The Dice House (2008)

Poster by Charles Doyle

by Paul Lucas

Directed by Naomi Liddle

Performances: Tue 15th – Sat 19th July 2008, Prompt Corner

Introduction

Do you look for a change? Would you love to be someone different? Do you dream of exploring every aspect of your personality?

In maverick psychiatrist Dr Ratner’s commune, you can do just that! Here patients surrender all their decisions to the roll of the dice. When Dr Drabble, a rival psychiatrist, hurls one of his own patients into the clinic to kidnap an inmate – his wife – a fast paced comic romp ensues, taking in love, paranoia, dismemberment, murder ... and chocolate éclairs.

This irreverent black comedy is inspired by Luke Rhinehart’s cult book The Dice Man and gives a glorious glimpse of how insane life could be if determined by the dice – and how ordinary it can be if it isn’t.

Cast

• Dr. Drabble - Christopher Vian-Smith
• Dr. Ratner - Jack King
• Polly - Fiona Daffern
• Smith - Alan Buckman
• Lisa - Ashari Emery
• Matthew - Stephen East
• Victor - Ed Cartwright
• Slow Assassin - Himself

Crew

• PA/AD/Right-hand Lady - Caroline Doyle
• Stage Manager - Michelle Thomson
• Assistant Stage Manager - Declan Doyle
• Set design - Charles Doyle
• Lighting design - Anna York
• Set construction - Charles Doyle, Lee Ridgeway, Mike Elliott
• Lighting/Sound Operation - Dave Hollander
• Costume - Michelle Thomson
• Props - Alan Buckman, cast and crew
• Violence director/spoon wrangler - Anton Krause

Reminiscences and Anecdotes

Members are encouraged to write about their experiences of working on or seeing this production. Please leave your name. Anonymous entries may be deleted.

"I refuse to be upstaged by a gagged Daffern in a wheelchair" - Jack King