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Pygmalion

by Bernard Shaw

The language-professor Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can pass a common flower-girl off as a duchess at an ambassador’s garden-party, simply by training her to speak correctly. The lessons begin, and after six months Eliza can speak and behave like a lady: Higgins wins his bet. But then the real problems start…

What is to become of Eliza, now that Higgins has removed her from her origins? And what are the emotional connections between Higgins, Eliza, Colonel Pickering, and Higgins’ mother? The famous professor soon finds himself lost in a world of feminine feelings and sensibilities that he, with his brash masculinity and analytical brain, cannot understand...

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Extract from the script 'Pygmalion'

Higgins:	A woman who utters such depressing and disgusting sounds has no right to be anywhere – no right to live. Remember that you are a human being with a soul and the devine gift of articulate speech: that your native language is the language of Shakespeare and Milton and the Bible; and don't sit there crooning like a bilious pigeon.
Eliza:	Ah-ah-ah-ow-ow-ow-oo
Higgins:	Heavens! what a sound! Ah-ah-ah-ow-ow-ow-oo!
Eliza:	Garn!
Higgins:	You see this creature with her kerbstone English: the English that will keep her in the gutter to the end of her days. Well, sir, in six months I could pass that girl off as a duchess at an ambassador's garden party. I could even get her a place as lady's maid or shop assistant, which requires better English.
Eliza:	What's that you say?
Higgins:	Yes, you squashed cabbage leaf, you disgrace to the noble architecture of these columns, you incarnate insult to the English language: I could pass you off as the Queen of Sheba. Can you believe that?

Relatively Speaking

by Alan Ayckbourn

Greg thinks that Philipp and Sheila are his girlfriend’s parents. Sheila thinks that Greg is her husband’s employee. Philip thinks that Greg is his wife’s lover – and Ginny knows that she is Philip’s lover and that she must end the relationship before her boyfriend Greg finds out about it...the situation escalates through ever-increasing lies and confusions until all the characters believe that they are the only sane one, and all the others are mad.

Which one of us can be sure that we can trust the person we love? The four characters in this turbulent comedy are all faced with this painful question. Out of their jealousies and deceptions Alan Ayckbourn has fashioned a superb comedy of hilarious misunderstandings.

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Extract from the script 'Relatively Speaking'

Greg:	(casually) Who lives at the Willows, Lower Pendon, Bucks?
Ginny:	(scattering her make-up then recovering) How did you know that?
Greg:	Who lives there?
Ginny:	(moving down beside him) Where did you find that address?
Greg:	Sounds very grand. The Willows, Lower Pendon –
Ginny:	Have you been going through my things?
Greg:	No.
Ginny:	Then tell me where you got that address from. I want to know.
Greg:	It’s written on here. (He holds up a cigarette packet) Look. The Willows, Lower Pendon, Bucks. Anyone we know?
Ginny:	No.
Greg:	(rising) Who?
Ginny:	(turning) My parents.
Greg:	Ah. Well, you may have a lousy memory for all I know. I mean I could never be called a devoted son, my parents will back me up on that, but at last I can remember where they live.

Romeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeare

The Montagues and the Capulets have a long-standing feud which regularly leads to outbreaks of street violence in Verona. When Romeo (a Montague) and Juliet (a Capulet) fall in love, their feelings are so strong that they ignore their families’ rivalry and marry secretly.
But then Tybalt (Capulet) kills Romeo’s best friend Mercutio, and Romeo in an outburst of rage takes revenge by killing Tybalt. After only one day of marriage, Romeo is banished from Verona and may never see Juliet again. When Juliet’s father (knowing nothing of her relationship with Romeo) tries to force her into an arranged marriage, Juliet grasps desperate measures…

White Horse Theatre’s abridgement is packed with emotion and action, with poetry and humour, with hate...and with love.

Photos of 'Romeo and Juliet'

Season 19/20

Formers productions

Extract from the script 'Romeo and Juliet'

Juliet:	O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
Romeo [Aside]:	Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?
Juliet:	'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is nor hand nor foot, Nor arm nor face, [nor any other part] Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for thy name, which is no part of thee, Take all myself.