wicktheatre > Archive > Performances > Salad Days

Salad Days

The Barn Theatre, Southwick Community Centre

May 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 1972

Salad Days

by Dorothy Reynolds  &  Julian Slade

Directed by
Barrie Bowen


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“Delightful ‘Days’ at Southwick”
– Brighton & Hove Gazette –

Cast

Jack Bingham – The Tramp

Ralph Dawes – Passer by

Sally Bacon – Passer by

Ann Baker – Passer by

Jane Durance – Passer by

Moyra Martin – Passer by

David Creedon – Don

Anthony Deasey – Don

John Davidson – Don

Neil Shepherd – Don

Sylvia Ryall – Jane

Michael Donkin – Timothy

Frances Moulton – Timothy’s Mother

Neil Shepherd – Timothy’s Father

Mary Payne – Aunt Prue

Sheila Wright – Lady Raeburn

Moyra Martin – Heloise

Valerie Burt – Assistant

Barbara Moulton – Manicurist

David Creedon – PC Boot

Ann Baker – Rowena

John Davidson – The Bishop

Nikki Le Roy – Troppo

Jane Durance – A Butterfly Catcher

Susan Hollis – An Artist

Sally Bacon – A Sunbather

Jane Smith – A Tennis Player

Anthony Deasey – Fosdyke

Jack Bingham – Sir Clamsby Williams

Neil Shepherd – Inspector

John Davidson – Nigel

Anthony Deasey – American

Sally Bacon – Shop Girl

Joy Talmage – Theatregoer

Jack Bingham – Theatregoer

Susan Hollis – Lady

David Creedon – Manager

Jane Durance – Fiona

Neil Shepherd – Tom Smith

Barbara Moulton – Waitress

Jane Smith – Slave

Miranda Bowen – Arms Dancer

Anthony Deasey – Arms Dancer

Brian Moulton – Augustine Williams

Sheila Wright – Asphynxia

Anthony Deasey – Pressman

Neil Shepherd – Pressmen

Frances Moulton – Lady

Betty Dawes – Lady

Mary Payne – Lady

Sally Bacon – Lady

David Creedon – Ambrose

Valerie Burt – Marguerite

Moyra Martin – Anthea

Neil Shepherd – Electrode

Anthony Deasey – Uncle Zed

 

Production Crew

Musical DirectorEric Thompson

Technical DirectorGeorge Laye

DesignRichard Porter

Stage ManagerDavid Wiltshire

ChoreographyMiranda Bowen

Production SecretaryLesley Rogers

CostumesPat Moss

Lighting DesignFrank Hurrell

Hair StylesJanet Leaney

PianoPeggy King, Eric Thompson

PercussionDavid Green

BassStuart Bartholomew

Rehearsal AccompanistMargaret Ockenden

Assistant Stage ManagerAlan Upton

Assistant Stage ManagerEthel Barrs

Assistant Stage ManagerAnita Job

Assistant Stage ManagerRoger Job

WardrobeCarol Brand

WardrobePat Mendum

PropertiesMargaret Davy

PropertiesFrances Thorne

EffectsDavid Ryall

EffectsFrank Hurrell

ConstructionGeorge Laye

ConstructionAlan Upton

Front of House ManagerPaul Carpenter

StillsJohn Elliott

Box Office – Jean Porter, Tel. Shoreham 3641 and at Southern Organs prior to each production

 

Programme Note #1: Salad Days

BB wrote: “It has been the policy of the Wick in recent years to present plays of an ever widening production scope and audience appeal. To-night’s play is no exception. Experiments with multi-set plays and the dimension of music in revues and recently Oh, What A Lovely War have enabled us to present this full musical play.
This delightful – almost fairy tale – story was first presented by the Bristol Old Vic in 1954. It is full of comedy and fantasy, a commodity in somewhat short supply these days.
Salad Days has been a long standing ambition of mine to produce. Fantasy and entertainment are my escape. We all of us need the occasional escape from the daily pressures of our over developed industrial society, and I hope you can escape with us for two hours, and having left us after, remain for a while under its whimsical spell!”

Programme Note #2: Salad Days

“We emerged successfully from the looming shadow of the great power cuts and our last production, Lady Windermere’s Fan went off without a hitch. Our audience seemed very enthusiastic about the play and the only real cloud across the scene was the recent death of our President, Mrs. Elizabeth Penney. She had been our foundress and guiding hand for 23 years and we are certain she would have wanted the show to go on as usual.

My very first meeting with ‘Molly’ was at her home during a rehearsal of her own play A Christmas Story, and I recall a great throng of people, some attired in multi coloured blankets, including the Rector Hugh Etherington. The centre of all the activity was Mrs. Penney, vital, authoritative, completely ‘at home’ among a crowd of young people. In fact, this was one of her great virtues – being involved and identifying with the younger generation – a mother figure.

The loss of Molly ends an era and it is proper to reflect in these notes on her achievements apart from bringing the Wick into being. Her play A Christmas Story was presented three times at the Barn Theatre by the company and was always a moving experience, particularly in 1965 when it was dressed in Byzantine style with appropriate decor. She acted and produced, although for the most part was content to guide. She played Lady Bracknell and the old Queen in Becket.

She had a great facility with words and wrote several short plays some of which, including a Festival of Britain pageant script, were performed by the Young Wick in the 1950’s. Her most imaginative work was probably in her few poems: several of which she entered in the annual Southwick Arts Festival. Some of you will recall that Mrs. Penney, year after year took prizes in practically every section of the Arts from Creative writing, through painting to floral decoration. Perhaps her very variety of skills and diversity of interest is epitomised by her being Individual Cup Winner and First Lady of Southwick on so many occasions.”

PS for the first time the programme carried “Patrons are requested not to smoke in the auditorium”