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A Mystery Solved (well,
almost)
Here is proof, if proof were ever needed, that
you shouldn't throw anything out unless you've had a good look at it
it first. Until now, we had no information about any play taking
place in the Autumn of 1963, although it seemed odd that the Players
would depart from their twice yearly schedule without good reason.
We have, in our archive cupboard (the real one,
that is, not the virtual one), a vast pile of plays. A number of
these appear never to have been performed by the Players, and have
probably been acquired for assessment, and then discarded on the
basis of being unsuitable or too difficult either to cast or to
stage within the limitations of a village hall setting. At first,
this play appeared to be in that category. However, closer
inspection revealed notes which suggested that it had been
performed, and fortunately those notes (see below) gave just
enough information to positively date it.
We only have a partial cast list, which includes
one person (Wally Hutter?) previously unknown to the group. A
handwritten note (presumably from the Stage Manager) is addressed to
"Ted", which I assume to be the Producer, and is almost certainly
E.T. Warden who has produced the last two plays (although I
understand that he was generally known as Sam). Colette (Freeman?)
is gently chastised for not turning up to sort out the props. The
notes also mention a meeting or rehearsal at "Pinehurst" in
Broadway, the first time that this address has been mentioned in the
archive. I am sure that one of my trusty contacts will be able
to tell me who lived there at the time, and perhaps might be able to
fill in one or two of the blanks in the cast list. Watch this
space! |
