100th Production
Canterbury Tales
By Martin Starkie and Nevill Coghill
Based on a translation from Chaucer by Nevill Coghill
Tuesday 1st - Saturday 5th May 1979
Cast
The Host
The Knight
The Priest
The Friar
The Merchant
The Steward
The Miller
The Squire
The Wife of Bath
The Prioress
The Nun
The Girls
The Pages
Geoffrey Chaucer
John Haslehurst
Keith Saville
David Brooks
Chris Hagg
John Preston
Alan Tasker
Chris Freer
Paul Dennis
Joan Brown
Cathie Wilson
Jill Burns
Angie Haslehurst
Cherie Cox
Jacquie Fisher
John Hill
Barrie Graham
David Elford
The Miller's Tale
Nicholas
Alison
Absalon
Gervase
Carpenter
Robin
Chris Hagg
Jacquie Fisher
John Preston
Chris Freer
Alan Tasker
Barrie Graham
The Steward's Tale
Miller
His Wife
Molly
Alan
John
Chris Freer
Joan Brown
Angie Haslehurst
John Preston
Chris Hagg
The Merchant's Tale
January
Damian
May
Pluto
Prosperina
Justinus
Placebo
Duenna
Keith Saville
Paul Dennis
Cherie Cox
John Haslehurst
Jacquie Fisher
John Haslehurst
David Elford
Cathie Wilson
The Wife of Bath's Tale
King
Queen
Young Knight
Old Woman
Keith Saville
Angie Haslehurst
John Preston
Joan Brown
The Musicians
Trumpet
Trombone
Guitar
Organ
Piano
Percussion
Musical Director
Neil Barber
David Dent
Alan Harsley
Palestrina
Brenda Goodacre
Shelly Begge
Geoffrey Fletcher
Production Team
Director
Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Managers
Lighting
Properties
Movement
Music Rehearsal
Costumes
Settings
Construction
Press Publicity
Production Secretary
Phil Partridge
Bill Bateson
Jan Gregory
Nina Dewa
Cathy Burrell
Doreen Sutton
Joan Crowther
Margaret Searby
Mike Westland
Adele Tasker
Sheila Scott
Elaine Lee
Brenda Goodacre
Chris Spindley
Margaret Young
David Elford
Les Tong
Geoff Scott
John Haslehurst
Margaret Tong
Jan Wilson
Front of House
House Manager
Box Office
Marian Westland
Phyllis Dadd
For the Civic Theatre
Licensee
Manager
Stage Managers
Myles Lucas
Mavis Ellin
Brian Lewis
Tony Holmes
Tributes marking The Hospital Players' 100th Production and the Civic Theatre's 21st Anniversary
What a fascinating choice for your 100th effort and the theatre's 21st Birthday. Congratulations and very best wishes for a resounding success.
During the many years when I acted as Drama Adviser for what was once known as Lindsey, I was privileged to help The Hospital Players with many of their shows and I shall always remember those times as particularly happy occasions.
Now that I have passed my seventieth birthday I feel even more privileged at being able to celebrate with this splendid group the achievement of their 100th production.
My wife joins me in warmest congratulations on their long record of service to the town and its delightful theatre and in wishing them every success with this and many, many more productions still to come.
Congratulations and all good wishes to The Hospital Players on the occasion of their 100th production and Happy Anniversary to the Civic Theatre.
I wish The Hospital Players a happy celebration and many more years of successful productions. Here's to the 100th full length production!
It is rather difficult to find words to express my pleasure in being able to take part in the celebrations of your 100th production and 21st birthday of the Civic Theatre.
25 years ago the Libraries and Museum Committee were keen that we should have a theatre. Enquiries were made about various buildings in the town and then it was decided we should build a theatre of our own, which was one of the first Civic Theatres to be built after the war.
I have been able to keep in contact with the theatre as Chairman of the Libraries, Museum and Arts Committee, President of The Hospital Players and President of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society.
For the success of the Theatre we have to thank local drama groups who have staged so many successful productions; the staff and voluntary staff who have worked so hard for the twenty-one years the Theatre has been open and also the members of the public for their regular support.
All that remains for me to do is to wish The Hospital Players and the Civic Theatre many happy returns of the day.
From The Hospital
Players Chairman
A warm welcome to all our friends old and new. We have tried to contact as many ex-members and people who have helped us in the past as we possibly could. Some we could not trace at all (though it has been fun trying!), others for one reason or another may have been missed from our long guest list. If you are one, please accept our apologies.
From our first production ‘The Admirable Crichton’ in 1943 to our one hundredth ‘Canterbury Tales’ in 1979, Phyllis Dadd has been connected with the group through 99 of them – she joined The Hospital Players for their second show ‘Ma’s Bit o’ Brass,’ which played at the old Savoy Theatre on May 5th 1944 and was then taken on ‘tour’ round the villages.
The tradition of taking shows round the villages has continued up to the present time. For the past four years we have produced one or two one-act plays with musical interludes, to make up an entertaining programme to take to local church and village halls. Everyone enjoys going ‘on tour’ and we always have a very good response when news of our intended one-act tours is circulated. A monthly newsletter keeps members up to date with planned events and general news and gossip within the group and also provides a forum for members’ ideas on plays and social activities. With a membership of 50 this is a vital job.
As well as our three full-length productions at the Civic Theatre each year and our one-act tourers, we have at least one social event a month. This helps to keep members not involved in a play at the time in touch with each other. We have theatre visits – Civic Theatre and out of town to Sheffield, Leeds, York and Lincoln, and outings to local hostelries for what is known by the Players as a ‘Pub and Grub’ (always were fond of their food and drink I understand). Annual events include Christmas dinner and dance, Carol singing, Car Rally, Fossil Hunt, Golf Tournament, a weekend in Stratford and an annual day trip to Scarborough to the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round, usually to see the latest Alan Ayckbourn play.
We try not to forget our early connections with the Hospital, and for that reason we retain the name of The Hospital Players, although it has been suggested we add ‘marriage bureau’ to our title, as we have had a large number of weddings within the group in the last couple of years!
What is the secret of success of The Hospital Players? It’s difficult to assess but we are a happy group; proud of our past, loyal to each other, and looking forward to a long and equally successful future.
Thank you for your support in the past, during this memorable week, and hopefully in the future.
Jill Burns