9 to 5 - Dates and information for pre-audition rehearsals and auditions

If you would like to join us to perform in our November production of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 The Musical, below are the key dates that you will need to be available for.

Welcome talk
Wednesday 5th June: 19:45 – 22:00 hrs
Venue: Christ Church, Reading Road, Chineham, RG4 8LT

Pre-audition workshops

Monday 10th June: 19:30 – 22:00 hrs
Wednesday 12th June: 19:45 – 22:00 hrs
Monday 17th June: 19:30 – 22:00 hrs
Wednesday 19th June: 19:45 – 22:00 hrs
Venue: Christ Church, Reading Road, Chineham, RG4 8LT

Auditions
Sunday 23rd June 2019: 10:00 – 18:00 hrs (Dance until 12 noon)
Venue: Market Chambers, town centre Basingstoke

Director setting dates
In addition to the director setting dates (below), cast will generally be called for rehearsal every Monday and Wednesday evening.

Venue: Christ Church, Reading Road, Chineham, RG4 8LT

Monday 24th June: First read through of the script
Sunday 14th – Thursday 18th July: Director setting (act 1)
Sunday 15th September – Thursday 19th September: Director setting (act 2)
Saturday 19th October: Cast show promotion at Waitrose and The Malls
Monday 21st October: Director setting (Run of act 1 + notes)
Wednesday 23rd October: Director setting (Run of act 2 + notes)
Monday 11th November: Director setting (Run of show + notes)
Thursday 14th November: Costume Call
Friday 15th November: Run of show in costume

Sunday 17th November: Band call and technical rehearsal (Haymarket Theatre)
Monday 18th November: Dress rehearsal (Haymarket Theatre)
Tuesday 19th – Saturday 23rd November: Performances (including Saturday matinee) (Haymarket Theatre)

Becoming Fagin - Time Lapse Video

It takes David Izzo a fair while to transform himself into the iconic role of Fagin.

Watch it here in 60 seconds!

It's the Oliver! show trailer

It’s almost time for the curtain to go up on Victorian London on 8 May 2019. Catch the cast in rehearsal for this family favourite musical.

Buy tickets online.

We chat to Liz Ilett - our Director for Oliver!

“I want audiences to laugh, I want audiences to cry, I want them to believe in the story.”

That’s Liz Ilett’s aim in bringing Oliver! to the Haymarket stage for BATS. Directing the show has been a long-held ambition for Liz, who’s been involved with the Society for more than 30 years. So what’s special about this particular show?

“It’s a musical that has soul and a ‘real’ story. It’s not ‘pretty pretty’, it’s quite grim at times. It’s very much an actor’s musical, and we’re trying to delve deep into the characters and bring out the drama of Oliver’s situation.”

Those characters include iconic roles like Fagin (played by David Izzo), who leads a gang of boy pickpockets, the caring Nancy (played by Kirsty Kingham) and the terrifying Bill Sikes (played by Ali Bagshaw).

Several weeks into rehearsals Liz says she’s “very pleased” with how it’s all going.

Liz performing in Sister Act, May 2015, as Sister Mary Lazarus

“It’s a really strong line up of principal characters. The boys playing Oliver and the Artful Dodger are superb. We have two teams of children playing the boys and girls in the workhouse and Fagin’s gang, and some have never been on stage before. The youngest is just eight years old. Repetition is really important to help them learn their scenes and songs.”

Memorable moments in the show include Oliver asking for more gruel, the sinister relationship between Nancy and Bill Sikes, and of course uplifting musical numbers like Consider Yourself, Who Will Buy, It’s A Fine Life and Oom-Pa-Pa.

Liz hopes youngsters seeing Oliver! for the first time this May, will be as gripped by it as she was when she first saw the film as a child.

“Oliver! caught my imagination then – and it never let go.”

Oliver! runs at the Haymarket from Wed 8 - Sat 18 May. Performances at 7.30pm, with Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Buy tickets online.

Consider Yourself... the Artful Dodger! Meet Ashton and Ben

With his lopsided hat, cheeky grin and streetwise attitude, the Artful Dodger is a great role for a young performer. He’s top dog of a gang of child criminals in Victorian London, who gets to lead big musical numbers like Consider Yourself and share dramatic scenes with characters like Fagin, Nancy and Bill Sykes.

So it’s no wonder the two boys who share the part in BATS’ production of Oliver! are determined to make the most of it.

Ashton Batchelor

“Fagin’s gang is like a family”, says 10-year-old Ashton Batchelor, ”and Dodger is in charge all the time, he’s always on the move, so I’ve got to use the whole stage. I’m practising every spare second!”

Ashton attends two dance schools and has appeared in shows like Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty and BATS’ production of Singin’ in the Rain last year.

“It just inspires me being on stage. Seeing the audience happy makes me feel good.”

This will be the second occasion 12-year-old Ben Hastings has appeared in a production of Oliver! at the Haymarket. But he didn’t play Dodger last time.

Ben Hastings

“No, I was Oliver then!” says Ben. “But now it’s really fun to be a completely different character. It’s a challenge to play Dodger, who’s always being jolly and making the most of his opportunities.”

Ben’s other previous shows include Joseph and Gavroche in Les Miserables with BATS Next Gen and playing the role of Benji in Priscilla Queen of the Desert with BATS last year. He is full of praise for the Society.

“I’m enjoying working with really talented people,” he says of the cast of Oliver! which features 60 local performers, including 30 boys and girls. “It’s going to be a really amazing show!”

Ben and Ashton will each appear in 6 of the 12 performances of Oliver!, which runs at the Haymarket from Wed 8 - Sat 18 May. Performances at 7.30pm, with Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Buy tickets online.