The Argosy Players - Jupiter Laughs

THE ARGOSY PLAYERS - LIVERPOOL

The Argosy Players in: Jupiter Laughs by A J Cronin

Staged: 10 to 12 December 1953 at Crane theatre Hanover Street Liverpool

Christmas 1953 is something of a watershed moment for the Argosy Players, whose latest production packs out Liverpool’s Crane Theatre on 10, 11 and 12 December. They decide to get their teeth into what is, by all accounts a fascinating and quite complex story, which requires high production values, in addition to a high standard of acting. A J Cronin, known to millions for his highly successful “Dr Finlay’s Casebook” (which ran first on BBC TV and then Radio from 1962 until 1978), writes a powerful and provokative story - “Jupiter Laughs”, which is a dark tale of an atheist doctor obsessed with science, and his love interest whose aim in life is to become a Christian missionary. The Liverpool Echo, which has long championed Merseyside’s many and various operatic and dramatic societies, prints a review of the play written by their correspondent Ken Heaney. As well as the usual pictures and review published in Martins Bank Magazine, we also reproduce Ken’s article, which is actually a glowing tribute to the talented cast and crew of this production. It goes to show that this particular arm of Martins Bank’s Society of the Arts does not shy away from difficult or challenging material, and manages to wow not just the local audience, but importantly the critics, with its offerings. Although Martins Operatic Society continues after the 1969 merger with Barclays, we see the actors drift away to join other groups, and to varying degrees of success. As you sit back now to enjoy “Jupiter Laughs”, we should point out that the print quality of the newspaper article is none too clear, so alongside it we have also reproduced the words of Ken Heaney…

The choice of the Argosy Players for their Winter 1953 production was A. J. Cronin's three-act play " Jupiter Laughs." It was presented at the Crane Theatre for three nights, December 10th, 11th and 12th. We have had many excellent performances from Howell Jones, but his portrayal of the doctor, absorbed in research, bitter and disillusioned with life itself, was about the best bit of character acting he has given us. The play lived from the outset and down to the final denouement he never failed to hold his audience completely. His performance was given added strength by the contrasting roles of the lady doctor who falls in love with him, played by Nora Owen, and the hospital matron who works to accomplish his downfall, played by Maureen Dempster.

Left to right :—Howell Jones, Norman Hubbard, Peter Gordon, Brian Isaacson and Nora Owen

The sweetness of the first-named and the vixenish scheming of the last-named were each played with outstanding skill and the performances of Nora and Maureen, too, must rank among the best they have given us. The play contains one or two little gems of character acting and in a company of great strength it was possible to make sure that these were allotted to experienced people and not to beginners, as so often has to be the case with minor parts. Maud Melville played the part of the mother whose son dies whilst under treatment and there is a fearful risk with this part that the audience may not take it seriously when first she appears. However, it was safe with Maud and she got a burst of applause at each performance. The ward maid was played by Joan Webster with quite deceiving authenticity, a most excellently played little part.

Howell Jones and Nora Owen

Joan Webster and Ken Johnson

Howell Jones and Maureen Dempster

The elderly physician whom life has treated harshly was played by Norman Hubbard, with a kindly, quiet dignity which won all hearts, and the occasional flash of cynicism alienated nobody. We think his script should have been altered from 70 to 60, however, in respect of his age. He did not make up as a convincing septuagenarian. Two newcomers of great promise were Peter Gordon and Audrey Little. Peter played the part of the young assistant physician whose god is sport and his boyish love-making to the lady doctor had all the gaucheness which the situation demanded. Audrey, as the wife of the Medical Superintendent who carries on an illicit love affair with one of the doctors, was excellent from first to last. These two are most valuable acquisitions to the playing strength of the company.

Howell Jones, Maud Melville and Norman Hubbard

Howell Jones and Audrey Little

Brian Isaacson played the part of the Medical Superintendent. He had the height and appearance for this somewhat pompous part, and he obviously knew how it should be done, but we did not feel that his technique was quite equal to it and the portrayal seemed at times artificial. Ken Johnson portrayed the part of the representative of the firm which was willing to take the doctor engaged on research on to their staff and provide him with the last word in laboratories. We saw the performance on the first night and we had the impression then that he needed to show a bit more blatant self-confidence to get this part across to the best advantage, though the portrayal was quite competent. The play was produced by Sydney N. Rimmer and was a very definite addition to his laurels as a producer.

From Liverpool Echo, 19 December 1953

Image and Text reproduced with kind permission of The British Newspaper Archive

A J Cronin’s Play “Jupiter Laughs”, is a good theatrical essay. It is well constructed in design, it has poignant drama of a domestic nature, a gripping story, and principal and supporting characters to satisfy players and producer. I thought the Argosy Players of Martins Bank’s Society of the Arts under the direction of Sidney N Rimmer, made an excellent job of it at Crane Theatre last week-end. My interest in this taut little work was aroused as soon as the curtain went up, and it was held throughout a well-rehearsed, well-paced production. The effects were well managed with the laboratory explosion just right.

Dr Paul Venner is the central figure of “Jupiter Laughs”, and Dr Venner required a lot of understanding. Outwardly he was uncouth, atheistic (experimental laboratory work was his religion and he professed himself to be a scientist not a Christian), and not above cheap clandestine amours, and the quintessence of rude behaviour in his relationship with either sex. Not a very pleasant young man, you see, and without the least suggestion of over-acting or melodrama Howell Jones made him very unpleasant indeed. Howell jones and his producer obviously agreed that behaving unpleasantly and talking unpleasantly on the stage is not sufficient to project an unpleasant character. The able actor, as the otherwise able physician looked quite objectionable too, in a cleverly thought out study, and his stances movements and gestures to say little of his facial expressions, were in keeping with A J Cronin’s demands for a difficult but arresting portrait/ Dr Venner had many crises to face (frustration by his superiors, an operation attended by loss of life, and the sudden intrusion of a genuine love affair) and in all these episodes behind the scenes in a hospital establishment, Howell Jones was master of the situation.

AN EMBITTERED WOMAN

Calm and serene, the philosophical Richard Drewitt was not however, unaware of the tense drama being played around him at Hopewell Towers, and in this role I though Norman H Hubbard fitted perfectly into the scheme of things. Fanny Leeming, the Matron, who was never allowed to forget she was a one-time kitchen girl, was an embittered and designing woman with a most disarming smile. Emphasising all the faces of a theatrically alive study, Maureen Dempster with an assurance and poise I found fascinating to watch, dealt most adequately with all the problems. Dr Mary Murray, the sweetening influence in the affairs of Dr Paul Venner, was sincerely interpreted by Nora Owen. Audrey Little made quite a good deal of the unsympathetic role of Gladys Bragg, and we had a successfully obnoxiously pompous Edgar Bragg, medical superintendent, by Brian Isaacson, even if he looked rather young for so exalted a post. Two neat little character cameos came from Kenneth Johnson as Albert Chivers, and Maud Melville as Martha Foster.