Theatre group goes for prizes

MEMBERS of Beckenham Amateur Dramatic Society (BADS) are out to scoop the top prizes at the Bromley Full Length Play festival with their production of Arthur Miller's award-winning work, All My Sons.

The competition is tough with nine theatres competing for awards in the local am-dram version of the Oscars.

But BADS director Rob Morris, who has twice won in previous competitions, is realistic about the group's chances. He said: "I would like to win all the prizes but I would be happy if the theatre company got a mention. We are just a small company and we can't compete with places like the Little Theatre in Bromley."

Morris, whose family has been involved with BADS for more than 50 years, said: "Our main aim is to make exiting and challenging theatre for people and to get them talking about important issues. Miller's play does that today.

"Although it was written in 1947 it is still relevant today, what with impending war in Iraq."

The play, set in the 1940s, is about Joe Keller, a man who runs a machine factory selling parts to an aeroplane manufacturer.

One evening Keller receives a call from his deputy manager, Steve Deever, saying cracks have been found in the aeroplane cylinder heads.

Worried by the lost production, Keller tells Deever to weld over the cracks saying he would take responsibility.

Several weeks later, 21 aeroplanes crash on the same day, killing the pilots.

The investigation reveals a fault in the cylinder heads and Keller and Deever are arrested and convicted.

On appeal, Keller convinces the court he knew nothing of what had happened and is released from prison.

Miller's play examines the hopes and values of the American dream through the Keller family and concludes it is false, hypocritical and based on vain and empty ideals which serve only a few Americans.

You can watch the group's efforts to scoop the awards as they perform the play in Beckenham next month.

January 30, 2003 11:31