Martins Bank Players (North Eastern)

MARTINS BANK PLAYERS (NORTH EASTERN)

Martins Bank Players (North-Eastern) Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward

Staged: 26 to 30 November 1946 at the Little Theatre Jesmond

Martins Bank Players North Eastern began staging plays in the North Eastern District of the Bank in 1936, putting on one production each years until 1939 when war interrupted things a little! Sadly, from those four pre-war shows, we have details of only two – “Ten Till Three” and “The Late Christopher Bean”, but the advent of Martins Bank Magazine in 1946 means that there are reviews and photographs from the north Eastern Players’ portfolio of productions from then until 1968. For their first post offering, the North Eastern Players stage Noël Coward’s much-loved comic play “Blithe Spirit, which is performed like many of the Players’ other productions, on the stage of the Little Theatre at Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The critic from Martins Bank Magazine is very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the staging and performance, and they note in particular that whilst in Liverpool the Society of the Arts Drama Group draws most of its number from the staff at Head Office, the North Eastern Players are drawn from branches and offices throughout the North Eastern District of the Bank. There is high praise for Jean Anderson, who plays Elvira, the main character, noting that her performance was almost as good as the portrayal of the character in the film of Blithe Spirit. With this production under their belt, the North Eastern Players can feel confident, and look forward to staging many more productions in the coming years…

The production of “Blithe Spirit” by the North-Eastern Players, at the Little Theatre, Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, November 26th to 30th, 1946, was the first post-war production which this enterprising society has undertaken. In view of the revival of the Cicala Players and the activities of that healthy infant—Martins Bank Society of the Arts, Liverpool, we took a trip to see for ourselves what these lions of the north-east were really like. We received several surprises. In the first place, this little group of players—small in numbers because the society is only just starting again, is not concentrated in one office like Martins Bank Society of the Arts which, although membership is open to the district, derives a large part of its strength from Head Office.

John Henderson Mollie Damson Donald Thompson Isabel Dean

Nora Wilkie Margaret Crump and Jean Anderson

Jean Anderson as Elvira

Of the seven players in “Blithe Spirit,” two were former members of the staff and the remainder represented the following offices:—Jesmond, Low Fell, Northumberland Street, Hetton-le-Hole and the District General Manager’s Department. Secondly, to tackle such an ambitious play and to have the courage and the faith to hire a theatre for a week, and to be able to sell every scat, apart from a few on the opening night, was an achievement of a remarkable nature, more so when it is remembered that some members of the cast were without previous acting experience. The credit for the success which they undoubtedly achieved must go in no small measure to the producer, Mrs. Violet Hall, wife of our Bedlington branch manager. She was formerly on our staff at Ashington. As regards the performance itself it was of a very high standard once the cast had warmed up and overcome a certain initial nervousness. As to individual performances, most of us have seen the film and many of us have seen the play, so we did not come to the presentation of it by our own people with completely unbiased minds. The success of the actors was, therefore, all the more praiseworthy. Jean Anderson, as Elvira, most nearly approached the screen interpretation of the part and her performance was outstandingly good. Her dress and make up, combined with her mastery of the art of floating diaphanously across the stage, completed the ethereality of the illusion. Nora Wilkie as the maid captured the applause every time she appeared, or rather—disappeared. Isabel Dean, as Madame Arcati, was entirely convincing in this difficult role. Donald Thompson and Margaret Crump, as Charles and Ruth, and John Henderson and Mollie Dawson, as Dr. and Mrs. Bradman, played easily and naturally, which required talented acting in such a charged atmosphere. A pleasing feature to the players was the excellent support given by the staff in the district from the District General Manager downwards.