Written By
A. A. Milne
Where and When
30th April – 2nd May 1964 @ Church House, Wimborne
The Plot
A terribly exciting little affair happens in the humdrum life of John and Mary, a tempest in a teapot, but while it lasts–well, it’s high comedy, at least for the audience!
Cast
- John – Sam Fawcett
- Mary – Daphne Young
- Hero – Russ Guillaume
- Heroine – Dorothy Penny
- Chief Villain – Tim Eling
- Bad Man – Paddy Brooman
- The Man In The Bowler Hat – Arthur Brooks
Creative Team
- Producer – Thelma Dryden
- Stage Manager – Clifford Cowling
- Make up – Douglas Treharne
- Effects – Peter Brooks
- House Manager – Edmund Henbest
- Business Manager – Rita Stuckey
Preview
But The Show Goes On
Members of the Wimborne Drama Club faced a problem ten days before they were due to stage three one-act plays in the Church House, Wimborne, tonight, Friday and Saturday. Mr. Clifford Cowling, the club’s stage manager and Jack-of-alltrades, became ill.
There was some talk of cancelling the show because of this set-back, but members decided it was too late-to do anything about changing their plans and made up their minds that the show would
go ahead as planned.
During recent days members have rallied round and helped to prepare the Church House stage for the show. The club should provide an evening of laughs, for two of the plays, The Man in the Bowler Hat and Holiday Eve, are comedies while the third, The Tea Cosy, is a comedy thriller.
On the same nights Ferndown Sports Club’s drama section will be staging Book of the Month in the Ferndown Modern School. This comedy by Basil Thomas should prove popular with those who enjoy humour with their entertainment. Producing the play is Mr. Martin Bellchamber and there are eight in the cast.
Review
Wimborne amateurs keep ’em “rocking”
A programme of one-act plays, presented at Church House Wimborne, on three nights last week, gave members of Wimborne Drama Club an opportunity for a lively romp, with plenty of laughs for the audiences.
Thelma Dryden produced A. A. Milne’s “Man in the Bowler Hat” and the players entered into the spirit of this vintage burlesque, with Paddy Brooman drawmg his customary quota of laughs as the “bad man”. Sam Fawcett, and Daphne Young were an admirable John and Mary, and Russ Guillaume, Dorothy Penny and Tim Eling kept the pace moving as hero, heroine and chief villain. Arthur Brooks was the title character.
Comedy thriller
Alfred Shaughnessy’s “Tea Cosy”, was a comedy thriller with a macabre ending. Kathryn Purchas and Stella Tory were convincing as Hilda Wyndham and Sybil Blythe Waters — proprietresses of the “Tea Cosy” cafe. Sam Fawcett and Patricia Wood were effectively “deceptive” as the murderer, Mr. Salusbury, and his partner-in-crime, Doris Potter, and good support was given by Russ Guillaume and Rita Stuckey as the eloping couple, Max and Susan. Tim Fling as Col. Wedderburn, Paddy Brooman as Det. Sgt. Cope, and Marcaret Williams as the woman in black. Arthur Brooks made a workmanlike job of this his first production, and Pamela Wood prompted and took charge of properties.
Kitchen comedy
“Holiday Eve”, a boisterous kitchen comedy by Falkland Cary and Philip King, kept the audience “rocking”. Arthur and Muriel Brooks, Patricia Wood iand Peter Constandinos were well cast as the Fisher family — Dad, Mother, Vera and Billy — and made the most of lines and situations. Gill Lucas, a newcomer to the club, made an effective debut as Billy’s girlfriend, Minnie Thompson. Sue Hammett prompted and supplied the off-stage voice of Ulrich, and Esme Henbest took charge of a bewildering array of props and assisted Tony Allison with the production.
The setting for the first play was designed and painted by the producer, and the other two settings were constructed by Muriel Brooks, Thelma Dryden and Michael Webb, the latter also assisting Dennis Curran with stage management and lighting. Douglas Treharne was responsible for make-up, Rita Stuckey undertook business management, and Edmund Henbest (the club’s chairman) was house manager,
Evening of one-act plays at Wimborne
A racy production of “Holiday Eve” by six members of the Wimborne Drama Club stole the limelight in the three evenings of one:act plays staged in the Church House, Wimborne.
With rapid, quick-fire lines, the cast had the audience laughing heartily at a sketch of a young family preparing for a holiday. Cast was Muriel Brooks (Mum), Arthur Brooks (Dad), Patricia Wood (daughter) and Peter Constandinos (the son), with Sue Hammett as the “baby”, and Gill Lucas as the son’s girl-friend.
Smartly done
The evening opened with The Man in the Bowler Hat, produced by Thelma Dryden. This was very smartly done, although the intense light on the white scenery was a little blinding.
With old hands Sam Fawcett and Daphne Young, Russ Guillaume, Dorothy Penny, Tim Eling and Paddy Brooman, plus The Man (Arthur Brooks) with his bowler hat and smouldering cigar, sitting with his back to the audience, the deceptive “twist” was enjoyed by the audience.
The comedy-thriller, The Tea Cosy, produced by Arthur Brooks, covered three scenes. It started slowly and suffered from one or two scenery lapses (such as a door which is locked several times but has no key in it). But leading lights Kathryn Purchas and Stella Tory, as two elderly ladies running a tea shop, brought the play together in the second and third scenes with some first-rate acting. Others in the cast were Tim Eling, Russ Guillaume, Rita Stuckey, Paddy Brooman, Margaret Williams, Sam Fawcett and Patricia Wood.
Next time the clubs run a series of one-act plays it might be borne in mind that this type of evening gives scope for something a little more serious. With the increasing amount of young talent among the members it could be a mistake not to offer something a little more dramatic at some future date.
Officers for the production were: Clifford Cowling; make-up, Douglas Treharne; effects, Pete Brooks; house manager, Edmund Henbest; business manager, Rita Stuckey.
Programme
