“7 Ages of Man” (October 2016)
Light-hearted comedy and thought-provoking sketches and verse, loosely based on All the World’s a Stage from Shakespeare’s As You Like It.
What the audience said about “7 Ages”:
“I am just back from Bacstage’s latest offering The 7 Ages of Man and I think it was one of the best things they have ever done; full of laughter and pathos in equal measure, with such clever interpretation ( and accents! ) … Never mind Strictly and the X-factor you can watch them online or on catch-up – This is not to be missed.” (from the Bluntisham Facebook page)
“I didn’t realise it was fancy dress” (audience member overheard on seeing the cast in their costumes in the seats by the stage. It wasn’t fancy dress, by the way, but if our audience want to come along in costume that’s fine with us!)
Cast
Narrator . . . Nick
Stage crew . . . Denise, Ron All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms
Infant . . . Peter, Jane, Steve, Jess, Jackie, Ross, Becky, ChristineThen the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school
Schoolboy . . . Nicola, Tom, Ross, Peter, Carol, JessAnd then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow
Lover . . . Richard, Lucy, Kevin, Tom, Steve, CynthiaThen a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth
Soldier . . . Kevin, Carol, Luke, Richard, plus ensembleAnd then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part
Justice . . . Jane, Lucy, Jackie, Luke, Carol, Becky, Steve, Christine, Cynthia, plus ensembleThe sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound
Old age . . . Nicola, Denise, RonLast scene of all
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything
Last scene . . . Nick, Ron
Compiled and directed by Cynthia & Nicola
Production Team
Lighting & Sound Effects. . . . . . . . . . . Jason
Set Design and Choreography . . . . Cynthia
Stage Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Denise
Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ron
Costumes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jane
Publicity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jackie
Front of House. . . . . . . . . . . . . Helen & team
Front of House. . . . . . . . . . . . . Helen & team
MC . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nick
AcknowledgementsBaCStage would like to thank the following, without whose help this production would not have been possible:
Lakeside Lodge Golf Centre
J C Pomfret Motor Engineers
BAWDS Drama Group and Combined Actors of Cambridge (loan of props)
Colne Village Hall Management Committee
Pidley Village Hall Management Committee
Village Scene
The Herald, the newsletter of the Meridian Benefice
