A Musical Bequest
The Archive always welcomes donations, particularly of those of an eclectic nature. Anything that comes in a jiffy bag immediately arouses curiosity and this was well rewarded back in March when Jonathan Price (1974 – 79) returned two audio tapes. His accompanying letter gave rise to a wry smile:
“Quite how they came into my tenure is I am afraid lost in the mists of time, but I do remember enjoying listening to them many times during my period at school, and being impressed by the musical delivery.”
The subject of this appropriation was the 1963 MTS production of “HMS Pinafore”, directed by Hugh Elder. A survey of the Taylorian revealed that OMT stalwarts Bob Hurran (1957-1963) and Philip Newfield (1958-1963) were in the cast and they offered the (slightly contrasting) recollections.
Bob writes:
‘It was a typically lavish affair of the Elder era with a poop deck and staircase leading down to the stage. At one point, I, my daughter and Ralph Rackstraw had to dance a hornpipe and, one evening, concentrating on my steps, I failed to spot the steps from the poop deck and crashed into them. Painful but of course the show went on without a blink!
Costumes were impressive - I can't recall who did them but they certainly looked as authentic as any D'Oyly Carte production. I wouldn't be surprised if the set design wasn't pinched from D'Oyly Carte too - Elder was very particular about his Gilbert and Sullivan.
The leading man, Ralph, was played by a chap called Harrison, who had been the leading boy soprano when he joined the school. He was just developing his tenor voice and he sang very well but there was just the odd crack of a recently broken voice. He went on to have a professional career.
Dick Deadeye was played by Chapman, he more or less demanded the part and was very good.
I can't remember the other characters but I do remember that it was great fun and went down very well. Any faults in performance were glossed over by the commitment and exuberance of the cast who gave a hundred percent.
My brother, Christopher (1961-1967) and also Head Monitor David Cameron (1957-1963), currently leading the Falics, were in the ranks of sisters, cousins and aunts.
There was an incident after the final performance - there was a party to which my mother contributed a cake. Sometime after midnight, David Cameron gave me and second monitor Guy Morrison (1958-1963) a lift home in his parent's mini. I was dropped off first in my parents' through drive. Cameron stopped outside the front door and I headed in only to discover that my mother had locked the inner glass front door - I could only open the outer door. I put the cake tin on the roof of the car and guided my friends down to a shed at the bottom of the garden to retrieve a ladder so that I could enter through my open bedroom window. I led them back but as I reached the front door, there was my formidable mother standing inside having heard a disturbance and looked out to see a strange car parked outside with a cake tin on its roof. I glanced in and walked on, the others following with the ladder also glanced in and kept walking. Mrs H was not to be trifled with as they both knew. Fortunately she had enjoyed the show so all was well.
It was all great fun and a useful lesson that polishing a handle so carefully could get you to be leader of the Queen's navy.”
Philip simply relates:
‘I was indeed a sailor in the chorus, and won a number of awards for my performance as follows: Grammy, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Oscar – all for the least promising new, and worst supporting, actor (ha! ha!).
My Brother, myself, and I believe David Cameron, were all in the production and shared our time between sports matches and practice (it is called training today!) and rehearsals.
I suppose we did some academic work as well!!’
The Taylorian praised the set:
‘It speaks highly for the setting of any performance when the audience applauds an empty stage.’
Before going on to bestow a similar accolade on the seamstress responsible for the ladies’ dresses, Mrs Houghton.
‘The only unladylike trait in remarkably attractive set of young ladies was the very masculine way in which they danced round the stage until it fairly rattled! Their singing was sweet and accurate and they had no difficulty in holding their own in the concerted numbers. Hebe, played by M. A. O’Connell, was perfect picture, and must have won all hearts by her appearance alone.’
Bob Hurran gained the following review:
‘R. M. Hurran brought to the part of Sir Joseph Porter the supercilious arrogance which it requires, and his opening song had meritorious crispness which he maintained throughout the show. felt once or twice that he might have relaxed little more in places—after all, it is comic part—but he always showed himself in full command of every situation. ‘
If you wish to read the whole review from the July, 1963 Taylorian, do please contact the Development Office who can make access available
The aim is to get the tapes digitised so that they can be made available so that we can all enjoy what the Taylorian described as a ‘delightful evening’.
The Archive already has several copies of the LP made of the Queen Mother’s visit to the School in 1962 and these will be digitised as well. If you have any recordings of performances (of any kind – why not the Phab revue!) then do please send them in as it would be wonderful to enhance the sound archive alongside the other resources we have.
My thanks to Jonathan Price, organist at Christ Church in Bristol for returning these invaluable artefacts.