HOME

WELCOME

NEWS

BRANCHES

GRASSHOPPERS

LEWIS’S BANK

CONTACT US

SITE MENU

<

MARTINS BANK PLAYERS (NORTH EASTERN)

Martins Bank Players (North Eastern) in The Gazebo by Alex Coppel

Staged: 09/11/1965 at The little theatre Gateshead

As the writer of the review article below points out, a leap of faith might be necessary when imagining the North Eastern Players, with their North Eastern accents, as Americans in their 1965 production of “The Gazebo”! As you might expect even in a professional production, the accents are somewhat hit and miss, so the addition of American style raincoats, and the odd use of hat here and there are devices designed to further boost the illusion of being “Stateside”.

A punishing run of five nights, which seems to be the norm for the North Eastern Players is staged at the little Theatre in Gateshead, but the cast rise above the language difficulties to show off several members of the group who although new to acting, are nevertheless extremely good performers…

The translation from New York to Newcastle upon Tyne is not an easy one to make in dramatic terms, and the Martins Bank Players are to be congratulated on the measure of success they achieved in their presentation of Alec Coppel's American comedy-drama The Gazebo at the Little Theatre, Gateshead, from November 9th to 13th. Inevitably there were varying degrees of authenticity in the dialogue but the producer had wisely insisted that the American idiom should be suggested rather than realistically copied; the variations therefore were not obtrusive, and the audiences were never embarrassed by the spectacle of earnest amateurs being erratically American.

Left to right: Jim Lindsey, Peter Scott Rodney Mitchell, John Moore, Bill Surtees, Alf Grummett and Ayleen Reed

This result was all the more a credit to the producer for, in a cast of thirteen, six were new members with little or no experience of acting. As Eliot Nash, the writer turned into near-murderer, Alf Grummett carried a good deal of the play in a long and physically exacting role, demanding great versatility and the ability to switch moods suddenly—from the gravity and tenderness of a man prepared to commit murder to protect his wife's good name to his forced hilarity as he tries to cover up his actions and present an untroubled appearance to the world. Alf Grummett accomplished all this with great sincerity and conviction in his first performance for the Players.

Eliot tries on the Gazebo, watched by Nell…

Ayleen Read as Nell, his wife, by the charm of her appearance and performance, made his readiness to murder for her sake entirely credible. The change from the natural gaiety of the character to concern on realising that her husband has something serious to hide was well brought out. The part of the family confidante, Harlow Edison, was played by Jim Lindsay. This is a difficult part bringing out the character's conflicting loyalties between his friendship - and affection for Eliot and Nell and his duties as a conscientious district attorney which lead him inescapably to the conclusion that Eliot is involved in murder. Jim Lindsay admirably portrayed the man's utter integrity, and in ease and polish gave an outstanding performance. These three characters sustain the main action but the small-part players who contribute considerably to the success or failure of any production fitted excellently into the general pattern. As Matilda, the maid, Sylvia Lambert's unearthly screams were worthy of Grand Guignol at its most horrific.

Eliot is gagged by Louis (David Jackson) assisted by the Dook (Stephen Futers)…

Gwen Surtees brought the right air of bustling efficiency to the part of Mrs Chandler, a hard, brisk American business woman, and the small part of Mr Thorp, a builder, was convincingly played by Bill Young. As the visitor, shot at by Eliot as he enters the room, David Herriott died with a dramatic intensity that would have done credit to an Olivier. Two excellent little cameos were contributed by Stephen Futers as 'The Dook', a suave and well-educated Englishman gone to seed, and David Jackson as Louie his accomplice, a depraved and sadistic hoodlum. The scene where they tie up the luckless Eliot before extracting from him the secret of the missing body conveyed exactly the sinister atmosphere. As Inspector Ryan, a tough New York cop, Bill Surtees stepped straight out of a Raymond Chandler story, dominating the stage during his interrogation of the unfortunate Eliot. The small parts of Dr Wyner, Bruker, and a cop, were capably handled by Peter Scott, John Moore, and Rodney Mitchell. The play was directed by Nora Wilkie—her eleventh production for the Players—and fully maintained the high standard of performance and staging of her previous productions. She again had the invaluable support of her efficient stage team: Bob Wilkie (stage manager), Derek Bates (assistant stage manager), Joan Tweddle (property mistress), and Margaret Crump (prompter).

M