Missing Pieces Theatre Show presents: A Question of Errol Flynn

A Message from Stephen Fry

 

 

Cast of A Question of Errol Flynn

ERROL FLYNN… 

played by GARY TURNER. 

 

Star of Hollyoaks – Let Loose and Emmerdale.

THE WRITER…

played by LUKE ROSE.

                               

Actor, fight director and Fencing expert

MOTHER…    

played by ERIN GERAGHTY.

 

Star of Angels and The Chief.

                               

THE GIRL…

played by SOPHIE SCANNELL.

Star of Carrie’s War and Little Women

Thanks and Special Mentions

Many thanks to Rory Flynn for her gracious permission to write this new play. Thanks to David DeWitt, Lincoln D Hurst, Robert Florczak, and many others of the Flynn clan. Click to see what the Flynn family have been up to Errol Flynn Family Website

Karen was a consultant on the Errol Flynn Documentary by the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Thank you to Ipswich MP, Tom Hunt, for your support. 

Thank you to Rebecca Pitt for your sterling work on our beautiful poster, it truly captures the depth of Errol Flynn.

And of course, a massive thank you to Andrew Lynford CSA and Nicola Goodchild for casting advice.

Stuart Brindle and Eileen Aldous of October Films and Netflix for lighting and set design and all those things well above the call of duty!

Jon Tavener at Eastern Angles for just being brilliant and making our use of the space and marketing it as easy as possible.

Mary Hunt for brilliant costumes 

Thanks to our team: Social Media LinkedIn Marketing guru – Milo Dunne of Digital Dominator and Ella Jackson of EJ Writes – Marketing, Website and Copy writing. Benjamin Willmott Theatre Marketing expert.

 Ipswich Workshops on Addiction

We developed a workshop intended to create new approaches to addiction run by Ipswich leading addiction specialist – Graham Howes.

He is a leading advanced hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner in Suffolk dealing with various addictions such as drugs, alcohol, sex, food, and gambling: https://hypnotherapyinsuffolk.co.uk 

This exciting revolutionary workshop worked in tandem with A QUESTION OF ERROL FLYNN play and develop with recovering addicts a genuinely new complementary approach to addiction in Ipswich Suffolk and Essex and ultimately nationally.

Workshops are supported by a  grant from SEEDS FOR CHANGE at IPSWICH BOROUGH COUNCIL

We are looking forward to working with existing addiction charities and centres of excellence in the Ipswich area already offering approaches to various addictions.

Iceni, Lighthouse, Anglia Care Trust, and Turning Point have been most supportive in the setting up of the initiative. If you are interested please do get in touch!

A Question of Errol Flynn – a New Play by Karen Lynne – Ipswich Theatre filmed in Ipswich and available globally as a streaming Theatre Event.

 

To support A Question of Errol Flynn, click our donate button. Any support is greatly appreciated. 

About A Question of Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn battles with his biographer, his loathed mother, girlfriend, his demons, and addiction: so you can be sure of verbal fireworks, fencing, and VERY adult themes.

It is a real roller coaster that serves his image as a hell-raiser while exploring why he was so prone to such extreme behaviour. It also shows the reflective gentleman who would have loved to have written more books like his hero Hemingway.

This play is a study on Flynn and his addictions and reveals some of the surprising causes for his extreme and wild behaviour.

This play has adult language, themes, and scenarios. 16 years+  – as you might expect of Errol Flynn! “I find that the world is a much kinder place with a drink inside you. It keeps the demons out.” – Errol Flynn

COMING SOON: The digital capture of A QUESTION OF ERROL FLYNN is in edit at present and we will have news on this soon!

Please subscribe to our mailing list below for details on any future showings. 

This new play was previously workshopped at the West End Aldwych Theatre and at Lauderdale House Arts Centre in Highgate, London.

For those watching nationally or internationally, we’re also offering a pay-per-view stream. Make sure to subscribe to our mailing list by emailing us at: 

grahamahowes@me.com 

Digital Programme: https://www.missingpiecestheatreshow.co.uk/a-question-of-errol-flynn-programme/

REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE PICTURES BELOW

VOX POP FEEDBACK FROM THE AUDIENCE:

Karen Lynne you are a genius. It was a fantastic spin on his life and troubles. I grew up watching his movies over and over and read a book on him and his life off camera. Equally swashbuckling!! Go see the show. You won’t be disappointed!” PERRY EVANS

 A Question of Errol Flynn’ – honestly….I knew nothing of Errol Flynn; my husbands choice but I loved it. An actor I shall go and learn more about and watch some films!  A must see performance from 4 amazing actors. I really loved it. Go see it whilst you can!” JEN EVANS 

Tweets about: A QUESTION OF ERROL FLYNN

“Fantastic performance! Went to see it this evening. I hold my hands up & admit knowing not a lot about EF; but my husband @SuffolkBaggie is somewhat of an expert; we both loved it & will be telling everyone we know about it! Well done cast & crew, it was brilliant!”

“Just WOW!! Thx to the hard working cast for an amazing show. Loved the journalist twist & how the actors showed a troubled soul who was equally infamous off stage. Go see it now!”

 “Dancing, sword fight, laughter and tears – all wrapped up in this fantastic show. A must see performance from four amazing actors.” Emma Seahorse

I went to “A question of Errol Flynn” last night.

A play of great depth, exploring dysfunctional relationships with a fading star at it’s centre.

His formidable Mother played by Erin Geraghty admits to locking the child in a room for 3 days because ” she was frightened of what she would do to him.

An erratic charming alcohol fueled Errol played by Gary Turner has little regard for his long term beautiful young girlfriend played by Sophie Scannell.

His biographer, a bundle of angst and energy played by Luke Rose completes this wonderful cast.

They bring to life the claustrophobic heady days of life on board a yacht in the middle of the Caribbean.

The “star” knows his days are numbered a fact constantly drummed in by mother.

He has it all! But the adoring attentions of his ‘little one’ are barely noticed by the rarely sober Flynn.

Throughout the play the biographer draws out painful memories and mines ‘the legend’ for more and more “everyone wants something from him” A cynical sadness haunts him. His moral compass firmly set to his own agenda.

On the surface the play oozes the glamour of Hollywood in the 50’s with the skill of costume designer Mary Hunt

There are cocktail hour dances and moments of real connection but through it all the brewing storm is never far away.

I’d like to see it again.

A passionate and intriguing play written by Karen Lynne produced by Missing Pieces and directed by Graham Howes

2 more days to catch it  3 more performances Sir John Mills Theatre

AGNES LILLIS

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Question of Errol Flynn

Missing Pieces

Errol Flynn was born to trouble … writer Karen Lynne had ample material.

We even have a re-enactment of the famous sword fight of Flynn and Rathbone in the 1938 Robin Hood film.

Deeply flawed, misanthropic, Flynn is nevertheless seen as a man of culture and learning, a mix that Gary Turner deals with relish.

The other characters also prove to be complex. The slightly nerdish biographer, in bow tie, specs and straw hat (Luke Rose), the bobby soxer girlfriend (Sophie Scannell) and the possessive Mum (Erin Geraghty) all reveal deeper traits that the actors reveal with skill.

Graham Howes’ production, set on a boat with a hurricane coming, is a chastening picture of the devil’s bargain of worldly success.

BASIL ABBOTT

A Question Of Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn was an Australian-born American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood and was known for his romantic hero roles. He also had a reputation for his womanising, his hedonistic lifestyle which included drinking, smoking and narcotics abuse.

Karen Lynne’s brilliant, funny, moving and deep play explores the difficult, charming, elusive and flawed actor. Kind permission from one of his daughters, Rory, was given for Karen to write the play. It is a fictional play where we deep dive into the pressure cooker scenario of a complex man.

We find Errol Flynn on his schooner moored off the coast of Jamaica with his biographer, his mother whom he dislikes and his latest girlfriend who is loving and young. The play is set when Errol Flynn is fifty, the age he died, and as it’s based mainly around writing the biography, it is very reflective of his life. All four of them are on the boat and the biographer gets to observe Errol up close and personal and their relationships with each other. The biographer asks a lot of questions to get to the truth of his life and Errol, depending on his mood and state of mind, either answers them honestly or responds with a question which means we get to know the biographer more.

The relationships are either up or down, depending on Errol’s state of mind which is very sporadic, depending on what he’s drinking, how much sleep he’s had or whether he’s self-medicating. It’s volatile to say the least, we get to understand the strained relationship he has with his mother, the interesting relationship with the girlfriend, who is probably just the latest woman in his life, and the developing relationship Errol has with the biographer which certainly improves after their fight.

The play never lets up and is full of drama. Errol Flynn loves life and wants to experience everything to the point where one minute they are drinking, then next they are sword-fighting, or he’s either playing mind games or pushing the biographer overboard with a smile.

This play has adult language, themes, and scenarios. The show is fast paced, funny, tragic and dramatic and the four actors are very talented. Gary Turner, who has been in Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, Soldier Soldier, The Bill and other shows was completely engaging and held the audience. It’s an interesting play, seeing the complex mind of another person and their relationships helps you appreciate any simplicity you have in your own life!

Cast:

  • Gary Turner – Errol Flynn
  • The Writer – Luke Rose
  • Mother – Erin Geraghty
  • Girlfriend – Sophie Scannell

GRAPEVINE MAGAZINE – HAYLEY CLAPPERTON

https://www.grapevinelive.co.uk/?s=a+question+of+errol+flynn

PICTURES BY MIKE KWASNIAK (Rehearsal pictures: Graham Howes Karen Lynne) 

A Question of Errol Flynn

For those watching nationally or internationally, we’re also offering a pay-per-view stream. Make sure to subscribe to our mailing list at the bottom of our website for more details. Missing Pieces Theatre Production also has further plans to take A Question of Errol Flynn on a national tour in late 2022. So if you can’t buy a ticket for this showing, again, subscribe to our mailing for details on any future showings.

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