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 The
Cicala Players in: Grand National Night by Dorothy and Campbell Christie
Staged:
16-17 April 1948 at The Twentieth Century Theatre Westbourne Grove London
 The Cicala Players are drawn from the staff of several of
the Bank’s London Branches and Departments, and helpfully, the reviews
provide us with the names and workplaces of many of them – this information
is of great value to the Martins Bank Staff Database, as it enables us to
record images of staff who otherwise might not have appeared in the staff
magazine, which is the main source of staff photographs. We go back now to
April 1948, time for a thriller: It is hard to believe that in little over
one year, the Cicala Players have staged THREE
feature-length dramas on stage in London
to a paying public audience. “Grand National Night”, a thriller by Dorothy and
Campbell Christie is also the Players’ second outing at the Twentieth Century
Theatre in Westbourne Grove. Praise comes early on in Martins Bank Magazine’s
review of the play, when their correspondent goes so far as to say that this
performance was the most technically perfect of the post-war productions.
Will it continue to be a case of “onwards and upwards”? Stating that the Cicala Players “have set
themselves a high standard”, the writer of the review also reveals he can’t
wait for the next production!
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Peter Cockman, Allan Whitmey,
Renee Forder, John Evans, Patricia Malcolm and Ernest Yates
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 For their
third production the Society’s choice fell on a thriller—“ Grand National
Night,” by Dorothy and Campbell Christie, and two performances were given
at the Twentieth Century Theatre, Westbourne Grove, on the evenings of
April 16th and 17th. In the opinion of the writer, who has seen all but the
Society’s first production, this performance was the most technically
perfect of the post-war productions and represents a big advance in
histrionic ability on the part of the cast. The credit for this undoubtedly
belongs to the producer, Mrs. Josephine Ellor, as one or two of the actors
were without previous experience. She gave a restrained production, most
convincing because it was not overdone, and the suspense was worked up
well, amply sustained, and gradually broken down, leaving the audience time
to express their relief before the final curtain. This sounds like a
tribute to the playwrights, but many a good play is ruined by amateurs who
fail to achieve that smoothness and harmony of presentation which was a
feature of this production. Renee Forder, (London Foreign branch) who
portrayed the drunken wife and also the sister, deserves high praise for a
most talented performance. Some strangers in the theatre did not realise
that the two parts were played by one and the same person, but thought they
were sisters.
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Both
parts had a “ barmaid ” foundation, but the depravity and vulgarity of the
first piece of characterisation was contrasted so cleverly by an occasional
flash of roughness in the presentation of the character of the sister who
had risen to be something of a social lioness in a loud kind of way that
one was left in no doubt as to the humble origin of both, and also of their
sisterly relationship. Renee has had previous stage experience which served
her in very good stead.
So
also has Patricia Malcolm, (Fenchurch Street) who took the part of Joyce
Penrose, secret lover of the dissolute wife’s husband, Gerald Coates. Pat
is an actress; and she makes a good job of every part she tackles. This was
no exception. She avoided the pitfalls of allowing restraint to be mistaken
for coldness, and of portraying a passion which would have undermined the
calm strength of the character she had to present.
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Patricia Malcolm, Peter Cockman and Renee Forder
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Thus
she retained the respect of the audience and earned additional sympathy for
the suspected man, to whom she could easily have been an embarrassment had
she underacted or overacted. Peter Cockman, (Soho Square) as Gerald Coates
played with great dignity the difficult scene preceding the death of his
wife. The line between weakness and hidden strength is no easy one to draw,
but he managed it to a nicety and his back-to-the-wall attitude in the
tense scenes of the play completely sustained the suspense at the critical
moments. Allan Whitmey, (London Office) as the solicitor played the part
well and true to type.
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Eric Comley, Craig Batey and John
Evans
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Just
now and again one wondered whether a discreet solicitor would have betrayed
his dislike of a fellow guest quite so pointedly. Certain lines would have
been just as telling rendered without expression, hut the accompanying
looks and gestures rather rubbed it in. Probably the producer had decided
that Buns Darling was too thick-skinned to notice anything less pointed,
but the audience wasn’t, and we felt that a little restraint now and again
would have been better theatre.
Not
that it in any way spoiled a very good performance. Ernest Yates, (London
Office) as Buns Darling took full advantage of the scope offered by the
part. It was quite obvious that the audience was prejudiced in his favour
as soon as he appeared, and his portrayal of the brainless, gate-crashing,
chattering social bore was hailed with delight. He added to his laurels
quite definitely.
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Eric
Comley, (Hanover Square) and Craig Batey, (London Foreign) as Detective
Inspector Ayling and Sergeant Gibson were a well-matched pair. The
humourous relief provided by the Lancashire man came at the right time to
relieve the tension caused by the Detective Inspector as the enquiries
proceeded. The latter steered clear of that banc of amateurs, the
flat-footed, dull, overbearing plain-clothes man. At first the portrayal
seemed slight, but as he got under way it was clear that he was following
an up-to-date, rather than a traditional line, and the result was eminently
satisfactory. John Evans, (London Foreign) took the part of the butler. His
highlights were in his scene with the drunken wife and when he was
cross-questioned by the Inspector. Here he had scope for his talents, and
he made good use of them. By this production the Cicala Players have set
themselves a high standard. We
shall look forward to the next show on November 19th and 20th to see how
well it has been maintained. It was interesting to note that the present
production employed almost a complete change of cast from the previous one,
and the stars of “ Children to Bless You” seemed to be engaged either as
back-room boys and girls, or as programme sellers. We thought it showed
rather a good spirit.
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