Maple cured Indian candy, olive tomato tapenade & parmesan pepper tuile
 
Assorted Hors d’Ouevres passed butler style
Prawn Salad Roll with dipping Sauce – Per dozen
Bruschetta with Tomato & Onion Confit
Fennel Scented Spanakopita
Wild Mushroom & Goat cheese tartlets

Oscar Night 2017 Dinner Menu Read More »

Dark and Stormy comedy on the way to Surrey

  • by  Matthew Hoekstra – Peace Arch News
  • Surrey posted Sep 29, 2016 at 2:00 PM
Two South Surrey actors are among the cast of It Was A Dark and Stormy Night, latest production of Ellie King’s Royal Canadian Theatre Company, which flits into Surrey Arts Centre for  a three-performance run Oct. 7-8.
Krystle Hadlow – well known from White Rock Players Club productions – plays the role of Belle, a key witness to a crime, while Stephen Fowler appears as salesman Smiling Sam in Tim Kelly’s spoof of Hollywood ‘old dark house’ thrillers, presented as a tongue-in-cheek Halloween-season treat.
The show is part of Royal Canadian Theatre Company’s second year of producing a three-play series at Surrey Arts Centre and the ACT Maple Ridge, and also has an extra stand-alone run at Metro Theatre in Vancouver.
Directed by RCTC founder and artistic director King, the comedy (which has been described as The Addams Family meets Arsenic and Old Lace) is set in Ye Olde Wayside Inn, Boston – home to the eccentric Saltmarsh family and haunted by the ghost of a Revolutionary War soldier.
When a storm forces strangers to take shelter in the inn, the chilling – or killing – time begins.
But not everyone is who they appear to be, and just who will survive this dark and stormy night is an open question.
Playing the three Saltmarsh cousins are RCTC regulars Steve Weller (in drag as Hepzibah), Jaqueline Becher (as Arabella) and Michael Charrois (as the dangerous Ebenezer), while Cloverdale’s Jennifer Lane plays their very strange servant girl, Olive.
Also on the scene are a hard-nosed detective (Taz Kandwhani) several young nurses (Elyse Ritchie, Evelyn Clarke, Amy Goheen) two college students (Kay Lozada, Julian Legere) and a state trooper (Kevin Sloan).
While the play does have some slightly scary moments, RCTC says it’s suitable for older children – and adults of any age.
Showtimes are 7:30 p.m., Oct. 7 and 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8.
Tickets ($10 to $28) are available at tickets.surrey.ca or by calling 604-501-5566.

Dark and Stormy comedy on the way to Surrey Read More »

Beauty of a panto [SNL]

  • Surrey B.C.  posted Dec 16, 2016 at 12:00 PM
  • Gord Goble

‘Beauty’ of a panto hits Surrey Arts Centre stage

SURREY — A fun-filled pantomime version of the “Beauty and the Beast” story hits the stage at Surrey Arts Centre starting tonight (Friday).

The Royal Canadian Theatre Company show, directed by longtime panto fan and writer Ellie King, puts a comedic twist on a classic tale of love, bravery and second chances.

The production continues until Dec. 26, 2016, followed by some dates at the The ACT Arts Centre in Maple Ridge. Visit rctheatreco.com for more show details.

Now contributor Gord Goble was at a dress rehearsal on Thursday, Dec. 15 to photograph and video the action:

Beauty of a panto [SNL] Read More »

Panto Bavarian-Style [PAN]


by Alex Browne – Peace Arch News
White Rock Surrey Langley posted Dec 8, 2016

There’s no use tackling a traditional British pantomime without a large portion of traditional British cheek.
Fortunately, that’s a quality that Merseyside-reared, Surrey Civic Treasure Ellie King possesses in abundance.

The director-playwright knows that friendly national stereotypes, groaner jokes and time-honored knockabout routines are the life blood of the panto, which true to its British show-biz origins, annually turns a well-loved fairy tale inside-out and serves it up, like a well-stuffed Christmas turkey, for the delectation of young and old alike.

READ FULL ARTICLE

Panto Bavarian-Style [PAN] Read More »

Michael Charrois

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Michael Charrois

Michael is very pleased to be back at RCTC.

Previous RCTC shows include: Inspector Lord in The Spider’s Web , Sherlock Holmes in The Hound Of The Baskervilles; Jonathan Brewster in Arsenic And Old Lace; and Ebenerzer Saltmarsh in It Was A Dark and Stormy Night.

Michael goes way back with Ellie King to the Burr Theatre performing in 16 shows there including: Garry Essendine in Present Laughter; Manley Carstairs in The Housekeeper; and Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey.

TV and Film credits include Wiggins in Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven and most recently a recurring role as The Vicar ghost of The Haunting of Bly Manor, coming to Netflix in October 2020.
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Roles at RCTC

  • Editor, Butler, Boyfriend, Son in the "Screwball Comedy 2022"
  • Editor, Butler, Boyfriend, Son in the "Screwball Comedy 2020"
  • Inspector Lord in "The Spider’s Web"
  • Sherlock Holmes in "The Hound Of The Baskervilles"
  • Jonathan Brewster in "Arsenic And Old Lace"
  • Ebenerzer Saltmarsh in "It Was A Dark and Stormy Night"

More entertaining RCTC performers...

Michael Charrois Read More »