A STEADY RAIN
Group: BHTC
Production Date: September 2018
A STEADY RAIN
BHTC Production Number: 302
Staged: The Theatre, Church Walk, Burgess Hill
Directed by: Sean Lippett-Fall
Playwright; Keith Huff
Genre: Drama
Draft Programme
Cast
Crew
Ben Pritchard
Culann Smyth
Sean Lippett-Fall
Pippa Jones
Rob Thomas
Chris Childs,
Rob Thomas, Andy Squires
Sean Lippett-Fall
Garry "Glasses" Simmonds,
Richard "Plum" Bentley,
Jack Brown, Graham Wood
Pippa Jones
Trudy Stewart
Pauline Cook
Wiola Kamionka
Sophie Davies
Stephanie Somerville
Steph Somerville, Nicki Plank,
Nicola Collins, Tim Kendell,
Dale Smith, Dan Knight
Rosalind Wood
Rosalind Wood
Julia Peckham, Sophie Davies,
Pippa Jones, Dale Smith,
Hilary Smith
Thanks to everyone who has assisted with this production.
Joey
Denny
Publicity Photos & Video
Mid-Sussex Times Review
Director
Assistant Director
Stage Manager
Technical Team
Stage Crew
Set Design
Set Construction
Props
Wardrobe
Make-up & Hair
Photographer
Prompt
Poster & Programme
Publicity
Front of House
Box Office Manager
Bar
Synopsis
A Steady Rain” is a gritty, pacy play that explores various relationships & complex bonds formed and grown on the tough streets of Chicago. Often amusing & violent in equal measure , we follow Joey & Denny who have been best friends since School as they try to survive as Policemen on the unforgiving streets of Chicago.
Rehearsal Photos
Photos
Photo credit - Tim Kendell
The Vaughan Award for Best Actor - Ben Pritchard and Culann Smyth
Best Technical Achievement - Burgess Hill Theatre Club
Nominated - Best Set Design - Sean Lippett-Fall
Nominated - Best Back Stage Team - Burgess Hill Theatre Club
Nominated - Best Publicity - Steph Somerville, Nicki Plank, Nicola Collins, Tim Kendell, Dale Smith, Dan Knight
Nominated - The Gabbus Denney Award for Best Director - Sean Lippett-Fall
Brighton & Hove Arts Council - Drama Awards
Jane Collins Adjudication Summary for 'A Steady Rain'
A Steady Rain by Keith Huff is a more recent play, a two hander notable for its staging on Broadway in 2009 starring Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig. From Broadway to Burgess Hill is no distance in terms of the quality of this production, directed by Sean Lippett-Fall for the Burgess Hill Theatre Club. The play is a duologue featuring two Chicago cops – it’s about male friendship and shifting power relations. For me it is also about people being taken over by events, in a violent world, they no longer understand – It is also about small kindnesses and the strangeness of passion. It was staged with the audience on three sides in what appeared to be a community hall on a small bare thrust stage with just two chairs. What was extraordinary about this production was the way Sean and his team produced a continuous downpour on the stage of ‘steady rain.’ I have to admit to begin with I thought this was ‘tricksey’ and was going to interfere with my absorption in the story and the acting. But as the play progressed and the performances got more intense – I’ll talk about the acting in a minute - I realised this was a master stroke of design. The rain became like another character, a constant irritant – racking up the tension and transforming the space. It was a scenographic coup de theatre and I congratulate the technical team for their achievement. The Chicago cops, Joey played by Ben Pritchard and Denny played by Culann Smyth were accent pitch perfect and under the assured direction of Sean Lippett-Fall both gave truly outstanding performances. This was fine acting and they worked together with an intensity of engagement and belief that was truly moving. As I said at the time I cannot believe that Jackman and Craig – and I say this with some authority as I directed Daniel at Drama School – could have been more convincing in these roles. For a start they carry all the baggage of Hollywood stardom – whereas Ben and Culann just look like they could be Chicago cops.
Report from the Brighton and Hove Independent
Burgess Hill Theatre Club
Burgess Hill Theatre Club also won two awards, including best technical achievement for the steady rain that fell throughout the play and almost became a third character in the production, A Steady Rain by Keith Huff.
Ben Pritchard and Culann Smith were jointly awarded the best actor award for their roles in this two-hander.
Jane spoke of the fine acting, referencing Daniel Craig, who she directed at drama school, and said how impressed she was by the continuous downpour of real rain.
She added: "I admit at first I thought it was a bit tricksy. I realised this was a master stroke of design. The rain became like another character, a constant irritant racking up the tension."
