AMATEURS BEAT SNAGS TO MAKE "WILD VIOLETS" BLOOM

Scenery late, too big for Town Hall Stage but show's colour, charm win through

Accrington Amateur Operatic Society last night got off to a flying start with their show Wild Violets which is to run all week with Saturday matinee in the Town Hall. 

The accent this time is on humour and dancing. The music is pleasant and tuneful, and one of the numbers "Don't Say Goodbye" will be particularly familiar as the closing signature tune of Victor Sylvester. There is, generally speaking, a light, tapping rhythm and there is a least one good romantic song, "You, Just You".

It is likely to be another success to add to the Society's long record. The standard should be judged by the relative proportion of the difficulties which the society this year have been called on to surmount.

Not since the scenery failed to arrive for the dress rehearsal for The Mousmé in 1921 have the society had such a chapter of accidents as has befallen this show. When given in 1932 at Drury Lane when the revolving stage was new, it must have been a very spectacular show.

A mountain of scenery arrived on Thursday after havïüg been delayed by fog. With great toil and trouble it was carried into the Town Hall by the men of the Society. The sad realisation then dawned on everyone. The scenery was too large for the stage. Even if the show had been held in the Hippodrome it is doubtful if all of it could have been used. In the Town Hall it was impossible to store it, let alone move it around.

The only set

As this scenery is the only set in existence in this country for Wild Violets it had to be this or nothing. When the preliminary enquiries were made it was generally assumed that most of it could be used. In this event it has been possible only to use the back cloths and rear flats. The side flats have had to be dispensed with and curtains used instead.

The curtains are not without their advantages, however. They give more room for the company to work on the stage, and when the dresses are swirling and the music and dancing cast their spell, there is not as much loss of glamour as one would expect.

Charm of Edwardian dress

Old Vienna takes some beating as the setting. for musical comedy, but a story about a boys' school and girls' school In Switzerland away back in 1902 makes a good substitute.

In view of the revived interest in Edwardian dress. the setting is unexpectedly topical, and that may be one of the reasons for the selection of the piece.

Seen en masse on the stage there is something smart and pleasing about the dress of the men though the women's naturally have more colour. The white blouses and violet skirts of the girls' school and their pink party frocks look very striking.

Unchanging youth

The piece has a prologue and epilogue from which we learn that young people were ever the same. The parents who object so strongly to their young folk's engagement, and who were shocked at their elopement, did in fact fall in love and elope themselves when they were young.

Time switches back to 1902 to show just what gay young sparks these old stagers were in their youth. They elope from a girls' finishing school in Switzerland, the Chateau Violette, where the girls are rather wild - they're all wild violets - and the schoolmistress gets wild too. The spirit of perennial youth is gaily borne across by the happy carefree style of the music which sets the feet tapping.

While the entire cast strive hard to impress with their youthful zest, for life, Sally Hartley steals the show as the Maid Augusta. In this somewhat Nellie Wallace character she's dynamic. The rest of the east have all their work cut out to get anything like the same drive into it.

Her best

This is her third leading part with the Accrington Society and unquestionably her best. She has had considerable experience in the past with Whalley and Clitheroe, and is an adept in getting her comedy over. Her captivating personality, lively, gestures and complete abandon into the part, make this a well nigh perfect role. She is riotously funny performing at the ironing board, or in struggling to get some ice into an ice box. She ends this scene by climbing up a dresser which almost topples over.

Hardworking comic

Joe Franks, in his debut as the leading comedian, keeps up remarkably well with this hurricane storming through the show. He is not helped enormously by the lines he is given. Nevertheless with. his deadpan expression he, too, can be very funny. There is a capital scene where he and Sally Hartley come careering on the stage on a three-wheeled tandem. They also engage in a wrestling bout which turns out to be their version of a love affair.

Elopement scene

John Iddon again makes a pleasing male lead, and along with Jean Dodgeon, a very charming Mary, sings the romantic air "You, just you, made the world seem new", which also "Made my dreams come true" and so on and so on. There is a lovely elopement scene for this pair, when she leaves the school by night. With better stage facilities it is probable this could have been made more spectacular. Jean Dodgeon with a tuneful singing voice has also a delightful number with the men "Don't Say Goodbye."

The surprise so far as John Iddon is concerned is his sudden development of a streak of comedy. Looking like an apostle for Enosis he appears in deepest black with long beard as a pretended professor of music, thus gaining admission to the girls' school for a students' prank. Some of his comedy touches here are quite delightful.

The girls

This musical comedy also has another female lead. Teresa Haworth appears as the skittish kittenish schoolgirl, arch sprite in all the mischief going. She sings the, trio "Dreaming of Love" with Margaret Price (Mitzi), and Ann Laytham (Lena) who also convey admirably the idea of playful schoolgiras with only one thought - men.

Male leads

The males who most seem to occupy their thoughts are John Iddon (Paul), Alan Barnes (Otto) and Gordon Robinson (Erik). This last trio bring the right touch of devil-may-care to the parts, and lead the men in a catchy chorus "A Girl Has Got My Heart", which is accompanied with a tapping drum beat.

The show is strong in comedy parts and provides good opportunities for two of the senior members of the society, Harry Howson (Rutherford) and Dorothy Nicholls (Madam Hoffman, the schoolmistress). Both have been with the society now for 23 years since "The Vagabond King" production.

A new vein of comedy

Mr. Howson exploits a new vein of comedy as the "old rake" ogling all the pretty girls, while Miss Nicholls makes the fierce dragon of a schoolmistress melt agreeably after a drop of the famous punch at "The Stone Jug Inn", where much of the comedy is set

Sally Nield, once again shows her accomplished acting ability in the part of Mlle. Yvonne Dupres, the French mistress. Mary Spiers gives an amusing turn to the severity of the English-mistress. Ernest Nield duplicates the role of Dr. Franck and that of Rudolph, the manservant, who's a sort of Walrus and the Carpenter rolled into one. In the prologue and the epilogue Joe Waite and Eve Chadwick speak clearly and confidently as the young folk, Carl and Greta about to embark on the second edition of the elopement story.

Colourful dancing

The dancing arranged by Miss Brenda Holgate is a feature of the show. One of the most colourful is the dance with the parasols in "Charming Weather" and there is also a sprightly ballet of sports girls, and a dance by the schoolgirls with candles as they gambol in their nightdresses.

Good chorus work

The chorus generally do excellent work. In one scene the limitations of the Town Hail stage have been turned to a decided advantage. This is the garden of the Stone Jug Inn. Here the balcony behind the Town Hall platform is used, the chorus and the principals sitting at gaily decorated tables rising on the balcony. Even Drury Lane is unlikely to have given a more spacious setting for this scene. The Town Hall stage looks enormous when it ss opened out in this way under the floodlights and with dark curtains far background. Last night the chorus sounded in particularly good form and roused the audience to a high pitch of enthusiasm.

Imaginative leadership

The whole show is a credit to the imaginative leadership of Mr. Norman Entwistle as coach and producer. His task in thinking of all the detail which has gone into the show must have been colossal. In fact many Accrington people hardly realise the weight of work which goes into shows like this. Rehearsals start a fortnight before the Accrington July holidays and the principals take their books with. them to read on holiday.

The orchestra of ten instrumentalists under the direction of Mr Harry Ashworth of Rosegrove, the new musical director, are effective without being over prominent.

Once again a word of praise is due to Mr. Eddie Spiers, the hon. stage manager, and his staff, who have had a most unenviable task. Their skill in improvisation in a crisis has undoubtedly saved the show.

The dancers are: Pat Ayres, Diana Cooper, Barbara Easton, Barbara Duckworth, Margaret Edmundson, Audrey Hindle, Barbara Lord, Avice Smithies and Olive Ward.

Chorus

Members of the chorus are: Margaret Ashton, Constance Bridge, Eve Chadwick, Kathleen Evans, Anne Franks, Rena Hilton, Beryl Jenkin, Barbara Lax, Florence Lonsdale, Joyce Mitchell, Dorothy Pickup, Joan Rostron, Irene Stones, Norma Todd; Frances Warren and Audrey Wren. Jim Gunn; Dennis Howson; Fred Hunter; Ernest Nield; Walter Richards, Desmond Wilcock; Alfred Owen; William Woods and Jack Morne.

Miss C. P. Woodmansey is prompt, and Mr. T. Franks and Mrs. J. Woodmansey hon. accompanists. Mrs. L. E. Kidd. and Mrs: N. Entwistle are hon. wardrobe mistresses, and Mr. R. Hamer is hon. wardrobe master. A small army of other devoted workers are associated with the business and organisation side of the show.

Backstage

Among those who have lent assistance with the lighting, the staging and properties are: Messrs. W. Ashworth, J. Birtwistle, T. G. Butler, J. Bray, K. Edwards, D. Haley, J. Haworth, J. Hacking, B. Higson, H. Holden, J. L. Haworth, R. Sentance, R. Taylor, K. Ward, T. Weseell. J. Whitely, T. Whitworth, S. Williams and J. Holden. B. Oldnall and M. Dickenson are the call boys.

Review in the Accrington Observer.