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MARTINS BANK PLAYERS (NORTH EASTERN)

Martins Bank Players (North Eastern) The Hollow by Agatha Christie

Staged: 15 to 19 November 1960 at The Little Theatre Gateshead

Martins Bank’s North Eastern players try their hand at Agatha Christie, with an ambitious five-night run of her play “The Hollow”. High drama, and emotion is dealt with consumate professionalism by the Players’ own regulars AND newcomers, and the following article published in Martins Bank Magazine’s Winter 1960 issue heaps praise on the production, and notes that it was well supported by good audience numbers throughout. It is also good to see that in the “man’s world” of Banking, it is a woman, Nora Wilkie who is given fully deserved recognition as the producer of the play. The reputation the Players have for taking on ambitious productions and then delivering great performances with consumate ease is now well-established, and the Bank can be proud of having not one but THREE amateur groups, two in the north, one in the south, who have the commitment and professional attitude to attract and wow paying audiences. In the north East, Tyne Tees Television has now been established for one year, and it is INDEPENDENT television that will be the main competition for live theatre throughout the 1960s, with its heady mix of advertisements, gameshows with fabulous prizes, and kitchen sink dramas interspersed with top American shows. It is no longer going to be easy for either amateur OR professional group to attract people to the theatre…

FOR their 1960 Show the Players chose Agatha Christie's play "The Hollow", and presented it for five nights, November 15th—19th, at the Little Theatre, Gateshead. The play is a difficult one for amateurs, especially for female amateurs, with its scenes of high emotion, and the drama is hard to work up, especially during the first act when nothing much is happening, the time being devoted to the portrayal of characters and the build up of the situation which produces the tragedy to follow. Nora Wilkie, who now has an A.D.B. after her name, had obviously devoted much care to her casting, and a skilful mixing of seasoned performers with "first-timers" ensured a full degree of confidence among the beginners which helped them enormously in what was, admittedly, an ambitious task. She is a first class producer.

Stephen Futers, Ann McGraw, Donald Thompson, Viccy Simm, Ayleen Reed, Margaret Crump, Charles Knight, Nancy Watson, Brenda Banbury and Malcolm Binns

With this preamble, therefore, we must come right to the point and single out Ann McGraw for her outstanding performance as the widow of the murdered man. Most amateurs can sustain a dramatic situation for a short time, but a sustained performance takes some doing and Ann has proved herself without doubt to be the find of the season.

Rowland Child, Malcolm Johnson and Malcolm Binns

New to the Players, but not new to acting, was Norman Watson's wife, Nancy, who gave a near-perfect portrayal of the scatter-brained, inconsequential Lady Angkatell. The poise, dignity and charm of her husband was portrayed with that competent mixture of humour and sensitivity which Stephen Futers does so well. The two were perfectly contrasted. Donald Thompson had the job of carrying on an affair, disentangling himself from an older affair, being ill at ease and irritable with his very sweet wife and thoroughly discourteous to a male member of the family, finally getting himself murdered. He managed the whole portrayal with an efficiency which was quite alarming and his final death scene was extremely well done. One of the subjects of the intrigue was Ayleen Reed who was concerned with another lover also. She handled each with a sympathy and understanding which prevented the performance from ever becoming cheap, and despite her misdemeanour she retained our sympathy. Margaret Crump has that invaluable quality of being able to create a feeling of suspense and drama merely by the use of her eyes and the turning of her head and shoulders. She had, in addition, to portray unrequited love. This difficult part was in good hands and her performance added more laurels to an already sound reputation.

Charles Knight was given a change of character this time. Instead of the comedy parts he has so often played he was given the straight part of a lonely bachelor, fond of a girl who wouldn't marry him, and loved by another girl of whose feeling he was quite oblivious until a late stage in the play. Frankly, we thought it was one of his best performances, and of much greater depth than some of his earlier roles. Viccy Simm portrayed the morally unscrupulous film actress. Skilful use of make-up added the required years and for a first appearance her portrayal of seduction, passion and vindictiveness was most realistic and highly commendable. A very promising young actress.

Rowland Child and Malcolm Johnson portrayed the Inspector and the Detective-Sergeant respectively. It was a new type of part for Mr. Child who had taken it because of casting difficulties. He made a dignified and gentlemanly officer, just the kind of person one felt ought to be sent to deal with county folk in whose home a tragedy has unfortunately occurred. The sergeant, however, was not really equal to the cockney accent and his postures tended to be caricatures. The two officers seemed, as a result, to be ill-assorted. Malcolm Johnson has talent, however, and we shall look forward to his next appearance. Brenda Banbury took the part of a saucy and inexperienced maid. Again, it was a first performance, and one full of promise for the future. Malcolm Binns as the manservant, another new recruit, gave a dignified performance of a part which is never very easy. He had a number of appearances to make and it was no cipher of a part, but he acquitted himself most creditably. The play was well supported as, indeed, it deserved to be.

Margaret Crump, Ann McGraw and Nancy Wilson (Background) Ayleen Reed, Stephen Futers and Donald Thompson (Foreground)

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