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Rushden Operatic Society
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Bitter Sweet - 1961
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BITTER SWEET
AN OPERETTA BY NOEL COWARD
Entire Production under the Direction of CHARLES GILLESPIE
Presented by arrangement with Samuel French Ltd.
An Amateur Production
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CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
We have pleasure in presenting to you “Bitter Sweet” as our Annual Spring Show for 1961.
“Bitter Sweet” is one of the favourites of the old Shows and it gives opportunities to a large cast, owing to its wide variety of parts. The music is very well known, and we hope you will thoroughly enjoy our Production, which is being given under the sole direction of a new Producer to our Society, Mr. Charles Gillespie.
We were financially successful with our last production of “The King and I” and we were able to fulfil our ambition to give £100 to local charities, but with ever-increasing costs it is only with your generous support and patronage that our Society can continue and prosper.
Our next production in March, 1962, will be “Kismet” and we invite applications for new membership from singers, both male and female for this very colourful and musical show.
Applications should be made to the Hon. Secretary:
R. A. Evans, 135, High Street, Rushden.
Looking forward to seeing you all again at our next production.
W. A. Clarke, Chairman
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THE STORY OF BITTER SWEET
When the Show opens, it is 1929, and a party is in progress at the house of the Marchioness of Shayne. She tries to help Dolly Chamberlain, who seems likely to elope with Vincent Howard, a Band Leader, by telling the story of her life.
In 1875 the Marchioness was Sarah Millick and though engaged to the Hon. Hugh Devon, she fell in love with her music teacher, Carl Linden, and eloped with him. Their marriage was tragically short lived.
In 1880 Carl was the Band Leader in Herr Schlick’s Cafe in Vienna, while Sarah, who then called herself, Sari, was one of the professional dancing partners. There were also Manon, whose philosophy of life was “If Love were All,” and the Ladies of the Town. Sari attracted the unwelcome attentions of Captain Lutte and when he kissed her publicly, Carl rushed to her aid and struck the Captain. A duel ensued and Carl was killed.
After the death of Carl, Sari earned her living as a singer and in 1895 she was invited to Lord Shayne’s party. Lord Shayne, not for the first time, proposed marriage and was eventually accepted.
In the last Scene 1929 is proved to be unlike 1875, for while Carl fell in love with Sarah, Vincent has fallen in love with a tune, rather than with Dolly. All the Marchioness can do is to remind Dolly of the ending of “I’ll see you again,” her famous duet with Carl which is, “I shall love you till I die, Goodbye.”
From this material Noel Coward has fashioned his famous Operetta, Bitter Sweet, writing both the words and the music. The Show was a tremendous success when it was first presented and it is as true of Life now, as it was then.
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THE ORCHESTRA
(under the direction of Oswald L. Lawrence)
| Violins: |
Tina Faulkner (leader)
Yvonne Bowness
Edith Bridges |
| Viola: |
S. Seamarks |
| Cello: |
C. Cooke |
| Bass: |
E. Allen |
| Flute: |
R. Pettit |
| Oboe: |
C. Smith |
| Clarionet: |
G. Hornsey |
| Trumpets: |
E. Denton
A. Smith |
| Trombones: |
R. Benning
E. Webster |
| Percussion: |
V. Garley |
| Harp: |
Kara Hall |
| Piano: |
Joan Hart |
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Charles Gillespie
of London,
whom we are very pleased to
welcome on his first
engagement as our
Producer.
He has had entire charge of
the Production.
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Jose Marsh
whom we are
delighted to have as our
Ballet Mistress again,
following the great success of
"The King and I"
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Oswald L. Lawrence,
the Music Director of the
Society since the first
production in 1947.
He has now completed over
30 years with the amateur
operatic movement with
distinction.
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| CHARACTERS |
The Marchioness of Shayne (Sarah Millick)
Carl Linden
Manon
Dolly Chamberlain
Lord Henry Jekyll
The Hon. Hugh Devon
Mrs. Millick
Sir Arthur Fenchurch
Herr Schlick
Lady Devon
Vincent Howard
Victoria
Harriet
Gloria
Honor
Jane
Marquis of Steere
Lord Edgar James
Mr. Proutie
Lord Sorrel
Mr. Vale
Effie
Mr. Bethel
Lotte
Freda
Gussi
Hansi
Lieutenant Tranisch
Captain August Lutte
Marquis of Shayne
Nita
Helen
Jackie
Mrs. Devon
Parker (Butler, Act 1, Scene 1)
Burley (Butler, Act 3, Scene 1)
Accompanist (Act 3, Scene 1)
Singer (Act 1, Scene 1)
Fritz
Waiters
Footmen
Cleaners
Vernon Craft
Bertram Sellick
Cedric Balantyne
Lord Henry Jade |
Pauline Fairey
Geoffrey Sanders
Irene Turner
Janet Dean
Geoffrey Wiggins
Allen Goulsbra
Rose Drage
Pat Higgins
William Clarke
Phyllis Clarke
Michael Saddington
Mary Jackson
Christine Burgess
Jeanette King
Susan Williamson
Cicely Langley
Roger Tye
Ben Catlin
Jim Southam
Nigel White
Colin Clark
Rita Yeomans
Kingsley Hall
Susan Abbott
Peggy Cherry
Rene Welsford
Christine Carter
John Williams
Bert Catlin
Roland Evans
Ann Donaldson
Ann Coward
Jose Bradley
Phyllis Clarke
Peter Garley
John Oatridge
Michael Saddington
Ron Coles
John Pack
Colin Clark, Ron Coles,
Ben Catlin, Roger Tye
Ron Coles, Peter Garley,
Bob Minney, Roy Lilley
Mary Jackson, Jeanette King,
Cicely Langley, Rita Yeomans
Michael Tye
Ian McLoughlan
Robert Minney
Barry Matson |
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| MUSICAL NUMBERS |
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ACT I
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"That Wonderful Melody"
"The Call of Life"
"If You Could Only Come with Me"
"I'll See You Again"
"What is Love"
"The Last Dance"
"Eeny, Meeny, Mini, Mo" |
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Opening Number
Lady Shayne and Chorus
Carl
Sarah and Carl
Sarah and Chorus
Concerted Number
Finale, Act I |
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ACT II
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"Life in the Morning"
"Ladies of the Town"
"I Love were All"
"Evermore and a Day"
"Dear Little Cafe"
"We wish to order Wine"
"Tokay"
Dance of Prater Girls
"Bonne nuit, Merci"
"Kiss Me" |
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Opening Chorus
Lotte, Freda, Hansi and Gussi
Manon
Sarah and Carl
Sarah, Carl and Chorus
Officers' Chorus
Tranisch and Chorus
Manon
Manon and Chorus |
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ACT III
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"Ta-ra-ra-boom-----"
"Alas ! the Time is Past"
"Green Carnations"
"Zigeuner"
"I'll See You Again" |
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Concerted Number
Victoria, Harriet, Effie,
Gloria, Jane and Honor
Vernon Craft, Cedric Ballantyne,
Bertram Sellick and
Lord Henry Jade
Sarah
Finale, Act 3 |
| SYNOPSIS OF SCENES |
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ACT I
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Scene I
Scene II
Scene III |
Lady Shayne's House in Grosvenor Square (1929)
The Millick's House in Belgrave Square (1875)
The Ballroom on the Millick's House (1875) |
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ACT II
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Scene I
Scene II |
Herr Schlick's Cafe in Vienna (1880). Time 12 o'clock noon
Herr Schlick's Cafe in Vienna (1880). Time 2 a.m. |
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ACT III
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Scene I
Scene II |
Lord Shayne's House in Grosvenor Square (1895)
Same as Act I, Scene I |
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The Company
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This is the first occasion on which we have been able to include a photograph of
the Company in our Programme and therefore record with much pleasure the
presence of our President Mr. W. J. A. Peck and Mrs. Peck amongst us.
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| Chorus Ladies |
Josephine Bradley, Shirley Clarke, Ann Coward, Janet Dean,
Ann Donaldson, Christine Jordan, Gillian Pashley, Ann Perkins,
Joan Ryan |
Chorus Gentlemen |
Ron Coles, David Dickens, Peter Garley, Patrick Higgins, John Howson,
Roy Lilley, Barry Matson, Peter Maund, Ian McLoughlan,
Robert Minney, John Oatridge, John Pack, Sidney Smith,
Malcolm Stringer, Michael Tye, Gary Warwick, Geoffrey Wiggins |
Dancers |
Janet Bayes, Marion Buckby, Vivian Dean, Dorothy Garley,
Judith Garley, Margaret Hilson, Angela Laughton, Judith Mould,
Ann Payne, Jose Shortland, Patricia Smith, Angela Storrie,
Pamela Warren |
Programme Sellers |
Arranged by Lily E. Cooke and Rose Frost
Audrey Annies, Nancy Bailey, Janet Baron, Marie Coleman, Elizabeth
Elliott, Gwen Hardwick, Hilda House, Ivy Ingram, Gwen Southam,
Andrea Swart, Irene Warr |
Stewards |
(Under the direction of Edward Wadsworth)
J. Barker, A. Binder, N. Bursnell. E. Clark, H. Cox, L. Darnell, A. Frost,
H. V. Ingram, G. Johnson, C. E. Knight, M. Knight, S. Knight,
I. Lawrence, P. Mould, D. Reeves, C. E. Underwood, I. Wilbur |
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| Acknowledgments |
| The Committee and members of the Society wish to offer their very sincere thanks to all of the following whose assistance and co-operation have made this production possible. |
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The Northamptonshire Education Committee (Mr. G. E. Churchill, M.A.,
Chief Education Officer) and Mr. N. Lamford, Head of the Rushden
Evening Institute, who has given every help in the arrangements of
rehearsals. |
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Mr. W. A. E. Sherwood who has again undertaken the arduous task of
arranging the booking and all his assistants. |
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Mr. H. W. Catlin, Headmaster of Rushden Secondary Modern School
for Boys, and the Caretakers for their help. |
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The local traders who have taken advertising space in this
programme. |
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The Stewards and Programme Sellers. |
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The Nursing Sisters and St. John Ambulance for attendance at the
Theatre. |
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Mr. E. Hewitt, his co-directors, Mr. Knighton the Manager and all the
Staff of the Ritz, Rushden, for their continued interest and assistance. |
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The Stage Staff and all others who have worked behind the Scenes, each one of whom has contributed so much to the success of this Production. |
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Everyone who has assisted the Society in presenting "Bitter Sweet," whether or not mentioned in these pages. |
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| Costumes by Charles H. Fox Limited |
| Scenery by Stage Scenery Limited |
Amplifiers specially installed for this production by C. Pack (Radio and
Electrical) Rushden |
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Bridesmaids and Bridegrooms
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