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County of Greater London South West
Annual Reports and Accounts 2002
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Gang Show Report
"Every night of every year somewhere in the world a Gang Show is playing". So it was that between Tuesday 23rd and Saturday 27th October at the Secombe Theatre, Sutton the Greater London South West Gang Show stepped out on the boards to perform "Souwest 2001".
This year's show was being devised and written by the Producers, Anthony Morris, David Gilbert and their assistants Andrew Hayward, Wendy Helps, Tim Kerridge, Pat Smith and Andrew Johnston before "Souwest 2000" had even been performed.
Auditions are held in the early part of the year following applications from Brownies and Cubs to Adult Leaders; over one hundred members of both movements show us what they can do. (Past members of the Gang also have to audition each year). The auditions over, the Gang chosen and then one Sunday in the middle of June the young and not so young gathered, old friendships renewed and new ones made and rehearsals begin.
Rehearsals take place every Sunday from June until October. To the uninitiated they may appear to be total chaos but by the time of the show all is in place. Technical and Dress rehearsals take place at the Theatre, the stage crew, lighting and sound people are all over the place and the producers are trying to run a rehearsal.
Tuesday night, final instructions from the producer and its Curtain Up, two and a half hours later and the curtain comes down and the Gang go home safe in the knowledge that they have given of their best. Six shows later and it's all over for another year.
Our Producer Anthony Morris has been responsible for all the shows since 1990 and he has decided that the time has come to hand over, especially as he now lives in Oxford so this was his last show. He will be greatly missed. The Gang presented him with a television and between the two Saturday performances held a "This is Your Life" type show, where the "Red Book" contained many photographs and posters of past shows and also a framed poster with signatures and messages of all the present and some of the past members of the Gang. Anthony was also appointed President of the South West London Gang.
Thank you Anthony for everything that you have done over the years.
I would also like to thank everybody involved with the Show, all the stage crew, the dressing room supervisors, make up team, costume ladies, musical director, lighting and sound engineers, programme sellers and management committee. Without them the show would not be as successful as it is.
"Souwest 2002" will take place in October, from the 24th to the 26th with a new producer. Andrew Hayward has been appointed by the County Commissioner to carry the show forward and we wish him every success.
The Gang look forward to seeing you there
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