Staff Plays 1960s
Behind the Scenes
Mr. Burnell makes up Mr. Hamilton for another Staff Play. Easter 1967. Thanks to Mr. Burnell and Tony Senior for this photo.
1960 "The Prodigious Snob"
The Staff's presentation of Moliere's 'The Prodigious Snob', produced by Mr. Owen, provided us with a lively piece of entertainment. It has been said of Moliere that 'the idea of laughter which sweeps away care, restores health and proportion is one from which he never strayed for long'. Judging by the response of packed audiences during the play's run of four nights in the School Hall this is a valid assessment of the French dramatist's artistic purpose.
The satire, which is directed against vain social pretensions and an erroneous conception of 'education', provides ample scope for the producer and actors who have a sense of that comedy which without bitterness exposes human foibles by dramatically transforming them into a source of delight in the theatre. Mr. Owen and his players made a commendable effort to realise the potentialities of the text.
For sheer enthusiasm all concerned deserve great credit. Our only criticism here is that in certain scenes the play was allowed by the actors to lapse into very simple farce and was thereby deprived of some of the polish, energy, craftsmanship and intellectual acumen we associate with the French genius. Moliere's work, which embodies a shaping idea, should rouse that laughter which by unshackling the human spirit from the bonds of deluding egotism enables the audience to perceive the necessity for good sense in the art of living. Our actors at times ignored the author's intention and played for that undiscerning laughter whose virtue dies with the last gurgle.
Mr. Owen showed discrimination in the distribution of parts and resourcefulness in shaping into a successful well-knit team a large cast which included several inexperienced players.
Mr. Crompton played with great gusto the role of Jourdain, the tradesman who allows 'fantastic notions of gentility and gallantry' to suppress his commonsense (though not completely, as could be observed, for instance, in his scene with the philosopher). In Mr. Crompton we have an actor whose grasp of the comic situation is enhanced by a satisfying stage sense. His long part he was able to sustain without any flagging of facial expressions, gestures and general drive. He chose to play Jourdain as a Frenchman from Yorkshire and, while this appealed to the audience, it had to be done at the expense of some of the original subtlety of the character. On the whole his was a strong and pleasing performance.
Satirists (e.g. Shaw) often choose to express commonsense through women whose hearts are in the right place while their feet are firmly on the ground. Such a one is Mrs. Jourdain, played by Mrs. Williams. She acts as a foil to her husband's ridiculous ambitions and endeavours to show him that he can only get the best out of life by being most truly himself. Although there were moments when her performance lacked attack, the sinceritv of Mrs. Williams' playing was projected with ease across the footlights. Mrs. Jourdain's good sense is consolidated by that of her spirited maid, Nicole. She was played by Mrs. Whittaker whose technique on occasions was rather obvious, though this, however, did not mar an otherwise sound character study.
Miss Child portrayed the daughter of Jourdain as a charming but rather restrained young lady. She certainly made Lucille appear worthy of the adoration of her lover, Cjéonte, played by Mr. Cookson. Both performances were delightful in spite of the fact that they lacked some versatility in their exchanges. Occasionally Mr. Cookson could have taken a leaf from Miss Child's book and exercised some moderation in his delivery. Mr. Sale, as Covielle, the servant of Cléonte, carried the part with enthusiasm and, on the whole, with the right emphasis and timing. On occasions we did feel that he could have practised more artistic control over stage movement, but this did not prevent him from giving us a most enjoyable character study.
Both Mr. Oliver and Mr. Losasso made the most of their respective parts as the music and dancing masters. Mr. Oliver timed his delivery well whilst Mr. Losasso, without allowing gesture to carry the character into obvious caricature, gave us a rather foppish dancing master who knew on which side his bread was buttered. Miss Higham and Mr. Williams (with madrigal choir experience behind them) were two very earnest looking singers indeed. Mr. Fuller enjoyed himself as the Fencing master and his skill with the sword seemed quite authentic. Mr. Reed, as the aged philosopher, developed a neat little character study with a sensitive awareness of climax. The outburst of self-righteous temper which shattered his detached philosophical pose came off very well indeed.
The headmaster played the part of Count Dorante, a rather deceitful aristocrat who was prepared to make a fool of Jourdain by working upon his social aspirations. The character was clearly defined but could, perhaps, have been further enhanced by gesture and a little more flexibility. The part of Dorimène, an aristocratic lady whom Dorante wishes to marry and whose presents from him are paid for by the duped Jourdain, was played by Miss Evans. Though somewhat restrained, this was a pleasing performance.
Mr. Hudson and Mr. Hodgson played the tailor and his assistant. Although they carried their parts well, they could, possibly, have lightened their touch with more expressive gesture, so that - and this applies to the production as a whole - if we could not through translation have the original French delicacy, we might at least have had French mustard with our solid English fare.
The flunkeys, played by Mr. Burnell (the long one) and Mr. Wharton (the short one) carried out their duties with humorous dignity and decorum in the face of their master's forthrightness. As the cook and maid, Mr. Catley and Miss Tate looked as if they had been born to their trades. Mr. Twigg ably played the strong and certainly very silent Turk and Mr. Knox delighted with his performance of Mufti. The Dervishes, acted by G. L. Ackroyd, J. Adamson, R. H. Thompson and E. Waring, with well-rehearsed timing, entered gleefully into the spirit of the last act. The seductive dancing girls, whose parts were taken by Misses Kay and Musgrave, came in for their share of the audience's approbation.
Mr. Burnell's setting was simple but effective and, as regards costumes, we are inclined to believe that Moliere, who always showed great interest in these matters, would have been satisfied with the way in which the show was dressed.
The performances ran without a hitch in the capable hands of Stage Managers, Messrs. Tate and Booth, assisted by Mr. Williams (Lighting), Brailsford, Kenningley, Marley, Stead, Winterburn, T. Cosgrove and M. Bromley (Stage Assistants) Mr. Twigg and Miss Ward (Properties), Miss Smith and Mr. Collette (Prompters), Miss Tate and Miss Metcalfe (Wardrobe) and Mr. Davies who spared no pains to see that the actors were ready for their entrances.
Mr. Leonard, although away on sick leave, showed his interest in the Production by preparing make-up charts for all the actors. Mr. Hodson was a most conscientious business manager.
The Composer's song was arranged by Miss Evans from the original by John Hotchkiss.
There is little doubt that the producer, actors and all concerned, looking in retrospect upon this rendering of 'The Prodigious Snob', will recall with pleasure the delight afforded by their 'hour or two allowed by the traffic of the stage'.
David B. Kennedy.
For his latest production, Mr. Kennedy turned from the temptation of comedy - an almost certain success-, and "Waiting for Gillian" was his eventual choice. Whether he chose this because the staff found it difficult to follow the burlesque antics of the senior students in the School Play, or whether he thought it would give them ample scope to exercise their histrionic ability in other fields is uncertain. Nevertheless, Ronald Millar's tense, modern drama proved extremely worthwhile and made an exhilarating change for both actors and for the more discriminating members of the audience. The above photo is provided by Mr. Burnell and shows the day set designed by him. Thank you, Mr. Burnell. 1961 "Waiting for Gillian"
The tragic theme of the play centres on a 'hit and run' incident which takes place in a lonely Buckinghamshire lane on a dark March evening. James Manning, a wealthy cigarette manufacturer and local J.P. is most eager to bring the criminal to justice. His suspicions are immediately brought to rest upon the Honourable William Stephen Bule, a family acquaintance whose car bears a recent scratch mark and whom Manning already despises for his lack of moral character. His urgent sense of justice is shattered, however, when his wife Jill (Gillian) shocked by the subsequent death of the victim admits that she had been driving the car at the time of the accident. Manning's soul is torn when he discovered that Jill had been having an affair with Bule and eventually they part. In a dramatic climax, Jill returns home. Gaining moral strength from her husband she confesses to the victim's wife, Elsie, and to the police.
Mr. Reed played the role of James Manning - the cool businessman who found himself faced with a choice between his unfaithful wife and social justice. He mastered the lengthy part with confidence and he acted with understanding and sympathy, bringing out the inward emotions of the character he was portraying. He was matched by the equally brilliant performance of Miss Evans. Playing the part of Jill, she found herself faced with the extremely difficult task of playing the woman who, being unsatisfied with her husband's love had turned to Bule for companionship and self - confidence and her final confession could hardly have been played more convincingly.
Mr. Whittaker was ideally cast as William Bule, the happy-go-lucky, out-for-a-good-time and "leave-it-to-you,-old-boy" type. He gave the part all the energy it demanded and his calculated bursts of over-acting were appreciated by all who saw the play. The only fault here was Mr. Whittaker's make-up which gave him a much too puerile appearance. Mrs. Whittaker, although playing a smaller part (in length only) than usual, gave to it all the truth and sincerity with which we are all so accustomed to seeing her act. Portraying Elsie, the victim's wife, she recognised the full scope of the part and towards the end of the play she created a very moving scene packed with pathos. The Headmaster's ardent support of 'Dixon of Dock Green' reaped him benefit when he handled the role of the Police Sergeant. Here, just as in the television series, we found a policeman whose paternal and gentle manner carefully concealed the 'iron hand of the law'. Mr. Hamilton, well-suited to the part, must be congratulated on his remarkable and pleasing impersonation. Constable Eddie Cater, Elsie's brother, who was over-anxious to find the car and its driver was forcibly played by Mr. Crompton whose southern accent was very effective. Mrs. Whittaker too must be complimented in this respect. The final member of an extremely strong cast was Mr. Owen. Despite the omission of his name from the programme he proved to be just as conscientious as the rest. His portrayal of the understanding doctor was tuned almost to perfection.
Work 'off-stage' was just as industrious as that 'on'. One of the joys of a permanent set is that it can be realistically built and Manning's living-room was no exception. Indeed it was a first-class job of which Mr. Gregory and his 'lads' could be proud. Decor, by Mr. Burnell and properties handled by Miss Ward, Miss Metcalfe, Mr. Hudson and their 'gang' added the final touch. Minor slips occurred, as one might expect, and it could be said of this play that never before had so much happened in so short a time, for the hands on the clock over the mantelpiece never moved throughout the performance. Miss Tate was in charge of the wardrobe, and in particular she must be complimented on the blue dress of Mrs. Manning (worn in the last scene) which she, herself made. Lighting was very effective, in particular in the final scene where car headlights dramatically shone through the French windows. Sound effects too were realistic, and both lighting and sound were in the capable hands of Mr. Booth. Our thanks must also be extended to Mr. Tate as assistant stage manager; to Mr. Leonard, who once again delighted in 'splashin' about the grease paint; to Mr. Hodson, whose cheerful smile induced the buying of many tickets, and also to all others who so willingly gave up their time and energy. Finally, we must thank Mr. Kennedy for a remarkable and outstanding production. 'Waiting for Gillian' can safely be added to his increasing list of successes.
Kaye P. LV1A 1962 "Dead on Nine" (Day Set)
This year's Staff Play, produced by Mr. Crompton, had the intriguing title of "Dead on Nine". A tense modern thriller by Jack Popplewell, it centres round Robert Leigh, a writer, and his wife, Esmerelda, who live together in a state of mutual hatred so intense that each plots to kill the other. When Robert's plan misfires, Esmerelda enlists the help of Tom Hammond, and tension builds up in the last scene when she contrives to make her husband stand in front of the window at a certain time, not knowing that Hammond, who was to shoot him, had already been murdered. Richard Farrow, a detective and a friend of the family, realises the truth, but the authorities do not, and an ironic situation develops at the end of the play where Leigh and his wife are astonished to find that their apparently cast-iron alibis have been destroyed and that they are about to be arrested - for the wrong crime.
Robert Leigh, a combination of hatred and moral weakness, was admirably portrayed by Mr. Parkinson. He was well supported by Miss Evans who, in the part of Esmerelda, was faced with the difficult task of playing the woman who utterly despised her husband and who had found in Hammond the companionship she lacked.
Mr. Butler gave a forceful performance as the young and handsome Mr. Hammond, while Mrs. Bistis was convincing as Marion Dale, the secretary to whom Robert Leigh had turned for love and affection when his wife had rejected him. The role of Richard Farrow was played by Mr. Owen, who brought out all the shrewdness and discernment of the character. Mr. Hamilton played Leslie Booth, a friend of the Leighs, who created such an agony of suspense in the final scene when he insisted on going to the window to pour himself a drink. Mrs. Williams gave a pleasing performance as Gladys, the maid.
To all of these we extend our thanks; as well as to those whose work off-stage helped the play to run smoothly: to Messrs. Gregory and Williams, the stage managers; to Miss Smith and Mr. Collette, prompters; to Mr. Owen for the make-up; to Miss Tate for the wardrobe, and to Mr. Hassall the business manager. Special mention must be made of Mr. Burnell's decor, and the properties handled by Mr. Hudson and Miss Metcalfe which added the final touch. The lighting controlled by Mr. Glenn was very effective, especially during the thunderstorm.
Above all, we must congratulate Mr. Crompton on his highly successful production which provided such fascinating entertainment for everyone.
Nova Websdale, VA.1964 "Fools Rush In"
That the producer and his cast managed to make anything of this is remarkable, especially in view of the fact that Miss. Alliott had to take the part of the divorcée mother at extremely short notice owing to the unfortunate illness of Miss. Evans. This was very difficult, for apart from having the longest part in the play, she had to hold the play together. Miss. Alliott, in the short time available, learned a large amount of her part, but she had to use her script for the remainder. Just how successful she was may be judged by the fact that one was hardly conscious of the script at all. As the mother trying to deal with her daughter's problems as well as her own, a stuffy suitor and an ex-husband, she was very good.
Miss. Williams played the mixed-up daughter and kept our interest throughout the play as did the bewildered fiancé, played by Mrs. Smith. That they both did so, in spite of their limiting parts, is a compliment to their acting.
Miss. Mathers, Miss. Jennings and Miss. Tate - the bridesmaid, the nanny and the charwoman respectively - had less exacting roles, but each one is needed to build up a composite picture of the household and the ridiculous situation there. Each one played her part competently.
The other parts of the middle-aged suitor and the ex-husband were taken by Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Knox. Each was well cast, one bluff and respectable and the other debonair and rather man-about-town, and within these limits they were good, but there was some lack of co-operation between them. They were rivals for the mother's hand but the rivalry was often lacking.
Mr. Owen may be congratulated on producing an enjoyable evening's entertainment and thanks are due also to all those whose capable help enabled the play to be staged: Messrs. Glenn and Twigg (stage-managers), Mr. Hassall (business-manager), Misses Ward. Alliott and Couperthwaite (properties and wardrobe), Mr. Burnell (decor), Mr. Parkinson (lights), Mr. Collette and Miss Smith (prompters), Tate, Cookman, Smith and Hurst (stage-hands).
R.W.
