Surrey Life Theatre Trail 2014: behind the scenes

PUBLISHED: 11:24 13 October 2014 | UPDATED: 12:35 13 October 2014

Surrey Life Theatre Trail 2014 (Image: Gino Santa Maria)

Pick up a copy of October’s Surrey Life magazine for hot tickets and reader offers from some of the best theatres in the area. Here’s a behind the scenes tale from each to get you in the mood for the curtain call…

Dorking Halls, Dorking

DORKING HALLS

Reigate Road, Dorking RH4 1SG.

01306 881717 / box.office@molevalley.gov.uk / dorkinghalls.co.uk

The Electric Theatre, Guildford

What’s your favourite behind the scenes story?

When Russell Brand performed in Dorking, he spotted a customer’s mobility scooter at the side of the auditorium and took great delight in doing a lap of the room on it.

G Live, Guildford

THE ELECTRIC THEATRE

Onslow Street, Guildford GU1 4SZ

01483 444789 / electrictheatre@guildford.gov.uk / electrictheatre.co.uk

Harlequin Theatre, Redhill

What’s your favourite behind the scenes story?

The Theatre sits right next to the River Wey and it’s backstage basement area can flood. In recent years, the flooding was so bad the Technical Manager had to salvage equipment in her waist high waders! With the recent flooding in 2013/14, the show still went on, even with four foot of water in the basement!

Rose Theatre, Kingston

G LIVE

London Road, Guildford GU1 2AA

0844 7701 797 / info@GLive.co.uk / GLive.co.uk

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (Photo: David Wickham)

What’s your favourite behind the scenes story?

Jimmy Carr likes coming to G Live so much that he has performed seven times since the venue opened, and is returning again in October. He is particularly popular with stage door staff, in spite of playing the odd practical joke on them! Adam Ant wanted to bring an unusual support act in the shape of a live snake! Fortunately for backstage staff, he wasn’t able to obtain the appropriate licence and so he had to leave it at home.

THE HARLEQUIN THEATRE

Warwick Quadrant, Redhill RH1 1NN

01737 276500 / harlequin@reigate-banstead.gov.uk / harlequintheatre.co.uk

What’s your favourite backstage/behind the scenes story?

It’s always great fun backstage at panto time. The atmosphere is alive and everyone is just having so much fun. There were plenty of sneak peek photos taken last year and we also had some of the casts' pets come to say hi!

ROSE THEATRE

24 – 26 High Street, Kingston KT1 1HL

020 8174 0090 / info@rosetheatrekingston.org / rosetheatrekingston.org

What’s your favourite backstage/behind the scenes story?

In the final stages of building the theatre all of the volunteers at the time signed their names on the auditorium floor before the seats were laid. We still have some of these volunteers working with us today.

YVONNE ARNAUD THEATRE

Millbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX

01483 440000 / yat@yvonne-arnaud.co.uk / yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

What’s your favourite behind the scenes story?

We have a Theatre TARDIS! It’s a small door, hidden in the backstage corridor, which is painted like the door of the TARDIS. If you go through it, you’ll find yourself on the roof of the Theatre surrounded by the most incredible view of the whole of Guildford.

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Surrey actors and actresses

Sir Michael Caine on Hollywood movies, life in Leatherhead and relaxing away from the cameras

Dame Penelope Keith on Guildford Cathedral campaign, green belt battles and Milford life

Actress Jenny Seagrove on running the Mane Chance horse sanctuary in Compton

Richard E Grant on Richmond life, reality TV and Petersham Nurseries

Brian Blessed on panto, wildlife and his Surrey life

Dave Prowse on how Darth Vader ended up happily settled in Croydon, turning down Chewbacca and falling out with George Lucas

James Cosmo on Game of Thrones, film and life in Surrey

Robson Green on West Clandon life, pubs, walks and fishing spots

Jerry Hall on Richmond Hill, family and Calendar Girls

Ben Barnes on Narnia, Wimbledon and Dorian Gray