Office Hours - Norden Farm

Bubbling beneath thesurface of every seemingly mundane office is a web of stories just waiting to surface.

Maidenhead Drama Guild’s first production of 2008 cleverly delves into the microcosms of six different offices and discovers their intertwining tales.

Office Hours was written by playwright, Canadian Norm Foster and takes place ona Friday afternoon.
Its characters include an overweightjockey, a desperate movie producer, a gay lawyer and a philandering agent.The comedy is set in a timeless,nameless metropolis and slowly unfolds.A cast of 12,  manging from 20-60-yearsold,have been assembled to take on theroles of the colourful characters.The production is being directed by

Carol Hennessy, a member of the guild for 10 years. She said: “It’s a lovely script.The six stories are all seemingly totally different but gradually you realise they are all connected.

”Rehearsals have followed the same lines with each storyline being practised separately and only being brought together for the first time last week.
“It’s all been done in little bits so it’s great to see it all coming together,” Carol said.

Props and costumes are kept to a minimum but everyone appears clutching a Filofax which proves to be of significance by the end. 

There will also be some new faces on stage. Carol added: “It’s been a great opportunity to give a lot of relative newcomers a chance."

The guild has always attracted a wide range of people and their new recruits include an ambitious drama student and a woman who recently retired. It also has a reputation for matchmaking, with several marriages among fellowmembers, while some have been with the guild for 40 years.

Carol said: “It’s like an addiction and can take over your life. There is a definite adrenaline rush and it doesn’t matter if you have a big part or are standing backstage handing out props.” 

Office Hours is being performed at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead from April 10-13.Details on 01628 788997 or at www.nordenfarm.org