Post-Horn Gallop
(December 1980)

	Front cover and back page Inner pages
The Programme   ....	... select a page	3 photos

Had you noticed that Mark Strong made what must have been one of his earliest stage appearances in this play?   I don't think any of us thought he'd end up acting for a living.   The play was hugely successful - sold out both nights.  The Palm Court Orchestra played during the interval and ice cream sodas were served to the audience who were sat at tables rather than in rows.

Mandy Bradshaw (nee Norrish)

This was the Drawing Room farce in my last year, of which I have two memories. 

The first is of Steve Frewer (playing a crusty county Colonel of the old school), who was at some point in the action hidden in a laundry basket on stage, and from which I think he was meant to emerge, suitably outraged, to confront his wife and her lover caught in flagrante delicto.  Except that, as the audience waited in total, breathless silence for him to appear, we just heard a muffled "oh shit" from the wicker basket followed by internal heavings as he tried, but failed, to open the basket from the inside ....

The second is one of the female characters, perhaps Kim Hammond, greatly exciting all males present by wearing a very short skirt indeed together with thigh-length black boots. Or am I mixing things up?  It may have been Sarah Page of the next school production, Orpheus, which was later in that, my final year.  Whoever it was, they were two of the best legs any female Wymondhamite ever possessed.

In general, it was easy to laugh and poke fun at school performances, whether it was the Mair Cup or one of the plays that came along every year or two.  Pupils everywhere I suppose enjoy the discomfiture of their fellows, especially when one or another of them made an ass of themselves.  Yet at the same time one had real respect for those who had the courage to tread the amateur boards on behalf of the school.  As for myself, I was terrified of being asked to appear in one of these shows, and happily for me, I never was.

Ben Carter

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Orpheus in the Underworld
(Spring 1981)

1	2

The Cast

Eurydice (wife of Orpheus) - Helen Yorke
Pluto (Eurydice's Lover) - Martin Giles
Calliope (mother of Orpheus) - Claire Smith
Diana (Goddess of Hunting) - Sarah Page
Jupiter - Richard Martin
Juno (Wife of Jupiter) - Rachel Saunders
Cupid - Susan Mapes
Mars (God of War) - Wesley Paines
Venus (Goddess of Love) - Alison Taylor
Mercury - Iain Trafford
Styx - Nicholas Smith
Orpheus - Simon Scott
Bacchus (God of Wine) - Stuart Holcroft

Staff involved with direction, costumes, music etc.:
Miss Johnson, Mrs Rutherford, Mrs Weaver, Mr McBeath, Mr Parker and Mr Cross.

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The Mikado
(December 1981)

1	2	3	4

According to a related article in the 1982 College Magazine, the video tape of the opera was
mistaken for a BBC production; praise indeed!

Cast
Mikado - William Blake
Nanki Poo (son of Mikado) - Iain Trafford
Schoolgirl - Julia Morfoot
Schoolgirl - Sarah Page
Katisha - Sallyanne Fox
Also starring - Henry Andrews, Mr Walsey, Mr Brand

Staff acknowledgements
Producer - Mr Garrard
Scenery - Mr Chedgey
Costumes - Mrs Rutherford

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Murder at the Vicarage
(December 1982)

The EDP Write-up	Miss Marple	The Cast

Scene 1	Scene 2	Scene 3	Scene 4

 

The Vicar ..................	William Blake		Griselda (his wife) ........	Gillian Lomas
Dennis .....................	George Taylor		Mary (the maid) ...........	Cathy Youngs
Ronald Hawes ..........	Henry Andrews		Lettice Protheroe .........	Jenny Ralfs
Miss Marple .............	Maxine Brenner		Mrs Price Ridley .........	Rachel Dunsire
Anne Protheroe ........	Maria Benstead		Dr John Haydock ........	Justin Philcox
Lawrence Redding ....	Peter Walton (stage name now Peter Amory - Chris Tate in "Emmerdale")
Inspector Slack ........	Martin Hammond		P.C. Jennings .............	Phillip Jones

Produced by Mr D. Chedgey
Scenery - Mr Chedgey & Mr Davis
Costumes - Mrs Rutherford
Lighting - Richard Mawby

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Salad Days
(1983)

Scene 1	Scene 2	Scenes 3/4	Scene 5

Cast List - Principal roles
Jane - Julia Garlick	Timothy - Iain Trafford
The Tramp - Simon Scott	Fiona - Rachel Wood
Nigel - David Hughes	Troppo - Rosie Best
Augustine Williams - Martin Giles	P.C. Boot - Justin Philcox
Rowena - Sarah Jenkin	Timothy's mother - Lesley Perry
Lady Raeburn (Jane's mother) - Sallyanne Fox	Aunt Zedina - Julie Barber
Other roles
Timothy's father - Martin Giles	Sir Clamsby Williams / Fosdyke - David Hughes
Aunt Prue / Waitress at 'The Cleopatra' - Sarah Jenkin	Beauticians - Alison Hunter , Julie Barber
Bishop / Police Inspector / Tom Smith - Simon Scott	Manager of 'The Cleopatra' - Iain Trafford
Asphynxia - Sallyanne Fox	Electrode - Justin Philcox
Cleopatra's Chorus - Julie Barber, Alison Hunter, Lesley Perry.

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Kiss Me Kate
(1984)

1	2	3	4	5

CAST
Fred Graham (Petruchio in 'The Shrew')	- Henry Andrews
Lilli Vanessi (Katharine)	- Sallyanne Fox
Lois Lane (Bianca)	- Julia Garlick
Hattie	- Sarah Jenkin
Bill Calhoun (Lucentio)	- Simon Scott
(Gremio)	- Paul Brackley
(Hortensio)	- Brinley Page
Harry Trevor (Baptista)	- Philip Jones
Liz, Stage Manager	- Liz Loyd
Paul, Fred's dresser	- Eliot Wren
First Gangster	- Mr David Chedgey
Second Gangster	- George Taylor
Stage Doorman	- Simon Mullins
Harrison Howell	- Mr Roger Garrard
Haberdasher, Servants and Waiters	- Mark Brenner, Kevin Hancock, Chris Kilby, Nick Wakeman
Chorus of actors, singers and dancers: Julie Barber, Judith Britton, Amanda Carey, Debi Collis, Sarah Haverson, Barbara Hunt, Alison Hunter, Sarah Jenkin, Saraj Johnson, Alex Jones, Lisa Macro, Rowena Morley, Tanya Rumble, Nicky Turner, Sarah Ward, Sam Wheddon, Marion Yorke. Paul Brackley, Mark Brenner, Andrew Cripps, Jeremy Hall, Kevin Hancock, Philip Jones, Cameron Kiggell, Chris Kilby, Duncan Noble-Nesbitt, Brinley Page, Simon Scott, Nick Wakeman.
CHOREOGRAPHY: DEBBI COLLIS, JULIA GARLICK, SARAH JENKIN, MR DAVID CHEDGEY
ORCHESTRA: Conducted by MR DENNIS KIDDY
Violin Mr Fred Appleby Rachael Dorling Jane Poulton Joanna Dorling Anne Powell	Reeds Mr John Matthews Julia Lovick Julian Landymore Suzanne Battye Jackie Utting
Viola Mrs Kay Dorling Adrian Simper	Trumpet Mr Andrew Stewart Mr Bob Munn Claire Nicholls
Cello Catherine Bodiam	Horn Edward Wynn
Bass Guitar Martin Plackett	Trombone Mr Matthew Hill
Keyboard Mr Brian Parker	Percussion Mr Adrian Lucas
REHEARSAL PIANIST: MR BRIAN PARKER MUSICAL DIRECTOR: MR DENNIS KIDDY PRODUCED BY MR ROGER GARRARD

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The Boyfriend
(December 1984)

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Measure for Measure
(1986?)

I don't know if anybody else was there, but the first night of Measure for Measure (around 1986) is worth remembering. 
It was, essentially, a pretentious staging brought down to earth by a cast of inepts. The stage was central, a vision only be realised by the cast continuously climbing through windows and running round the building. 

Most of the cast had trouble remembering their lines and the prompter, in absence of any sound from the stage, spoke fairly continuously.  My small part in this disaster is measured by the fact that I only had two lines.  I can't remember what the first one was, but by the time I got to stage it had morphed into: "I'll go and get them."  This, although conveying the spirit of William, was probably not in context with the correct prose.

The second night was less traumatic, but by then Measure for Measure had already earned its rightful place in history.

Charles Stokes

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Oliver
(1989)

The Cast	Sykes & Nancy (one of them!)

A 'first' in that all years (and staff) were represented.   A 'flu epidemic resulted in several last minute changes and a number of roles were undertaken by different people during the run.

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Wymondham College Remembered - Rolls neater, smokes sweeter