Rushen Players
History Committee Constitution
In the Beginning
| This
Society was founded in 1948 and presented its opening play at the
beginning of the following year. It would be interesting to trace the
Society's detailed history over the past half century - its highs and
its lows, its strengths and its weaknesses - but unfortunately no one
knows whether any of the Society's early records still exist and if
they do exist, where they might be. One can often select useful
material from minutes of meetings but it would appear that in the case
of the Rushen Dramatic Society no minute books earlier than 1977 have
been handed on from one honorary secretary to the next. Happily, one of the founder members, Don Williamson, is still available and he has delved into his memory to provide some recollections of those earlier years. Don remembers that it was largely through the initiative and enthusiasm of Jack Lindop and Josephine Sheard that the Society came into existence. Jack Lindop, a retired local government officer, was experienced in directing plays and musicals and he became the group's first chairman and producer. Josephine Sheard, wife of the manager of the Port Erin cinema, was a competent actress and she became the first honorary secretary. A committee was formed and a nucleus of players was recruited, one of whom was Don Williamson, who is still a staunch supporter and valued counsellor in his honorary role of Vice President. This was a period when the cinema was in its heyday but television was in its infancy and perhaps it was easier to attract amateur actors and actresses at that time than it is today. Rehearsals for Noel Coward's 'Hay Fever' started at once and in January 1949 the play was successfully presented in St. Catherine's Church Hall, Port Erin, the only public hall in Port Erin at that time. This was followed by 'Charity Begins' and 'Till Further Orders' in the same year, plays which were not up to the same standard of writing as that of Noel Coward, but they gave the members of the Society much needed experience. Thereafter the aim was to present at least two productions a year. The standard of acting gradually improved and enabled live theatre to compete with the local cinema. |
| The following pages are taken from Stan Woolock's History of Rushen Amateur Dramatic Society's written in 2001 and with some updates to reflect changes from 2001 to 2013 |
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