1967

November

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A Letter From The General

A Play in Three Acts by Maurice McLoughlin

Produced by Leslie Hulf

Cast
Sister Henry Niki Frith
Sister Lucy Anne Graham
Sister Bridget Marjorie Vandervord
Reverend Mother Mary Davies
Sister Magdalen Sister Magdalen
Arthur Stilton (British Consul) Leslie Fawkes
Ruth Stilton (his wife) Joan French
Captain Lee Percy Hodgson
Father Schiller Sam Warden
The action of the Play passes in the Common Room of a Mission Station in an Eastern Country in the year 1950.

Sister Lucy - Have you seen the pliers anywhere, Sister Henry?
Sister Henry - No.

Sister Lucy - I've searched all over the Mission. I'd say one of the Ling family has taken them. It's terrible thieves they are. You didn't see them in that cupboard?
Sister Henry - I haven't looked in the cupboard.

Sister Lucy - You'd never believe the rubbish that's thrown in this cupboard. (She opens the cupboard door and a stream of miscellaneous rubbish falls to the floor) There now, didn't I tell you? I'm not tidying that lot. (She makes a dive into the pile) Well, if it isn't the china salt cellar we were scouring the Mission for. Now what would that be doing in there?
Sister Henry - I couldn't say at all.

Sister Lucy - It's certain you are that you haven't set eyes on the pliers? Before I sort out this jumble? Do you know what they're like, Sister Henry?
Sister Henry - Sister Lucy, I'm not given to doing odd jobs around the Mission but I can recognize a pair of pliers when I set eyes one them.

Two new acting members were to make their debut performance in this play, and both, I believe would subsequently become regular and popular members of cast. Making her debut as Sister Lucy was Anne Graham, while Percy Hodgson took on the part of Captain Lee.

Both the flyer and the programme for this Play indicate that the Box Office moved for the first time to "The Woopack" in Shepherds Way. Now a private house, The Woolpack was for some years the home of two very active members of the Fairlight Players, Jim and Sue Duffy. At this time, however, it was a busy little shop providing a wide selection of wool, fabric and other materials for the creative ladies of Fairlight. By the way, before anyone accuses me of sexism, may I defend myself by saying that the two pictures below were supplied from the Fairlight WI scrapbook, and it is from there (rather than from any stereotypical male preconception) that I get the impression that the Woolpack's customers were predominantly female.

These pictures show the Woolpack as it apeared in 1965.