2017 sees the 70th Anniversary of the setting up of the Drama Club under the umbrella of the Gaddesden Society. The poster for our first production reads: Friday and Saturday 12 & 13 December 1947 at 7.30 pm The Gaddesden Society will present in the School Hall, Little Gaddesden YELLOW SANDS a comedy in three acts by Eden & Adelaide Phillpots. Tickets cost 5/- (25p) and 2/6 (12.5p) reserved and 2/- (10p) unreserved.
The Play cost £50 to put on, timber costs ran to £2.18.0d and paint 10 shillings. Royalties were £14 guineas and ticket sales amounted to £55.7.6d, expenditure £44.18.1d The first bar list shows whisky 2/6; gin and tonic 2/3; keg beer 2/4 a pint; Chambertin 18 shillings and you could drink a bottle of Champagne for only 33 shillings!
Often our productions only show a surplus because of the bar takings so I am sorry to announce these prices will not be held for our Anniversary production. Today, depending on royalties, we spend on average £3,000 putting on a play.
It seemed a wonderful idea give ‘Yellow Sands’ another outing as our anniversary production, however we fear it has not stood the test of time and as a ‘comedy’ has very little to recommend it to today’s audience. Written in 1926, it is set in a Devon fishing village involving Communist militancy, much Devonian dialect, and two young couples we would find hard to cast.
Our second thoughts involved ‘Down came a Blackbird’ our 1958 offering, the first production our President Patsy Blackmore appeared in and as a tribute to Patsy who will be 90 this year it seemed a grand idea, until we read that too.
Over the summer we are considering our next production which will be announced in the next Gaddesden Diary. If you would be interested in taking part in a 70th Anniversary Production please get in contact or watch out for audition notices.
Our AGM this year will also be a special 70th Anniversary occasion and plans are yet to be confirmed for the meeting to be held September.