by Ron Baker (c.1949)
Ron Baker (c.1949) writes:
Further to Ted Bown’s reference to “Journey’s End”, the play was produced by George Wright and performed on 2nd to 5th February 1949. The cast:
Captain Hardy: Alan Stokes
Lieutenant Osborne John Robinson
Private Mason James Higgins
L/Cpl Broughton Maurice Croxon
2nd Lt Raleigh Howard Jones
Captain Stanhope Paul Groves
2nd Lt Trotter Michael Somerlad
2nd Lt Hibbert Alan Lower
Co Sgt Major Michael Tregoning/Keith Gibbons
German Soldier Maurice Croxon
The Colonel Ron Baker
Paul Groves, who had left School in 1947 to study at RADA, took over the part at short notice after P Wharton was injured during County Rugby Trials, and Keith Gibbons took over as CSM when Michael Tregoning became ill just before curtain up on the second night.
The School Caretaker, Mr Durham, was also involved behind the scenes, one of his duties being to make the “stage whisky” with cold tea.
Eugh!
Ed. This production was written up in the school magazine here. Journey’s End is a 1928 play by R. C. Sherriff, set in Northern France towards the end of the First World War. It has often been produced, as it provides a glimpse of life in the trenches and is of a manageable size for performances by amateur societies. First performed at the Apollo Theatre in 9 December 1928, it starred a young Laurence Olivier. (Wikipedia)