Life Members
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Life Members |
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It was, to be completely honest, a terrible loss to the group when Cheree and Steve moved away. It simply isn't possible to put Cheree's contribution over the years into words: easier to list the things she hasn't done for the group...which are, well, nothing! Founder member, actress, producer, social host, long-standing committee member (with turns as Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) and all-round driving force behind the long-standing success of the Cissbury Players, Cheree was always there for everything.
Cheree Hill, as was, and husband Terry were amongst the group of Goring Players who made the move to Findon and became the Cissbury Players. Both they and, at various times, their sons put a great deal into the group. For many years, their entire loft was given over to our costume store and their house was the regular scene of parties and gatherings. Cheree produced the group's very first play, "Quiet Wedding", in the February of 1985 and took her first stage role (as a Cissbury Player) in the next play, "Shock!", in the May of the same year. From there on in, Cheree produced another ten plays and starred in over thirty more, running the entire spectrum from vampish ghost Elvira in "Blithe Spirit" to high society Lady Loxford in "They Came To A City" and finishing, rather triumphantly, as the smarter-than-average cat in "Puss In Boots".
Of course, we couldn't avoid a mention for what may be Cheree's most famous role: that of the ferocious Mrs Phoebe Reece, doyenne of the Farndale Avenue Townswomen's Guild over several farcical adventures that started back in 1986 . Anyone who ever saw Cheree and Ann, as diva Thelma, locked in constant and hilarious upstaging duels will know exactly what we mean. Anyone who didn't, well...unlucky.
Sadly, Terry was taken from us with heart complications at the start of 1995. Always a larger-than-life character in so many ways, his passing at such a young age was a dreadful loss felt keenly by everyone. Briefly remarried as Mrs Brooks, Cheree then settled down with the esteemed Steve Buckler. As a couple, they were absolute mainstays of the group in the new millennium, stepping up to all the challenges thrown at us. Probably still would be, except that they moved down to the West Country, to live in idyllic rural surroundings.
Awarding Life Membership to Cheree was not only inevitable, but an absolute pleasure. Happily, she and Steve stay in contact and come back to see us on a regular basis!
Cheree as inaugural Producer (Quiet Wedding,
1985), murder victim Jenny (Shock!, 1985), true and tender Nellie
Lovelace (Dirty Work At The Crossroads, 1985), as Mrs Reece for the
first time (Farndale Macbeth, 1986) and lonely Belinda (Season's
Greeting's, 1986)...
...Mrs Reece again (Farndale Murder Mystery,
1987), mischievous Elvira (Blithe Spirit, 1987), as Thelma for a change
(Farndale - They Came from Mars, 1991), head girl Clare Beaumont (Daisy
Pulls It Off, 1993) and good fairy Kath (Out Of Focus, 1992)...
...Mrs Reece yet again (SS Farndale Avenue,
19994), gay divorcee Deirdre (Trivial Pursuits, 1995), snobby Helen
Adamson (Beside The Sea, 1996), the Cheshire Cat (Alice In Wonderland,
1995) and another Mrs Reece (Chase Me Up Farndale Avenue, 1998)...
...the mysterious Queen Of The Forest (Hans,
The Witch & The Gobbin, 1998), as Milly in Gosforth's Fete (Confusions,
2000), the Queen Of Regalia (The Witch & The Wiffler, 2000), gunslinger
Hairy Hannah (Bad Day At Black Frog Creek, 2001) and housekeeper Mrs
Barrymore (The Hound Of The Baskervilles, 2002)...
...starlet Lynda Molloy (Slaughterhouse, 2003),
as a Peking citizen (Aladdin, 2003), aloof Lady Loxford (They Came To A
City, 2005)...and finally...as Puss In Boots (The Real Story Of Puss In
Boots, 2005).
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