Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

We didn't have a Grecian's Play in 1999 because not enough people could be bothered to do it...

Our Grecian's play was a fairly hastily organised and shambolic run through Grease, and was really just an excuse to smoke and drink on stage. I played Sonny (as a favour to the guy who had actually signed up to do it) and so was involved in the 'Blue Moon' scene. All that beer had some effect on my trouser descending capabilities though and apparently the front row got to see my comets as well

DavebytheSea wrote:The second venture was a touring production of Murder in the Cathedral, produced by Frank Warner, in which, I believe, Roger Martin played the part of the archbishop. I was both 2nd Tempter and 3rd Knight and fell in love, for the first time in my life, with a pretty girl from the Avery Hill Training College which provided the Chorus of Women. (I don't think the girl ever knew this, as I was much to shy to confess my adoration for her and now, I cannot even remember her name. However, her beauty, her youth and her innocence have remained unaltered despite the passing of the years!) We performed, I think, in Southwark and at Rochester - possibly even at Canterbury tho 'I cannot now remember.

Well, extraordinary! I have just come across the actual text I used as 2nd tempter and 3rd knight. Inside the front cover is the printed front page of the programme - I see we were known as "the Pilgrims Way Players", The cast have all signed. They were (from CH):

Francis le P Warner
Anthony N Barnard
Paul Todd
Lance Reynolds
Eric Saville
Clive K Jordan
Roger Martin
Tom MS Priestley
Arthur Dyball
(and David L Eastburn)

In case the following names mean anything to anybody, I here append the girls also (from Avery Hill Training College). They were:

Norma Stansfield
Sheila Beatrice Ingram
Pauline Ballands
Valerie Mathieson
Margaret A Gostling
Mary Hall
Janet P Clarke
Mary Hird

I don't suppose either Frank Warner or Roger Martin have any time to look in here. If they did, they might be able to furnish some information about the St Anne's, Soho venture in the previous year about which I have so far found no record although at the time I know we made big coverage in all the national newspapers.

Sounds like a marvellous occasion.

As an update, the play is rehearsing well, albeit slowly - we anticipate a picking up of speed in the forthcoming weeks after half-term.

My year did Midsummer Nights Dream as a Grecians play, in the garden quad. It was about the only thing I wasn't involved with on my deps and grecians, well not quite, but I did many many things. I think it took place in the last week of term, as I remember sitting on the grass, too far away from it to really understand what was happening, being completely exhausted. I think it might have been the day after the grecians' ball, which was on the Tuesday night, and I really didn't follow it.

darthmaul wrote:Sounds like a marvellous occasion.

As an update, the play is rehearsing well, albeit slowly - we anticipate a picking up of speed in the forthcoming weeks after half-term.

Dare we ask which part you are playing Luke?

englishangel wrote:

darthmaul wrote:Sounds like a marvellous occasion.

As an update, the play is rehearsing well, albeit slowly - we anticipate a picking up of speed in the forthcoming weeks after half-term.

Dare we ask which part you are playing Luke?

I have two parts - Theseus and one of the players... I'm not sure who yet...

Funnily enough, we are also doing the MSD in the Garden Quad...!

darthmaul wrote:

englishangel wrote:

darthmaul wrote:Sounds like a marvellous occasion.

As an update, the play is rehearsing well, albeit slowly - we anticipate a picking up of speed in the forthcoming weeks after half-term.

Dare we ask which part you are playing Luke?

I have two parts - Theseus and one of the players... I'm not sure who yet...

Funnily enough, we are also doing the MSD in the Garden Quad...!

I don't know Horsham very well but presumably the Garden Quad makes a good background for it.

Funnily enough they do MSD in the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park every year.

(For further information see 'irony')

Ruthie-Baby wrote:My year did Midsummer Nights Dream as a Grecians play, in the garden quad. It was about the only thing I wasn't involved with on my deps and grecians, well not quite, but I did many many things. I think it took place in the last week of term, as I remember sitting on the grass, too far away from it to really understand what was happening, being completely exhausted. I think it might have been the day after the grecians' ball, which was on the Tuesday night, and I really didn't follow it.

Ok this is all lies. Well the bit about it being my year. I was on the same year as Graham who remembers being in Grease. Maybe that was the shambolic one I was doing my best to be polite about. There was MND and it was in the garden quad. Leavers 1996 maybe.

Ruthie-Baby wrote:

Ruthie-Baby wrote:My year did Midsummer Nights Dream as a Grecians play, in the garden quad. It was about the only thing I wasn't involved with on my deps and grecians, well not quite, but I did many many things. I think it took place in the last week of term, as I remember sitting on the grass, too far away from it to really understand what was happening, being completely exhausted. I think it might have been the day after the grecians' ball, which was on the Tuesday night, and I really didn't follow it.

Ok this is all lies. Well the bit about it being my year. I was on the same year as Graham who remembers being in Grease. Maybe that was the shambolic one I was doing my best to be polite about. There was MND and it was in the garden quad. Leavers 1996 maybe.

i remember watching it but i cannot remember what year...

Yep, we did Grease in '97. Lucy Palmer was in it, as was Tom St John Gray, Alex Priestly, Bill Flint, and I can't remember much else (Probably due to aforementioned alcohol). It was all very shambolic, but a good laugh. That was the only piece of theater I was invloved in at CH!

MSND was performed by some hippies down by the sicker on our UF or GE, Ruth. I remember Mr Ward making us go watch it - it all seemed fine until they whipped out their guitars and started singing strawberry fields forever. I'm as big a Beatles fan as anyone (if not bigger!) but that was a bit much for me!

darthmaul wrote:This year sees a group of amazing Grecians putting on a play - Shakespeare's Midsummer Nights Dream. It will not be the full version, nor the fully costumed one, as this would be prohibitively expensive and complicated.

Anyway, what do people recall of Grecian's Plays? There are some I'm sure that went down as legends in their own rights.

As a lesser point, does anyone know of anyone who might like to help the Grecians with the cost of it?

I gather it rained so the al fresco idea had to be abandoned! How did it go? In Big School? Scenery? Lighting?

Should have done it in Cornwall - we had gorgeous weather.

I think we had it good - the weather reports said it should rain, the previous few hours said it should rain and the sky declared its wish to be raining.


It didn't, on either night. Saturday was a nightmare though, as we had formulated a contigency plan to hold the Garden Quad scenes in Big School. It never happened, so we moved 120 exam tables and chairs for nothing!!!

To make it safe, we had to do all sorts of things, like gritting the paths etc.

It all turned out rather well, and I gather most of the staff who came enjoyed it, as well as all the pupils, so it couldn't have been that bad...

Well done to one and all!

we never had one
didnt even know people did them cos i dont remember the year above me doing it either