Past Productions -
1972-1974
1972, the
Thespians' Seventieth Anniversary year, was marked by an
extra production at Hitchin Town Hall in February, when 'The
Sound of Music' was performed to enthusiastic audiences. The
show, produced by Bill Patenall, gave the Thespian ladies a
chance to show their paces and the splendid sound of the
chorus of nuns was especially admired. Again, the tickets
had to be 'rationed' to ensure fair distribution. There were
other, technical difficulties, too. A political crisis
resulting in power-cuts and severe restrictions threatened
the cancellation of the production. Eventually, it was
decided to go ahead with the show, but the continuing
difficulties made each performance a perilous adventure.
Resourceful members, however, supplied stand-by generators,
supplemented by car headlights fixed to batteries bought
specially for the occasion. If the lighting was at times
subdued, the singing was as powerful as ever.. The children
were remarkable and six-year old Kate Whitmore - surely one
of the youngest members ever of a Thespian cast - never
faltered when a black-out occurred in the middle of her solo
and the emergency supply was switched on.
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Ian Caddy
renewed his association with the Society when he sang the
bass solos in two performances in April of Haydn's
'Creation', in St. Mary's Church, Hitchin. This was an
especially successful venture, in which the Thespians were
accompanied by an orchestra. The local press was loud in its
praises of 'the Thespians' spiendidly rousing, indeed,
inspired singing'.
The final
production of the anniversary year was 'Hello Dolly!',
staged at St. Francis Theatre in November. Once again, Vera
Mallett and Bill Patenall combined to present a show which
filled every house and was warmly reviewed in the press. One
critic, Jon Madge, wrote 'Like being soaked in a burst of
warm autumn rain, I was drenched in the satisfaction of
having enjoyed myself so much'. For the cast, the show was
memorable for the Waiters' Gallop and strenuous gymnastic
feats which resulted at one rehearsal in the complete
destruction of a tea trolley! On another occasion, the
doctor had to be called to deal with results of a
particularly spectacular leap-frog!
The seventieth
anniversary year was also marked by a dinner at which the
guest speaker was the well-known B.B.C. news-reader, Richard
Baker. It was on this occasion that Mr John Edwards, the
district representative of the National Operatic & Dramatic
Association, and an old friend of the Thespians, presented
the Thespians' President, Muriel Bendail, with the
Association's long-service medal. Another 'Mallett Special'
- 'Vienna Nights' - narrated by Stan Taplin in the role of
Johann Strauss Ill, was presented at the Town Hall, Hitchin,
in April, 1973. The programme of music associated with the
Austrian capital proved enormously popular and there was no
doubt that the pattern began with 'The Story of Gilbert &
Sullivan' with the audience seated at candle-lit tables, and
fortified with food and wine, had great appeal. Arthur
Peters, writing in 'Hertfordshire Countryside', had this to
say about it: 'Lavishly costumed and jewelled, the barge
choir presided over an atmosphere which, with tables
scattered about the floor of the hall and service by
immaculate waiters, was as near to 'Gemutlichkeit' as one
could find in this country'.
Bill Patenall
was again the producer for the October production of 'The
Most Happy Fella' at St. Francis Theatre. This story of the
mail-order bride of an elderly vineyard-owner in California,
and of her brief but passionate romance with the foreman
whose photograph had been sent to attract her, has the
qualities of a folk-opera. The splendid music was much
enjoyed by the cast and followers of the Thespians. John
Edwards, in the N.O.D.A. Bulletin said of the production:
'Another
seldom-seen show, THE MOST HAPPY FELLA, was presented by
Hitchin Thespians, always on the lookout for a challenge ...
all went well, the limited chorus work receiving typical
Thespian treatment. Being a lesser-known title, box-office
suffered somewhat, but the Society nobly took this
calculated risk, and are to be congratulated on the result'.
Bruckner's 'Te
Deum' and Brahms's 'German Requiem' were performed at St.
Mary's Church, with orchestral accompaniment, in April,
1974. 'Superb Thespians', wrote the music critic of
'Hertfordshire Countryside'. 'The performance was
interesting because Hitchin Thespians, pre-eminent in their
own particular genre, that of musical comedy and operetta,
demonstrated a versatility hitherto only hinted at, by
completely changing their style - effective because ... the
performance moved me to an extent that was as satisfying as
it was unexpected and significant, because the choir,
setting aside its reputation in other fields, emerged to
fresh acclaim as a very considerable choral society.'
Praise,
indeed, and especially gratifying in view of the adverse
effect on rehearsals of yet another political crisis - with
resultant power-cuts - a General Election and a bad winter.
For the autumn
show, the Society had a new producer, Margaret Madison. Miss
Madison, a member of the production staff of Associated
Television and a former professional dancer, had had wide
experience as a producer for N.O.D.A. Her colourful
production of 'Night in Venice, based on the music of Johann
Strauss was well enough received by the November audiences
at St. Francis Theatre, but the show could not be said to
have had the appeal at the box office that had been hoped
for.
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