Rushden Research Group: RATS Robinson Crusoe 1970

Transcribed and presented by Greville Watson, 2014

R.A.T.S.
Rushden Amateur Theatrical Society

'ROBINSON CRUSOE' - 1970

RUSHDEN AMATEUR THEATRICAL SOCIETY PRESENT

ROBINSON
	CRUSOE

Based on an Original Script
by STANLEY-WILLIS CROFT

Produced by
JOHN HENDERSON, M.B.E.

THE RITZ RUSHDEN

JANUARY 5th - 10th, 1970

Daily at 7.15 pm		Matinee Saturday at 2.15 pm
Tuesday performance at 6.15 pm

ROBINSON CRUSOE:– How this name conjures up thoughts of shipwrecks, desert islands, cannibals and treasure, and although the real Robinson Crusoe, Alexander Selkirk, by name, could not have had the fun that our Robinson enjoys in our panto, it was his adventure that Daniel Defoe used as the these for his story.

Our story opens with the good ship Adventure being made ready for sea and with two of the crew meeting the villain of the plot, the so called Sir Will Atkins, known to the scum of the seas, however, as Pirate Will Atkins. Atkins contrives to get aboard Adventure as a crew member; also to have Polly Robinson’s sweetheart smuggled aboard to suit his evil purpose. In the meantime the whole Crusoe family somehow manage to finish up on board; that is Mother Crusoe, her other son Billy, and his girlfriend Becky.

Once at sea the plot thickens and when a map of a treasure island is produced Atkins decides to take over command of the Adventure and set a course for the treasure. He overpowers Robinson and is about to make him walk the plank when a storm hits the ship and it founders, sinking to Davy Jones’ locker.

Robinson meanwhile has been washed up on a nearby island where he lives the life of a lone castaway. One morning he finds a native tied to a stake awaiting his fate. He releases him and earns himself a devoted servant in the form of (you’ve guessed it!) Man Friday.

Time passes until one morning footprints are seen on the shore. Luckily for everyone it turns out to be everyone off the Adventure who on being released from Davy Jones’ locker by the good Fairy find themselves on Crusoe’s island. Everyone is happy again and all goes well until cannibals capture the lot of them. Cooking commences and things hot up, but just in time the Royal Navy arrives to save them and return them to England – but not before they find treasure enough to make them rich for the rest of their lives.

C.F.J.

The R.A.T.S. Committee
President:		Ralph Marriott, Esq.
Chairman:		Allen Goulsbra
Vice-Chairman		Cliff Jeffries
Secretary:		Pauline Wildman
Treasurer:		Ben Catlin
Business Manager:		Bernard Palmer
Pat Catlin Ena Carpenter Gillian Brown Joan Hart David Hamblin Spencer Redden Percy House

R.A.T.S. Social Committee

Chairman :
Ben Catlin

Secretary :
Janet Farr

Treasurer :
Kaye Rawlings

Connie Holt
Pam Fulcher
Stuart Mitchell

Musical Director
Oswald Lawrence

Assistant Musical Director
and Chorus Mistress
Joan Hart

Orchestra
Violins Piano Trumpets Trombone Sax-Clarinets Bass Percussion		Arthur White (Leader), Geoffrey Green Joan Hart Ernest Denton, Michael Chamberlain David Gomm Ron Benning Bob Outhwaite, Geoff Hornsey Arnold Webb Reg Ruff

We welcome John Henderson to produce a Pantomime for us for the first time although he did produce ‘Oliver’ for us in September, and is greatly liked and respected by the whole Company. He is a well know producer and actor, has appeared many times on television, his most recent appearance being in Crossroads as Mr Meadows. We are pleased that we again have the services of Oswald Lawrence as Musical Director and Joan Hart as Assistant Musical Director and to train the Chorus. Beryl Rowe and Peter Height have trained the dancers and we say welcome back Beryl – welcome Peter

Our thanks to all who have worked so hard to make the production possible and to those who have supported us again. We hope you all enjoy our show and don’t forget to book early for our 1971 production.

A.E.G.

(l-r): Phil Maddams, Pauline Wildman,
Susan Poston, Joan Vaughan, Peter Mitchley

(l-r): Jill Clark, Clive Durrant,
Angela Hobbs, Colin West

(l-r): John Stringer,
Phil Smith, Bob Minney,
Ron Coles

(l-r): Margaret Coleman,
David Edwards

Cast in order of appearance
Lt. Hardy Bosun Bosun's Mate Will Atkins Polly Perkins Becky Billy Mrs. Crusoe Robinson Crusoe Davy Jones Fairy Marina Man Friday Cannibal Chief Cannibal Queen Captain Hornblower		Ron Coles Bob Minney Phil Smith John Stringer Joan Vaughan Pauline Wildman Philip Maddams Peter Mitchley Susan Poston Colin West Jill Clarke Angela Hobbs Clive Durrant David Edwards Margaret Coleman Graham Ward

Synopsis of Scenes

ACT I
Scene	I II III IV V VI	The Port of Hull Davy Jones Locker Cabin Interior Deck of the Adventurer Davy Jones Locker Kingdom of Coral

ACT II
Scene	VII VIII IX X XI	A desert island Near Crusoe's hut The Cannibal Village Back in Hull Robinson's Reception

The Chorus

Musical Numbers

ACT I

On a wonderful day like today
Who wants to be a millionaire
Anchors aweigh
All the nice girls love a sailor
I've never seen anything like it
Puppet on a string
Crest of a wave
All my loving
Buttercup
Wish me luck
Sea shanties
Wouldn't it be lovely
Beyond the blue horizon
Any time is kissing time
Eriskey love lilt
Yours
No one loves a fairy
Fingals cave

ACT II

Little red monkey
I have dreamed
Happy face
Native dance
Island in the sun
Money to burn
Santa got stuck up the chimney
Chitty chitty bang bang
It's a grand night for singing
Crest of a wave

Chorus - Ladies

Margaret Ambery, Patricia Bird,
Gillian Brown, Pam Fulcher, Josie Green,
Connie Holt, Miriam Joyce, Janet Mould,
Mary Painter, Linda Walker.

Chorus - Men

David Brown, Peter Carpenter,
Malcolm Chambers, Danny Davies,
Keith Green, Reg Hirons, Roger Martin,
Kieron O'Neil, Graham Ward, Karl Zaremba.

Senior Dancers

Julie Fisher, Jane Desborough,
Margaret Payne, Catherine Carpenter,
Helen Gent, Josephine Smith,
Sarah Marriott, Amanda Smith,
Linda Robinson, Anita Hill.

Boys

Robin Allen, Graham Berrill,
Andrew Sibley, David Kehoe,
Mark Coleman, Richard Baish,
Michael Baish, Paul Norman,
Jonathan Salsbury, Julian Wolston.

Junior Dancers
Sandra Helsdown Jayne Furlong julie Wilbur Joanne Bland Michele Norman Nicola Myers Debra Rogers Samantha Hagger Sarah Bird Linda Headland Christina King Nichola Dellar Janet Davies Valerie Hepburn Nichola Sloane		Leanda Martin Elizabeth Espin Carol Helsdown Kim Lawson Karen Lawson Kathryn Bland Margaret Pateman Seely Coleman Linda Clayton Teresa Dimmock Gina Roberts Honi Edwards Anita Olney Jennifer Armit Julie Merriman

Senior Girls and Boys

Junior Girls

Production Team

Producer:
	John Henderson, M.B.E.
Stage Manager:
	Pat Catlin
Deputy Stage Manager:
	Len Gomm
Musical Director:
	Oswald Lawrence
Assistant Musical Director and Chorus Mistress:
	Joan Hart
Ballet Mistress and Choreographer for Junior Girls:
	Beryl Rowe
Choreographer for Senior Girls and Boys:
	Peter Height
Auditorium Manager:
	Cliff Jeffries
Accompanists:
	Joan Hart, Pauline Longland, Peggy March
Stage Electricians:
	Arthur Holloman, Peter Sturgess, Michael Whitney, Michael Trelfall, Susan Dupont, Malcolm York, Robert Bass, Chris Ruff, Stuart Mitchell
Properties:
	Kaye Rawlings, Gordon Pateman, David Coleman, Peggy Hobson, Bettina Goulsbra, Douglas Pateman, David Pateman, Jeff Holloway, George Coleman

Wardrobe Mistress:
	Ena Carpenter
Assisted by
	Rose Drage, Freda Redden, Hilda Abbott, Ena Jeffries, Dorothy Lawrence, Rita Mann, Elizabeth Hirons, Jane Hirons
Make-up:
	David Edwards, Peter Height, Clive Durrant, Colin West, Sue Sail
Call Boy:
	Sharon Davies
Prompter:
	Marion Knott
Stage Staff:
	Tony Dale, Martin Wheldon, Peter Moran, Les Ward, Calvin Phipps, Bill Sinfield, Ken Smith, John Ross, Norman Jarvis, Tim Ruff, Brian Toby, Roy Norman, Dereck Peck, David Basson, Peter Copperwheat, Melvyn Carpenter, Colin West, John King

Scenery by:		James Fredericks
Costumes by:		W. A. Homburg Ltd.

The Committee wish to thank all those who have given so generously of their
time and services to this show.

Choreographer for
Senior Girls
and Boys

PETER HEIGHT

Ballet Mistress &
Choreogrpaher

BERYL ROWE

The R.A.T.S. would like to thank

The Directors of the Ritz Theatre, Messrs. Knighton, Jackson and the Ritz Staff for their assistance.

The St. John Ambulance Brigade for their attendance at the Theatre.

Mr. H. W. Catlin, Miss Lamb, Mr. Hale and School Staffs for their help on rehearsal days at the Schools.

Rushden Co-operative Society for the use of the High Street Booking Office.

The Advertisers in this programme for their generous support.

The Stewards and Programme Sellers.

Evening Telegraph for publicity.

Mrs. Bland, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Rowe, Mrs. Helsdown and the wardrobe staff for making costumes.

The Mothers for allowing their children to take part in this pantomime and especially those who have made costumes and Mrs. E. Carpenter of "Buttons and Bows" for the designs.

Mr. Victor Childs, Mr. Cliff Mallet for Photographs.

Lynn Elmore for cover design.

To Modern Marine for the loan of a caravan.

To Whitworth Holdings, Len Cherry, Flavell Hart, David Smith and Rushden Co-op for supplying props.

There must be many FRIENDS whom we have still not named for their kind help, so we say very sincerely and gratefully, thank you one and all.

Box Office Staff

Ben Catlin, John Matthews, Janet Farr,
Doug Wynd, Faith Palmer.

Vice Presidents
C. Freeman Esq. R. R. Griffiths Esq. A. A. Allebone Esq. Mrs. D. E. Shrive		Mrs. A. Perkins R. H. Greenwood Esq. E. E. Newell, Esq.
Patrons
H. Bailey, Esq. E. H. Carmichael Esq. Mrs. M. Coleman F. Eden Esq. R. A. Evans, Esq. Mrs. A. D. Fairey A. Frost Esq. P. Fry, Esq. M.P. A. E. Goulsbra Esq. E. H. Gramshaw Esq. A. Greasley Esq. G. G. D. Haigh Esq. F. W. Hancock Esq. T. Helsdown, Esq. P. W. House Esq. C. Jeffries Esq.		D. Liggins, Esq. D. H. Mackness, Esq. Miss Mates J. Matthews Esq. C. J. May Esq. S. Mitchell Esq. Mrs. A. U. Muxlow Mrs. J. H. Oberman Miss E. Palmer R. W. E. Paragreen, Esq. W. J. A. Peck, Esq. W. D. Perkins, Esq. E. Redden, Esq. S. Redden, Esq. B. C. Salusbury, Esq. N. Wildman Esq.

Programme Sellers

Spencer Redden, Hilda House, Judith Howes,
Vivienne Clark, Christine Redden, Shirley Coles,
Jennifer Kealaher, Adrian House, Christine Yeomans.

Stewards

Percy House, David Hamblin, Alec Sykes, Don Fulcher,
Paul Gordon, I. Lawrence, and Members of the Round Table.

The R.A.T.S. warmly welcome the following parties
(Booked at the time of going to Press)
and indeed all others

MON.	Rushden Cubs Friday D. & J. Wellingborough Sewing Circle Blind Association Multiple Slerosis
TUES.	Irthlingborough Brownies St. Mary's Brownies 6th Rushden Brownies Irchester Mothers Club Willington Monday Club Harper Turnstall Ltd. Wednesday D. & J. Eaton & Co. Upper Dean (Mrs. Ware) Black Domino Wellingborough
WED.	Finedon Bedford Park Road Lloyds Bank Northampton W.R.V.S. Raunds S.J.A.B. Cadets

THURS.	Irthlingborough D. & J. Wymington D. & J. Coles Ltd., Burton Latimer
FRID.	Riseley Junior Boys Brigade British Leyland Social Club Titchmarsh C. of E. School
SAT. MAT.	Rushden Fire Brigade Children Wellingborough Fire Brigade Children John White Social Club Wymington Sunday School Saxby's Wellingborough Newton Bromswold Sunday School Rushden After-Care C.W.S. Sports and Social Club Hargrave W.I. Beanfield Mothers Club E.M.G.B. Social Club
SAT. EVE.	Mr. Stewart Mitchell Party Raunds

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