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 Martins
Bank Society of the Arts – Drama Section in: Death Takes a Holiday
by
Alberto Casella (English Version by Walter Ferris)
Staged:
13 and 14 December 1948 at the Crane Hall Theatre Liverpool
The Crane Hall, also known as Crane Theatre, or THE Crane Theatre, and later as the Neptune Theatre and the
Epstein Theatre becomes a favourite performance venue for the Drama Section
of the Society of the Arts. Indeed the music section, and later the Argosy
players and the Operatic Society will all make regular use of this compact
friendly little theatre in Hanover Street, not too far at all from Martins
Bank’s Heywoods Branch. The review
below of “Death Takes a Holiday” does not mince words when it comes to
opinions about whther the Drama Section was good enough to perform it! We
have seen from the reviews of the Bank’s other Am Dram and Operatic
Productions, that critiques are to the point, often quite cutting and
opinionated, and on those occasions which warrant delivery of large bouquets,
quite fair too! After all,
never-ending gushing praise for everything would not fairly represent the
work involved in staging a play. The subject matter of this Winter 1948 offering
from the Drama Section, is curious to say the least, and several films
including “Meet joe Black” have also tackled the idea that Death him/herself
can walk amongst the living…
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 For
their first production at Crane Hall, Liverpool, the choice of the Society
fell upon “Death Takes a Holiday” by Alberto Casella (English version by
Walter Ferris). The play was presented for two performances, on December
13th and 14th, 1948. The theme of the play is that Death decides to cease
work and come to Earth in human guise for a three days' holiday in order to
try to experience something of human joys and sorrows. His plans and
calculations are upset by the fact that he falls in love with Grazia,
daughter of the Princess of San Luca. It would be hard to find a more
difficult play for amateurs to tackle because, for the sustentation of the
intensity of the drama a very high standard of acting is called for, not
only from the principals but from everyone in the cast.
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William Brookes Colin Skelton Nora Owen
Ann Smellie Joan Hall D E Brewis Betty Jackson Howell Jones Maureen
Dempster
Kenneth C Batten Frances Fieldsend
Reginald W Bywell – from the personal collection Colin d’Arcy Skelton
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This was too much to hope for in a company which contained amateurs,
some of whom were appearing for the first time. Furthermore, whether
amateurs like it or not. for some reason the majority of people prefer to
have a good laugh at an amateur show. The conclusions to be drawn from this
production, therefore, are, quite baldly:— 1. It was not, on the whole, a
popular choice. 2. Well done though it undoubtedly was, some of the actors
did not measure up to the standard required for the intensity of the drama.
Having said that, we can quite unreservedly give full marks to Sydney
Rimmer as the Prince: to Betty Jackson as Grazia; to Ken Batten as Lambert,
Duke of Catolica; and to Bill Brookes as Baron Cesarea.
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S N Rimmer and Betty Jackson
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S N Rimmer and K C Batten
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Sydney Rimmer has a very fine speaking voice and an excellent
stage presence. His sense of the dramatic was admirably suited to the
portrayal of the difficult role of Death, and the many fine lines of his
part provided full scope for his histrionic talent. To say that Betty
Jackson interpreted her part as Death’s chosen one with a beauty which had
in it something not of this world is just the simple truth. Her loveliness
was ethereal, almost too fragile to be material, and one had the feeling
before even the gloomy guest appeared that she was already in part familiar
with worlds as yet unknown to the rest of us. Ken Batten as the Duke of
Catolica, holder of the dread secret of the visitor's real identity.
entered so much into his part that the trembling of his hands
and the perspiration on his brow was genuine, and he carried his audience
with him by the unconscious sincerity of his portrayal. Bill Brookes as
Baron Cesarea, earned and received his applause at each of his appearances.
It was a character part, delightfully played, and he portrayed the “gay old
dog” with a debonair gallantry which won all hearts. Frances Fieldsend
played the part of the Duchess of Catolica.
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Joan Hall and William Brookes
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She put up a very good act, although in pain at both performances
owing to an abscess in her ear. It was very sporting of her to go through
with it. The part of Corrado, son of the Duke and Duchess of Catolica, was
taken by Howell Jones. He did it admirably and conveyed his feeling of
helplessness in the face of the supernatural so well that one felt some
annoyance that some of the other characters remained comparatively
unperturbed. This was where the inexperience of some of
the players was felt. Although Rhoda and Eric Fenton, guests of the Duke,
played by Nora Owen and D. E. Brewis, showed distress, it was a detached
kind of emotion. Likewise Ann Smellie as Alda Cesarea seemed insufficiently
shocked when she discovered that the person making love to her was Death
himself. And Joan Hall, as Grazia’s mother, did not display the degree of
grief which the situation called for upon her realisation that Death had
claimed her daughter. More grief would have vastly improved the
interpretation. Reg. W. Bywell played the part of Major Whitred, the
Foreign Legionnaire. Why wasn't he made up to look like Beau Geste ? The
debonair legionary who had flirted with death was not suggested by the
heavy moustache and elderly make-up. Fedele, the manservant, played by
Colin Skelton, was good, and it was a pity his part was so small.
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Likewise Maureen Dempster in the role of Cora, the maid, had
little scope for her undoubted talent. It was typical of her enthusiasm
that she agreed to take this tiny role some time after production had
commenced. Owing to the Euston strike the costumes failed to arrive and on
the morning of the production it became necessary for Sheila Boote to go to
Manchester to get another set. Her work, with that of E. G. Shaw as Stage
Managers was deserving of the highest praise. It is also appropriate to
mention Kathleen Horsburgh and Miss A. J. Smith (“Smithy”) whose work with
refreshments during rehearsals at the theatre and on the nights of the
performances was untiring. Kathleen also acted as wardrobe mistress.
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Sep3M x
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