Written By
Esther McCracken
Where and When
7th – 10th November 1973 @ The Church House, Wimborne
The Plot
Mildred and Arthur Royd, Marcia’s parents, own a country cottage intended for quiet week-ends. It does not, however, work out that way on some occasions. The place is never quite ready and neighbours drop in at inconvenient moments. Soon after the play opens, Marcia and he husband arrive to join the party, but the couple are not, at the moment, on the best of terms. Then Miranda, a young guest, is emabrassingly devoted to Denys, the Royds’ young son, who is at present greatly attracted to the more glamorous Rowena Marriott, with whom he arrives. Mildred has to cope with the complications which develop in such an ill-assorted party. Arthur is chiefly concerned with fishing in the company of Adrian Barasford, a bachelor neighbour. Adrian’s interest is divided between fishing and his devotion to Mary Jarrow, a charming middle-aged woman living nearby. Everything goes wrong, and, worst of all, Arthur and Adrian become involved in a salmon-poaching escapade. Matters are somewhat straightened out suring Sunday, but all leave rather hurriedly to escape the consequences and to evade a visit from the vicar who is on their track for a subscription.
Cast
- Sam Pecker – Andy Drummond
- Mary Jarrow – Thelma Dryden
- Miranda Bute – Janine Brockes
- Sally Spender – Tricia Marshall
- Midred Royd – Muriel Brooks
- Arthur Royd – Arthur Brooks
- Bella Hitchins – Manina Stuart
- Marcia Brent – Linda Pawley
- Adrian Beresford – Edmund Henbest
- Jim Brent – Mike Waring
- Ella Spender – Cynthia Shakles
- Denys Royd – Mark Syrett
- Rowena Marriot – Jennifer Waring
Creative Team
- Producer – Douglas Treharne
- Stage Manager – Peter Lupton Cowling
- ASM – John Anthony and Ian Raeburn
- Properties – Iris Platt
- Prompt – Jean Lewis
- Business and Publicity – Tony Pawley
- Front of House – Janine Brockes and Arthur Brooks
Gallery
Reviews
Quiet Week-end success at Wimborne
Four audiences enjoyed Wimborne Drama Club’s latest production, Esther McCracken’s comedy Quiet Weekend at Church House last week.
Douglas Treharne returned to produce the play – his first with the club for several years – and the influence of his knowledge and experience was apparent throughout.
The scene of the play is the Royd’s cottage at Throppleton, Esther McCracken’s answer to Ambridge. Arthur and Mildred Royd bought their country cottage to get some peace and quiet away from the town. But an invasion by relatives and friends makes this week-end anything but quiet.
Among the invaders is the Royd’s adult son , Denys, played by Mark Syrett, This was Mark’s first appearance with Wimborne Drama Club and was an imprssive debut. Jenni Waring played Rowena Marriot, Denys’s beautiful, confident, bare-waisted girl friend from high society. Jenni made an ideal debutante-type super city girl.
Perhaps the most outstanding performance in the production came from Janine Brockes, as Miranda Bute, Denys’s long-term admirer, Janine’s acting was so convincing it seemed she might have been living the part. There is a place in every play for someone like Manina Stuart, whose unique brand of acting would cause even the most sober spectator to smile. She played the houshold maid in this production – the sort of part she knows well.
Doubtless Edmund Henbest is not dull and boring in real life but he imparted that sort of personality into the salmon-poacjong J. P. Adrian Barasford. The performance was gine a touch of professional class by the inclusionof Cynthia Shakles, a trained actress, as Throppleton’s gushing busy body Ella Spender.
Other partswere played by: Andy Drummond (Sam Pecker), Thelma Dryden (Mary Jarrow), Tricia Marshall (Sally Spender), Muriel Brooks (Mildred Royd), Arthur Brooks (Arthur Royd), Linda Pawley (Marcia Brent), Mike Waring (Jim Brent)
Stage manager was Peter Lupton Cwling: Assistant Stage Managers, John Anthonyand Ian Raeburn; properties, Iris Platt; prompt, Jean Lewis; business and front of house, Tony Pawley, Janine Brockes and Arthur Brooks.
Programme
