Martins Bank Players (North Eastern)

MARTINS BANK PLAYERS (NORTH EASTERN)

Martins Bank Players (North-Eastern) in Hay Fever by Noël Coward

Staged: 9 to 13 November 1954 at the Little Theatre Gateshead

The 1950s is really the heyday for drama productions staged by Martins Bank’s amateur groups. In turn, the 1960s will bring great success for the operatic performers, and much of that is down to the lavish staging of familiar Gilbert and Sullivan works that the audience already knows, loves, and can sing along to. When it comes to drama, familiarity is also an audience winner, and a bit of Noël Coward in the repertoire is always a good thing. Having already performed the Coward classic “Blithe Spirit in 1947, Martins Bank Players North Eastern stage another favourite “Hay Fever” for their 1954 production – laughs are guaranteed as polite social situations quickly degenerate into farcical arguments and other hilarious social set-pieces.

The ability to act out much of the play with facial expressions alone stretches the Players’ actress Margaret Crump, but according to the review from Martins Bank Magazine, she achieves this brief with ease. For Bill Surtees comes what is described as the embarrassment of making love to an older woman and then transferring his affections to a younger one (!) All this is staged before North Eastern banking “royalty” – Sir Humphrey Noble, Bart., and his wife Lady Noble. Even with this added pressure to perform well the Players are congratulated for an excellent show.

“Hay Fever”, Noel Coward's well-known play, was the choice of the North Eastern Players for their 1954 show which was staged for five nights, November 9th to 13th, at the Little Theatre, Gateshead. We seem fated in having to see many of these shows on the first night, due to the pressure of engagements elsewhere at the time of year they are usually held, but although the Players themselves rather regret this, we can at least assure them that their standard of performance can stand a first-night test. The plot centres round a family of four, each of whom, unknown to the other, invites a week-end guest who is unacceptable to the rest.

Left to right:—Margaret Crump, Charles Knight, Margaret Rodgers, Nora Wilkie, Bill Surtees, Gerald Eaves, Margaret Kennedy and Colin Kennedy.

The guests leave surreptitiously while the family quarrels violently.

The family itself, although somewhat Bohemian, does not accept the resulting situation with that happy insouciance which characterises well-organised hospitality and the events which follow make the fun. Supreme in the part of hostess, the ageing actress whose every action is a pose, was Nora Wilkie. She is the most versatile actress in the company and is always a delight to watch. The part of her author husband was played by Gerald Eaves and his sharply contrasted style of acting—dry, incisive, utterly self-centred just as she was though in an entirely different way, was a perfect foil to the theatrical poses of his stage spouse. The afternoon tea scene, when he looks after his own wants completely oblivious of the needs of his guests, was one of the best bits in the play.

Full marks also to Margaret Crump whose part as Jackie, a timid girl, invited by the author himself, required about 90 per cent, of acting by facial expression alone, the lines themselves, providing little scope. She held the stage again and again and one could not help allowing one's gaze to wander to her face to watch the effect upon it of the remarks made by other people. Charles Knight as the diplomat was the best possible choice for the part. He can carry these “monocle” parts to a nicety and the contrast with the mouse-like character played by Margaret Crump provided one of the funniest scenes in the play.

Nancy Eaves and Charles Knight

Nora Wilkie, Colin Kennedy and Margaret Rodgers

The part of the dresser-turned-maid was played by Nancy Eaves and, though we have never met such a person ourselves in real life we thought the portrayal was very intelligently done and the result pretty authentic. The children of the author and actress were played by Margaret Rodgers and Colin Kennedy. They had the tough job of warming the play up and it doesn't give them a lot of help during the first few minutes. In fact, we thought they improved considerably as the play got going and probably by the end of the week a little early woodenness apparent on the first night would have entirely disappeared. Two very promising young people. We understand that Margaret Kennedy has not taken part in amateur dramatics before. She must, therefore, be specially complimented on the flying start she made. She has a good stage presence, is very attractive to look at, her diction is good and she appeared quite at lase Bill Surtees had rather an embarrassing part to play, that of making love to an older woman and then transferring his affections to a younger one. We thought that more ardour would have suited the portrayal better as this character is not an easy one to put over convincingly, but the audience responded satisfactorily and that is the real test. The play was directed by Rowland Child and Bob Wilkie was the Stage Manager. The show was well up to the standard we have come to expect from this excellent company. On the night we attended we noted with pleasure the presence of Sir Humphrey Noble, Bart., and Lady Noble. Their presence was a great encouragement to the players.