2025 AGM
The 2025 DGASS Annual General Meeting will take place at The Bruce Arms, Limekilns at 7.30pm on Wednesday 14 May 2025, when we would like to see as many current members (who have/are paying a subscription for this year) as possible. Without our members, there wouldn’t be a Society!
The meeting will be preceded by a meal, so please arrive at 6.00pm for the meal to be served by 6.30pm. While you should pay The Bruce Arms separately for any drinks, teas and coffees, puddings etc. that you order, you need to select your main course and pay DGASS by 7 May, so please get in touch with Ellen for menu and bank details if you haven’t already received them direct by email.
The agenda can be downloaded from this link. Even if you cannot join us for the meal, please come to the AGM itself at 7.30pm.
Getting prepared for Patience
An “interesting fact remains” as characters in both last year’s show and next year’s might put it, is that it’s now exactly 300 days to our opening night of Patience!
Which means that it’s time to think about auditions and rehearsals … as you’ll see from our newly-revised Auditions page, the main dates for auditions are 28 May and 1 June, and we start back with our regular Wednesday rehearsals on 27 August. Do spread the word, and encourage folk to join our chorus as well as trying their hand at principal parts … see our Becoming a member page.
Curtain down on another successful show
From the very first moment, now a year ago, that Linda Milne described to the Society the idea for a show that she’d been thinking about for most of a decade, and we leapt at the chance of a new show, we’d all known that The Jury’s Out was going to be something special. And we were right!
Preparations were great fun … and so was Show Week. Provost Jim Leishman opened the show and enjoyed the première, the warm audience reaction was gratifying, and the production didn’t break the bank according to our Treasurer. Altogether a very positive result, and one that was well worth all the effort involved in getting a new show ready for the stage.
We’re still working on an archive page, but you can enjoy its current form at this link. Meanwhile, we can all look forward to the 2026 production of Patience.
What NODA thought …
Mike Pendlowski, District Representative for District SC7 (Fife) and membership secretary for Scotland, attended our Thursday première and reported on behalf of NODA:
The Jury’s Out is a new piece, re-imagined, adapted and extended, using Sullivan’s music and libretti taken from the pen of WS Gilbert – adapted where necessary, and arranged and directed by Linda D Milne, the creator of tonight’s show. Act One tells the story of Richard and Sally, through a typically Gilbertian convoluted plot, outlining the events that led up to the trial in the well-known and loved Trial By Jury.
The Overture (compiled from Sullivan’s music by Willie Campbell) offered the chance to see a synoptic time-line of the events leading up to the first act.
Set, variously, in a village, on board MV Pinafore, and in a woodland glade, arias and choral numbers from the G&S canon are appropriately inserted into the story by a strong cast of principals assisted by a chorus singing with the gusto we expect from DGASS, and costumed as characters from a variety of the operas.
Sally – the Trial By Jury Plaintiff sung by Jennifer Murray-Smith – worked extremely well with Theodore Rankine-Fourdraine’s Richard Cor – better known to us as the Defendant from the same opera. Jennifer and Theo’s voices, as always, allow the lyrics to be enjoyed by all in a crystal clear manner. Angela was sweetly sung by Sinead Beveridge, whilst Sir Marmaduke was given the Robin Ożóg treatment that regular attendees of Gilbert & Sullivan in Fife will know and love. Robin’s Judge in Trial By Jury never fails to impress each and every time I see it! Henry, Richard’s sidekick in Act One, later to be his Defence Council in Act Two, was given a characterful performance by Kenneth Maciver – the first but hopefully not the last time we see him within the ranks of DGASS. Mike Enright filled the part of Dr Daly (and all things clergy related!) with his extremely effective acting ability, hopefully not to be typecast in the future for all ministerial roles. In Act One, Martin Tarr gave a rounded and full-flavoured take on the part of Adam, and, together with his assistant Cyril (Andrew Murray) formed a very believable duo. Andrew’s acting and especially his facial expressions added immensely to the character. These last two gentlemen morphed happily in to the roles of Usher and trainee Usher in Act Two. However, just when we thought Act One was about to come down, we were treated to a guest appearance by Frances McCafferty – the Society’s Honorary president – in the role of the “other woman”, in this incarnation, Katisha. Frances’ voice and stage presence forming a formidable conclusion to the first act!
Act Two set in a Court of Justice opens with a cameo appearance by Linda Milne as the Court Cleaner before the Courtroom is taken over by our Act One characters brought together in, essentially, a performance of Trial By Jury, but one with a difference, with three appropriate songs imported from some of the other operas. We find all the villagers from the first act reappearing as Members of the Jury and fellow citizens in the public gallery. It won’t come as a surprise to anyone that all works out happily ever after in the end. Technical aspects of the production were in the safe hands of John Allen, whilst direction by Linda Milne and Musical Direction by Eddie MacLennan ensured that tonight’s World Premiere performance reached the high standard which we all enjoyed.
Fauré at Dunfermline Abbey
You may have heard the Robin Chapel Choir at one of their sold-out performances of Carols by Candlelight at Fire Station Creative. This is an opportunity to hear them in the majestic setting of Dunfermline Abbey.
It is a very special year for the choir as 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Lieutenant Robin Tudsbery’s passing in the final days of World War II. During the early part of the war, Robin was entrusted with guarding King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, and their daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. He was just 25 when the armoured car he and two comrades were traveling in was blown up by a mine in the German town of Kutenholz. In his memory, his parents, Sir Francis and Lady Tudsbery, built the beautiful Robin Chapel in Edinburgh. To mark this anniversary the Robin Chapel Choir will be performing this special concert in Dunfermline Abbey featuring the wonderful Requiem by Fauré and I was glad by Hubert Parry which was performed at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
The concert is being presented to raise funds for a visit to Germany by The Robin Chapel Choir which will be dedicated to fostering unity and remembrance. It includes a concert with a German choir in Hannover, a special ceremony at Becklingen War Cemetery — Robin’s final resting place — and a performance at a former prisoner-of-war camp near Sandbostel.
The Robin Chapel Choir are recognized as one of the foremost choirs in Scotland. Their growing reputation has led to sold-out events at Holyrood Palace, Falkland Palace, Fire Station Creative in Dunfermline and Perth Museum. A particular highlight was the invitation to perform at a special service to mark the arrival of the Stone of Destiny at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of King Charles III.
Tickets are £15 each and can be purchased from: www.tuttievents.com
Red carpet unrolled!
This is the Carnegie Hall foyer as you haven’t see it before, ready to welcome Provost Jim Leishman last evening to the launch of our World Première of The Jury’s Out … you’ll see the ribbon cutting in next week’s Dunfermline Press. Listening to Jim’s entertaining speech were a number of invited guests from NODA, the city community and neighbouring societies, most of whom stayed to enjoy a memorable first night. Lots of complimentary comments in the Tiffany Bar afterwards!
Thank you to everyone who was part of our very responsive audience, and to those who’ve bought tickets for our performances tonight at 7:30pm and tomorrow at 2:30pm. To those who haven’t yet committed to come, remember that in less than 36 hours time you will have lost the opportunity to enjoy the show, so please turn up at the box office early!
Set to open … tonight!
Click the image to read on-line what today’s Dunfermline Press has announced – that our well-loved Provost Jim Leishman will be launching our show. It’s not to late to plan to come to this World Première at Dunfermline’s Carnegie Hall tonight at 7:30pm. Or treat someone you love to our Valentine’s Day performance, also at 7:30pm, and find out whether true love triumphs in the end. Or, if coming out at night no longer appeals, come to our matinée at 2:30pm on Saturday 15 February. Whichever you come to, you won’t be disappointed.
[If you’re wondering why we look festive, it’s because Dave Wardle came to our pre-Christmas rehearsal!]
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