Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury amateur dramatics company set to go out with a bow at final run of shows

A Shropshire amateur dramatics company is bringing the curtain down on 18 years of laughter, singing, dance and drama next week.

Published
Heidi Brown, Joe Phillips and Ryan Brown

Mad Cow Productions has one last run of shows to put on at Shrewsbury's Theatre Severn before the two driving force friends behind the group hang up their organisational clipboards to enjoy more time with their families.

Alex Hinton and Lisa Lowarch have been involved with theatre productions for the most part of a quarter of a century, latterly with Mad Cow putting on one musical and one play each year. But Alex and Lisa, both from Shrewsbury, think it is time to move on.

"Nobody would believe the hours that we put in," said Alex, who is aged in her "mid 60s". "It is time to have my life back.

"We will miss it but we have both reached the point in our lives where the stress and the effort, along with the not knowing whether people will come is enough."

Alex revealed that putting on shows is a huge financial risk. One long musical run can mean spending £80,000 - and hoping that enough people turn up to put bums on seats.

Luckily they have had help from sponsors including Wace Morgan Solicitors and underwear seller Dead Good Undies over the years. And their successes have allowed them to be able to cover any potential loss from their last production the West End comedy Don’t Dress for Dinner by Marc Carnoletti.

Don't Dress for Dinner is running from Wednesday, October 27 to Saturday, October 30 in the 250 seat Walker Theatre at Theatre Severn. Alex said ticket sales have been slow so far but it could have been worse. Their intended last production Kipps’ Half a Sixpence musical was cancelled last year due to the pandemic.

But thanks to dedicated rehearsals when under the "rule of six", including in car parks, the cast is ready to go next week.

Director Alex and choreographer Lisa, who is aged "in her 50s" have been working together for 25 years but decided to form their own company 18 years ago.

"When we were thinking of a name, someone said that we must be a pair of mad cows!" said Alex. "Economically it makes no sense."

But over the years they have had their fair share of triumphs. Alex recalls: "We did a production of Noises Off when I watched how the audience reacted," she said.

"People were crying with laughter. The whole theatre was rocking," she said.

And during their production of hairspray "we couldn't get the audience out of the theatre, the lighting system was bouncing and we literally rocked the house.

And the funniest moment was when a larger member of The Full Monty cast had his underwear mixed up, and all the frantic running around that ensued.

Alex added: “It has been a fantastic journey for us, but the time is now right for both of us to bring it to a close. Lisa and I have been friends for nearly 30 years, and we performed together way before Mad Cow. We started producing together in 1992 and have continued ever since, with never a cross word.

“We don’t get paid or make any money from what we do – we just love enabling.

“We’ve had hundreds of Shropshire folk pass through our hands including some who are now working professionally in London. We have thoroughly enjoyed enabling them all to do what they love.

“Our cast has worked so hard to make this final production a brilliant swansong for Mad Cow Productions; and it would be brilliant if the folk of Shropshire came out to support them for one final time.”

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