Weston-super-Mare
Dramatic Society
Ladies in Retirement by Edward Percy and Reginald Denham
Performed at The Playhouse Theatre, Weston-super-Mare : March 31st - April 6th 1957
CAST
Ellen Creed JEAN PUGH
Miss Leonora Fiske ANNE WATTS
Albert Feather HAROLD DAKIN
Lucy, the maid ANGELA OATEN
Louisa Creed PHYLLIS COOKSLEY
Emily Creed ANTHEA CRUNDALL
Sister Theresa KETURAH TANNER
PRODUCTION
Producer JOAN WARD
Stage Managers KEITH M. WARD and JOHN R. PUGH
Interval Music MARJORIE WEST (Piano)
REVIEW - Weston Mercury and Somersetshire Herald Friday April 5th 1957 - PLENTY OF SUSPENSE I DRAMATIC SOCIETY THRILLER
PLAYHOUSE PRODUCTION OF "LADIES IN RETIREMENT"
Weston Dramatic Society probably erred in deciding to give its production of "Ladies
in Retirement" a full week's run at the Playhouse at this time of year. The first night
audience was one of the smallest I have ever seen, and it was a great achievement
by the cast that, in the absence of atmosphere, they made their performance
extremely vital.
This production, the first for the society by Joan Ward, is very good indeed, and I
hope that this week-end it gets the good houses it deserves.
The play, by Edward Percy and Reginald Denham, is by no means recent. It belongs
to what one might term the body-in-the-oven period. It is a cut above a great many
thrillers because the situation it poses is a much more reasonable and natural one
than is to be found in most thrillers.
Pathetic Murderer
There is something "screwy" about the Creed family, but Ellen, who murders her
benefactor in the hope that she may be able to keep a roof over the heads of her
simple-minded sisters, is a pathetic character. Murder, of course, cannot be
condoned, but one has a certain amount of sympathy for Ellen.
A great deal depends on the actress playing Ellen. She has to satisfy the audience
that she could, would, and does murder to achieve her purpose. At the same time,
she must present the pitiable picture of the "mother" desperate to protect her
"children".
There is such a performance by Jean Pugh. It was a pity that on the opening night
the big climax, the murder of unfortunate Leonora Fiske, what not so effective as it
might have been because of bad timing, but, in general, this is a performance that
is exceedingly well poised.
One Believes
One believes in this Ellen Creed as the good friend and companion of Miss Fiske; one believes in the element of goodness in her nature, the desire to provide for her unfortunate sisters; one believes, also, in the woman driven to commit murder, and in her subsequent remorse.
With the chief character so well played, this is a production obviously well on the way to success - and there are some other very good performances.
What a pleasure it is to see Anne Watts in a substantial part again - her voice and her playing as lively and vital as ever! Murder, unfortunately, cuts short her part, and one regrets that the immensely human, likeable and generous Miss Fiske she creates, departs so suddenly and so tragically from the scene.
Crooked Nephew
Harold Dakin, who plays the crooked young nephew, Albert Feather, is expansively and spiritedly the part, but misses the cool, calculating villainy of the character. A good performance, though this, in many respects. Mr. Dakin can certainly create a character, and it is a pity he does not just round young Albert off with a touch calculated to send a shiver down the spine.
Angela Oaten, I imagine, is young to amateur theatricals. She has a pleasant personality, speaks delightfully, but is too nice a girl as Lucy, the maid. The part needs a rather more
brassy, sophisticated touch, which Miss Oaten excusably
fails to achieve.
The two "batty" sisters received excellently-contrasted
studies by Phyllis Cooksley (Louisa) and Anthea Crundall
(Emily). Phyllis Cooksley chatters, dithers and flutters
with delightful vacuousness.
Unrecognisable
Miss Crundall - a most amusing study - provides funereal,
contrast, hollow eyed and hollow voiced, intent upon
painting her shells. One scarcely recognises Miss
Crundall in this role - a tribute to its effectiveness.
The cast is completed by Keturah Tanner, who provides
pleasant character and poise as Sister Theresa.
Attractive Setting
The old house setting is well achieved, and stage
management by K.M. Ward and J.R. Pugh is good.
How pleasant, also, to have Knightstone days recalled by
the presence of Marjorie West at the piano. The intervals
are made delightful by her playing. "EVERYMAN"
The White Sheep of the Family by L. Du Garde Peach and Ian Hay
Performed at The Playhouse Theatre, Weston-super-Mare : December 2nd - 7th 1957 including Saturday matinee
CAST
Alice Winter PHYLLIS COOKSLEY
Janet, the maid MARY MEE
James Winter, J.P. PAUL DENING
Pat Winter, his daughter JEAN PUGH
Assistant Commissioner John Preston
FOSTER TANNER
The Vicar N. LEIGHTON NORMAN
Sam Jackson MICHAEL MARLOW
Peter Winter, James' son BRIAN PIKE
Angela Preseton, Peter's fiance VALERIE CHUBB
PRODUCTION
Producer JOAN WARD
Stage Manager KEITH M. WARD
Assistant Stage Manager JOHN R. PUGH
REVIEW - Weston Mercury and Somersetshire Herald Friday December 6th 1957 - DRAMATIC SOCIETY IN PLAY ABOUT FAMILY OF CROOKS
"THE WHITE SHEEP OF THE FAMILY"
There was a first night audience of thirteen for Weston-super-Mare Dramatic Society's production of "The White Sheep of the Family" at the Playhouse. It was an unlucky number, but the production was by no means unlucky. The play is attractively presented, there are good individual performances, and altogether this first night went excellently.
Disturbing thoughts that occurred to one were not concerned with the performance itself, but with reflections on what some of the stalwarts associated with the pre-war hey-day of the society would have said, had it been suggested to them that the society should have presented such a trifle as a play.
These, one agrees, are difficult days for the amateur theatre. In Weston, anything that is "arty" has little prospect of being a box office draw. Production costs are high, and societies are bound to consider whether the plays they choose will have appeal. The snag, of course, in picking plays which have big success in the professional theatre, is that they may not appeal because they have been "done to death" in the theatre, cinema, and on TV.
Play Selection
In my view, sufficient thought is not given to play selection. In "The White Sheep of the Family," Weston Dramatic Society have a play which may get through all right on the box office aspect, but I didn't expect to see many more people on the opening night. At this time of the year, no society is justified in booking a Playhouse run of more than four nights, no matter what it puts on.
What concerns me most about this Weston Dramatic
Society production is that there is no real challenge in it.
The Society has talented players who should be doing
very much better work.
I would like to see a determined effort made to ensure
that every future production is concerned with theatre of
a standard which, until more recent years, one always
associated with Weston Dramatic Society.
Proud Criminals
The basic idea in "The White Sheep of the Family,"
which was written by L. Du Garde and Ian Hay, is that
of the apparently eminently respectable family who are
just a bunch of crooks, and very proud of the family
record and tradition as experts in crime.
For the first 15 minutes or so one finds this very funny,
but then the joke begins to wear. It is obvious that the
authors, experts in play-writing, appreciated this
weakness, and have taken great pains to try to build up
enough funny business to sustain a three-act play. They
don't altogether succeed, but the play, even if one is
conscious of its weaknesses, passes an evening agreeably, and has some good lines and situations.
The Master Burglar
Paul Dening strolls coolly through his part as James Winter, magistrate, churchwarden, and master burglar. No exacting role this for a player of Mr. Dening's experience and abilities. The good lines are well pointed, and situations grave and gay find him always adequate.
Phyllis Cooksley, as the wife, Alice Winter, seems altogether too good and motherly a soul to be criminally minded, and her homely playing of the part, though perfectly the character, serves to emphasise the incongruity of the authors' theme.
As Pat Winter, the daughter who "lifts" brooches, necklaces, etc., at social occasions, Jean Pugh plays with assurance that suggests that Pat is certainly a smart girl in more ways than one.
Absent-Minded Vicar
It is a little sad to see a player of Leighton Norman's experience having the hack job of creating for us once again the familiar, absent-minded vicar of a hundred plays. Of course, he does it well, and the laughs tumble.
The Society appears to have a promising young juvenile lead in Brian Pike, who plays Peter, the "white sheep." His acting is a little too forced and unrelaxed, but he is obviously a player who should do well. Valerie Chubb has freshness and charm as Angela, while Mary Mee, as Janet, the maid, who is serving an apprenticeship in crime, is a pretty young newcomer who also does well in her debut with the Society.
Michael Marlow gets amusing character into Sam, the receiver, while Foster Tanner efficiently represents Scotland Yard as Assistant Commissioner Preston.
Joan Ward has produced very efficiently, and the setting is attractively achieved. Stage manager is K.M. Ward, his assistant being J.R. Pugh.
Concluding performances are on Saturday, when there is a matinee. "EVERYMAN"