Theatre Days

[FLY2 10,108]

Four good actors there MI without a doubt. Geraldine McEwan was a brilliant character actress.

[Merthyr Imp 729]

 

English National Opera visited in the early spring of 1981 on a 50th anniversary tour, staging a 'festival' of six operas and various events and concerts, some of which were broadcast on Radio Trent, which from what I remember of that station must have been very different from its usual fare.

 

Of the operas performed, I gave 'Orfeo' a miss (too ancient), also 'The Turn of the Screw' (too modern), but ventured to see Richard Strauss's 'Ariadne auf Naxos' (never again). Much better were Rossini's 'Cinderella' (sparkling) and this piece by Offenbach (my sort of music).

 

 

 

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

In April 1981 there was what was basically a two-hander featuring Pauline Collins and John Alderton. A comedy of sorts, and as far as I remember it concerned a rather unworldly football supporter (hence the 'rattle' of the title) and his encounter with a prostitute.

 

 

[Oztalgian 3,278]

Merthyr Imp #131

Yes you are correct that was the story line. I also remember seeing the same in a film starring Harry H Corbett (Steptoe and Son), Diane Cilento (Sean Connery's first wife) and Michael Medwin (The Army Game) some time in the sixties. I particularly remember it as it was filmed in black and white.

[Merthyr Imp 729]

English National Opera North still going by its full original name in July 1981.

 

 

I went to all three offerings, which in addition to the above, were Don Giovanni and the Barber of Seville (which featured John Brecknock).

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Later in the same month there was an Agatha Christie, which was actually her first stage play rather than an adaptation of a novel.

 

Starring Patrick Cargill as Hercule Poirot, who in appearance to me seemed much more like the Poirot described in the books (not that I'd read many) than bulky figures like Albert Finney and Peter Ustinov in the films. Also of note in the cast were Ronald Leigh-Hunt and Valerie Leon, the latter notable for starring in at least one Hammer Horror film.

 

I remember nothing of the play, other than a few minutes into it when the elderly lady seated on the settee suddenly keeled over. Ah, we thought - the first murder victim!  But then the actress seated next to her leaned over then called for the curtain to be brought down. After a few minutes Patrick Cargill came in front of the curtain to say that 'dear Anthea' had fainted, but was ready to continue, so as the play had hardly begun they started it again from the beginning.

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Next month, and a Noel Coward comedy with some notable people in the cast, but I can remember nothing at all about it.

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

And the following month saw the husband and wife team of Googie Withers and John McCallum, along with Bernard Bresslaw, in a classic play. All I can remember of it is that for a comedy I found it rather dull.

 

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

The following week saw the same company present one of Pinero's comedies, this one with Anthony Quayle added to the cast.

 

I've forgotten the details, but I think it was about a staid clergyman whose sister, unknown to him, was a racehorse trainer under an assumed name. I remember this as being a lot funnier than Chekhov, and particularly recall the performances of the three leads.

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company paid its last visit in its original form in autumn 1981. By then it was in desperate financial straits, with bucket collections as the audience left the theatre following appeals from the stage at the end of the performance. All to no avail, as it ceased productions less than six months later.

 

The situation the Company was in was exemplified by 'The Gondoliers', one of the most popular pieces, having to be dropped from the repertoire due to the scenery starting to fall apart and with no money available to refurbish it.

 

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Still in 1981 and another thriller. I can't remember anything about it apart from seeing Richard Todd.

 

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

November 1981 and an almost one-man show at the Theatre Royal with Roy Hudd with songs, routines, monologues and stories from the music hall.

 

This was very good (assuming you like the old music hall stuff) and I particularly remember 'The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God'. Rita Morris gave him a break with a few songs, including a rendition of 'Oh, Mr. Porter' giving the words double meanings which you would never dreamed they possessed - which is apparently how Marie Lloyd used to perform it.

 

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

The following week in November 1981 saw the National Theatre in 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?', including Paul Eddington then at the height of his TV fame. A play with a lot of shouting in it as I remember, and not really my sort of thing.

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

And still in 1981, an Alan Ayckbourn comedy, but one that hasn't stuck in my mind.

 

Not the most notable of TV stars in it.

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Last in 1981 was an Agatha Christie adaptation. Not with Poirot or Miss Marple, this one, but Superintendent Battle, played by the star, Gordon Jackson. Those of us of a certain age will recognise the name Patricia Driscoll in the cast.

 

Can't remember anything about the production though!

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Early 1982 and I ventured to the Playhouse for a change, and for the first time not as part of a school trip.

 

This was a Somerset Maugham play about which I remember next to nothing except that it starred Phyllis Calvert.

 

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

About a week later it was the Playhouse again for an adaptation of 'Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde', but I can remember practically nothing of it, nor were there any notable names in the cast.

 

 

At least the adverts made a difference from those at the Theatre Royal:

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Finally found some time to continue with this.

 

Back to the Theatre Royal in April 1982 for a Francis Durbridge thriller. Barbara Murray was something of a regular in touring productions in the 1980s. Nothing has stuck in the mind about the play though.

 

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

June 1982 and an Agatha Christie play. Again, don't remember anything about it, not even Valentine Dyall's performance.

 

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

A couple of weeks later and Opera North were back with Werther by Massenet.

 

John Brecknock, still going strong, featured in the title role, and also in the cast was Lesley Garrett in the days before she began to make a name for herself.

 

 

 

 

 

[LongJohn 20]

Can't think why Merthyr Imp won't go and hear early music. Orfeo, either by Gluck or Monteverdi, is wonderful stuff. Here in the south west, the musical highlight of the year is English Touring Opera's visit to the Northcott Theatre at Exeter university - late November, just in time for driving conditions to be awful. I even missed Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea the other year because it was sold out.

 

I bet Jill Sparrow likes this sort of music!!

[Merthyr Imp 729]

14 hours ago, LongJohn said:

Can't think why Merthyr Imp won't go and hear early music. 

 

Too boring! I much prefer something with catchy tunes. My preference for anything about Orpheus would be Offenbach's version any day.

 

Modern music is even worse - I'm with Sir Thomas Beecham, who when  asked if he had ever conducted any Stockhausen said, "No, but I once trod in some."

[Merthyr Imp 729]

This one is out of order for what it matters - earlier in June 1982 was this play with some notable people in the cast, including Celia Johnson's daughter, Lucy Fleming, probably best-known for being in the original TV series 'The Survivors'.

 

I can remember a little of the play - that it was about a scandal in the past of a prominent member of the House of Lord's.

 

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Later in June 1982 and another play with several notable people in but about which I can remember nothing. Although, as a Shaw play it probably consisted of people just sitting or standing around talking.

 

[Merthyr Imp 729]

A week later and Barbara Murray was back in another play which has failed to stay with me.