Jumpy

Performance Dates 22nd – 25th February 2023

Our next drama production is the contemporary comedy “Jumpy” by April De Angelis.

Best described as a frank and funny family drama, questioning parental anxieties and life after fifty, the play offers a funny but moving take on modern life. The drama centres around the character of Hilary, who once protested at Greenham Common but is now coming to terms with being middle-aged. These days, her protests tend to focus on persuading her teenage daughter to talk to her with a civil tongue in her head and on putting the fizz back into her rather stale marriage to her husband, Mark. Described as “Funny, deliciously rude and piercingly moving” by the Daily Telegraph, “Jumpy” was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre in 2011, where it was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Play.
This is a Studio theatre production and will be performed in the Alexander Wilding Room at the Wyllyotts, which will be converted into an intimate studio theatre for this production.
Tickets can be obtained from the Wyllyotts Theatre Box Office.

Tickets are SOLD OUT Now !

About this performance

This will be performed at the Wyllyotts Theatre in the Studio Room

The Cast

Hilary

Catherine Little

early 50s. Middle class, educated, articulate, witty; works in an Educational Support Unit; protested at Greenham Common in her youth; married to Mark with a teenage daughter. Relationship with her husband is going through a rocky patch; relationship with teenage daughter
is fiery and volatile. Drinks wine; has a brief affair with a much younger man during the course of the play. Major leading role; almost never off the stage; requires expert comic timing

Mark

Bryan Hewitt

her husband – early 50s; quiet and unassuming but loyal and supportive; humorous; having some marital difficulties with Hilary; in arguments, tends to side with their teenage daughter; walks out on the marriage half-way through the play but returns at the end. Good supporting role with a number of key scenes.

Tilly

Chloe Payne

their daughter – 16 at the start of the play but is old enough to be going off to Uni by the end; argumentative, sharp and intelligent; cares about fashion, her friends and going out; represents “youth culture”. Main supporting role; several very important and substantial scenes. Could be played by an actor in their early 20s.

Frances

Joanne Hammer

Hilary’s friend – early 50s and single; an out of work actress who earns her living working in a care home; hard drinking and hard living; loud, brash, flamboyant, glamorous. She is trying to boost her performing career by learning Burlesque dance routines, one of which she performs during the course of the play – to great comic effect! A major supporting role, with plenty of comic opportunities (and a show-stopping Burlesque dance routine, to boot).

Lyndsey

Lana Karabulut

Tilly’s friend – 16 at the start of the play and 18 by the end; Tilly’s side-kick and heavily pregnant in her first scene; later on, she proves to be a loyal, supportive and sympathetic friend to Tilley and acts as a go-between to Tilley and her parents. She has a number of very funny lines which need to be played quite dead pan; less feisty and confrontational than Tilley; a sweet and endearing character. Good supporting role. Could be played by an actor in their early 20s.

Bea

Christine Le Couilliard

early 50s – mother of Tilly’s boyfriend Josh. Very sharp, bright, poised, self-assured; but also, quite cold and judgemental; very scathing towards Hilary and towards her husband Roland (but to considerable comic effect). Several good scenes. A good supporting role – but probably the villain of the piece.

Roland

Nick Reed

early 50s – Bea’s husband and father of Josh. A self-satisfied and certainly self-obsessed out-of-work actor; he has great charm and self-assurance; at one point he seduces Hilary and makes her question her marriage to Mark; very bright and well-educated; has lots to say on a variety of subjects. Some good speeches, with many funny lines and the driving force in a number of excellent scenes. Major supporting role. Very good double-act with his wife Bea (good cop/ bad cop).

Josh

Chris Palmer

their son, 16; generally monosyllabic boyfriend of Tilly; like her he represents “youth” and has a couple of good scenes. Small but essential supporting role. Could be played by an actor in his early 20s.

Cam

Tate Pollington

a university student, 20; Tilly’s boyfriend in the second half of the play; but also gets emotionally involved with Hilary, with whom he has a brief affair. Intelligent, thoughtful, educated; has two good scenes. Smallish but essential supporting role. Could be played by an actor up to the age of 25.

Home of Entertainment

Home of Entertainment

Jumpy

Tickets are SOLD OUT Now !

About this performance

This will be performed at the Wyllyotts Theatre in the Studio Room

The Cast

Hilary

Catherine Little

Mark

Bryan Hewitt

Tilly

Chloe Payne

Frances

Joanne Hammer

Lyndsey

Lana Karabulut

Bea

Christine Le Couilliard

Roland

Nick Reed

Josh

Chris Palmer

their son, 16; generally monosyllabic boyfriend of Tilly; like her he represents “youth” and has a couple of good scenes. Small but essential supporting role. Could be played by an actor in his early 20s.

Cam

Tate Pollington

The Crew

Director

Nick Vause

Production Manager

Robbie Crisp

Stage Manager

Trevor Hodd

Sound & Music

Paul Large

Lighting

Roger Huggins

Home of Entertainment

Who We Are

Our Services

Accounts