Carrollwood Players to Present NO SEX PLEASE, WE'RE BRITISH, 7/12-8/6

Opening Friday, July 12 at Carrollwood Players Theatre is No Sex Please, We're British, a full-blown madcap farce that contains a little bit of history, as well.

The play, written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, opened in London's West End in 1971, and reflects the social values of that era.

The story is set in the small town of Windsor, England, in an upstairs apartment with a business, the National Union Bank on the bottom floor. The apartment is the new home of the bank's assistant manager, newlywed Peter Hunter, (played by Dan Allmond) and his bride Frances, (played by Katie Owens).

The play begins with the newlyweds returning from their honeymoon to start their new life together. Frances innocently orders a home business kit from the Scandinavian Import Company. The order arrives and is brought to the apartment by Peter's best friend, who is also a bank employee (played by Amit Ahluwalia). Frances thinks she is ordering Scandinavian glassware, but what the box contains is pornographic photos.

Though not as much today, back in 1971 England, it was a serious crime. While America was in the throes of a sexual revolution, across the pond, owning pornography was a criminal offense. Peter and Frances could lose their jobs, or worse, be jailed - for owning material of that kind. The distraught couple must find an inconspicuous way to dispose of the photos.

To complicate matters, writers Foot and Allistair throw in the arrival of more pornography, Peter's widowed mother (played by Judith Sachs); an uptight boss (played by Bill Martin), a strange bank inspector (played by Tyler Calabro), and a gift from the vendor of two friendly prostitutes (played by actors Crystal Valdez and Adrian Falcon).

Actor Stephen Keyes scares everyone during his visits to investigate neighborhood issues and bank security as Police Superintendent Paul. Dale Noss rounds out the cast as the delivery man.

"This is a fun show with silly escapades," said director Ann Lehman.

Physical comedy, mistaken identity, slamming doors, and excellent timing are hallmarks of this funny, fast-paced comedy.

Lehman summarized her experience with the cast and crew:

"This cast is a mixture of seasoned actors and those who are first timers. What they each have in common is their desire to give the audience their all and to share the fun. I have been blessed with a great crew, set designer Jim Johnson, set decorator Shirley Overton, master prop coordinator Barbara Trax and the best right hand I could ever hope for, Adriane Falcon. This is a great way to end our season."

Carrollwood Players is located at 4333 Gunn Hwy. No Sex Please, We're British runs July 12 through August 6 with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20. Senior, student, military and CABA discount tickets are $17. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. Tickets are available at www.carrollwoodplayers.org. For group reservations for parties of 10 or more, email groups@carrollwoodplayers.org.

For the best seating, lowest prices, and exclusive privileges, Carrollwood Players invites guests to become season ticket holders. 2016-2017 Subscription Packages start with as few as 6 or 9 plays, or new this coming season, see all 11 shows and musicals throughout the season for the best theatre experience.

To post a comment, you must register and login.