Frinton-on-Sea On Stage

Frinton-on-Sea - an old-fashioned resort on the Essex coast.

An unlikely place perhaps to launch the careers of some of the

biggest stars of the British stage.

And yet Antony Sher, Lynda Bellingham and Vanessa

Redgrave are just a few of the actors who took their early steps

at the Frinton Summer Theatre.

It was a wonderful, joyous way to start.

Really the best way to train as an actor in the real world as opposed

to training at drama school is to do theatre, so thank God for places

like Frinton that still exist.

For 76 years it's survived by going it alone - just.

But for some, it's stuck in the past, its success outdated.

Change is long overdue.

What I'm trying to do is to persuade people that the tradition of Frinton

is not only an amazing and wonderful thing, but to slightly bring

the theatre into the modern age as well.

So this year they've got a new

manager, who's risking his own money to turn around this

unique theatrical institution.

Yes, I suppose I've opened myself up to, a little bit closer to

bankruptcy then I was planning before by taking over Frinton. With

luck I keep my shirt. I don't get to dry-clean it but I keep my shirt.

I was joking, I was joking!

The seaside resort of Frinton-on-Sea is staunchly traditional

and uniquely English.

It's a place to retire and enjoy an unhurried life.

Modernity has been resisted and nothing much changed

until Clive Brill arrived in town.

When I hit my 50th birthday I had various mid-life crises and first

thing I got a motorbike and the second thing is that, I realised

that I'd spent 30 years not being an actor - when I was at school

that's all I did when I was at university that's all I did as,

I say acting has always been my love.

When I came down to Frinton it just felt like it was,

you know, like it was meant to be.

One way for Clive to fulfill his acting ambition is to try and run a

theatre. And not just any theatre - Frinton Summer Theatre, the longest

running professional weekly rep in the country, where seven different

plays are put on in seven weeks, in a small hall transformed

for the occasion.

I suppose I had a sneaky plan at the back of my head that one day

I would try and be in charge and I felt there was an opportunity to,

to step in.

For the last 12 years the theatre has been run

by actor and manager Edward Max.

Clive's entrance from the wings has come right on cue.

I was looking at what I was seeing, I was thinking it's getting

a bit tired, and I'm getting really stressed.

I need to work with other people. Other people have other ideas. Of

course when they present you with another idea you hate it.

It's not your idea, it's not the way I'm used to, it's stressful -

but in the end it's the right thing to do.

And it's the only way places like this are going to survive.

Any changes to how the theatre is run have to be passed by

its governing body, the Friends of Frinton Theatre, a group of local

residents whose support and devotion have kept it going for years.

All through the year we have events. Most months we have something

to raise money for the next season.

This is ploughman's over here, if you'd like to come

and help yourselves...

We hire the hall, which costs quite a lot of money, we pay a lot

of the expenses for it, and general things like electricity, insurance

and paying for having the seating, that all has to be paid for.

This "do-it-yourself" attitude has defined Frinton successfully over

the years, so any suggestion of stirring things up are greeted

with caution.

Our leading man Clive has to tread carefully.

Clive wanted to come and

run the theatre for ten years, but we've actually got a contract with

him for five years, which is renewable after five years

because he didn't want to invest money in the theatre, and then next

year we say we'll get somebody else.

Although he has a firm foot in the door, one thing is clear for Clive.

While The Friends are willing to modernise, any changes will

cost money - his money.

More ambitious sets or an adventurous repertoire require

a call on his resources.

We're trying harder with slightly bigger casts, slightly more

ambitious plays, but I'm praying that by making these innovative

changes that will in the end feed through to bigger audiences, because

of course my bank manager tells me that the downside of all this is

that it still actually has put the bill up quite a lot.

It's February, and Clive and Ed begin planning

their first year in cahoots.

It's Clive and Edward who choose the plays, but we do

like to have a mixture - always like to have a murder, an Alan Ayckbourn,

and preferably some sort of music.

We don't have any sort of frightfully modern things.

So I was rather hoping that we didn't have to do another Ayckbourn

this year, but

No, you can't not do it.

I had a meeting with Anthea and

the committee and they've basically said you either do an Ayckbourn or

you're fired.

It's a question of pleasing the Friends and slightly

offending the Friends at the same time, to keep them on their toes.

I think they like to be offended occasionally.

You know what, I've been thinking about, given the fact that it ran

for so many years Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister.

I think Yes Prime Minister absolutely is the kind

of thing that would go down very well here, I think we need

to think outside the box about how we're going to cast it though.

Yes, we had Richard Wilson last year, he was

our celebrity, so we need another sort of coup this year.

A coup! Is that what I was?

Rather than a rare talent, I was just seen as a mere coup!

Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman, thank you for

With their choice of plays decided, it's time to face the Friends.

As you can see we're a bit of a double act.

Tweedledee and Tweedledum of British theatre

Clive sticks his neck out with the first announcement.

Sheila Stevenson's The Memory Of Water contains near-the-knuckle

subject matter.

It's certainly a bit of a gamble.

There's cannabis on stage It's not real and it does have a few,

what can I say, fruity words in it.

Well, that didn't go down too badly.

What about some music for a bit of variety?

I think what we're going to try to do is put a small

I think what we're going to try to do is put a small

but perfectly formed three-piece band on stage.

We're going to do a musical revue called Cole,

the life and times of Cole Porter.

Oh, not so sure about that one.

How about their trump card then, a touch of risky political satire?

Yes Prime Minister.

With the rest of the season comprising

the obligatory farce, a murder and an Alan Ayckbourn, they

have also managed to sneak in a dose of drugs, swearing and blasphemy.

And Clive and Ed break the news that they

intend to tinker with the cherished tradition of rep - the same cast of

actors performing in all the plays.

I used to think it was quite amusing - for example, one year we had a

little prostitute with hot pants and a fur coat, you know, and the next

week she was a little American old lady with grey hair, with talcum

powder and it was the same person with an American accident,

and I think that's terribly clever.

That would kill any modern actor I think, they're just not used to it

and they're just not trained to do it,

and anyway my philosophy is that if I want to attract, you know bigger,

and anyway my philosophy is that if I want to attract, you know, bigger,

better, larger casts what I need to say to them is,

you'll get a week of hard rehearsal and a week of performance but during

the week of performance you'll be able to chill a little bit.

This departure from the norm of Frinton - in essence employing

more actors - will put an added strain on Clive's bank balance.

Is he sailing too close to the wind?

Of all the promises Clive and Ed made this year, the trickiest by far

is attempting to put on a musical, in such a short space of time.

Obviously, basically we're trying to do a musical in two weeks

here so it's an incredible ask to ask someone straight out of drama

school to do this, we'd love to,

but we have got Dominic Rye who's clearly is a good actor

and we've put him in Fallen Angels so we're sort of, we're doing,

you know, we're fulfilling the brief.

And part of their brief is to give aspiring actors their first job.

Frinton Rep is known as the nursery of the stars and is

remembered by one of its old boys - the leading Royal Shakespeare

Company actor Sir Antony Sher.

It was a wonderful, joyous way to start,

I was both required to play big parts in all the plays and do stage

management duties, and the work was exhilarating working at that rate.

There were reps all round the country, in every major city.

A lot of them are gone, and really the best way to train as an actor

in the real world as opposed to training at drama school is to do

theatre, so thank God for places like Frinton, that still exist.

Keen to uphold this tradition, Clive and Ed shortlist two actresses

straight from drama school for the lead in Alan Ayckbourn's Flat Spin.

That's neither here nor there...

Eleanor, I just love her presence

in the room, she's got such an unusual look that is distinctive

and attractive at the same time.

But Pippa gave the most nuance performance, she really moved me.

But Pippa gave the most nuanced performance, she really moved me.

It's just...

For God's sake, Kat, I could have at least got a job, couldn't I?

Turns out Clive and Ed can't resist hiring them both.

Actually there are two jobs in this play, and I think that

I think Pippa is excellent,

wonderfully good actress but she's not right for Rosie, although she

would be an extremely good Tracey.

I feel more comfortable with Eleanor.

So are we going to seal the deal?

On Eleanor?

Yes.

And Pippa? Damn right.

Very good, well done, well cast.

Thank you.

Their spirits are dampened however, when Clive takes

a worrying phone call.

It's another rejection from an agent.

His quest to cast a star name for Yes Prime Minister

is not going well.

Just as it has done for 76 years, the day arrives when a posse of

theatre types descend on the town.

A brightly painted box office erected

on the pavement means they're open for business once again.

The hall is reorganised into a vibrant theatre space and

props are bought from local shops.

Casting for the plays is almost complete,

with the exception of Yes Prime Minister.

Pressure is building for Clive.

I'm beginning to feel a little bit anxious about this because

I actually start rehearsals myself on Wednesday, A: I'm supposed to

have learnt all my lines and B: obviously I'm supposed to be very

good, as the producer I'm supposed to

I suppose set an example.

I thought take me back to sanity and I walk on, and I walk in on

this, Pan's bloody People...

He's taking on a huge amount of risk,

he's taking on a huge amount of work.

He doesn't need to do this, he wants to do this.

The cast for the first play, Noel Coward's Fallen Angels,

arrive in Frinton.

These include first-timer Dominic Rye, who was successful

at the auditions for several roles this season.

The actors meet director Jonathan Taffler for rehearsals

in the local scout hut.

This is frightful

I'm only taking my irons.

You know, when you tell people you're doing

Frinton do you ever get any

I suppose people ask

me where is it and what is it all about, and then you have to explain

it's the oldest rep company in the country, 76 years old and some

incredible names have come out of it, haven't they,

I mean Julia Walters I think was here,

I mean Julia Walters I think was here.

Vanessa Redgrave...

Who was here last year?

Errrrrr...

Oh, come along!

Yes, who was it?

Victor Meldrew, what's his name?

Richard Wilson.

Richard Wilson, that's right, thank you.

After two days the first set is complete

and the McGrigor Hall once again echoes to the curious sound of the

mating call of actors warming up.

You do have to stay calm, there is a sense of, I think there's a sense of

rising panic, slowly goes like that.

But what these guys have done is that they arrive with their lines,

sort of let's say three-quarters learnt - that will give you a sense

of, you know, calm to begin with.

With three days to go before curtain-up on the first play, the

Friends of Frinton Theatre attend the ritual meet-the-cast party.

We're nearly there, everyone

The fundraising efforts and sponsorship deals have once again

ensured that the show goes on.

Edward Max, my partner in crime.

Edward Max, my partner in crime.

Edward Max, my partner in crime.

I didn't say applaud!

I paid them.

I paid them.

The nervous cast of the opening play are

paraded in front of their patrons for inspection.

Will they cut the mustard, will they fit the Frinton bill?

Uppermost on their minds at that time is

the hastily learnt play that has temporarily taken over their lives.

First job straight out of drama school

Welcome to Frinton,

Welcome to Frinton, I know how you feel!

Ladies and gentlemen, raffle tickets, thank you very much.

This will be one of the best learning experiences you

will have as young actors.

And North African devil dancing - I thought take me back to sanity

and then I walk in on this, Pan's bloody People.

They are now three plays into the run.

The Memory of Water, in which Clive appears, is being dress-rehearsed.

Fallen Angels was followed by sell-out performances of

Shirley Valentine, directed by Ed.

However, it's fast becoming crunch time for

Yes Prime Minister, which Clive will direct and also have a part.

But he can't find his star.

Here we are, the first play is already finished, Yes Prime Minister

which is play six is still completely uncast, completely due to

my own stupidity really.

I can't understand why actors are not actually queuing up to come

and be paid Equity minimum and be put in some digs, but it

seems they don't all want to come.

It starts getting very dangerous if you don't have your audition list

set by the middle of April and you haven't cast

by the beginning of May.

Well, I've never said to Clive it's a mistake, but I think he realises

now for himself that, he wishes that he'd done something

about it earlier.

I just thought I wouldn't worry about auditions, I'll

just ring people up and go through my mates. I've probably phoned every

mate I know now

Thank you, mates!

Not only is the unfinished business with Yes

Prime Minister weighing on his mind, also for Clive there's the imminent

performance of The Memory of Water.

Might he upset the loyal Frinton audience?

The play is pushing the boundaries a little bit more

than the average Frinton audience has come to expect.

It's got what we might call wacky baccy on stage, and there's quite

a bit of swearing in this play which we don't usually do.

This has got about 20 F-words in it, and there's a good old dose of

blasphemy as well, what can you do?

blasphemy as well. What can you do?

Sorry.

Jesus, Mike!

I'm not expecting too many walk-outs but it's possible.

How long have you been there?

Hours.

So it's going to be challenging.

So it's going to be challenging.

To compound his problems, Clive has to abandon a crucial rehearsal

to rush to London in a last-ditch attempt to cast a Prime Minister.

A casting agent, Stephen Moore, has come to his rescue and lined up

a few potential candidates.

He wasn't really quite running through it at the speed of panic

that I imagine the Prime Minister is in at that stage.

He's determined to hold out for the perfect actor.

He returns to Frinton with the part still uncast.

Meanwhile, it's the opening night of The Memory Of Water,

and Clive has to concentrate on his performance.

He can't afford to be distracted any further.

He's staking his Frinton future on the success of this play.

Do men have pelvic floor?

Because mine's gone.

I'm just having to grrrr, it's not feeling good right

at the moment.

No, this is horrible, every time I hear the drum roll

for the National Anthem, my bowels move and

They've stopped moving now but you know...

The tension is..

it's a pit of fear, but we have this to get us through

before we go on so we'll be fine.

Clive's fears are unfounded.

The play is a success.

He has passed his initiation with the Frinton

Well, it's all over, where's my shirt?

I cannot believe I forgot, what I consider to be my funniest line.

That's because I haven't done three year training, that's

because I took over the theatre then said I'd put myself in things.

Be careful what you wish for.

Almost everyone I think has said, slightly worried by the language

still but pleased that they had such a thought-provoking play.

Clive?

Yes?

Your adoring public are slavering their chops.

They may come in if they want to.

All of them, will they be able to fit in(?)

I think it was actually a good choice to do and I think there needs

to be a play like that every year.

Well, there's no question in my mind,

we have to provoke a little bit of thought every single year

from now on.

And later that night, Clive steps outside from the celebrations to

take the call he's been waiting for.

He has his Prime Minister.

His choice may not be the household name he'd held out for; instead he's

had to opt for an experienced actor who can learn the part quickly.

It's mid-season, and Ed is stuck into his next play - Flat Spin,

the customary Alan Ayckbourn.

It's a crowd puller and bound to swell the coffers.

A fact not lost on Clive's bank manager.

So Ed has to get it right, and right now it's far from perfect.

Guys, really don't have a lot of time, I'd like to be started

in about a minute, thank you.

What are we eating?

Gnocchi.

What?

Gnocchi...

G-N-O-C-C-H-I...

I thought

The female lead has been given to first timer Eleanor Adams

and as good as she is, she's unused to the Frinton way and

she's buckling under the pressure.

Jesus...

OK - no, right, listen, that's absolutely fine and it all

works, come down here, guys

It's a big play, it's two big parts for two young people and I've need

to give them a lot of time to help them ground themselves.

Right now we

know that, you happy to leave it or do you just want to work those cued

bits here?

I'm happy As you like, as you like.

Well, it's really as you like - I'm, I'm happy.

With four hours to

With four hours to curtainup things are not looking

With four hours to curtain up things are not looking good.

The sheer complexity of the play is testing everybody to the limit.

Eleanor, are you there?

Yeah, just give us two seconds guys, we've said yes three times just

give us five seconds, thank you.

OK, I'm sorry to pester but can I

Yeah, we're ready now OK so Eleanor, thank you Eleanor.

If you think you can treat this place like a bloody hotel

then you're very, what?

What the hell do you think you're doing?

You can't just walk in here, will you get out of here, you can't

just treat this place

The show must go on, but for the leading lady

the tension has become too great.

Sorry

OK, guys, can you just turn it off, can you just turn it off please.

Good luck to everyone.

Thanks, Alex.

We got to the second bit and Eleanor I think she just felt "I need to get

"this right, and what I feel I don't need at the moment is to have the

"issues that I'm having recorded.

"It's distracting me from learning how to get it right."

That's why she asked me and that's why I said to you guys

you got to stop recording now.

Eleanor is concerned, it's her first job, it's

a big part and she's really thrown herself at it and she's fabulous.

I am entirely confident that she will rise to the occasion

but the issue is that she is wondering whether she is going to

rise to the occasion.

Just a few hours earlier the cast and crew were not ready to

put this play on.

It was a close call but that's the Frinton frisson -

seat of the pants stuff.

They thrive on it.

The appreciative audience are blissfully unaware,

and the triumph is no more keenly appreciated than backstage.

If there is any justice in ten years' time, you know, more

than anything else I hope that they will look back and go

"I've got a great career and I'm here because I did

"Frinton Summer Theatre."

Yeah, it's been quite intense, we had one week rehearsal and one week

of shows, so

Yeah, really intense.

I mean, El had quite a lot of lines to learn

and get down in that amount of time, so it was pretty intense but

it's been really good fun.

Definitely a challenge, but it all came together

really well, so yeah it's been really great.

Mm. Very lucky to have this as our first job.

Yeah, well, you see, every day's a school day.

Cheers, guys.

And so, on a rainy summer's night, the moment of truth has arrived

for Clive.

Because of a late delivery, the main cast are now an insert in

the programme rather than, actually part of the programme, we've had to

paperclip them in but, you know, that's show business.

The house is now open.

You know, I've never ironed to bagpipes

before, this is my first time.

For Clive, the play that nearly cost him his shirt is about to open.

He has assembled a masterclass of acting talent to accompany loyal

Frinton regular Jasmine Hyde.

Slight feeling of, can I go home now, please?

Yes, the end is in sight, my few days of lying

on the coach going... aaah! are in sight.

You feel vindicated that you left it to the wire?

I feel, yeah, well I think indications is not the right word

because if I'd been sensible I wouldn't have done you know that's

the lesson that I have learnt.

I left it to the wire and it worked incredibly well because I had a very

good casting director who basically got me out of the ordure

You're all fantastic, even me

Have a good one, everybody.

And Clive's Prime Minister

Well, Patrick Cremin may not be a name we all know, but

his performance is a tour de force.

Who needs celebrities?

It's absolutely vital that we keep going, if we don't keep going then

I think theatre on the edges as it were in the outpost will simply

disappear, everything will be concentrated in the big cities which

is not what we want.

That is all that matters.

yes, Prime Minister.

Yes, Prime Minister.

They began the year with a mission to modernise

and they have breathed new life into a time-honoured institution.

Well done, everyone good night, see you all tomorrow.

They've achieved a record number of full houses any theatre would be

envious of,

and early estimates indicate that Clive's finances have survived.

We are teetering on the brink of breaking even

but I cannot even begin to think that that is for certain.

What IS certain though, is Clive's commitment to

Frinton Summer Theatre.

To me, it's like, how do I live out the rest of my life well,

To me, it's like, how do I live out the rest of my life -

well, if I've risked my life by keeping a theatre going that would

be an amazing thing to do, wouldn't it?

And yes, their musical achieved in two weeks is a triumph too.

Anything Goes.

It feels like you've been here forever.

Yeah, I mean, seven productions, seven weeks, it's obviously been

completely bonkers to do that.

There's no sense of Frinton getting at it were second best.

Frinton is just getting amazing people coming in

and doing amazing auditions and just blowing my socks off.

I think I'm going to come back next year, are you coming back next year?

If you'll have me, certainly.

We're sort of married now in a painful way.