NO JELLY AND ICE CREAM FOR UPMINSTER’S ALLEY KIDS

SIXTY FIVE years old and still playing a bunch of kids!
Wesley Players celebrate the watershed age without thought of retiring and, open 2014 re-gaining their childhood in a play by John Lee, called ‘Kidsplay’
With a cast of 23 very over-grown youngsters, the play is seen as a growing up volume where childhood fun mixes with naivety and vulnerability.
Jenny Lee from the players said: ” Helen Turner who is directing had been involved with a production of it years before, and thought it would be fun to do. In it there was no need to worry about the behaviour or age as being a child broke down those barriers.”
Originally set in Hull by the author, the Players have brought it down the M1 a couple of hundred miles and based the action in an alley in London’s east end.
Melanie is celebrating her 12th birthday party in 1981, but has only invited her dancing class friends to her birthday party and ignoring her alley friends.
As the guests arrive they find a bunch of alley kids looking mean, hungry, minus jelly and cakes and more than a little peeved.
“As a group we liked the different levels the play has”, said Jenny. “Although it has humour and allows us to identify with childhood again, it also highlights more serious issues such as bullying, exclusion and control”.
Wesley Players have put on more than 170 productions in their time and note on their website ‘. Whilst we don’t have any of the original cast members still performing with us, we hope that they would approve of our current stewardship and our devoted efforts to keep the Wesley Players going from strength to strength.’
The concept could be identified as ‘running riot in a sweetshop’, and sounds like a lot of allowed fun and games, where the only reproving voices are aimed at a ‘bunch of ruddy kids.’
The plays runs from Thursday May 15 to Saturday May 17 at the Methodist Church Hall, Hall Lane, Upminster RM14 1AE.
Tickets are adults – £7.00, Concessions – £5.50 and Children – £3.50 and available from the box office on 07708 214742 or tickets@wesley-players. co.uk