SEASON 23 (1951-52)
Asmodée
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Hopeful Travellers
Testament of Cresseid
You Can't Take It With You
Edge of the World
September 1951
ASMODÉE
by Francois Mauriac
Directed by Iris Coe
Designed by Marjorie Goldsby
Oh dear! And we were doing so well!
Paul Bedford, a strong advocate of The Questors, described this production in the Middlesex County Times as "drab", "monotonous", "interminable", "like slowly drawing out a piece of elastic" - although he did say there was some sound acting.
It seems there had already been misgivings about this production during the rehearsal period. The Committee of Management later agreed that it had underestimated the difficulty of the play which had been put into the hands of an inexperienced director. They considered in retrospect whether it should be possible to abandon a show that was not progressing well and replace it with another, but this could only be done at least two months ahead of the first night.
In the cast, Michael Davis yet again takes up the reins of youth and is joined by Ted Scrivener's daughter Catherine (Kay) - both soon to join the ranks of the Student Group (in fact I believe Kay was already a student but Michael may not have joined until 1962/3)
The only photograph we have of this production is the one above, but Frank Dobby drew this cartoon for the club magazine Forestage.
November 1951
THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Peter Curtis
Designed by Norman Branson
This was a production for the new Elizabethan Age with the set design based around the Skylon. For younger readers, the Skylon was "a futuristic-looking, slender, vertical, cigar-shaped, steel tensegrity structure located by the Thames in London [The South Bank], that gave the illusion of 'floating' above the ground, built in 1951 for theFestival of Britain."
There was quite a lot of press interest, notably from The Times, in this production of what was at that time a rarely revived Shakespeare play. It was also heading our Fund Raising
Campaign to raise the money to complete the purchase of the Mattock Lane site.
A full page article in the County Times included some fascinating "backstage" photos, including this one of the director Peter Curtis giving notes to a rather troubled actress.
Any suggestions who the actress might be, or the animated lady sitting next to Peter?
The gadget in front of him is an intercom from which he was able to issue directions to all parts of the theatre.
January 1952
THE HOPEFUL TRAVELLERS (Les Gueux au Paradis)
by G M Martins & Andre Obey, translated by Iris Capell
Directed by Alfred Emmet
Designed by Beryl Anthony
The Review in The Stage described this as "a morality play of our own time, where spirituality is leavened with honest vulgarity, where satire reveals the full glory of half-forgotten simple truths, and where burlesque shows faith flourishing in the midst of the blackest despair."
Judging from the photos and the reviews this was a delightfully inventive production and another enjoyable evening in the Tin Hut.
I particularly like the look of the cardboard cut-out tea party (left).
I notice that Ned Gethings was cast as a donkey!
The scene with Wilf Sharp and one other (not sure who - right) romping in their nightwear, apparently included real candles and the Stage Manager had been instructed to stand in the wings with a fire extinguisher.
The huge cast included many familiar (and not surprisingly youthful) faces, including that of Eric Kirby making his first appearance on stage as an actor, while at the same time looking after sound and music off stage.
Naturally, Ted Scrivener was in it - and there was even a new Scrivenite, young June, who played one of the children.
March 1952
TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID
by Alexandra Mikellatos
Directed by Barbara Hutchins (Kit Emmet)
Designed by Graham Heywood.
This was a new verse play by one of our own acting members.
Although some had misgivings about the writing, most reviewers remarked on the powerful acting and direction.
Paul Bedford was particularly impressed by Patricia Jones's Cresseid - "the most astounding performance at the Questors for many months" - and of Graham Heywood's settings - "masterly examples of mood evoked with economy."
I have a suspicion from reading Committee Minutes, that the original title of this play was "The Sop of Sorrow" but the author was persuaded to change it.
Oh - and of course Ted Scrivener was in it!
April 1952
YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU
by Moss Hart & George H Kaufman
Directed by Wilfred Sharp
Designed by George Benn
Unfortunately this photograph is the only one we have for this production.
Although this "glorious romp" was generally well received, there is evidence that Wilf Sharp was not happy directing it. In a long letter to Alfred, he bemoans the many pressures on his time, both at Questors and at work (he was a teacher at Latymer School) and the impact they were having on his personal life. He felt compelled to resign his many activities at Questors and was finding it difficult to cope with the multitude of responsibilites that go with directing a main production.
In fact this is the only full length play Wilf directed at Questors although he continued to direct and write for the various Tin Hut Revues, culminating in the final show before the old theatre was demolished, "GOING-GOING!"(1962). And of course he remained an indispensible actor and beloved Questors "character" right up until his death in 1999.
This was the first full stage set to be designed by George Benn, another rock upon which The Questors is founded.
He had been around since 1937 (with time off to fight World War II) stage managing and generally getting the theatre on its feet. He designed more than twenty of our productions, helped set up the New Theatre Committee to steer the purchase of the site and plan the new Playhouse and was Questors Chairman several times. In fact he deserves a whole article to himself.
He died in 1991, the same year as Alfred Emmet - the end of an era!
June 1952
EDGE OF THE WORLD
by Norman Latimer
Directed by Alfred Emmet
Designed by Beryl Anthony
Another premiere of a new play, this one about a dilapidated Circus troup.
Alexandra Mikellatos (the author of TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID) was in the cast, as was Ed Pitt making his first appearance. Ted Scrivener was thought by one reviewer to have been miscast as a heavy character, and Ned Gethings received a lot praise for his sensitive performance, reducing at least one audience member to tears.
Ned Gethings once said "The Questors is my family"and when he died in 1985 it was certainly like losing one of the family. He was a writer of no small merit and The Questors produced a number of his plays over the years. Michael Green remembered him as "Sociable, generous, typically Irish, quirky, unpredictable, rebellious and dedicated all at the same time. He was one of those large, warm personalities that leave an indelible mark."