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Bill Jones as King Menelaus, Helen's ageing and ineffectual
husband, exploited his comic role to the full and acted as a perfect foil
for his overbearing fellow kings, played with relish by Derek Carrier, Ian
Wilson and John Bowen. Paris, disguised as a shepherd, has been judging a
beauty competition between the goddesses Juno, Minerva and Venus and
having declared the latter the winner receives as his reward 'the love of
the fairest woman in the world'. She, as far as Paris is concerned, is
Helen. Calchas, the Chief Augur and lovable rogue—jocular Jim Roberts at his best—helps to arrange things so
that Paris can have a clear run and has Menelaus packed off to Crete for a
month's holiday. However,
the king arrives home unexpectedly, having bribed the gods into allowing
him an early return, and finds Paris and Helen in a compromising situation.
Somewhat upset at this turn of events, he has Paris deported and takes
Helen off to Nauplia-by-the-Sea to let the dust settle. Unfortunately,
Menelaus has nagging ways which Helen finds rather trying. Paris, however,
is not one to give up easily and with the nefarious machinations of the
crafty Calchas reappears in disguise and elopes with Helen. As his golden
galley sails off into the wide blue yonder, he reveals his identity to the
frustrated Menelaus who naturally takes things rather badly. The two
vivacious young moderns, Jean Robinson and Glenda Jolly, with Valerie Mudd
in the 'principal boy' part of the playboy Orestes, accented the lively
performance early on with their 'Rising Generation' number. Pamela Rooke as Nesta, Helen's attendant,
acted as a loyal attendant should in delicate situations and sang
melodiously. The chorus work was particularly pleasing. Their singing was
resonant and precise and their easy movement made full use of the stage.
Nor did we detect the stamp of many amateur choruses—the awkward tension as they await their cue from the
orchestra pit.
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Instead of the usual
production photos, this montage has been
cleverly put
together for the readers of Martins Bank Magazine…
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The ballet devised by Barbara Roberts added
to the colour and gaiety. The show-stopper was the insertion of the
famous 'Gendarmes' song, suitably adapted, sung by Ian Wilson and John
Bowen in their roles of Ajax and Achilles. Under the skilful baton of Geoffrey
Kelly the highly proficient orchestra kept up the lively pace throughout to
give the performance a professional finish.
For the newspaper critics this was one of those weeks for, to quote
W. S. Gilbert, 'Isn't your life extremely flat when you've nothing whatever
to grumble at?' In the Liverpool
Daily Post Sydney Jeffery pronounced it 'one of the best productions
we have seen at this theatre for years' while Hughie Ross in the Liverpool Echo described the show
as a 'rare occasion'. To accomplish such success with a brand-new
production says much for the skill and imagination of producer Kenneth
Jones and is a tribute to the teamwork of all involved. For musical
director Geoffrey Kelly La Belle
Helene marked the final triumph in his association with the Society.
What more can we say but “Well done, thank you and good luck”.
Goodbye to
Geoff and Jill Kelly…
With the
Martins/Barclays Merger now well underway, job roles in the two banks are
being changed and harmonised, and, from his role as Assistant Manager of
Head Office Public Relations at Martins, Geoffrey Kelly is bound for London
as the Assistant Manager of Barclays Bank’s Press and Information
Department. As we have seen above,
Martins Bank Magazine has already wished him luck, but the news that La
Belle Helene is going to be his last production with Martins Bank Operatic
Society comes as a shock to many, who have appreciated his commitment and
sheer vision for this particular group of strolling players. It is therefore, fitting that we end with
the local press reviews of this, his final show, from which it is plain to
see that he, and his wife Jill, who is a veteran performer with the
Society, will both be sorely missed…
Liverpool Daily Post March 1969
 Offenbach’s “La
Belle Helene”, now being presented at the Neptune Theatre, Liverpool, by Martins
Bank Operatic Society, is produced by Kenneth Jones and musically directed
by Geoffrey Kelly. It is one of the best productions we have seen there for
years. The company understand the satire; most can act; all can sing
melodiously and resonantly; the diction is excellent; there is true
cohesion; while mass movement is very pleasantly devised to the proportions
of the stage. The book for Offenbach was written to lampoon irreverently,
under classic guise, the conditions of Parisian society under Napoleon III.
Now it has a brand-new book and lyrics by Phil Park, hitherto known in
Liverpool for his Empire pantomime. This is the first Liverpool revival of
“La Belle Helena”, and modern as bingo and the discotheque. S.J.
 Liverpool Echo 24 March 1969
“TWICE a week,
for the past five months”, said the man at the bank. “a young Aughton
housewife with two small daughters has driven into Liverpool to become a
teenage boy.” But it wasn’t peculiar as it sounded. The lady is Valerie
Mudd (above) and her sex-change is strictly theatrical. Valerie’s a member
of Martins Bank Operatic Society and her tremendous vocal range has won her
the part of King Agamemnon’s playboy son in the production of “ La Belle
Helene ” the Society are staging this week at the Neptune Theatre. It’* a
tenor role—but that’s nothing new to Valerie, who has sung tenor parts
before in Gilbert and Sullivan productions by Seafield School’s society.
She’s also taken soprano roles in the Bank society’s annual shows in which,
before her marriage, she appeared as Valerie Tilley.
Liverpool Echo March 1969
 Few who attended
the Martins Bank A.O.S. production of “La Belle Helene” at Neptune Theatre
this week realised that they were to be entertained with an operetta as
witty as many a G. & S. classic. The music by Offenbach is. of course,
well known, but the new book and lyrics by Phil Park save it a modern touch
truly delightful. Producer Kenneth Jones cleverly exploited this, while
musical director Geoffrey Kelly and an accomplished orchestra also
contributed in full measure to make this a rare occasion. The action takes
place “without any regard for credibility, in unspecified times in an
unlikely ancient Greece” and from the entry of Jim Roberts, big of voice
and stature, as the High Priest, laughter took over. His asides to the
audience as he contrived to assist the will of the Gods to smooth romance
of Helen and Paris were a joy. Pat Carrier made a very attractive Helen and
with Clive S. Jones as Paris sang well, particularly the “O Dream of Love”
number. Bill Jones was a lively comic figure as Menelaus, the cuckolded
King, and in striking contrast to the impressive stature of this fellow
Kings, Ian Wilson John Bowen, and Derek Carrier, all with a good sense of
comedy. Pamela Rooke, Jean Robinson, Glenda Jolly and Valerie T Mudd added
charm and vocal ability to the gay proceedings, as did the chorus and a
small ballet, arranged by Barbara Roberts, ail beautifully costumed in a
bright setting of pillared porticoes devised by Kenneth Jones.
 Liverpool Echo 2 April 1969
The old saying that no one is
indispensable may be true: but in the case of Geoffrey Kelly, the musical
director of Martins Bank Operatic Society, it’s open to doubt. At the end
of the Society’s production of “La Belle Helene” last week, the society’s
officials unexpectedly sprang the news that it was Geoffrey’s last show on
Merseyside. This week he was commuting between the home he’ll be leaving,
at Grange Mount, West Kirby, to settle into his new post as publicity
manager of Barclays Bank; and his departure has left the society wondering
how it’s ever going to fill the yawning gap his move has left in its
committee. Geoffrey, an expert on finger-style guitar-playing, was not only
the society’s accomplished musical director, but also its chairman, publicity
officer and programme designer. His wife, Jill, who has been taking
soubrette roles since she appeared in the productions under her maiden name
of Winship, will also be missed by her fellow-members.
Newspaper Extracts ©
Liverpool Daily Post and Liverpool Echo 1969 – Martins Bank Archive
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