Three members of Hoylake’s Riley family to appear in Neston Players’ production of A Few Good Men

Nov 7 2012 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

THREE members of a Wirral family will take to the stage for a theatre company’s production of A Few Good Men.

Neston Players are staging the award-winning play, by West Wing writer Aaron Sorkin, at Neston Civic Hall from Wednesday, November 14 to Saturday, November 17.

Although Martin, Charles and Cormac Riley, from Hoylake, are no strangers to performing in the same play – most notably in Hillbark Players’ 2009 production of Macbeth, A Few Good Men will see all three sharing the stage at the same time.

Charles has been cast in the role of Lt Colonel Jessep – played by Jack Nicholson in the 1992 film version.

He said: “Although Martin and myself have performed together many times for a number of local societies, it has been great for both of us to share the stage with my son Cormac, playing Jessep’s adjutant.

“It is even better that, for the majority of the play, I spend my time shouting at him to do things and, unlike at home, he actually has to do them!”

Martin added: “The opportunity to be in productions like A Few Good Men doesn’t come along very often – for no other reason than it requires a cast of over a dozen very strong actors – but the fun and enjoyment Charles, Cormac and I have had rehearsing alongside one another has made it all the more memorable.”

A Few Good Men tells the story of two US Marines who are being court-martialled for the murder of a fellow Marine.

Lt Daniel Kaffee, an inexperienced Navy lawyer, reluctantly takes their case – and discovers his clients' strict devotion to the Marine Corps' code of honour and following of orders may cost them their freedom.

The Neston Players’ production will be staged “in the round”.

Director Paul Kirkbright said: “We have not tried to recreate or simply re-stage the film and we hope it will prove to be a very powerful theatrical production.

“This play is also a coming-of-age story of a young lawyer emerging from the shadow of his successful father to find his own voice as a champion for justice.

“To have actors of the quality and experience of Charles and Martin involved in this has been fantastic. When you add in working with Cormac as the next generation of the Riley clan, then it does feel like there is something quite special about the production.”

Doors open at 7pm and performances start at 7.30.

Tickets are £7 (£6 concessions for the Wednesday and Thursday performances only).

Book at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/270264 or call 0800 411 8881.