Ron Drew's Theatre Page
Reminiscences
- LIFE AS AN AMATEUR LUVVIE
I have many happy memories of my years with the amateur theatre in South Shields from my baptism in Scout Gang Shows followed by the diciplined training in acting with the Westovians. It was there that I learnt the craft of creating characters from the written words and I shall alwayd be thankful for these formative years.in a rewarding hobby. But it was my time with the SSAOS that allowed me to develop those years of advice and experience.
The web pages I have written about the SSAOS should illustrate the variety of activities that can bring pleasure to the budding thespian, but often it is the small happenings, which at the time are thought to be of no significance, that brings highlights to the memory. From a multitude of mant examples I will recall one or two.
Pawnee Bill will always stick in my memory, for it was in the 1952 production of "ANNIE GET YOUR GUN" that I played my first character part with the SOUTH SHIELDS AMATEUR OPERATIC SOCIETY (SSAOS). It was then that I found a great friend in Ted Forrester who was an excellent tutor of character acting. After a few years of much guidance I felt more confident, but was always ready to accept help.
It was when I played Pemberton Maxwell in "CALL ME MADAM" that that I met my Waterloo.
I had to appear statesmanlike and put on a few more years. To help achieve this, my hair, not being grey, was assisted in this direction by my so called 'friends' in the dressing room. I never anticipated that when some character on the stage clapped me on the back rather heavily I would disappear in a cloud of grey powder! The laughter from the audience was certainly not intended at that rather serious part of the scene!
There were also episodes of note that occurred off the stage. Like the night at one of the mid-week after-show buffet parties that my wife, Evelyn, occasionally put on for some of the members. For the "FLOWER DRUM SONG" event my wife had prepared a Chinese buffet and was able to find the necessary number of sets of chop sticks. As she had hidden all the cutlery the assembled ‘cast’ were required to use their ingenuity to the full to be able to cope with the food - the rice proving the greatest obstacle of all!
Many methods were applied to overcome this. From the elementary scraping it off the edge of the plate into the mouth, to the expertise of Ernie Hedley’s (Chairman of SSAOS) chopstick being used to put the food into Edith Kemp’s fledgling mouth. Meanwhile the whole sequence was conducted - with his chopsticks - by Alan Watson, the Musical Director! Being an amateur cameraman I took shots of this epic meal and it is now one of the highlights of a 30 min. video tape of excerpts from the five SSAOS shows between 1962 and 1957.
Happy days!
[Copies of this video can be obtained by contacting Ron Drew.
e-mail address: rondrew@iee.org
or phone: (0191 455 5960)]
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