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ALAN CASH - web pages Welwyn Garden City |
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(A short account compiled by Harold J. Stull) Author: Harold J. Stull (compiler) Published: 1987 (publisher not given*) Format: Paperback 11¾" by 8¼" with 223 pages * I think this work has been produced privately. |
Contents |
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Acknowledgements |
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I am much indebted to Judith Claxton, the present Secretary of the Welwyn Festival Association Ltd. for placing the entire Festival archive at my disposal and for bearing patiently with a variety of questions afterwards. Others to whom I am grateful for casting light into dark corners are Angela Eserin and Elaine Dunnicliffe of the Welwyn Garden City Library; Enid Foster, Library Consultant to the British Theatre Association; Brenda Nicholl, Secretary of the National Drama Festivals Association; Roy Stacey, the former Editor of 'Amateur Stage'; and Dick Litster, of Welwyn Garden City. Stanley Meyrick, whose idea it was that I might write this account, made a number of valuable suggestions and has been encouraging throughout. I have attempted to obtain the
publisher's consent to the reproduction of an extract from George Taylor's
'History of the Amateur Theatre', but my request received neither acknowledgment
nor reply. Nevertheless I acknowledge with thanks the source of the chapter
titled, as George Taylor titled it, "Why Drama Festivals ?".
The book is out of print. |
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Welwyn Garden City October 1987 |
H. J. S. | ||
Some thoughts about Drama Festivals in general . . . . .
synopsis Mr Stull begins with the earliest recorded competitive drama festival in Athens in 534 BC, being part of a religious festival honouring the god Dionysus. The tragic dramas of Aeschylus sprang from the dithyramb, a choral dance narrating a legend of the gods performed by fifty men and boys. Thespis of Attica in about 560 BC introduced speeches into the performances with first one, then two or three actors wearing masks. From the comus, a procession with songs, the comedy developed. Aristophanes won first prize at the Lenaean Festival with the play "Archanes" in about 425 BC. Mr Stull describes the Dionysic festivals which lasted five or six days and included a competition in the singing and performance of dithyrambs. Next he describes the performance of plays on a level area beneath the Acropolis. Later was built the Skene, a building forming a backing to the acting area and providing a place for the actors to change dress and masks. By the third century BC, acting and musical performances had spread throughout the Hellenic world. Mr Stull's account continues with a brief résumé of the Roman, medieval periods and up to the present day. |
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. . . and about the Welwyn Drama Festival in particular
Mr Stull says that the Welwyn Drama festival dates from 27th February 1929 when five people founded a committee. They were L. W. P. Barber, W. B. Johnson, J. C. Nairne, F. J. Osborn and Flora Robson. Osborn was chairman and Barber secretary (later succeeded by Frances Levy). The aim of this Drama Festival Committee was to organise a drama festival which would form part of the Welwyn Garden City Festival Week, which was to run from 6th to 13th July 1929. Festival Week was a splendid event according to Mr Stull, attracting over 10,000 visitors even though the population of the town itself was then only 7,000. A grant of £50 was granted by the main Festival Week committee to the drama committee. A prize of ten guineas was to be awarded to the winner. At this point, I am taking the liberty of quoting in full five paragraphs of Mr Stull's article because they relate to C. B. Purdom of whom I have a particular interest. (I have a web menu dedicated to Purdom's works which can be accessed by clicking here.) I hope this is acceptable. If not I shall remove the paragraphs with apology.
Returning now to the 1929 WGC Festival Week and its drama festival, fifteen societies performed in it. Each performance was limited to forty minutes, and props had to be brought on and removed by the actors. Dr L. T. M. Gray, chairman of the U.D.C. donated The Welwyn Cup, made locally by J. P. Steele, to be presented to the winner. The U.D.C. asked the Committee to organise another drama festival in 1930 and so it became an annual event. Mr Stull continues with his summary of the history of the Welwyn Drama Festival. In this he argues that it "can reasonably claim to be the oldest independent one-act amateur drama festival, open to all comers, in the United Kingdom." The festival was held in the Welwyn Theatre from 1929 until 1973. Mr Stull gives an account of the disagreement with the Council over the number of seats to be provided in the planned new theatre in the Campus West building. From 1974 the Festival was held at Campus West. Mr Stull ends with a 1954 quotation of words by Frederic Osborn, who was Chairman 1929-1965 and after that President until his death in 1978 aged 93:
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The main body of the book (169 out of 223 pages) comprises articles about each of the festivals from 1929 to 1987 (which was the 53rd festival - there was a wartime break from 1941 to 1045, and there was no festival in 1963 due to a fire at Welwyn Theatre in November 1962.) These 53 articles describe significant events regarding the festivals and list the plays performed and companies taking part, and the winners. The members of the Committee for the year are given, as is the adjudicator, plus other details such as ticket prices and profits (or losses) made. In the 1947 and 1975 articles detailed regulations are given. After the series of 53 articles about each festival are some pages of factual information:
Following these lists are three short articles and a bibliography. The first article I am reproducing here because of my interest in C. B. Purdom. Hope this is acceptable.
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Books for the darker winter evenings
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