Carry on cruising!

UP for sail : Oldham Lyceum Players (back from left) Ean Burgon, Nigel Marland, Damien Kavanagh, (front from left) Margaret Blaszczok and Joan Duffin are jetting off to Tahiti to perform on board Saga’s cruise liner “Ruby”

Amateur actors from Oldham’s Lyceum Theatre are preparing to get shipshape for an Australasian adventure.

After taking centre stage on Saga’s world cruise liner “Ruby” last year, four Lyceum Player performers have been asked back to tread the decks as the ship visits the French Polynesian Islands, New Zealand and Australia.

Lyceum Players veteran and former artistic director Nigel Marland was initially asked to provide actors by the ship’s cruise director Jo Boase — who used to appear in Lyceum pantos in the 80s.

Her wildcard idea to bring drama and workshops into the ship’s repertoire was such a success the Lyceum crew was one of the most popular on the cruise.

Now Ean Burgon, Joan Duffin, Margaret Blaszczok and Damien Kavanagh will again entertain passengers for three weeks. They flew off to Tahiti today.

“Very soon after the actors returned I got a call from Saga to book the Lyceum group for the 2012 cruise — they had been so delighted with the passengers’ response.” said Nigel, who will be in cruise control as stage manager and director.

“They asked if it was possible for the same four actors to be involved, since the company had been so impressed with their interaction with the passengers.

“We think it’s a great compliment to the Lyceum and to local amateur theatre in general that this return booking has been made. Saga has provisionally booked us for two more cruises in 2013!”

As well as continuing to perform their “Little Grimley” sagas and two of Alan Bennett’s “Talking Heads”, Nigel has added the funny and fitting “Cruise Missile” to the bill.

Joan and Margaret play two old dears on a cruise liner; one on her maiden voyage and the other a many-times cruiser determined that her new friend will enjoy her first cruise.