MERRY
CHRISTMAS
and
A HAPPY NEW
YEAR
From
John, Ian, Maureen, Margaret B, Jean, Gerry and Bob,
The
Way we Were The more mature (much nicer
than saying older) and I have the late 50’s early 60’s age group in
mind may look back to their early days in amateur theatre and consider
how things have changed. We now have more sophisticated lighting and sound –
sets that don’t wobble and make up is no longer 5’s and 9’s with a r4ed
blob in the corner of the eye – usually applied with the blunt end of a
matchstick! There was never any trouble casting plays even with large casts –
lines were learnt early if you wanted to be considered for a part in the next
play, and borrowing actors and actresses from other groups was frowned upon. A
shortage of men to put up the stage and build and paint the set was unheard of.
Audiences flocked to see our plays and little old ladies were not afraid to come
out at night. There were fewer TV channels – no video recorders – no late
night shopping. We all had such fun, couldn’t
wait to start on the next play after the previous one had finished – it all
seemed perfect. But was it really like that? I
quote from a M.A.D.S. management committee meeting of 30th April
1962. “it was generally felt that in spite of poor houses there had been
appreciative audiences. The producer reporting on the
play made the following points Yes the comments were made
almost 40 years ago and I can guarantee they are still being made today! P.S.
whatever happened to PRODUCERS? They all became DIRECTORS of course! Handbook Updates
Please note that Davenham and
Sandiway Players are without a secretary at the time of writing and the details
for Liz Ghee should be deleted. Please REMOVE pages for FULCRUM
THEATRE GROUP (no longer putting on plays) HOLMES CHAPEL YOUTH THEATRE (sadly no
longer in existence) and THE LITTLE THEATRE (now merged with Sandiway Pantomime
Group). News from Impact Theatre
There was not an October
production from this group as they were commissioned to devise a piece for
Bolton Social Services on “care in the community”. It went well and made
more money for the group than a normal October production! To quote Artistic
Director of Impact – Darren Scott – “There’s definitely an avenue to be
explored in that field”. Hopefully Impact will be back in February. One Act Play Festival
Have you found a suitable play
yet? You may like to consider one of the Alan Ayckbourn pieces that are
published as “Confusions” – these include “Between Mouthfuls” and
“Gosforths Fete” – 2 classics. These are available to be performed as
single plays. I can even provide a set of reading copies – furthermore, if you
decide to put on one of these plays I will loan you copies FREE OF CHARGE. Now
there an offer you can’t refuse.
Time
for a Laugh (from the GMDF newsletter) Overheard at the local
pantomime. Middle aged couple: He – “Phew this is bloody awful!”
She – “Look at it through this toffee paper and it’s a lot
better”. George Burns: I am so old that
I can remember when the air was clean and sex was dirty. Sex after ninety is
like trying to shoot pool with a rope. Even putting my cigar in it’s holder is
a thrill. Suzanne Lagier was a very stout
actress, and in one nineteenth – century melodrama had to be carried off
stage, in a fainting fit, by the diminutive actor, Talliade. He was unable to
budge her. At which point, a voice cried out from the gallery, helpfully:
“Take what you can and come back for the rest!” Noel Coward: of the musical
“Camelot” on Broadway in December 1960, Coward said: “it’s like Parsifal
without the jokes”. After he had been to see Lionel Bart’s “Blitz”
(1962) which was all about London in the second world War and chiefly notable
for the elaborate moving scenery by Sean Kenny, he commented: “Just as long as
the real thing but twice as noisy”. John R Powell |
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