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 Martins
Bank Society of the Arts (Music Section) in The Geisha by Owen Hall
Staged: 17th to 21st February 1953 at the Crane Theatre Liverpool
The Music Section of Martins Bank Society of the Arts mounts one of
its most ambitious productions in February 1953. In what is referred to by Martins Bank
Magazine as “the well known and well tried ‘the Geisha’” there are some
outstanding performances – not for the first time does the talent of West
Kirby Branch’s Eric Wylie shine through.
Martins Bank Magazine is a little scathing, declaring that the
performances of the Bank’s Societies should be as good as other amateurs on
Merseyside, but at the same time the writer admits to really enjoying the
performance! When the Music Section
become the Operatic Society, the idea of being as good as the other societies
on Merseyside steps up a level, as the Bank begins to realise that the
“shine” from good publicity is bound to rub off and enhance the Bank’s
reputation. Gold is struck in the early 1960s, when the Operatic Society wins
one of the top awards for amateur operatic groups four years in a row.
Martins Bank Magazine’s review notes, that a winning show is not just
what is een on the stage. It is all the other work that goes on behind the
scenes, from directors and producers down to those who make tea for the
performers in the interval. The cost
of putting on a show in a large theatre has to be recouped through the
selling of tickets and programmes, and at the start of 1953, when “The
Geisha” is staged, Britons are still subject to rationing – food, clothes and
some services have to be purchased with coupons. The complexities involved in
bringing live performance to an audience, even at amateur level, are vast…
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 In
the ordinary way a critic takes a production as he sees it and makes his
comments accordingly. He does not take into account any of the things
which have gone on behind the scenes but is only concerned with the
finished product, and when the show is almost flawless, he has an easy
task. In making fair comment upon the annual show of the Music Section of
Martins Bank Society of the Arts, which this year took the form of a
.production, from February 17th to 21st at the Crane Theatre, of the
well-known and well-tried favourite “The Geisha”, we feel that fairness can
only be achieved by considering the production as well as the performance.
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Left to Right: Joan Webster, Joy Middleton,
Sheila Mayers and Pauline Smith
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Left to Right: Evan Jones, Heather Bartlee,
Frank Green, Jean Boothman,
W D Milne, Mildred Ferrier, E W Gittins and Dawn
Rimmer
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These shows are
very costly to stage, so costly that it is necessary to sell nearly every seat
for the whole five nights if the show is to run without a loss, and to
guard against a repetition of last year's loss a special effort was made to
fill the house. It ought to be recorded, in fairness to the producer and to
those who worked so hard to stage this show, that this sense of special
effort was not matched by the majority of the company, for the producer did
not have more than a 50 per cent attendance at his rehearsals until shortly
before the final week. The result was apparent in the chorus work which
lacked that precision, animation and timing which are so vital in a musical
show. Worse still, some members of the chorus did not know their lines
until well on in the week of production, and from a musical point of view
volume was sadly lacking. These remarks are strong, and, we feel, rightly
so, for when the name of the Bank is used in a public entertainment the
value we give ought to be as good as the day-to-day services we perform,
and our shows ought to be as good as those of other amateurs on Merseyside.
They cannot be unless enthusiasm is combined with team work. Having said
this we must admit that the show was enjoyable and the company got away
with it; thanks to the colour of the dresses, the loveliness of the music,
and to the performances of half a dozen people.
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Joan Hall and Eric Wylie
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B A Williams and Sheila Mealey
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Bernadette Roche
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Head and shoulders
above everybody in acting ability was Eric Wylie as the Chief of the
Japanese Police: he did the job superbly. He was matched by Joan Hall,
(Mrs. Matthews in private life, and not to be confused with Joan Hall of
Premises Department, H.O.). The moment she came on the stage the whole
production brightened up and her smiling personality, combined with the
zest and stage experience she brought to the part of the English girl who
impersonates a Geisha girl, carried the show with a swing. Sheila Mealey, as the French Geisha girl,
also scored a triumph. She gave an excellent French impersonation and her
performance was one of the highlights of the show. Basil Williams as the
proprietor of the Chinese Tea House, gave a very good impersonation of this
wily old character and the singing of Bernadette Roche as the Chief Geisha
was another of the highlights of the show. Jean Boothman, who
portrayed the English lady travelling round the world in her yacht, was quite outstanding, and her companions,
Heather Bartlett, Mildred Ferrier and Dawn Rimmer, made as pretty a picture
as one could wish to see. The four naval Lieutenants, portrayed by Evan
Jones, E. W. Gittins, Frank Green, and W. D. Milne, were the outstanding
male singers and Evan Jones's song was especially pleasing. Joyce Cornes
played the part of the Midshipman most charmingly. The part of the lackey
to the Chief of Police, was taken by E. W. Robertshaw. One of the most
difficult parts of the show is the scene in which the Geisha girls are
auctioned.
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Evan Jones, Frank Green, Joyce Cornes, W D Milne and E W Gittins
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It is difficult because of
the impossibility of scripting the back-chat which must go on at an auction
if the scene is to be realistic. Neither the producer nor the company
appeared to have realised this and the literal following of the script
resulted in this excellent scene being lifeless. At the same time, it must be said that E. W. Robertshaw's
look of blissful anticipation as he held up his face to be stroked by the
English Geisha girl was quite one
of the best things in the performance.
Peter Swinton took the part of the Japanese officer, in love with
the Chief Geisha. This is a part for a young gallant, and it is, perhaps,
unfair to accuse him of being lacking in ardour, but, after all, Bernadette
Roche should have been sufficient inspiration. We attended the performances on the
first and last nights and, apparently, missed the best performance, which
was on the Friday night.
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On the Wednesday, Sheila Mealey, who did so well in the show, was a
very naughty girl by being in her dressing-room when she should have been
on the stage, to the great embarrassment of Basil Williams, but these are
the incidents which contribute so much to the fun of amateur
entertainments.
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