Page 15 - Palace Memories Gerald Jervis

Palace Theatre Memories Redditch Heritage

the three day run were taken up on the opening day of booking. The Company brought
“Pygmalion” back a few weeks later for a hastily arranged further three-days run, and
soon the runs were extended to a week.

The Christmas production “Alice in Wonderland” did not reach Redditch. A party forty
strong went to see it at Kidderminster, and subsequently met the company, which then
included Charmian Eyre and an actor soon to be Redditch`s favourite. This was
Graham Stark, who stayed with the company until it ceased to visit Redditch, and
contributed many excellent character studies. Many who remember him from those
times rather regret the turn his career has taken since, as a support in a comic
television series.

The Midland Theatre company were then still casting their net fairly wide and touring
occasionally to such places as Bilston (where I believe the welcome was less than
favourable) and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. In the Autumn of 1947, they restricted and
intensified their circuit. They had returned to Coventry as a base, after a year at
Kidderminster and now began a three-weeks circuit; one week at Coventry, one week
at Redditch and a split week between Netherton Arts Centre at Dudley and some other
place which slips my memory.

The season that ensued was probably the highest peak the company reached. Ann
Casson, Sybil Thorndike`s daughter, had joined it during the previous season, with her
husband Douglas Campbell. In fact, her first contact wit a Redditch Audience was
(apart from a talk to the Redditch Players in the Kingfisher Hall) a scarifying last minute
take-over from Lally Bowers in Priestley`s “Eden End”, on the Monday night only.

Langham was still with the company as resident director but Anthony John had taken
over charge of the concern as a whole. Dark and practical, where Lanham was fair and
artistic, he was probably responsible for the popular nature of the opening play, which
was Rattigans`s “While The Sun Shines”, although later in the season Turgenev`s “A
Month In The Country” was to establish itself as Redditch`s unfavourite play.

The regular week`s visit every three weeks soon told on the Palace`s film audience,
such as it was. Its routine disorganised, it fell away. The M. T. C. brought “Othello”
in the spring of 1948 (Michael Aldridge as Othello, Duncan Lamont as Iago, Caroline
Hooper, later to become Mrs. John Neville, as Desdemona) and this proved to be the
end of films at the Palace for an eventful three years and more.

Excerpt From The Chairman`s Report of a Meeting of The Arts Council (date
unknown)

We are dependent for our existence on the money given to us by Redditch Urban
District Council and this is a generous sum. Last year our grant was £1350 and this
coming year it is to be increased to £1450. We are also able to claim a grant and
guarantee against loss from the West Midlands Arts Association. The cry is often heard
that there is nothing to do in Redditch. Because of these monies there is a lot to do
and what is more, there is opportunity to do more.

What lies in the future? Next year is the year of the “Palace”, - not the “Palace Theatre”
– yet. The Arts Council arranged a visit round the partly completed building recently

© Redditch Heritage 2019 Page: 15