Found this among my scans ... I have seen the question of how many plays did the players do ?? this was on the back of the program of the play -- SEPERATE TABLES -- Dont know that year that was .. but here for your interest ....
Its certainly before 1978 and i dont see for example the Rake wich was in 60 th
Once a rake .. bottom left -- I see the boyfriend which I am sure was in about 67 .. thereafter vaiety 70 .. so the last play on here must have been mid 70"s .. anybody else with input here ??
Nice one, and you're right Sandy.
Second column to the end, there's "Tien Klein Klonkies" which I saw when I guess I was about 7-8 years old, so it must have been around 1972-73. I'm sure you're right, the list probably has plays until about '74.
I think the list must start in the late 40's early 50's. My Mom & Dad, Vic & Elsie Cummings took part in most of the pantomimes listed in the left hand column - I'm sure Leila was the Goose in the Mother Goose production. Dad produced Arsenic & Old Lace and did the sets for Lock up your Daughters - complete with revolving stage no less!
The list goes back to to 1952, though I believe the Players were in operation before that. The club really took off with the advent of the ex-pats who were enthusiastic supporters of theatre which then shared a hall with the old bioscope.
Abbie Barron was one of the stalwarts, a great stage manager and backstage expert. There was always an annual pantomime which required special effects, a activity I particularly enjoyed. He it was who helped me almost blow the building to kingdom come when I was asked to supply a minor explosion with smoke to announce the arrival of the Good Fairy. Shirley Dally was the fairy. She and I were squeezed into a small space behind mock battlements which were required to burst apart complete with special effects to mark her magical arrival. Abbie supplied me with the gunpowder which he mixed, so he said, to my formula. All I had to do was touch it off which I did. The explosion was certainly effective. It projected the Good Fairy on stage with a helluva bang and left me with singed eyebrows and no eye lashes.
"Oh," said Abbie, "I thought you said two parts potassium nitrate?" That effectively doubled the dose of the explosive part. Shirley remembers the incident to this day, she thought her last moment had come. It was an hour before I started seeing straight. The audience loved it.
I eventually gave up hopes of fame in Hollywood after a most embarassing moment on stage. I'd been cast as the romantic hero in "Dienie speel Toneel", a one-act comedy in Afrikaans, despite the fact that I didn't speak a word of the language. That wasn't the embarassing part, I learned the words by heart. That came on opening night.
We were move and word perfect, but for a sequence in which the heroine was required to faint in my arms, I was to scoop her up, place her gently on a couch and kiss her awake. At each stage of rehearsal the director would simply say: "Okay, now faint, lift up, place on couch" and we would carry on, confident we had it sussed.
When the actual moment came the lady fainted on cue. fell into my arms and I realised with horror that she was a tad larger-boned than I thought. In fact so much so I could hold her for barely a split second. In that time I had to make a decision: drop her on the floor or lunge for the couch a few paces away.
Meantime the audience picked up the problem immediately and screamed with laughter, thinking it all part of the script.
I choose the lunge, and just made it though it was more of a dive. The heroine landed rather heavily and I on top of her. It brought the house down. If there had been any talent scouts in the audience they didn't contact me.
Mention of Vic Cummings caused to remember that I had a copy of the programme for "See How they Run" which included pics of all cast members. Sure enough, there he was, cast as the parson.
Unfortunately despite all the good advice in the Help section I can't seem to post it on this site. I go through all the motions but at the stage where the file opens it blocks out the post button and I'm left stranded.
Any ideas, anyone?
Regards,
Bob.
Thanks Bob a nice story
Send me that picture directly to my Email as attachment, i post it then in this topic.
Herewith the pic. The people pictured are, from top left: Len Lewis, Gordon Dally, can't recall this name, John Cundill (of whom more later), Sylvia Solms, Robbie – can't recall his full name, Vic Cummings, Marge Gilmour and Betty Bruce (Patrick's mother, Robert Bruce's aunt).
Regards,
Bob.
Mail from Bob
Herewith the pic. The people pictured are, from top left: Len Lewis, Gordon Dally, can't recall this name, John Cundill (of whom more later), Sylvia Solms, Robbie – can't recall his full name, Vic Cummings, Marge Gilmour and Betty Bruce (Patrick's mother, Robert Bruce's aunt).
Regards,
Bob.
Cast of Blythe Spirit from about 1959. Only people I recognize are my Dad "Ginger" Olivier on the right and Edgar Selby at the back.
I recall Blythe spirit .. and no I was not 3 years old when I saw it .. unless there was a re-run possibly early 60's I must have been about 8 yrs old ..