Mountain Air

Publicity #1: Mountain Air
Publication: Shoreham Herald
Publication Data: July 4 1952 issue – page 9 – Talk of Many Things by Sothern Pepys
Text Header: “Anglo-Swiss”
Text: Content

THE Young Wick Players will be working to create a Swiss atmosphere in the Barn Theatre, Southwick, to-night [Friday] and to-morrow, when they present the comedy success Mountain Air by Ronald Wilkinson. It will be their last show of the season.
I last saw this play at Steyning, when many voted it one of the best productions by local amateurs. The play concerns a Swiss family and their remarkable assorted English visitors who fall in and out of love with startling rapidity. It is all typically English comedy in a Swiss setting.

Publicity #2: Mountain Air
Publication: Brighton &Hove Gazette
Publication Data: July 5 1952 issue – page 9 – LOCAL LIMELIGHT by Thalia
Text: Content

AT the Barn Theatre, Southwick, this week, the Young Wick Players are indulging in a little Mountain Air. This comedy, which came to the Palace Pier Theatre quite recently, takes the audience to Switzerland and provides an opportunity for the cast to exercise their foreign accents.

Review #1: Mountain Air
Publication: Brighton and Hove Herald
Publication Data: July 5 1952 issue – page 4
Reviewer: Unknown
Text Header: “Young Wick Players In ‘Mountain Air'”
Text: Content

RONALD WILKINSON’S Swiss frolic. Mountain Air, presented by the Young Wick Players at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, last night [Friday], is mainly a comedy of language.

John Wilson is particularly good as the confused Herr Doktor Johann Hubermann struggling to learn “colloquial English” from ex-R.A.F. tourists visiting his house, much to the delight of his English wife, Anna, well played by Betty Carpenter. Sylvia Sartin is delightful as thier flirtaious French niece, and yet another “foreign” accent is introduced by Ronald twine as Mahish Laurie, a very convincing Scotsman, complete with kilt and sporran.

Michael Tracy and Leslie Eacock are the English tourists, and Pamela Hagon is “Dr. Jackson”, who becomes sufficiently affected by the ountain air to exchange her career for romance. The cast is completed by Antony Caunter, who has the last laugh as a visitor from U.S.A.

Special congratulations are due to Elizabeth Penney for the attractive mountain scenery in the background and the authentic details on the set, which includes a bowl of real Alpine flowers. The producer is Muriel Press.
Another performance is to be given to-night.

Review #2: Mountain Air
Publication: Sussex Daily News
Publication Data: July 5 1952 issue – page 3
Reviewer: Unknown
Text Header: “The Doktor Gave Fine Performance”
Text: Content

Poorly cast, under-rehearsed, the Young Wick Players’ presentation of Mountain Air, by Ronald Wilkinson, in the Barn Theatre, Southwick, last night, still achieved a measure of success, principally due to the fine performance of John Wilson as Doktor Johann Hubermann.

This comedy provided scope for a variety of accents, but apart from Mr. Wilson the players were unequal to the task.
The cast included Sylvia Sartin, Betty Carpenter, Michael Tracy, Leslie Eacock, Ronald Twine, Pamela Hagon and Antony Caunter. Producer was Muriel Press.

Review #3: Mountain Air
Publication: Shoreham Herald
Publication Data: July 11 1952 issue – page 6
Reviewer: Unknown
Text Header: “COMEDY IN MOUNTAIN AIR”
Text: Content

A youthful cast helped to make a success of Ronald Wilkinson’s comedy, Mountain Air, when it was presented at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, by the Young Wick Players as their last production of the season on Friday and Saturday.

Much of the comedy depended on John Wilson as the Swiss Doktor Johann Hubermann [John Wilson] who has to get round tongue twisters in an effort to learn English. His task grows more difficult as his tutors, Harry Simpkinson [Michael Tracy] an ex-pilot and his former C.O. George Beesdale [Leslie Eacock] transfer their attentions to his attractive young niece Nicolette [Sylvia Sartin]. Betty Carpenter successfully managed a difficult part of Hubermann’s wife who finds one of her guests to be Hamish Laurie [Ronald Twine] her former husband.
The arrival of an attractive woman doctor [Pamela Hagon] adds confusion to the party, and Nicolette suffers a temporary loss of admirers. She gains ground, however, with the sudden appearance of an American [Antony Caunter].

The play was produced by Muriel Press and the decor of Swiss Chalet was arranged by Elizabeth Penny [sic]. The assistant stage manager was Clive Townsend, and Sheila Cottier and Wendy were responsible for properties. Effects were arranged by John Chatfield and the electrician was Frank Hurrell assisted by Elwyn Wass.

Review #4: Mountain Air
Publication: West Sussex Gazette & South of England Advertiser
Publication Data: July 10 1952 issue – page 11
Reviewer: Unknown
Text Header: “MOUNTAIN AIR”
Text: Content

Ronald Wilkineon’s comedy,” Mountain Air.” was presented by the Young Wick Players on Friday and Saturday at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, as their last play of the season.

John Wilson was excellent as Johann Hubermann,  the Swiss doctor whose English wife surrounds herself with visitors from the homeland, one of them being Hamish Laurie (Ronald Twine), her former Scottish husband, intent on selling whisky to tourists.

Nicotette was played by youthful Sylvia Sartin, who attracts the attentions of Harry Simpkinson (Michael Tracey), a former flier, and George Beesdale  (Leslie Eacock), once a Wing Commander.

She loses their affections however with the arrival of Dr. Noel Jackson (Pamela Hagon). who makes the best of her feminine attractions in a Swiss setting. The American, Mark Taylor, was played by Antony Caunter.

The play was produced by Muriel Press and the stage manager was Maureen Futcher.