KIDDERMINSTER PLAYHOUSE
1946 - 1968 A Souvenir

History

Contents

NO ALTERNATIVE 1966 - 1967

Plans for the future were now occupying more time than ever. The Corporation's latest idea, of turning the mouldering Grand cinema in Mill, Street into a theatre, never really stood a chance. Although the Nonentities were once told, "It is this scheme or nothing" no-one really believed it. The conversion would probably have cost three times the estimated £27,000 and the situation of the building was clearly all wrong. But the discussion of even so barren a scheme wasted another six months.

The society had suggested that a small theatre, seating 400 and costing £80,000, should be built by September 1968. Even this was not really a valid suggestion. Such a theatre could have been built but neither the Nonentities nor the operatic societies wanted it. No fly tower, no orchestra pit? The new theatre should be an improvement on the Playhouse, not a step back. This was a talking point and it served to calm the nerves of those scared by talk of a quarter of a million.

The work went on, of course, beginning with One for the Pot, in which Ron Pratt was supported by so many artfully-contrived doubles that he seemed to be in every corner of the stage at the same time.

John Citroen had taken over from Donald Edwards and his first production for the society was the play which opened the theatre 20 years earlier, Pygmalion, with John Hunter as Higgins and Doreen Evans as Eliza.

Colin Young starred in Theatre Club's second production, Henry V, then had his first big part with the Nonentities in Trelawny of the Wells, an old favourite which was a labour of love for the director.

Free As Air, with Sheila Jones in one of the leads and Gordon Clunie among the new names, returned after seven years with Harry Purcell and Florence Tomes still holding hands.

All the supers were back on stage for another courtroom epic, Hostile Witness, which had Colin Young in the dock as the barrister accused of murder, John Hunter in superb form as the prosecutor and Kenneth Rose as the "Red Judge" presiding at the Old Bailey. The season ended on a subdued note with Farewell, Farewell, Eugene, which falls some way below the masterpiece class. (Margaret Woodall in one of the leads.)

The Merry Widow, by the Carpet Trades Society was another triumph for Pauline Evans, who turned up again as Anna Leonowens in the KAOS version of The King and I, with Robert Barclay as the King of Siam. A memorable week was marred on the final night by the collapse of Sir George Eddy, chairman of the Advisory Council. He died on the stage after congratulating the company.

The Stourport society, followed the previous year's success with The Mikado (with Len Reeves in his old part as Ko-Ko). They and the other newcomers, Theatre Club, indicated how interest in the arts was increasing constantly; no fears that any new theatre would be lying idle.

The Shrewsbury Guild, amateurs with a preference for the newest ideas, brought The Caretaker and Sergeant Musgrave's Dance - but also had to bring most of their audience with them.

These and others like them were plays that Kidderminster had every right to see but which the Nonentities could not present without alienating the majority of their subscribers. In a new theatre they would be presented as a matter of course.

Meanwhile it was hard on the Nonentities that they should be criticised for stuffiness of outlook when there was so much they wanted to do but dare not risk.

Repertory work continued with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and continued with Song of Twilight, Barefoot in the Park, The Killing of Sister George (a first appearance by John Citroen's wife, Carolyn Gray), On Approval and Busybody.

Visits by Clarkson Rose and Maurice Fogel, the illusionist, were included in a varied year's work. John Citroen devised an interesting Shakespearean evening, with extracts from nine of the plays, Opera for All brought Fra Diavolo and La Boheme and the Ballet for All company made a return visit. The pantomime, Dick Whittington, with Bert Ward still in command, broke all previous records for attendances and profits.

Dancing schools have always flourished in Kidderminster and again Anna Brown proved herself a friend of the theatre by handing over £179 from a single performance.

A season of exceptional variety and interest and, of course, a loss. The figure was £3,863 and there was not a single grant to set against it. The Director had no option but to report to the annual meeting that although the official climate for a new theatre seemed more favourable than ever before the delays made it certain that there would be a gap (two years, three years, who knows?) between the demolition of the old theatre and the building of the new.

Later in the year the new theatre became a mark on a surveyor's map, still in the Bromsgrove Street area. Wait for the next thrilling instalment.