Merrie England
Church Hall, Barnes
April 1951
Musical Director – Marjorie Ludlam LRAM ARCM
Producer – Cyril Corker
This production was billed as the BODS contribution to The Festival of Britain and the unnamed reviewer in the Barnes Herald commented thus:
“and let it be said at once that if the whole of the Festival is as successful as this contribution from Barnes, then all the critics will be confounded.”
The reviewer then went on to praise “by far and away the best production the Society have put on since the war”.
In Aid of The Victory (Ex-Services) Club, London W2
Can you help with more information? Please send any information you have over to archives@brostc.org.
CAST
The Earl of Essex – Bernard Mitchell
Sir Walter Raleigh – George Brodrick
Walter Wilkins – Edward Bellamy
Silas Simpkins – John Webster
Long Tom – Geoffrey Needs
Big Ben – William Hill
The Queen’s Fool – David Hick
A Butcher – Bob Kirkby
A Baker – George Tydeman
A Tinker – Gerald Johnson
A Tailor – Richard Stringer
A Lord – David Ranson
A Soldier – Peter Haines
First Royal Page – Elizabeth Wisker
Second Royal Page – Myrna Bridger
Queen Elizabeth – Margaret Brown
Miss Bessie Throckmorton – Joan Partington
Jill-all Alone – Barbara Webster
The May Queen – Marjorie Skuffham
Marjory – Lotta Mawhinney
Kate – Jill Andrews
Lady-in-waiting – Joy Higgs, Evelyn Horsburgh
Dancer – Dorothy Charge
Edith Anscomb, June Ayers, Doreen Beresford, Georgina Gray, Rosemary Hobbs, Barbara Hughes, Odette Jobin, Doris Kemp, Eena Mulligan , Kay Peart, Elizabeth Rowe, Beryl Stare, Pat Thorne, Norah Thornton, Colin Ambrose, G Bowyer, A Cuff, M Cuff, A G Barrell, Keith Gray, Oliver Greenwood, Vincent Mulligan , Brian Orton, John Pursey, John Smith, Ian Worth
CREW
Stage Manager – Everett Reeve
Dances devised by – Cyril Corker
Dances arranged by – Dorothy Charge