The idea for writing this "history" came when, idly surveying the past 44 years, we realised that, despite the vast number of people who had been entertained in, or by the Guild, no comprehensive records of its existence had survived; not even a list of productions or members. At that time, summer 1987, the Guild's future looked black; it had an eviction notice on its rehearsal hut, and not even enough money in the coffers to put down a deposit on new premises. It seemed tragic for an organisation which has given so much pleasure to so many, to sink into the depths of time and leave no records of its existence.
However, this document is not intended as a "history book"; it is a story written by Guild enthusiasts with as much accuracy as we could muster. At many times our task seemed hopeless as minute books have been destroyed and the local press interest has been intermittent. At such times we have turned to members, past and present, many of whom have given up their time and their memories, and whose enthusiasm and affection for the Guild has convinced us that this task was worth completing. We thank everybody who has helped us, and hope that we have managed to recreate the infectious spirit of the Guild in these pages.
The Guild of 1988 is very different from that of 1943. We are now down to one art - drama - with a comparatively small membership split equally between juniors and adults. Nevertheless the enthusiasm of 1943 lives on, and, as we "go to press" we have learnt the wonderful news that the council have granted the Guild a four year stay of execution on its rehearsal premises. It now has an uphill struggle to ensure that, in four years time, it is not homeless. However, as our history shows, the Guild has experienced many periods of struggle, and many surges of popularity. Let us hope that 1988 is the beginning of a surge!
By the beginning of 1943 the tide of the war had begun to turn in the Allies favour. News of victories in North Africa came flooding in, and in January, Tripoli fell to the 8th army. By May 13th the North African campaign had reached a glorious end. On the home front too the war demanded endurance and sacrifice. Most families were affected by conscription and by the direction of labour, many found their lives disrupted by enemy bombing and all were affected by shortages and rationing. There were many attempts to boost the morale of the nation. Nationally, E.N.S.A. promoted concert parties, theatre and film shows, and the B.B.C. relayed regular news bulletins and daily cheer such as "Music While You Work". The Government also established C.E.M.A., the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts, to encourage locally organised concerts and arts events.
In Stourport, with blackout regulations in force and buses not running after 6 pm, social life was somewhat limited. The new vicar and his wife, Arthur and Marjory Trippass arrived in the area to find a need for homegrown entertainment, and for events to help replenish church funds. They joined Stourport-On-Severn Players, a group which performed one act plays for church and charity functions, but when they attended a C.E.M.A. concert held in Kidderminster, its organiser suggested to them that the Stourport and Kidderminster area was an ideal place to start an arts group to cater for a wider range of arts. On May 22nd 1943, the Kidderminster Shuttle reports that:
Kidderminster is to have an important addition to her attractions as a result of a preliminary meeting at the Town Hall Committee room an May 14th. The Three Arts Guild (a subsection of C.E.M.A.) with Mr J. Hamilton, Chairman, and Mary E. Foote, secretary, met to discuss activities in the district in the three sections of art, music, and literature and drama.
A public notice was put in the Kidderminster Times of June 12th 1943, announcing the formation of the new group and inviting members. This caused some controversy: on June 19th a letter was published in the local press from Kenneth Rose, chairman of Kidderminster's amateur dramatic society the Nonentities:
One is glad to read in the manifesto of the Three Arts Guild that they propose to work in co-operation with existing societies, though in that case would it not have been advisable to have first approached these societies in order to find out their plans and the lines on which they would welcome co-operation? This has not been done in the case of the Nonentities. One cannot help feeling that an open meeting proceeded by an advertisement similar to the one now issued would have been a better way of securing the support the Guild seems anxious to obtain. There is, by the way, an existing Arts (and Crafts) Society, though this is not referred to in the Gui1d's preamb1e.
However, the Guild was quick to respond to these accusations. The following week Mary Foote replied, again in the columns of the Shuttle:
The Three Arts Guild is quickly getting in touch with existing societies and in fact has, on one or more of its committees, 3 members of the Nonentities Society, in which Mr. Rose is particularly interested, and several members of the Choral Society. The President of the Arts (and Crafts) Society has kindly consented to serve on the Arts Committee of the Guild.
The Three Arts Guild was alive and fighting!
According to the original public notice, the Guild's object was to "support any efforts which will encourage added enjoyment and understanding of music, art, literature and drama". In recognition of the formation of C.E.M.A. one of their immediate aims was "the canvassing of local support for C.E.M.A. activities in Kidderminster." To this end, the first Guild event was under the auspices of C.E.M.A.; a concert including Pola Nirenska, a Polish dancer, Norman Nottley, a baritone, and David Brynley a tenor, on July 10th 1943. On September 11th and 22nd, recitals were given by the great Russian pianist Moiseiwitsch, at the Town Hall, Kidderminster, in aid of Mrs Churchill's Aid for Russia Fund and the British Red Cross. The artists gave their services free and a profit of £112 16s 5d was made.
While organising events with professional performers, the Guild also encouraged local artists and entertainers. The Art section of the Guild held an exhibition of their work at Kidderminster Library from October 6th-16th. This was greeted with great enthusiasm by the local press:
The Three Arts Guild venture has the atmosphere of a suprise; firstly that an exhibition on such a large scale was possible, and secondly that so much art enthusiasm should come to light. (Shuttle)
Twenty per cent of the profits on sales went to the Stalingrad Hospital Appeal.
By the end of 1943 the Guild committee was well pleased with its first year's efforts. In addition to money being raised for charity, weekly play readings had been given by the drama section and gramophone recitals by the music section. Following their initial success the art section were planning an exhibition of photographs by Mr Hopcraft. The Committee was "satisfied with the progress made by the Guild at a time when the call on member's time was so exacting". (Kidderminster Shuttle 27.11.43.)
1944 saw a continuation of the policy of organising professional visitors while at the same time encouraging home grown entertainment. The art section held regular meetings while the drama section embarked on its first production, Cradle Song, performed at the County Senior School in June 1944. Marjory Trippass recalls that the first producer, Disley Jones, was "asked to retire" after he let the group down by "turning up late or not at all". He later went into set design for professional theatre and Mrs Trippass remembers seeing his name on television credits. Meanwhile a more suitable producer was found for the Guild; Florence Moule, the Headmistress of the County Primary School. Cradle Song was the Guild's first three act play and in many ways it contains the roots of today's Guild. It's cast list contains many names who went on to form the backbone of the Guild in the early years: Gladys Whitehead, Marion Perrin, Nellie Powell, Nina Jones, Dora LLoyd, Rolande Orry, Marjory and Arthur Trippass, Winifred Kenwrick, Josephine (the milk girl) Jarrett, Mary Southall, Irene Kidley, Harry Lane, Iris Bufton, Winifred Shuker, Phyllis Dunn and Hetty Bullock. It received a favourable review but the performers were somewhat upstaged by the canary "which besides being induced to sing at the right moment, continued his trillings throughout the time he was onstage" (Shuttle 30.6.44)
Twelve months after its formation the Guild was thriving. The art section met on the first Tuesday of each month in the library for talks on all aspects of art. Their autumn exhibition became an annual event. The music section, under the leadership of Mrs L. Southall and Mr R. Randle also met in the library and had both a choir and orchestra, though they often performed in conjunction with Stourport Music Society. The drama and literature section held play readings and poetry readings and their successful production of Cradle Song led, in February 1945, to the performance of three one act plays at the County Senior School; Little Glass Houses, Today of all Days, and Queer Street. The profits, £45 were donated to the District Nursing Association Building Fund. The local reviewer was impressed:
There is a tendency in amateur theatrical societies to limit the number of active players to those who have gained experience and proved ability, thus defeating the very purpose for which such societies were formed. The live society, ever watchful for new talent, not only trains inexperienced members, but gives them opportunities to demonstrate what they can do. That Stourport Three Arts Guild is sincere in its efforts to discover and encourage local talent, was clearly seen in the presentation of three one act plays. (Shuttle 24.2.45)
In addition to plays, concerts and lectures, the Guild held social events, often at the British Restaurant in Vale Road, Stourport. Mrs Trippass remembers one occasion when Mrs Kemp laughed so much at a "wax work" of Nero fiddling that she injured herself and had to be taken to the doctor. Dr MacArthur was convinced by the episode, that the Guild was good entertainment, and he became a regular patron.
The drama section were getting more ambitious, with a production of Painted Sparrows going "on tour" in February 1946, to Harry Cheshire and St Oswald's Hall in aid of building funds. In July 1946 they produced another three act, The Farmer's Wife at Stourport Parish Rooms. This raised £62 16s 2d in aid of the Nursing Association, and the cast went to the Swan in Tenbury for a celebration. One of their members at this time was chauffeur for Mr Worth and he had acquired Mr Worth's trousers, without Mr Worth's knowledge, for the production.
For the remainder of the decade the drama section managed to produce at least one three act play each year, usually at the Parish Rooms. The Parish Rooms had rather limited facilities since there was only one entrance from behind the stage, but Fred Rimell remembers it as the best venue because "you could bash a nail in anywhere and nobody minded". The art section meanwhile was growing in size, and in 1947 was meeting every two weeks, for sketching parties in the summer, and in the winter for lectures on such topics as stained glass, colour scheming, making and mending cane seats, and Ancient and Modern Art. The Shuttle for June 18th 1947 contains a report saying that
owing to many branches of the arts being catered for by other Kidderminster societies, the Guild at the moment is mainly concerned with pictorial art, in the form of drawing, painting etc, though it welcomes all who can write, as well as musicians. Their tastes will be catered for when there are enough members interested.
From this it appears that membership of the music section was reduced and that although the drama section continued to produce plays, it was the art section which attracted the greatest membership in the late 1940's. At an A.G.M. in June 1948 the art section decided to alter its name to Kidderminster Circle of Arts and Crafts,and from this time its connections with the Three Arts Guild lapsed.
However, not all the artists left the Guild and with the revival of the music section in early 1950, the Guild was once again catering for three arts. In April 1951 there was a production of a three act play Milestones along with a one act, In Waltz Time, and this was the first recorded occasion that all three sections had worked together on a project. Fred and Freda Rimell remember building the set for Milestones in their garage, with the help of producer, Florence Moule. At the A.G.M. of that year the drama secretary, Fred Rimell reported that the drama group had performed three plays and purchased lighting equipment, Mr Hill reported that the art group had held an exhibition of paintings and handicrafts, while for the music section, Miss Pountney reported two gramophone recitals and a trip to Droitwich to see Spanish dancing. The Guild had a membership of 107 and the bank balance stood at £74 5s 11d. This atmosphere of collaboration continued into November 1951 when A Soldier For Christmas was performed at the Parish Rooms. It was the drama section's 13th production but it was a lucky one; the Shuttle counted it the "most successful so far". At this time monthly meetings were held at the Clifton Cafe in Stourport High Street and the membership was just 2/6d per annum.
By early 1952 the music section's revival was in full swing. They held a concert in the Town Hall which featured Peter Hardwick (violin), Michael Higgins and Peter Pratt (piano), June Millar (tap dancing) and Bond Worth's quartet and choir. The drama section meanwhile put on several events for their own entertainment, including an evening containing a skit on producing a play, a one act play, The Great Dark, monologues and mimes. Requests were made for poetry readings and mime practice.
In October the drama secretary Gwyneth Fry received permission from Mr Robins Millar to produce his three act play Once a Lady which had never been published. It had been written while the author, then on the editorial staff of the Scottish Daily Express, was stationed at Hartlebury and had been performed by the Rafmaine Players at Kidderminster Town Hall. Mrs Fry had seen this production and thought it a suitable play for the Three Arts. She eventually managed to track down what appeared to be the only copy of the play in the area, and half the play was duplicated to allow a reading to take place. Performances were planned for January 22nd - 24th 1953, under the production of Florence Moule, but the circumstances surrounding the production were as dramatic as the play itself. Having identified the author, then found scripts and gained permission to perform the play, the production was struck by illness. The cast rallied round and parts were reallocated, not once but twice, members having to learn new parts. This was not the end of the saga and eventually the show had to be postponed until February 12th -14th. However, the show seemed jinxed. Secretary Mrs Bufton said:
We have had more difficulty with this play than any 1 can remember. There is a snag about the Saturday performance as far as one of the cast is concerned but we cannot have any other date in February and we do not want to put it off till March. (Shuttle 16.1.53.)
Nevertheless, the show went on and despite the Guild's noble efforts to get it onstage, the reviews in the local press paid more attention to the play than to the players. It was obviously a success as it was taken to the Number 7 Families Group in Kidderminster.
Coronation year was marked by a programme called Coronation Cavalcade produced by all three sections. This contained scenes from As You Like It, Beaux stratagem, and Pygmalion. It took place in May and included work by a small choir formed by Mr Higgins.
During the subsequent three years all sections continued, with varying strengths. The drama section was the largest, producing shows which were received variously; ranging from Quiet Weekend in May 1955, whose greatest claim to fame, according to the Shuttle, was the lack of a back- cloth behind a window, to Quality Street at St John's Parish Hall in March 1956, of which the Shuttle said "of the actors one cannot speak too highly".
Rehearsals at this time were held in any available space; the Boat Club in Stourport had been used in 1946, the room above the Parish Rooms was a frequent venue, and the Girls, School in Church Avenue, Stourport was also used. The latter was the venue for a play reading of Dangerous Corner in 1956 which was interrupted by the arrival of the Fire Brigade, hoses at the ready. Coal for the school heating had been stored in a heap against a wall and had smouldered in the warm evening sun. Smoke had been seen and the Fire Brigade had been called out. They rushed to the rescue, only to find the Guild completely unaware of the fire!
At the A.G.M. in September 1956, the art and literature section was reported to be the smallest section but was continuing to hold fortnightly meetings, while the drama section had revived their practice of monthly meetings at the homes of lady members. The music section put out an appeal for new members.
The following year saw many changes in the Guild. In November, Secretary Hetty Bullock resigned, having held the post of either secretary or treasurer since 1944. There were now few of the Guild's original members left. At the beginning of 1958 all three sections pledged themselves to work together in a new project; the search for a permanent home.
Tiring rapidly of their nomadic life are members of Stourport Three Arts Guild. Since the Guild was formed in 1943, members have flitted hither and thither in the town without really establishing a headquarters. Now, however, concrete efforts are to be made to secure a meeting place. The idea is that the Guild should build its own headquaters ... A building fund has been launched and the first contribution waste from a recent dance at Hartlebury .... No appeal has yet been offically launched but It Is realised that a considerable sum of money will be needed before negotiations can start. In addition, a centrally situated site will be as hard to find as the proverbial needle in a haystack. (Stourport News Feb. 1958)
This appeared to be the dawn of a new era but the drama A.G.M. of 1959 looked back on 1958 with a jaundiced eye. The Vice- Chairman of the Guild, Gerald Williams said 'this is one of the worst years for some time ... There is far to much apathy in the Guild" (A.G.M. minutes). He pointed out that his section had lost on every function during the year and the building fund had actually decreased. The catalogue of disasters was not yet complete. The November production, Paper Chain, was to have featured Irene Yarnold in a leading role but she broke her leg and had to be replaced at the last moment by Gwyneth Fry, the stand in producer.
However, the new era was indeed on its way and the 1960's proved to be a time of much change in the Guild. Rarely in its history have all three sections been equal; in the early days the art section dominated, in the 1950's the drama section took over, and the early '60's was to be the era of the music section. This section, hitherto the smallest of the three, produced three ambitious projects in 1960. In February the choir sang The Creation, conducted by David Oakley. This successful concert went 'on tour' to Leominster and Bromyard, connections which the group used again in December when they produced The Messiah with Bromyard and District Choral Society. In between, the Guild produced its first musical, H.M.S. Pinafore, at the Secondary Modern School. This show, produced in June by Mabel Hopcraft was the Guild's first attempt at combining drama with music, and it featured many of the music section, some of whom had no previous acting experience. It was a great success and led to a series of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and a period of frenzied activity for the music section. Of Pirates of Penzance (April 27-29th 1961). the Stourport News said:
It is good to find such an enthusiastic and happy group of people meeting together to sing. Numbers are increasing (50+) and enthusiasm rising thanks to the drive and determination of their capable conductor David Oakley.
The following year, Princess Ida. again produced by Mabel Hopcraft, was even more ambitious. A full, professional orchestra was hired, and an orchestra pit designed and built in the school hall. The expense of this and the hire of costumes, was so great that the Shuttle of 11.5.62 reports:
this is such an extravagant venture by the Guild it is necessary to ask for considerably more support than has been accorded In previous years in order that a successful show may assure the Society of the future.
Nevertheless, it was a spectacular success and the Stourport News acclaimed it as "the finest Gilbert and Sullivan opera I have ever seen by amateurs". Princess Ida was followed by The Mikado in May 1963, produced by Sheila Jacobs, and The Gondoliers in May 1964. In between Gilbert and Sullivan, the music section was also joining the drama section in concerts and social evenings. They provided the interval music for the drama section's production of Mist Over the Mistletoe, in December 1961, and produced an entertainment of music and song to accompany the one act play Dance of Marriage, in December 1962. In December 1963 they produced a carol concert, and in January 1964 a concert to celebrate the Guild's 21st birthday. This concert, conducted by David Oakley again made use of a professional orchestra, and was much appreciated by the local reviewer:
It is a heartwarming sight to see some of the local youth enjoying music of the soul as distinct from the rhythmic contortions which prevail in this day and age. (Stourport News)
The art and literary section fared less well in the first half of the 1960's; membership fell so low that the section was disbanded and an attempt to revive it in 1963 was unsuccessful. The drama section meanwhile continued its average of two major productions a year. Here We Come Gathering, in May 1960, at Stourport Town Hall, raised £25 17s for the World Refugee Fund. It is a production Sybil Wardle remembers well, since, as properties mistress, she had the task of locating the necessary "limp duck". She first wrote to Richard Lancaster, a theatrical supplier in Birmingham, who reported that he had not got one in stock but could acquire one that he had made for another dramatic group. Alternatively, he could give her the address of a firm in London but
as all their "creatures" are real ones stuffed, they are often not very limp and a duck 1 hired from them once lost a leg on the first night. (Letter from Richard Lancaster)
Consequently, a duck was hired, for 15 shillings, from Guest,. Keen and Nettlefords (Midlands) Ltd. Dramatic Society, and it arrived with instructions to freshen it with talcum powder on production nights.
Another production of this time, The Blue Goose is remembered by Cyril Passey for quite different reasons. In September 1962 it was taken to Bliss Gate for a performance of the type dreaded by all actors. The village hall was not well equipped for theatricals; scenery had to be positioned so as to mask the kitchen area at the end of the hall. The only way from one side of the stage to the other without the audience seeing was to crawl underneath the platform. The audience was somewhat inattentive; at one point Cyril remembers the cast being pelted with acorns by local children, and the cast were worried that one of their number, Derek Hope, was working late and did not know if he would arrive in time for his part in the last act. All this would be enough to make the show memorable, but Cyril and Eva well recall the awful moment just after the interval when the scenery collapsed leaving Pam Bickerton aghast onstage and revealing a clutch of local ladies in the kitchen area washing up the tea cups. To add to an already troubled performance, Derek Hope never did arrive and his part had to be played by Paul Collins.
While the music section enjoyed its run of Gilbert and Sullivan, the drama section produced nine plays, but despite such profusion of productions all was not well with the Guild. Expenses were very high, especially for the musicals. The A.G.M. of 1962 announced a balance of £117 6s 11d, but £110 of this had come from a garden party at the home of Mr and Mrs Hopcraft earlier in the year. The Guild was receiving a grant from the Council but the dream of finding a permanent home was fading. There were also clashes of policy between the two existing sections, mainly over how Guild money should be spent. This culminated in an announcement to the press in October 1964 saying that the music section were to break away from the Guild and form the Stourport Musical and Operatic Society:
The chairman, Mrs E. Corbet Perrin, said that the whole of the choir - over 50 strong - felt that the section was getting too big to be just an "arm" of the Guild."We wanted to be independent and to control our own finances and destiny" she said. She added that there had been no unpleasantness over the matter. Mr Gordon Ward, chairman of the Three Arts drama section also stated that there had been no falling out; 'Everything was done very amicably" he said. He added that the Guild hoped to replace its lost arm with a new section devoted to painting.
From this time to the present there has been no separate music section in the Guild. Indeed, in 1964 the Three Arts were reduced to one as attempts to revive the art section were unsuccessful. Despite all the upheaval, the drama section's November 1964 production went on as planned. Sybil Wardle had the task of providing a four course meal in this play, Haul For The Shore, produced by Marjorie Reeves. She managed to talk a local butcher into making a dummy meat pie with a pastry case and a sawdust filling. It looked so appetising that she had to attach a note to it each night, reminding the cast not to cut it open.
In 1965, Pools Paradise and Quiet Weekend were performed, but by September 1966 a musical interest had been revived in the form of The Boyfriend. The two "straight plays" of that year, Without The Prince and Queen Elizabeth Slept Here, both struggled to find audiences. Of Without The Prince the Shuttle said:
Given public support the Three Arts Guild could do much as an important cultural unit in the community; they have the talent and the will. It seems a pity that from Stourport and district only about 350 people thought it worthwhile to attend.
By the late 1960's the Guild's activities were again becoming more diverse. In January 1968 they provided an item of entertainment for an Edwardian Soiree organised by the County Museum Society at Hartlebury Castle. In addition, the art section had been revived, and provided a foyer exhibition for the 25th Anniversary production, Bonaventure, produced by Cyril Passey. This show has provided one of the legends of the Guild; the entrance of the nun through the fireplace. The story has been reported to us in various forms; there is some controversy over exactly who the nun was and how she made her entrance. The most consistent version has Kath Silk as the nun, chatting in the dressing room and missing her entrance leaving Ian McKeag onstage to cover the embarrassing silence. Urged on by Sybil Wardle, the prompt, he plumped cushions, and rearranged furniture madly, while Cyril Passey was despatched to fetch Kath. In her hurry to get onstage, Kath used the shortest route which turned out to be the fireplace! We make no claims for the accuracy of this legend, perhaps one of our readers knows the truth?
1969 was a year of frenzied and successful activity. A new music section was formed, but like other attempts, it was to be shortlived. Three one act plays were produced at the Civic Centre, Stourport, to raise funds for Stourport's new Day Centre, and the committee awarded life membership to 16 members, in honour of their work over the years. The two major productions of the year were two of the most successful in the Guild's history. Ghost Train, in May, received rave reviews and is remembered by John Banner for a particularly spectacular lighting effect by Don Hewitt. The effect of a passing train was achieved by attaching a bicycle wheel with a light mounted in the centre, to a pole. By blanking out sections of the wheel the appearance of train windows flashing past was produced when the wheel was spun. John's wife, Brenda, remembers the show for a different reason. Anne Sadler was required to throw a glass in fright. This became a hazardous moment for all concerned; on the first night the glass went through a (glassless) window, on the second it landed on a beam above the stage from whence it was recovered during the interval, and on the last night it slipped backwards out of her hand and landed in the audience. Like the rest of the cast, Brenda soon learned to duck!
The November production, Hobson's Choice, produced by Cyril Passey, not only had sound and lighting effects, it also stimulated the olfactory senses. In one part of the play, Gordon Ward was required to fry bacon. Gordon, being a heating engineer, managed to rig up a small electric fire inside his stove, onto which he put slices of fried bacon. The tantalising smell of frying bacon was thus wafted into the audience. The set for this production was one of the best ever constructed by the Guild. Old fashioned shoes were obtained from Hartlebury Castle Museum and the flats were double sided to allow for the quick changes of scene.
1969 was also the 25th Anniversary year, an occasion marked by a dinner dance at the Lenchford Hotel in April. The Stouport News reports
Two of the aims proposed by the committee for the celebration of the anniversary are increased membership, and a new, more permanent club room.
The latter aim was fulfilled later in the year when the Guild acquired a hut on the Lickhill Road Council Depot. This site has been their home for nearly twenty years.1969 was the first time the Guild had had premises of its own; hitherto rehearsals had taken place in any space that could be commandeered. and club nights had recently been held at the Lickhill School. A permanent home was obviously a cause for celebration, and the new hut was opened by the President Mr Randle on September 27th.Club nights were planned for the first and third Wednesday in every month. The art section was still meeting regularly but the light in the new hut was unsuitable so they continued their meetings every Monday at the Lickhill Road School.
With a regular meeting room the Guild was able to take on even more productions and also expand into other areas. Another attempt was made to revive the music section, this time by Andrew Padmore, but again it failed. Subs for 1970 were one guinea for vice presidents, five shillings for active members and 2/6d for associate members, but an extraordinary A.G.M. was held later in the year to increase these to one pound five shillings, ten shillings, and five shillings. Regular club nights were held at the hut for social events, playreadings and meetings to catalogue props and scripts. In addition to the two three act plays for 1970 -Busybody and Flare Path - the drama section entered the regional heat of the British Drama League Festival with Crown of Thorns produced by Cyril Passey. They were runners up, with a total of 80 marks out of 100, a remarkable achievement for a small group with its first festival entry. The adjudicator was obviously impressed as his only real criticism was "beware of keeping eastern style head dresses on with kirbigrips" The Guild entered this festival for the next three years, but with no repetition of this success.
Another "sideline" of the early '70's was Out Theatre, a group established in June 1970 by John Belcher, to take short plays to local hospitals, old peoples' homes and out lying villages. They visited Areley House with the one act play Charade in December 1970, and early in 1971 visited Kidderminster General Hospital and Holmwood. John Belcher also wrote a play, Duty to Whom which was performed at the Methodist Schoolroom.
In 1971, Guild membership stood at 92, of which 65 were members of the drama section. There was £206 in funds, and a guaranteed income of £100 per year; £50 from the council and £50 from subs. The estimated running costs at that time were £300 per year; £75 for the two huts, £25 for the art section meeting room, £40 for electricity and £120 per production for the hire of the Civic Centre. Of the two productions this year, Semi-Detached made £45 profit, and Noah made a loss. Noah was an ambitious venture in many senses. As Stella Bagnall recalls "we did Noah for ourselves, not for the audience"; it was not the type of play to which Guild audiences had become accustomed but the Guild relished the challenges it presented. Lionel Lench still remembers the hours spent pondering over how to achieve a necessary rainbow at the end, a problem which was eventually solved by hiring a spectograph. Some of the flats for Noah were acquired from the A.T.V. studios where they had previously graced the sets of the children's programme "Tinger and Tucker".
1972 began in optimistic mood; 1500 tickets were printed for the May production of When We Are Married produced by Joan Muirhead and John Belcher, and ticket prices were raised to 35p and 15p. However, less than 30 were present on the opening night. The Stourport: News said:
the age of television is here to stay and the pull of tne box in the corner was very much emphasised in Stourport last night. Even such hilarious works as J. B. Preistley's When We Are Married. when performed by an amateur company, fail to pull in the crowds.
In an attempt to increase audiences the last night of the November production, Hot And Cold in All Rooms was declared a Civic Night. For 25p per head supper was provided after the show, and the hall was cleared for a party. However, this was the beginning of a general decline in the size of Guild audiences. John and Brenda Banner remember how, in the late 70's, the Guild Committee suddenly realised that the Friday night of their November production always coincided with Miss World, which accounted for a poor turnout. To combat this problem they changed. the week of the November production and, as John says, "now we have problems getting into the hall because of the Armistice services!"
While the drama section encountered the "pull of the box" in the early 70's, the art section enjoyed a period of relative success and stability. In 1972 they held an exhibition in Perry's Supermarket window in Stourport, they exhibited at Bewdley Cinquecentenary, and also produced a work, 6ft by 4ft,to commemorate the opening of the new library and exhibition room in Stourport. The following year, one of their members, Mrs Verity, had a picture accepted by Pebble Mill, B.B.C., for exhibition both there and in London.
For the drama section, the early 70's were years of high membership; at one point it reached 170, performing many plays both large and small. Out Theatre had folded up, not, as Brenda Banner recalls, through lack of support so much as lack of transport since "the man with the van", Richard Belshaw, had left the area. Regular entries were made in the British Drama League Festival, but the success of Crown of Thorns was never repeated. Of the major productions for these years, Spring and Port Wine is remembered for its smelly fish, and The Unexpected Guest for a rare stage appearance by Lionel Lench. Stella Bagnall has other reasons to remember Unexpected Guest; the Guild was, as so often, short of male actors, so the part of the poetry spouting Welsh policeman was adapted so that it could be played by a woman. This worked well until the last act when the Police Inspector sends his Sergeant in pursuit of a dangerous criminal. The incongruity of Don Williams sending poor Stella after a man with a gun was never missed by the audience and raised a laugh every night.
The mid 70's were a more difficult period. The British Drama League Festival production for 1974 had to be cancelled due to lack of rehearsal. This was no fault of the cast; the show was "a victim of the power crisis". Of I'll Get My Man, produced by Cyril Passey in November 1974, the local reviewer said:
An accomplished effort, played against a quality set designed by Lionel Lench and Phil Shuker, which points the way to more good things in the future.
However, the future was not so rosy. Membership was beginning to drop alarmingly, despite a publicity drive in the spring of 1974, and even a £150 grant from Wyre Forest District Council in 1975 could not alleviate the cash crisis. The November productions for both 1975 and 1976 had to be cancelled and there was no festival entry for 1975, 76, 77 or 78. Dead Easy, which went on in March 1976, was of a high standard but attracted poor audiences. Things were no better for the art section, which in 1976 was down to six regular members. The A.G.M. for 1977 reported that the Guild General Committee had dissolved and that there was a lack of communication between sections. The committee was reformed and an attempt made to put the Guild back on sure footing but in January 1978 the committee decided not to collect subs for the year until the future of the Guild was known. The A.G.M. of March 1978 contained more bad news. The art section had undergone a change of fortune with 16 members and an exhibition in Perry's window, but the Guild as a whole had reached a crisis point. The treasurer, Mr Mills, reported that the financial position was serious, with the 1977-78 plays having made a total loss of £226.98.He felt he must resign as, for various reasons, did the President, Mr Passey, the Chairman, Mr Hope, and the secretary, Miss Williams. However as no replacements could be found, all except Mr Hope agreed to carry on in office. It was decided that a "do or die" attitude must be adopted; that a less expensive venue be found for productions, and that all efforts must be made to increase membership and ensure the next show was a success. The drama committee agreed to hold a recruitment drive in March at Stourport Day Centre, and felt that "if sufficient support did not materialise, or if officers could not be elected, then discussion should be entered into on winding the society up"(Drama section committee minutes.) Support for this event was not exactly overwhelming but the committee decided to press on with the November production anyway. Breath of Spring was performed at Wilden Village Hall but despite the much cheaper venue it still made a loss of £25.
1979 saw the Guild, still struggling but in a slightly stronger position, and with a few new members. In March, three new members under the direction of Ken Muirhead entered the British Theatre Association Festival with Knightsbridge. gaining an A grade. This was performed again in April, at Wilden, along with two other one act plays, including some actors who had never been onstage before, and a rare appearance from Hilda Williams. Membership had risen to 43 and the A.G.M. for that year reported a profit of £16 over the year, mainly due to less expensive venues. There was now a total of £250 in the bank; £100 from Stourport Town Council, £50 from Wyre Forest District Council, £30 from subs and the remainder from a successful garden party at the home of Mr & Mrs Stringer. The art section had 6 regular members and had exhibited in the library. In a mood of optimism the General Committee was reformed.
1979 had certainly put the drama section back on its feet but the art section had not fared so well, in spite of its recent optimism. The A.G.M. minutes for April 1980 record the closure of the art section, and it has not been revived since. The drama section however. recorded more members and a balance of £407 in the bank, only £50 of which had been received as a grant, the rest being raised through productions and social events. Another £71 was added by the production of Wanted One Body in June, and £74 by See How They Run, in November.
With more members and a secure bank balance, 1981 was another productive year. The British Theatre Association Festival entry, Woman Alive, included in its cast three new members. The July production, An Inspector Calls, took advantage of the new theatre at Harry Cheshire High School in Kidderminster. November, however, saw the Guild back at the Civic Centre with Not Now Darling, which was enthusiastically received by the audiences. Last night performances are often the scene of practical jokes but on this occasion, Angela Smith managed to bring the show to a standstill. She seductively stripped off her outer garments, as demanded by the script, but revealed not the modern lingerie to which David Bufton had become accustomed, but a set of her grandmother's long johns and thermal vest. David turned several shades of red while fighting back the laughter, but the audience wouldn't have noticed; they were rolling in the aisles! The final production of a busy year was a one act play, Funeral Tea, with an all female cast, produced by Lyn Williams for the Christmas party.
Early in 1982 the rehearsal hut was in a poor state of repair so rehearsals for Wild Goose Chase began in the Tontine Hotel Family Room. This show went on in a flurry of panic as Jane Finch who was both in the cast and the co-producer was taken ill three weeks before the opening night. In a spirit of "it'll be alright on the night" it was hoped she would recover in time but this was not the case. Stella Bagnall was drafted in at the last minute and played the part with a book in her hand. At least one member of the audience failed to realise she was reading the lines; he thought the book was a vital prop!
1983 was the Guild's 40th anniversary so was earmarked for special celebrations. In March a competition was launched among local schools to design a cover for the year's productions. This was won by Daren Jackson from St Annes C.E. Middle School, Bewdley. The A.G.M., however, revealed that all was not plain sailing in this anniversary year. Doubts had been cast over the future of the work hut as it was it a terrible state of repair. Cash in hand had fallen to £342.65 and membership had dropped as well.
The Poltergeist went on in June, with some ingenious special effects, including a desk which was set alight by a trick using magnesium and a car battery. When the Guild had produced this play 35 years earlier stage manager, Sid Bridgeford, had used exactly the same method. He, however, had found additional problems in creating the effect of moving curtains; he used a fan placed on a chair but it acted as a circular saw and demolished the chair. The stage manager of the later production, Steve Bagnall, took no such risks - he used stage hands to beat the curtains with pieces of wood.
The major celebrations of the year centred around the November production of The Importance of Being Earnest which Mary Southall was invited to produce. This was particularly appropriate as Mary was one of the cast of the first play performed by the Guild, back in 1944. Sets and costumes made the show an expensive one so sponsorship was found, for the first time. A gala evening, with a buffet supper after the show was held on the last night to complete the celebrations. The show was a huge success, with superb sets and some wonderful performances but not all memories of it are favourable, although it did provide what we believe is the Guild's only article in the national press. The Sunday Express (11.12.83) explains:
The scene was set for a glittering theatrical gala night as the audience, some in evening dress and dinner suits, settled down with the Mayor and Mayoress to enjoy the evenings entertainment. The curtains parted and Act 1 of The Importance of Being Earnest began. On stage, male leads Nigel Hugbes and Paul Walker were in full flow. Suddenly an unscripted voice boomed out from the rear of the hall; "will the owner of the car WWP 396R remove it immediately". Every head in the auditorium craned to see who was causing the commotion as again and again the mystery voice rent the air. The two actors tried to ignore the performance from the back of the auditorium but the interruptions proved to be a show-stopper. The performance came to a halt. No-one watching the play had reckoned with the earnest importance that Labour councillor John Wardle attached to finding the culprit whose car had blocked his exit from the car park.
In fact, councillor Wardle had parked his car in an area which the Guild had been instructed to use, and had then forced his way past front of house staff into the auditorium. The car blocking his way belonged to one of the cast, Lyn Williams. Lyn explains
I was in the wings with Stella (the properties mistress) when we heard the commotion in the hall. I heard my car number read out and panicked. Stella ran to fetch Andy (Lyn's fiancé) but he didn't believe the car was mine and had to be persuaded to check!
However, the show went on with no more interruptions. No compensation was ever received from the council but the Guild has never had such publicity!
1984 began with a promotional evening to increase membership, and by May membership was back in the 40s. Correspondence was being entered into with the council concerning the future availability of the rehearsal hut, but no arrangements were made for moving and no immediate urgency was seen. In June, Fringe Benefits went on produced by Don Williams, and is recorded as having upset some members of the audience who walked out in mid performance after two ladies in the cast appeared in their lingerie. Word got out, and the rest of the run played to packed houses! The November production, Surprise Package, produced by Nigel Hughes, was another successful comedy and both these shows helped Guild finances considerably. By the beginning of 1985 there was £657.43 in the bank.
1985 saw another year of great variety. At the A.G.M. in April, it was decided that there were enough young people interested in the Guild to form a junior branch. Vicky Bagnall took this on, with a small group of children who met at the hut on Sunday afternoons. In June, Dead on Nine was produced by John Banner who also had to take one of the leading roles due to a member of the cast dropping out. Unfortunately the show lost £42 due to poor audience response.
By July it had become evident that plans were afoot for the redevelopment of the Lickhill Road Depot, the Guild's home for nearly 20 years. No firm statements could be prised out of the council about their plans but it was realised that the Guild must make its own plans and preparations in case it was left homeless. A building fund was launched and the first event to support it was also the Junior Guild's first public performance, a one act play, The Bathroom Door, which went on at Areley Kings Village Hall and raised £70.
The next production was Blithe Spirit, produced by Jane Finch and Vicky Bagnall. Mary Wehner was superb as Madam Arcarti and was supported by an excellent cast. The only problems with this production were due to the fact that no-one could be found to do props so the producers had to do it. On one night the séance table collapsed and during the interval had to be repaired with Sellotape and Bostik. Unfortunately the bright pink Bostik tube was left onstage, looking most incongruous as the curtains opened on a 1930's set! On another occasion the intrepid producers forgot to put a vital tray of sherry on the set. Undeterred, they calmly sent the maid (Lynne Booth) on with it but, instead of covering up a mistake, they had created another one as the next line in the play revealed that Edith the maid was in bed with concussion! Despite these blunders the show was a huge success. This only goes to prove that "props" is a much more demanding job than it is usually given credit for.
Because of the financial pull of the building fund, an extraordinary general meeting was called in November. The loss on Dead on Nine had been offset by a profit of over £100 on Blithe Spirit, but it was felt that subs should be increased so that they made a greater contribution to general finance. Increases were made to £5 (adults) and £1 (juniors).
1986 began with the juniors who performed The Crimson Coconut at Areley Kings, earning £64.72 for the building fund. The adults had decided to attempt three major productions each year, and the first for 1986 was Time To Kill, produced by Joan Muirhead. Unfortunately the venue, Harry Cheshire, proved an unpopular winter venue with the audiences and the show made a loss. The adults had also revived interest for the British Theatre Association Festival, and Don Williams produced an entry, Animal Connections.
Meanwhile, the juniors, with a few adults, were embarking on a very different venture; a musical, Carrots, which told the story of Dr. Barnardo. It was put on in aid of the Barnardo Foundation, and was the first musical the Guild had performed for 20 years. A change of rehearsal venue was necessary, in order to have a piano available and because of the need for extra space for a cast of 40, and St Wulstan's Community Centre was used for some rehearsals. As a result of the three performances and gala night at Bewdley High School, a cheque for £500 was presented to the local representative for Dr Barnardo's and £200 was put into Guild funds.
With Time To Kill, the festival and Carrots all going on within 2 months, it became clear that the target of three adult three act plays in a year was impossible. Not only was the active membership exhausted, it seemed impossible to sell tickets for another show so soon. The July production was therefore cancelled. Instead, one act plays were performed at Guild social events. The first of these was a revival of Animal Connections, the festival play, in May. The second was a performance of All The World's a Stage in June by the youngest of the juniors, and the third, in July, was a production of The Price, a play specially written for the Junior Guild by Vicky Bagnall and Jane Finch. These three events raised a total of £161 for the building fund.
In September, the Guild embarked upon a very different project; a 24 hour sponsored playreading in aid of the Wyre Forest Children's Appeal. Based in the Day Centre in Stourport, it moved down onto the Carnival field for the afternoon then back into the Day Centre for the night. By nine o'clock the next morning weary eyes struggled to complete a reading of The Mousetrap and a total of £280 had been raised. At the end of a frantically busy period, Move Over Mrs Markham, was produced at the Civic Centre, completing a very adventurous and profitable year.
1987 began with a team quiz, held at the Civic Centre in January as a fund raising event for the building fund which was still without a definite purpose as no decisions could be made until the Council would confirm its plans. With help from the Carnegie Trust, 2 powerful spotlights were purchased at a cost of £135 each. In this year, two of the Guild's actresses received "Best Actress" awards; Angela Smith for her performance in it's a Madhouse in the B.T.A. festival in February, and Ann Ward for her performance in Nudes in Waning Light at the Redditch Festival in June. A second musical venture was produced by Vicky Bagnall and Jane Finch for the junior and adult groups together, and this proved to be even more ambitious than Carrots. Smike, a musical version of Nicholas Nickleby, was accompanied by a 7 piece band and consequently needed amplification in order for the soloists to be heard. Microphones caused many problems throughout the run of the show; the cast managed to plait them together, put them down in the wrong place so that the next person had trouble finding them, and in one case a microphone was shoved unceremoniously into the hand of one of the youngest members of the cast
I was given a microphone when I wasn't supposed to have it. I felt really stupid. I put it down by my side so the audience couldn't see it. When the scene had finished I gave it to the boy who collected the microphones. (Kieran Williams aged 8)
Like many others of the junior members, Kieran had learnt a great deal about the art of covering up stage gaffes! The show made a profit of £519.44, largely due to the high level of commercial sponsorship achieved and the efforts of the cast themselves who undertook to raise the money necessary to hire rehearsal space.
Again, the idea of a summer production had to be shelved but 2 entries were put into the Redditch festival in June, three one act plays were performed at the Day Centre, a garden party was held at the home of Mr and Mrs Stringer, and a float was put into Stourport Carnival. The final production of the year was Beyond a Joke at the Civic Centre in November. This very nearly featured the first performance by a Junior Guild member in an adult play. David Low explains:
I was playing the part of a dead T. V. repairman and in one scene I was meant to be wheeled onstage in a wheelbarrow, having been floating for a while in the lily pond. It was noticed, first night, that despite my watery grave, I wasn't actually wet. Determined to rectify this, on the second night I disappeared just before my entrance to empty a previously prepared bucket of water over my head. As I was squelching my way back to the wings a very flustered stage manager ran up to me hissing that I was meant to be onstage in a couple of seconds. I hurriedly squelched backstage only to hear the line which should have followed my entrance. Fortunately help was at hand, thanks to a quick thinking leading man who carried me onstage over his shoulders, thus saying the scene.
The close of 1987 marked the beginning of a period of uncertainty as the Guild was asked to vacate its work hut in order for the council to begin the development of the site into sheltered housing. Temporary accommodation was provided in the hut next to the rehearsal hut, but it was made clear that both of these were only available in the short term. At the end of the year, there was £169 cash in hand, £227 in the deposit account, and £1266.02 in the building fund, a considerable improvement but not enough to purchase new rehearsal space.
This list has been drawn up from newspaper cuttings, photographs and programmes, many of which were undated. We believe we have included all the full length productions but we apologise for any inaccuracies. We have also included dramatic presentations by the music section.
| 1944 | July: | Cradle Song |
| 1945 | Feb: | Three One Act Plays: Little Glass Houses, Today Of All Days |
| 1946 | Feb: | Painted Sparrows |
| July: | The Farmers Wife | |
| 1947 | April: | Busman's Holiday |
| May: | The Late Christopher Bean | |
| 1948 | June: | Barnett's Folly |
| Nov: | The Poltergeist | |
| 1949 | May: | The Man Who Kissed His Wife |
| 1950 | Feb: | The Weekend At Stormes |
| June: | Recipe For Murder | |
| Nov: | Sport Of Kings | |
| 1951 | April: | Milestones |
| Dec: | A Soldier For Christmas | |
| 1952 | June: | The Great Dark |
| 1953 | Feb: | Once A Lady |
| March: | Heritage | |
| 1954 | Feb: | The Miser Of Rogafjord |
| Nov: | Candida | |
| 1955 | May: | A Quiet Weekend |
| Nov: | The Dumb Wife Of Cheapside and Behind Lace Curtains | |
| 1956 | March: | Quality Street |
| May: | Dangerous Corner | |
| Nov: | Nothing But The Truth | |
| 1957 | Nov: | Job For The Boy |
| 1958 | Jan: | Three One Act Plays: The Play goers, Rose And Crown and Beyond The West |
| May: | The Chiltern Hundreds | |
| June: | George And Margaret | |
| Nov: | Before The Party | |
| 1959 | Nov: | The Paper Chain |
| 1960 | May: | Here We Come Gathering |
| June: | H.M.S. Pinafore | |
| Nov: | The White Sheep Of The Family | |
| 1961 | April: | The Pirates Of Penzance |
| May: | Man For The Job | |
| Aug: | Message For Margaret | |
| Oct: | Candied Peel | |
| Dec: | Mist Over The Mistletoe | |
| 1962 | March: | See How They Run |
| May: | Princess Ida | |
| Sept: | The Blue Goose | |
| 1963 | May: | The Mikado |
| Nov: | The Camel's Back | |
| 1964 | May: | The Gondoliers |
| Nov: | Haul For The Shore | |
| 1965 | March: | Pool's Paradise |
| Nov: | A Quiet Weekend | |
| 1966 | April: | Without The Prince |
| Sept: | The Boyfriend | |
| Nov: | Queen Elizabeth Slept Here | |
| 1967 | April: | Wanted One Body |
| Nov: | Keep In A Cool Place | |
| 1968 | April: | My Three Angels |
| Nov: | Bonaventure | |
| 1969 | May: | The Ghost Train |
| July: | Three One Act Plays | |
| Nov: | Hobson's Choice | |
| 1970 | June: | Busybody |
| Nov: | Flare Path | |
| 1971 | May: | Semi-detached |
| Nov: | Noah | |
| 1972 | May: | When We Are Married |
| Nov: | Hot And Cold In All Rooms | |
| 1973 | May: | Spring And Port Wine |
| Nov: | The Unexpected Guest | |
| 1974 | May: | Birds On The Wing |
| Nov: | I'll Get My Man | |
| 1975 | May: | The Anniversary |
| 1976 | March: | Dead Easy |
| 1977 | May: | Barefoot In The Park |
| Nov: | Roar Like A Dove | |
| 1978 | Nov: | Breath Of Spring |
| 1979 | April: | Three one Act Plays: See if I Care, Knightsbridge, Dear Departed |
| Nov: | Dear Charles | |
| 1980 | June: | Wanted One Body |
| Nov: | See How They Run | |
| 1981 | July: | An inspector Calls |
| Nov: | Not Now Darling | |
| 1982 | May: | Wild Goose Chase |
| Nov: | Bird In The Hand | |
| 1983 | June | The Poltergeist |
| Nov: | The Importance Of Being Earnest | |
| 1984 | June: | Fringe Benefits |
| Nov: | Surprise Package | |
| 1985 | June: | Dead on Nine |
| Nov: | Blithe Spirit | |
| 1986 | Feb: | Time To Kill |
| April: | Carrots | |
| Nov: | Move Over Mrs Markham | |
| 1987 | April: | Smike |
| Nov: | Beyond A Joke | |
| 1988 | April: | Tom Sawyer |
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