MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Share your memories and stories from your days at school, and find out the truth behind the rumours....Remember the teachers and pupils, tell us who you remember and why...

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Deb GP
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Deb GP »

Oh happy days in the theatre. Still got a lot of my scripts up in the attic (well, my parents' attic - really must get them).

Did two Germany tours too - and yes, the old 5ps were still being used as 1DM pieces to get fags out of machines in the nineties too.

Getting older, I'm beginning to appreciate the energy that the likes of DNP, Mr West etc put into their productions. I saw Boris Goodonov at the Colly last year (maybe year before) and found the chorus somewhat lacking in comparison to my probably idealised memory of the CH Community version. I'm sure the DNP Russian peasants were significantly more gritty than the oh-so-obviously-from-the-home-counties types in the ENO. And the ENO lot just seemed to change their blocking in a wooden fashion on the stage - not actually do any acting. Twas a little disappointing. Luckily I'd only bought a cheap seat.

Guys & Dolls in the west end also lacked the "eyes teeth and tits" and "pop" that I seem to remember from the senior production done on my squits.

As for music - then we definitely got spoilt. I can't bear the "choral society" sound after CH chapel choir. Going to support friends at concerts or being generous to the old ladies in church with their thin, reedy, warbling, cat strangling attempts at reaching anything above D but still somehow think they're a soprano, is a painful thing to do.

Like I say - perhaps my memory is a little idealised now, but whatever the truth is, perhaps I just learnt to have good taste and high standards in my theatre and concert appreciation.
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Great Plum »

Debbie, I remember you in that BaB production where I'm sure you were all playing a WI drama society and you were grey haired and in a wheelchair!
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Deb GP
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Deb GP »

I was in BaA (if you don't mind! ) We presented one of the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society plays. Have to say it's all a bit of a blur now. Can't even remember which play it was. I can remember Katy Binnington being quite pleased with the excuse to smoke openly on the stage, but that's about it.

BaB did Daisy Pulls it Off at about the same time as our house play which was in a similar vein - except about school girls.

I remember another girls house doing another one of the FAHETGDS plays when I was in my Juniors and Havaar Ellingsen (sp?) being in it with them. IIRC he was quite a good actor.

Another CH play I enjoyed was the English Deps/Grecians doing the Accidental Death of an Anachist with Mr Wignall. The front somersault on stage during the interrogation was jaw dropping.

I do love the theatre. Shame it's so expensive to see good shows.
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Fjgrogan »

I believe Haavaar Ellingson (again sp?) was writing a pantomime based on either Hamlet or Othello - I wonder if he ever finished it? Entirely hearsay, of course, from one of other of my daughters!
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Deb GP »

You're not Kirily's mum, are you?
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by mvgrogan »

yes, she is, I'm the other one & it wasn't me :lol:
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Fjgrogan »

Guilty as charged!
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Deb GP »

How cool! Not wishing to sound too gushy, but Kirily is probably the person who was most key in encouraging me into the Theatre and liking Shakespeare (I think she was a PA on Macbeth on my squits) and encouraging me to try new stuff like Photography. The theatre was fab for me (along with scouts) in encouraging independence and doing stuff because I wanted to and not because the crowd was doing it. I kept meaning to write to her after she left - I think I finally lost the envelope with her address whilst I was at Uni. Please send her my regards.
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Fjgrogan »

I shall do that! I have just spoken to Kirrily on the phone and she says that the spoof panto thing was a collaboration between her and Haarvaar - her ideas which he put into written form, and as far as she knows it was never completed. She thinks he went on to do some kind of 'professional' comedy work, possibly writing, and may have also been involved in politics. The person most likely to know is Sarah Garland (nee Jeffers, daughter of Tom) - no idea how to contact her. For the record Kirri has just moved to the Hoo Peninsula near Rochester and is enjoying being a full-time mum to Millie aged 3 months. If you would like to send me a PM with your address, I will happily relay it to her.
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Great Plum »

Oh Barnes A of course... sorry, forgot you were in the better house!
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Deb GP »

well... just the *other* side; hopefully not the dark side...
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Great Plum »

Just that little further from Maine...
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by Thepuss »

Recollections...?

Biggest event: The filming of the Roy Clark Travelling Music Show for BBC2

My favourite school production was definitely Erpingham Camp (or Mr Erpingham) by one of the senior houses, based on the play by a guy called "Joe Orton" who I had never heard of... I now know all his plays - that's what a edyukayshun does for you!

Roger Martin chose "Peer Gynt" (Henrik Ibsen) for our house production, and to this day I have NO IDEA what it was about!

Oh, and of course, the very first thing I attended at "The Arts Centre" on the first sunday morning after I started, was "Flutes, Reeds & Whistles" - because it was free, my mother put my name on the list on the first evening before she left!


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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by elliotviola »

There was a great symphonic concert last year (2011) where Leon Acquah, leader of the Symphony Orchestra, played about a line before his string snapped and he had to sit there for 10 minutes without playing.
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Re: MEMORABLE THEATRE OR MUSIC CONCERT AT CH

Post by postwarblue »

The School usually did the O-level Eng Lit play each year. I remember Macbeth ?1949, Julius Caesar with Eric Saville as Caesar, Midsummer Night's Dream (?1952, there was snow & much cold) produced by David Jesson-Dibley, and Dr Faustus (?1953) with Arthur Dyball as Faustus and produced by Gad Malins. I suppose I ought to remember some others, but don't.
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