When Les Seaword left in 1967, there was nobody to carry on the
tradition of the School play and the last was in 1966. But there
was clearly a wish to maintain some form of stage performance and,
following its enormous success as the House Drama winner of1968,
Egner decided that "Pyramus and Thisbe" (produced by Clifford
Burnett) should be performed at the Summer Concert.
After the summer holidays, it was announced that instead of a school
play, there would be a "school musical". It would be a
joint production between the boys' and girls' schools, produced
by the two music teachers (Keith Trewhitt and Miss Mitchelson).
It would be Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance and be
performed on the stage of the boys' school just before the Easter
holidays in 1969.
For me, as Frederick, it was a major undertaking. While most of the other cast members
could fall back on the huge theatricality of their parts, Frederick was the "romantic
lead", was on stage more than anyone, had more lines and more solos, and it wasn't
easy ... but it was fun.
There is a review of the performance in the 1969
ATOM.
I can't remember a great deal about the show, other than it terrified me. I remember shortly
before the performance I fell and really hurt my arm - a part of me hoped that it was broken
and I'd not get to perform!
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Major-General Stanley - Malcolm Taylor
Pirate King - Cliff Burnett
Sergeant - John West
Frederick - Michael Todd
Policeman - Tony Baynes
Lieutenant - John Taylor
Ruth - Teresa Legg
Mabel - Kathryn Hunter
Girls
Eilleen Jordan
Effie West
Barbara Clark
Jane Arthur
Plus boys & girls choruses
Producers
Keith Trewhitt
Miss Mitchelson
Assistants
Miss Orwin
Miss Ingoe (accompanist)
Mr Mason (accompanist
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