Martins Bank Players (North Eastern)

MARTINS BANK PLAYERS (NORTH EASTERN)

Martins Bank Players (North-Eastern) in Miscellany

Staged: 27 November 1948 at the News Theatre Lecture Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne

In what is a new departure for the The North Eastern Players from their traditional annual offering, they choose to stage an evening of entertainment. This is not the only change either – another “departure” is the temporary abandonment of their usual venue The Little Theatre Jesmond, for the altogether different environs of Newcastle upon Tyne’s News Theatre Lecture Hall.

A large number of participants do everything they can to entertain – singing, magic, music, recitals, even impressions! Martins Bank Magazine is of course on hand to guide us through the evening, and at a tiome in the twenty-first century when people are calling for the return of “variety” to stage and screen, it is interesting to note their comment about this kind of traditional “family” entertainment was being stifled by cinema and television! Perhaps what goes around really does come around? As you read on, please do take note that some of what is performed in “Miscellany” might not count as “family” entertainment today, as there are one or two distinctly racist overtones from an altogether different era…

In the News Theatre Lecture Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, on the evening of Saturday, November 27th, 1948, the enterprising company which now styles itself Martins Bank (North Eastern District) Players, presented to a full house a varied entertainment under the title “Miscellany”. It was of an experimental nature and was a pleasant hark-back to that simple entertainment of another day, which the advent of the radio and the cinema has all but killed. There was singing, conjuring, recitation, instrumental items, monologues and impressions and all were agreed that the arrangements combined to provide a very homely and enjoyable family reunion. One thing stood out above all else, and that was the remarkable range of talent of a really high order which the programme revealed. Jean Nimmo (Hexham Branch) who sang songs from Sullivan and German, as well as other well-known favourites, has progressed in Hexham amateur operatic circles to the point where she is now a principal. John Stephenson (District General Management Relief Staff) has perfected the art of magic to the point where he could make a living out of it if he chose. Some of his tricks, which included the swallowing of razor blades, are well-tried favourites, but all mystified and entranced his audience, and the first part of his turn, which was done in Chinese costume in dumb show, introduced an unusual note which greatly added to the dramatic quality of the magic.

Left to right: Standing : H. W. Shave, N. L. Watson, G. G. Whittingham, H. R. Child, C. V. H. Vincent, F. Bates, M. A. Charlton,

J. H. Emery, R. H. Wilkie, J. Stephenson, C. A. Taylor, C. L. Knight. Seated: Nora Wilkie, Ethne Ridley,

Mary Bates, Mr. D. O. Maxwell (President), Winifred Steed, Marjorie Smethurst, Kay Whittingham.

Marjorie Smethurst (Former Staff) sang four songs. Her clear young voice, no less than her farming personality would have secured her more than one encore had the programme not been running behind schedule. The male singers were John H. Emery (Ashington Branch) and Harry Smurthwaite (Manager, Monkwearmouth Branch). John Emery's rendering of his four songs was delicate and nicely modulated in its artistic appeal. Amateur singers sometimes sacrifice quality to volume and spoil their songs, but John Emery carried his audience with him each time and we could have wished for more. It was very plucky of Harry Smurthwaite to undertake the strain of entertaining us so soon after his recent illness. He sang “High above day”, the poem by Donald Thompson, who has now left the North Eastern District and gone to Taunton. This poem, which we were privileged to print in the Magazine, was set to music by Harry Smurthwaite. So was his other song “Lavender Way”, the words of which were written by C. V. H. Vincent, who compered the show. These two have written and composed an opera called “Lilac and Lavender” from which the song was taken. It is intended to produce it locally at the first opportunity. Rowland Child's (Gosforth Branch) recitation of Jerome K. Jerome's prose:— “A Bachelor's Meditation on Babies” was excellently rendered and very appreciatively received. Frank Bates (Low Fell Branch) gave us two violin solos, faultlessly played and Meredith Charlton's (Seaham Branch) monologues and impressions, particularly the latter, were exceptionally clever and caused much laughter. Cyril Taylor (Team Valley Branch) gave us two pianoforte miscellanies of popular airs and then, along with Charles Knight (Newburn Branch) put on an imitative turn, for which they had written the script themselves, called the “Eastern Brothers”. We very much appreciated the graceful and genuine compliment they paid the Magazine by their inclusion of a verse about it. The accompanists were Hilda Smurthwaite, Winifred Steed, Kay Whittingham, Nora Wilkie, and Jack Bates. At the conclusion of the programme Mr. D. O. Maxwell, the District General Manager, made an appreciative speech and then presented the tennis trophies for the 1948 season to the winners—Miss Robson (Newcastle City Office) and Mr. Bates (Low Fell Branch). Mr. Bates holds his trophy for the second year in succession. The entertainment was excellently supported by the management and staff, their wives and friends.