Nicci Pennicott will be directing Noel Coward's Relative Values at the South Downs Centre Memorial Hall in Midhurst from November 29-December 2.
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00:00 Good morning, my name is Phil Hewitt, Group Arts Editor for Sussex Newspapers. Lovely
00:05 this morning to be speaking to Niki Kennicott. Now, Niki, you are directing a very significant
00:10 production for the Midhurst Players. It's Relative Families by Noel Coward, but the
00:15 point is this is the first big production from the Midhurst Players for more than four
00:20 years. It's going to run from November 29 to December 2. Now, Niki, as you were saying,
00:27 joy and relief just to be back with the players. Yes, absolutely. We've been sitting in limbo,
00:35 attempting to put on productions and not being able to because of various lockdowns and non-availability
00:41 of the hall because of Covid jabs being done there and things like that. And I've constantly
00:46 had WhatsApps through from various people that are in the cast saying, when are we going
00:50 to do another production? So we're all absolutely delighted to be back. Were you ever worried
00:55 that you wouldn't come back or was it always going to happen? Oh, there's always a concern
01:00 as to whether a society is going to continue, but I think we were all determined that it
01:04 was going to happen. We have a wonderful venue at the South Downs Memorial Hall, so it would
01:10 be a criminal not to use it. And we all enjoy what we do. And what makes Relative Families
01:16 a good one to come back with? It's a fun play. Noel Coward, it's always a laugh and people
01:22 know Noel Coward. And it's also got a nice big cast, so it gives lots of opportunities
01:26 for people to get back on the stage. And easy enough to cast then? It was actually, yes,
01:33 I had a good choice of people and yes, some really, really good actors and I'm delighted
01:38 with them all. And for you, what are the challenges of directing Coward? What do you have to get
01:44 spot on to do him justice? You have to get the, I think very important, the words have
01:51 to be right. Noel Coward writes the most beautiful words. He uses things like alliteration
01:55 and all that sort of stuff to give the lines punch. And so you have to get people that
02:00 will learn their lines and deliver them properly. So that's one of my priorities. But of course,
02:05 getting into the lovely characters that Noel Coward creates is also part of the fun and
02:09 for people to bring out the nuances of those characters. So that's been really enjoyable
02:14 for me. And it's going to be a lovely way for the players to finish the year. And after
02:18 this, will performances, productions be more regular now? Do you think when you be properly
02:23 back in the swing? Yes, I hope so. I mean, we normally do a spring and an autumn production
02:28 and we will certainly be hoping to do that again from next year. Yes. Fantastic. Well,
02:32 I really love to speak to you, Nikki. Good luck with the production and lovely to hear
02:36 that you are all back. It's great. Thank you so much. Great.
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