|
Notes
The list of performances, which forms the
backbone of this archive, was compiled at the time of the group's
Golden Jubilee in 2000 by Joy Wren, to whom I am most grateful (it
saved me a lot of work). Joy's list indicated a gap of one year
between the first and second production, but this newspaper cutting,
discovered in a box of bits, suggests
otherwise.
Fortunately, the cutting provides plenty of
information, and although undated, it almost certainly dates from
the Autumn of 1951. Firstly, the cast list shares more than a
passing resemblance to the previous production (8 of the 14 cast
were involved in Spring 1951). Secondly, an article on the flip
side of the cutting makes reference to recent events in October.
Finally, this is the only gap in an otherwise unbroken seven year
pattern of bi-annual performances. Therefore, I feel fairly
confident in placing it at this point.
Note that the article refers to the Fairlight
Players (see notes on previous
production). It seems that the group very quickly settled on
this name, which remains good for us today. Since it doesn't say
otherwise, I assume that the performance took place at Fairlight
Village Hall, and not at Pett as in the Spring. The article mentions
the "inaccessibility" of the hall, so perhaps building works were
not yet completely finished.
The final point to note is that the main play,
The Laugh (described in the article as the "principal offering"
and "strong meat"), had been written by the Producer/Director,
writing under a (not very well disguised) pseudonym of G Lyon
Hastings.
Overall, it appears that the Fairlight Players
were already on their way towards establishing a solid local
reputation. |
