On Tuesday 14 October 1958 St. Mary’s Amateur Operatic Society met to discuss their forthcoming pantomime. They settled on that old favourite Cinderella, a choice which may have been sublimely influenced by the fact that Walt Disney’s 1950 animated musical fantasy film version was scheduled to be shown the following week in Dewsbury’s Tudor cinema.
And if you are wondering, this cinema stood on Dewsbury’s Bradford Street, near where the Ring Road is now. It was converted from a theatre, the Theatre Royal, to a cinema in 1931. The last screening of a film there was in 1965 after which it was subsequently demolished as part of the road widening scheme.
The cast of the St. Mary’s Amateur Operatic Society took to the stage with their lively version of the classic in February 1959. Traditional first night nerves were non-existent as they debuted their show in the Parochial Hall on Wednesday 25 February.
Chiefly responsible for the laughter-making were Gerard Walford and Terence Swift, who as Pat and Cleo could not have been more amusing. The write-up does not make it clear, but I assume these were the St. Mary’s production’s incarnations of Cinderella’s ugly step-sisters.
15-year-old Maureen Breslin, as principal boy Prince Charming, knew her lines well and her singing was excellent. Maureen was a younger sister of talented Batley singer John Breslin who had recently made his radio debut in the BBC’s The Carroll Levis Talent Show, broadcast on the BBC Light Programme station on 21 January 1959. He had to change his song within 15 minutes of recording the show as his initial choice, In the Beginning, was vetoed by the BBC who would not permit what they termed “popularised religious songs.” Instead he sang That Old Black Magic, a song he had never previously publicly performed.
Back to the St. Mary’s pantomime, Rosalie Nunns, as Dandini, made a convincing servant and her singing was commendable. June Brennan as Cinderella and Joseph Hill as Buttons were described as very good. Leonard Moore as Baron de Broke delivered his lines well, though he needed prompting once or twice.
Further hilarity was added by Put and Take, the Baron’s men, played by Tom O’Connor and Frank Scott. Charm was lent to the occasion by Marie Conway as the Fairy Godmother, and Eileen Fitzpatrick, as Mabel, a romantic young villager who falls in love with Dandini.
The chorus and dancers gave admirable support. These were as follows:
Chorus: Colette Brannan, Mary Maloney, Margaret Love, Mary French, Carol Ellis, Margaret Kilgallon, Jill Walmsley, Mary Brennan, Susan Judge, Patricia Clay, Bernadette Munns and Maureen O’Hara.
Small dancers: Carol North, Linda Walker, Margaret Breslin, Julie Breslin, Margaret Gallagher, Sheila Mulcahy, Joan Bloomfield, Marie Scott, Patricia Keelan, Stephanie Hinbard and Winifred Atkins.
Older dancers: Lesley Underwood, Pat Woodhead, Josephine Scott, Elaine Dolan, Josephine Maguire, Maureen Hydes and Josephine Glew.
Scenery was bright, lighting effects well-timed and accurate. And the all round production was good. Those back stage responsible for these elements amongst other things included:
Dancing Mistresses – Mesdames D. Broady, B. Hydes and Miss S. Stenchion; direction – Mr. H. Leather; electrician – Mr. T. Brennan; props – Mrs. R. Good; pianist – Mr. C. North; wardrobe – Mrs. M. North and Miss B. Cain; and prompter – Mrs. M. Talbot.
Postscript:
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