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 Martins Bank
Operatic Society in The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan
Staged: 26
to 30 March 1957 at the Crane Theatre Liverpool
For the second time in
its history, the Martins Bank operatic Society stages “The Mikado” at
Liverpool’s Crane Theatre. The
previous performance was put on in 1949, when the ensemble was known as
Martins Bank Society of the Arts – Music Section. As usual, Martins Bank Magazine has its ear
to the ground, and its eye on the stage as the Bank clerks by day become
operatic performers by night. Some
names worthy of early note here, are Basil Williams, the musical director,
and W Morris, future Manager of Liverpool University Branch, who will become
a well known musical performer over the coming years. For our now burgeoning stocks of original
show programmes, we are indebted to the late Beryl Creer, who held Martins
Bank’s first appointed female managerial role, and as Beryl Evans took part
in many early productions, to Geoffrey Kelly, who took part in and later
produced some of the Operatic Society’s most famous triumphs, and to Mike
Ellis, who collected and donated a huge number of original programmes to the
archive. The programme cover seen here
for the 1957 production of the Mikado is from that collection. The first
image below is typical of the spectacle these productions strive for, and
achieve, and it will not be long before the attention of critics and awards
bodies will turn favourably in the direction of our players…
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 For their annual production at Crane Theatre, the Society
decided to repeat an earlier success and they presented “The Mikado” for five nights, March 26th to 30th, plus
a matinee on the Saturday afternoon—an innovation which was not
wholly justified, unfortunately, by
the size of the house. The Society last performed the opera in 1949. Before proceeding to the particulars, let
it be said that, taken as a whole the production was a credit to the
Society, to its producer, Mr. J. Balfour Thompson, and to its Musical
Director, Mr. Basil A. Williams. We were very gratified to have the
services of these two gentlemen once again and they can feel very satisfied
with a job well done.
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The Chorus of The Ladies and Gentlemen of Japan
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A quite outstanding performance as The Mikado of
Japan was given by Don Gilroy—one
of the best amateur portrayals we have seen. Diction clear, histrionic
ability well equal to the part and the difficult song “A more humane Mikado . . .” sharply
rendered. We are greatly indebted to two friends for helping us out with
Nanki-Poo and Ko-Ko, two main parts our Society couldn't manage to fill
this time. Gerard
Martin, who played Nanki-Poo, has helped us on a previous occasion and his
fine tenor voice fulfilled the demands of the part charmingly. W. B. Reid
gave us a most pleasing and sympathetic Ko-Ko. His diction and appearance were excellent and the
“business” associated with the part was put over most convincingly. Bill
Morris as Pooh-Bah must rank with Don Gilroy for an outstanding
performance.
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Three
Little Maids
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Don
Gilroy as The Mikado
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Gerard
Martin as Nanki Poo
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W
B Reid as Koko
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His magnificent voice
and his complete mastery of the mountainous pomposity which the part
demands resulted in a performance which would be hard to equal, never mind
beat.
Marshall Hesketh played Pish-Tush.
Having previously heard and appreciated his singing we were rather
surprised to experience some difficulty in hearing him properly on this
occasion. The position he chose sometimes forced him to sing away from the
audience and this undoubtedly was the main cause of the trouble. Otherwise,
his choice for the part was an excellent one. Traditionally somewhat
colourless he made it come to life quite strongly.
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“Braid the Raven Hair”…
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Of the
three little maids, the singing of Mary Nelson as Yum-Yum and Pamela Rooke as
Pitti-Sing was sheer delight. Joan Webster's acting as Peep-Bo was
outstandingly good and they made a charming trio. Phyllis
Ritchie portrayed Katisha. She knows
her Gilbert and Sullivan
inside out and her acting in these roles is excellent. She has a fine
contralto voice, too, but in operatic singing its power is not quite
adequate and her words are not always clear.
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Basil Williams
Musical Director
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The female chorus was
young, beautiful, tuneful and altogether delightful. They remembered to smile
when they sang and they made a most colourful picture, all 21 of them,
though three or four were observed now and again to be ‘resting’ when they
should have been singing. The male chorus, twenty strong, was entirely
satisfactory—combining power with melody in just the right proportions. Perhaps
we may be excused for singling out Colin Robertshaw, the executioner's
youthful “mate”, if that is the correct term, for special mention. He made
a very attractive little Jap. The work of producing a
light opera such as this is so colossal, and so many backroom boys and
girls are involved, that it is perhaps not inappropriate that special
reference should be made to the work they do - stage managing; looking
after dresses and props; prompting; publicity posters; programme selling;
to say nothing of those who undertake the provision of refreshments at the
interval throughout the week, those who deal with the bookings and the
secretarial work, the Restaurant Staff at Head Office, and the Maintenance
Staff for help in numerous ways. We are very grateful to all of them.
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 M
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