Written By
Noel Coward
Where and When
26th – 28th May 1977 @ The Allendale Community Centre, Wimborne
The Plot
Hay Fever is one of Noel Coward’s most durable comedies, continuing to delight audiences with its astute observations on family relationships and rivalries. The action takes place in the house of the Bliss family over the course of a weekend. Judith Bliss, a retired actress, her writer husband David, and their two grown-up children, Simon and Sorel, have all privately invited guests for the weekend, unbeknownst to anyone else. As the guests arrive, it becomes clear that it is not them who will be the problem, but the family themselves. Although Judith has supposedly retired from the stage, the nightmare weekend becomes her own private play, and her family become the supporting actors. Over the top and theatrical in their actions, the Bliss family delight in winding each other up and provoking a dramatic reaction from each other. As the weekend wears on, each guest pairs off with the wrong person with dramatic effects. Confused and angered by the strange behaviour of the their hosts, the guests all agree that they must leave straight away. Creeping out of the house, they are unnoticed by the Bliss family who are, once again, engaged in a daft, passionate argument about David’s book. Although it is not packed with as many witty one liners as many of Coward’s plays are, Hay Fever provides a shrewd, farcical look at a dysfunctional family oblivious to their ill-mannered behavior.
Cast
- Soral Bliss – Jane Sherwill
- Simon Bliss – David Green
- Clara – Ray Grenville
- Judith Bliss – Pearl Roberts
- David Bliss – Arthur Brooks
- Sandy Tyrell – Michael Waring
- Myra Arundel – Elizabeth Knight
- Richard Greatham – John Anthony
- Jackie Coryton – Joan Drew
Creative Team
- Director – Thelma Dryden
- Stage Management – Eric Wright and Tony Tydeman
- Lighting – David Sherwill
- Properties – Jacqueline Anthony and Elizabeth Anthony
- Prompt – Jean Lewis
- Production Assistant and Continuity – Caroline Hickmott
Gallery
Review
Comedy comes out trumps
It’s a great pity that more people in Wimborne are not interested in the Theatre because the town can boast a lively dramatic society. Once again the Wimborne Drama Club proved that they are a cut above similar societies when , for their contribution to Jubilee celebrations in the town, they put on Noel Coward’s witthy comedy Hay Fever at the Allendale Centre, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday last week.
There was a meagre attendance of just over 50 on opening night, which must be somewhat annoying to the Club who had worked so hard to put on a polished show – and especially irksome when there was a somewhat larger and noisier Bridge session going on in an adjoining room.
But the cast did not bat an eyelid at the noise and it was the play which came out trumps despite the possible distraction.
Star part
The shing light of the production had to be Pearl Roberts as Judith Bliss, the theatrical, reluctantly retired actress doing her best to turn even the smallest situation into a stage-piece. She received a couple of prompts on opening night but it did not deter from a splendid performance.
Likewise, Michael Waring and Joan Drew, in the two comparitively minor roles of Sandy Tyrell and Jackie Coryton, were both very convincing playing their 1920s roles with exactly the right amount of humour and presence.
Elizabeth Knight as Myra Arundel and Jane Sherwill as Sorel Bliss completed the remainder of the female characters – with claws and venom at the ready – along with Ray Grenville as Clara the maid, the smallest part, but nevertheless done well.
Competent
David Bliss and Richard Greatham were played by Arthur Brooks and John Anthony in a competent enough fashion to be credible but sadly the one weak link in the chain of nine was David Green as Simon Bliss. He is impeccable when it comes to reciting the lines but he lacked the conviction put over by the other players, although it was not enough to detract from the merits of the show.
Once again the production was in the ever-capable hands of Thelma Dryden, the driving force behind the club. Eric Wright and Tony Tydeman looked after the stage management while David Sherwill was in charge of the lighting and front of house photographs.Properties were by Jacqueline and Elizabeth Anthony with Jane Lewis as prompt and Caroline Hickmott as production assistant.
All furnishings were loaned by Tappers of Wimborne.
Drama club battle against apathy
Wimborne’s Jubilee celebrations ball was started rolling by the Drama Club who put on Noel Coward’s celebrated comedy Hay Fever, at the Allendale Centre. The club are very concious about keeping theatre alive in the town and deserve far better attendances than they get with only just over 50 people attending the opening night. But each year they battle on valiantly against the apathy in the town and next year which is their 50th anniversary they aim to celebrate in style.
There were insufficient members of the club to put on their usual March production and plans for a play then had to be reluctantly postponed. But this was followed by a great membership drive and four of the new recruits were drafted into Hay Fever one of them, Pearl Roberts, taking the lead.
Apart from a couple of prompts her performance was excellent and she will prove a valuable member for the club in the future.
Michael Waring and Joan Drew, who only had comparitively minor roles, were also very good in their 1920s roles and the show as a whole deserves maximum praise.
Thelma Dryden once again produced the show while the other members of the cast were Jane Sherwill, David Green, Ray Grenville, Arthur Brooks, Elizabeth Knight and John Anthony.
Programme
