Power Without Glory

Publicity #1: Power Without Glory
Publication: Brighton &Hove Gazette
Publication Data: January 171953 issue – page 11 LOCAL LIMELIGHT by Thalia
Text: Content

THE Young Wick Players, having served their apprenticeship in one-act plays and graduated to light comedies, are about to venture into strong drama with Power Without Glory, by Michael Clayton Hutton, on January 23 and 24. The play will be produced by a comparatively new member Betty Gedge, who gave an excellent performance in the company’s last production And This Was Odd.

The part of Anna will be played by Betty Carpenter, the Group’s Secretary. The entire action of the play centres round this character, the earlier scenes showing her engaged to Eddie and later in the play transferring her affections to his brother Cliff, which quite naturally causes something of an emotional upheaval. The two brothers will be played by Patrick Johnson and John Wilson.

Review #1: Power Without Glory
Publication: Shoreham Herald
Publication Data: January 30 1953 issue – page 5
Reviewer: Unknown
Text Header: “Back room murder”
Text: Content

The Young Wick Players made a notable success of their first full-length drama, Power Without Glory, by Michael Clayton Hutton, which was staged at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, on Friday. Another performance was given on Saturday.

The squalid living room behind an East End shop, soon after the last war, made an excellent setting for murder scenes. Patricia Hollingworth was admirable as the young Cockney girl who knows her brother, Cliff, to be the murderer. John Wilson, as Cliff, gave a talented performance as the man waiting for the police to track him down. Complications arise when elder brother, Eddie [Patrick Johnson], tries to accept blame for the crime.
Michael Dawes and Betty Perry were excellent as the husband and wife trying desperately to protect their children, watching the precarious love affair between Cliff and Anna [Betty Carpenter]. On Anna, already engaged to Eddie, the suspense of play largely depends. Edith, Maggie’s sister, played by Maureen Baker, witnesses the end of the drama.

The play was produced by Betty Gedge, and the stage manager was Diana Hubbard. Lighting was arranged by Frank Hurrell and effects by John Chatfield. Claire Smithers and Sheila Cottier were responsible for properties.

Review #2: Power Without Glory
Publication: Brighton & Hove Gazette
Publication Data: January 31 issue 1953 – page 14
Reviewer: Unknown
Text header: “A Love Triangle in War”
Text: Content

IN Power Without Glory, Michael Clayton Hutton uses war-time influence, as a background for the eternal but inevitable triangle. The transference of a girl’s affections while her first choice is on active service, and the cheap regard for human life born of the bitter experiences of modern warfare is the main theme of the play which the Young Wick Players presented at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, on Friday and Saturday.

Considerable realism was achieved by the three main characters. Betty Carpenter handled the difficult rôle of Anna with competence and sustained the dramatic tension of this emotional upheaval. Patrick Johnson was pathetically noble as Eddie, Anna’s fiancé, noble enough to stand aside in favour of his brother Cliff, played by John Wilson, with a naive simplicity which was most convincing. Betty Perry, as Anna’s mother, and Patricia Hollingworth, as the young and precocious sister, knew their lies, but lacked acting ability, and Michael Dawes, as the father, was distressingly nervous, and gave the right impression of being disinterested.

Some excellent sound effects created an authentic and effective background for this unhappy drama.

Review #3: Power Without Glory
Publication: Unknown
Publication Data: Unknown
Reviewer: Unknown
Text header: “Young Drama Group’s Venture”
Text: Content

IN Power Without Glory at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, on Friday and Saturday, the Young Wick Players made a brave venture into the realms of serious drama – an interesting departure from the more usual comedy choice presented by these youthful enthusiasts in the past.

Sensitive playing by Betty Carpenter as Anna, the central figure in a strongly emotional life-slice from London’s riverside back streets, deserved a high percentage of praise for an ambitious attempt in which inexperience sometimes proved too great a stumbling block. Good work was done by Patrick Johnson and John Wilson as two brothers in love with the same girl, and by Maureen Baker with a welcome touch of humour in a situation otherwise starkly tragic.

Patricia Hollingworth, Betty Perry, and Michael Dawes all had moments of excellence in the supporting rôles.
The producer, Betty Gedge, is to be congratulated on her courageous handling of this difficult play.

Review #4: Power Without Glory
Publication: West Sussex Gazette & South of England Advertiser
Publication Data: January 29 1953 issue – page 8
Reviewer: Unknown
Text Header: “A MURDER PLAY”
Text: Content

The Young Wick Players presented their first full-length drama at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, on Friday.
They chose Michael Clayton Hutton’s “Power Without Glory,” a murder story set against the background of east end London. The role of murderer was played by John Wilson as Cliff, victim of his own emotions, who finds himself in love with the attractive Anna, played by Betty Carpenter, who was already engaged to Cliff’s brother Eddie (Patrick Johnson).

Patricia Hollingworth gave a talented performance as the boys’ sister, Flo, herself tormented by environment and unrealised ambitions. Other parts were taken by Betty Perry as the mother of the family and Michael Dawes as her husband. Maureen Baker was Edith, Maggie’s sister.
The play was produced by Betty Gedge. Stage manager was Diana Hubbard and the lighting arranged by Frank Hurrell, John Chatfield was responsible tor the effects and properties were arranged by Claire Smlthers and Sheila Cottier.