The Beggar’s Opera
York House, Twickenham
November 1986
Producer – Jessica Joyce
Musical Director – Mike Carver
Production Manager – Julie Thomas
The Beggar’s Opera is a ballad opera, a satiric play using some of the conventions of opera, but without the recitative.
It is one of the watershed plays in Augustan drama. The lyrics of the airs in the play are set to popular broadsheet ballads, opera arias, church hymns, and folk tunes of the time.
The original run of The Beggar’s Opera, of 62 successive performances, was the longest run in the theatre up to that time.
This production won huge critical acclaim both for its performances and the clever staging & production values.
Sponsored by Young & Co’s Brewery plc
CAST
The Beggar – Mark Holliday
Mr Peachum – Bob Salter
Mrs Peachum – Marion McLaren
Polly Peachum – Lesley Cox
Filch – Paul Viney
Captain Macheath – Andrew Macbean
Matt of the Mint – Richard Matthiae
Nimming Ned – Douglas Roberts
Jemmy Twitcher – Stan Brown
Crook-fingered Jack – John Powter
Wat Dreary – Peter Vaughan
Robin of Bagshot – Iain Calder
Jenny Diver – Angela Sturgeon
Mrs Coaxer – Merian Ganjou
Dolly Trull – Marion Alais
Mrs Vixen – Claire Walker
Betty Doxy – Sonya Raymond
Mrs Slammekin – Terry Parsons
Suky Tawdry – Frances Warhurst
Molly Brazen – Margaret Boughton
Servant – Janet Turner
Drawers & Constables – Tim Markes & David Sewell
Clergyman – Clive Tibbitts
Mr Lockit – Roger Roseboom
Lucy Lockit – Mandy Stenhouse
Mrs Di Trapes – Patricia Vandepeer
Wenches – Mary Fraser, Ellen Harvey-Smart, Louise Stevenson
CREW
Designer – David Casey
Stage Manager – John Mitchell
Deputy Stage Manager – Barbara Mitchell
Assistant Stage Manager – Trevor Marland
Costume Co-ordinator – Pauline Kendrick
Prompt – Patricia Vandepeer
Props – Peter Sporle
Costumes – Spectrum Theatre Productions
Sets Construction – The Brew Crew
Lighting – Paul Viney, Andy Collier, Peter Willis
Box Office – Claire Walker
Front of House – John Boult, Margaret Collier
BAND
Flute – Stephen O’Regan
Clarinet – Mary Scolding
Percussion – Mike Perry
Piano – Mike Carver
Bass – Martin Wilcox
