As You Like It success

The production, recently performed in the grounds of Bexhill Old Town's Manor Gardens, saw audiences figures topping 400, the biggest number for nine years.

Speaking on behalf of BATS, treasurer Mike Harwood said:

"Firstly may I thank the Observer for again selling tickets on our behalf. The Observer office is the perfect outletandthis year Terri surpassed herself byselling no fewer than 67 tickets, which must be a record.

"Thank you also for allowing us space in the window to advertise the production, which is something the Observer has done for many years.

"The production was highly successful and was thoroughly enjoyed bythe castand the audiences.We were delighted with the numbers which nudged 400, andwas the highest for one of our outdoor Shakespeare's since 2001."

Mike said he feels the success of this year's production was thanks to a number of contributing factors:

"We widened the scope of our advertising and publicity this year with posters on the billboards along the seafront, a new e-mail contact list, Facebook, and an enhanced website. The weather stayed - generally - fine enabling us to perform on all 6 nights, which has not always been possible. It did rain after the interval on one night but the audience insisted we continue and fortunately the rain eased off."

However it didn't all go to plan as the am dram society encountered a slight technical hitch when certain four-legged anti-social creatures wreaked havoc.

Mike said: "We suffered overnight damage to speaker cables due to foxes, necessitating emergency repairs by lighting technician Geoff Hughes."

BATS started their outdoor Shakespeare performances in 1972 as part of the celebrations of the Bexhill Charter in 772, when the town came into existence.

Chairman of Rother District Council Chairman, Robert Elliston paid homage to BATS' production of As You Like It.

Robert said:

"The Manor Gardens make a perfect setting for this mainly pastoral play. The whole production wasexcellent. The talented castweredelightful and there were some brilliant performances. My wife and I had a most enjoyable evening and we look forward to future productions by BATS."

Mike thanked those who helped to make the performance a success:

"We are grateful for the help received from RDC who own the grounds, the DLWP who arranged the posters along the seafront, the Bexhill Observer, St John Ambulance, the Old Town Preservation Society who provide the electricity, and especially from The Tidy Tree Company who stepped in at the last moment and helpedwithtransporting all the equipment from our Headquarters in Broad Oak Park."

BATS' next performance will be 'Dads Army' and auditions will be held on September 4th.

For further information visit the website at: www.thebats.co.uk