This is a special review episode. I recently saw the Sudbury Dramatic Society's production of Breaking the code by Hugh Whitemore. The play tells the rise and fall of the genius that was Alan Turing, father of modern computing.

The play was cleverly staged and filled with terrific performances, so much so that I felt compelled to record a review.

In this episode I share part 2 of my interview with Pelham Elliott. In part one we discussed his professional acting work, in this second part of the interview we discuss his love of Amdram and how he came to adapt the novel Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day for the stage.

I recently got the chance to interview Pelham Elliot, one of our regular cast members and directors at the Bury Theatre Workshop and other east Anglia amdram groups.

As well as a very active member of groups in the Bury St Edmunds area, Pelham is also a professional actor. I thought it would be interesting to discuss his professional work and why he also enjoys being involved in local amateur productions.

The interview is split into two parts, starting with our discussion about his recent TV work including Ted Lasso & The Ashley Maddison Scandal for Netflix, Music video work (featuring in Mick Jaggers 'England Lost') and his time as a regular on the Murder Mystery circuit.

In the following episode I will include part two of the interview, where we discuss his love of Amdram.

I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did recording it.

In this episode we talk to a lady called Georgette Vale who has been developing an Audio Description Service for her local Amateur Dramatic group, The Wymondham Players in Norfolk.

This service is often provided for professional stage shows but is not common within Amateur Productions. Georgette would like to see more groups across the UK provide this service for potential audience members who are either blind or visually impaired so that they can enjoy live theatre local to them.

Georgette is featured in an issue of the NODA magazine, the link is here if you would like to read the article https://issuu.com/nodapress/docs/noda_today_-_summer_25/51?ff

If you would like to talk to Georgette about how you might offer this service to your audiences you can call her on: 01953 605434

In this first episode I talk about how hugely popular Amateur Dramatics is and also try to dispel the misconception that amateur means amateurish.

The podcast series follows new amateur productions from conception to show week.

If you are involved in an amateur production and would like us to feature it on the show please email us at podcast@stuarthannah.co.uk and we can discuss how best to feature your production.

In this episode Seb Ranson interviews David Pollard, writer and director of The Ripple Effect, a new original play being performed in Ipswich in September 2025.

This podcast series follows new amateur productions from conception to show week.

If you are involved in an amateur production and would like us to feature it on the show please email us at ⁠info@stuarthannah.com⁠⁠⁠⁠and we can discuss how best to feature your production.

If you would like to get involved in a production and live in the Bury St Edmunds area, why not get in touch with the Bury Theatre Workshop ⁠⁠https://www.burytheatreworkshop.org.uk/about-us⁠

In this episode I discuss the Bury Theatre Workshop production of J M Barries' play Mary Rose. Very much a departure from Peter Pan, his most famous work, Mary Rose is a sad and moving story of the life and fate of young Mary Rose, a happy go lucky young girl who's life takes a dark turn after a visit to a mysterious island in Scotland.

My co-presenter, Seb Ranson interviews director Tim Lodge about his decision to stage the play and looks at what Bury Theatre Workshop has planned for the rest of the year.

This podcast series follows new amateur productions from conception to show week.

If you are involved in an amateur production and would like us to feature it on the show please email us at ⁠info@stuarthannah.com⁠⁠⁠⁠and we can discuss how best to feature your production.

If you would like to get involved in a production and live in the Bury St Edmunds area, why not get in touch with the Bury Theatre Workshop ⁠⁠https://www.burytheatreworkshop.org.uk/about-us⁠

In this episode I share the first show review done by Seb Ranson for the podcast. This is of a production of Pygmalion by the Sudbury Dramatic Society and was performed at The Quay Theatre, Sudbury from the 9th to the 13th of July 2024.

I hope to include show reviews by Seb on a regular basis.

This podcast series follows new amateur productions from conception to show week.

If you are involved in an amateur production and would like us to feature it on the show please email us at info@stuarthannah.com⁠and we can discuss how best to feature your production.

If you would like to get involved in a production and live in the Bury St Edmunds area, why not get in touch with the Bury Theatre Workshop ⁠https://www.burytheatreworkshop.org.uk/about-us