1973 – the Arcadians

The Festival Players made their debut in 1973 with the Arcadians, an Edwardian musical comedy with a book by Ambient and Thompson, lyrics by Wimperis, and music by Monckton and Talbot. First performed in 1909, the original show ran for more than 800 performances. The Festival Players’ first show saw the company debut of future chairman Brian “Tommy” Thomas as conductor.

Producer Jean Wilson

Musical Director Joyce Cadogan

Conductor Brian Thomas

Choreographer Jenny Arnold

Lighting Designer Nigel Bragg

Wardrobe Isabel Munro

Set Design Derek Suttle

1974 – White Horse Inn

The following year saw a production of a musical comedy by Ralph Benatzky and Robert Stolz, set in the picturesque Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria. The original show debuted in Berlin in 1930; the Festival Players’ version ran for two weeks at the ADC in July.

Producer Jean Wilson

Musical Director Joyce Cadogan

Conductor Brian Thomas

Choreographer Jenny Arnold

Lighting Designer ‘Poddy’

Wardrobe Peggy Warren

Scenery James Fredericks, Weston-Super-Mare

1975 – The Quaker Girl

In 1975, the Festival Players performed another Edwardian show, this time one set in the early nineteenth century, set partly in a quiet Quaker village and partly in racy Paris. With a book by James T. Tanner, lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank, and music by Lionel Monckton, the original show opened in 1910 and ran for more than 500 performances. Jean Wilson continued as producer; Tommy Thomas had by now been promoted to musical director.

Producer Jean Wilson

Musical Director Brian Thomas

Choreographer Audrey Jackson

Lighting Designer Roger Hartill

Wardrobe Peggy Warren

Set Design Peter Hammond

 

 

1976a – Music Hall

Producer Bob Kingsbury

Musical Director Joan Brandon

Choreographer Jenny Campbell

Lighting Designer David McRobb

Wardrobe Annette Bond

 

 

 

1976b – Blue for a Boy

The Festival Players’ second show of 1976 was a ‘musical romp’ by Harold Purcell and Harry Parr Davies, first performed in 1950.

Producer Jean Wilson

Musical Director Brian Thomas

Choreographer Jill Dorne

Lighting Designer David McRobb

Wardrobe Peggy Warren

Scenery The Stage Productions Co.Ltd., London

 

 

1977a – Oklahoma

1977 saw the first outing of a show that’s proved so popular with the Festival Players that they’ve performed it three times so far. Written by Rodgers and Hammerstein, the show was first performed in 1943, and has become a musical theatre staple.
Producer Bob Kingsbury

Musical Director Brian Thomas

Choreographer Jill Dorne

Lighting Designer David McRobb

Wardrobe Peggy Warren

Scenery The Stage Productions Co.Ltd., London

1977b – Tonight at 8:30

Tonight at 8:30 was the first Festival Players show to be produced by founder member Tom Farrell. The Tom Farrell award is given every year in his honour to the member who has most significantly contributed over the past year to the feeling of “goodwill” within Festival Players, bringing general happiness to others and helping to make Festival Players a society that people enjoy working with, and within.

1978a – The Sound of Music

The Festival Players returned to Rodgers and Hammerstein for their first show of 1978, as the Sound of Music  filled the ADC theatre.

Producer Jean Wilson

Musical Director Brian Thomas

Choreographer Pauline Brown

Lighting Designer David McRobb

Wardrobe Peggy Warren

Sets Ken Jackson

 

1978b – Salad Days

Later that year, the Festival Players performed Julian Slade and Dorothy Reynolds’s Salad Days for the first time, two years after the 1954 show had seen a West End revival directed by Ned Sherrin. The popular show would return to the Cambridge stage nine years later in another Festival Players production.
Producer Tom Farrell

Musical Director David Southerns

Choreographer Jill Dorne

Lighting Designer David McRobb

Wardrobe June Ceresa

Scenery David McRobb, David Randall, Alison McRobb

1979a – My Fair Lady

1979 saw the Festival Players performing Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady, the hit show based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. The Mumford Theatre was the venue for the story of Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle and phoneticist Henry Higgins.
Producer Clive Young

Musical Director Brian Thomas

Choreographer Vita Milne

Lighting Designer Michael Lakin

Wardrobe Peggy Warren

Scenery Bill Clement, Luke Dalton, Corinna Downing, Tamara, David McRobb, David Randall

 

1979b – Cowardy Custard

The last Festival Players show of the 1970s was a revue by Noel Coward, telling his story through songs and snippets of biography. Stalwart member Tom Farrell directed, and Jean Wilson – producer of the first three FP shows – handled the wardrobe.

Director Tom Farrell

Musical Director David Southerns

Choreographer Jill Dorne

Lighting Designer David McRobb

Wardrobe Jean Wilson

Set Design David McRobb