Mexborough and Swinton Times February 3, 1939

Operatic Society’s High Achievement

“New Moon” Delights Wombwell  Audiences

A little art and some craft is needed for the writing of notices about the amateur theatre. Whatever austere and absolute critics may say, one permanent critical tape-measure would be unfair and impracticable, and so a discreet and helpful reviewer must have a nicely assorted range of standards, and must make his choice as each customer appears. For the Wombwell and District Amateur Operatic Society’s shows I now get the ladder and bring down a critical standard from the topmost shelf. It is a shelf rarely visited.

Superlatives Needed.

Put simply, for the third year the Society has surprised me. With “Good Night Vienna” and “Viktoria and her Hussar” they took me aback; with the “New Moon,” which they are giving throughout the week in Wombwell Empire, they threaten to take some of my choicest superlatives. At the price am getting, I do not grudge their going.

A bit of history will help. The Society was launched six years ago. If custom had been followed, the start would have been self-conscious and timid: the first show would have been taken out of the musical comedy primer. It would have been something cheap and easy, something stiff and uncertain. But Wombwell had no use for custom.

They chose “The Mikado” and backed every penny they had on it. Or rather every penny they hoped to get.                Audacity won, and in the following years there were further big jobs, “Desert Song” and “Rose Marie.” This indicates the right spirit; Wombwell wants something grand and expensive and is prepared to work and pay for the satisfaction of getting it.

True To Tradition,

The week’s “New Moon” (it ought now, after the West End suceesss, to be re-titled, “French History Without Tears”) is true to the big and bold tradition,         It is long, difficult, expensive, and I hope that Wombwell and district will show its gratitude with houses that are full, applausive, and anything but difficult.

The preface to the programme contains the following: “We have had to establish ourselves by a regular system of social events, and it was only as a result of these that we were able to distribute those small gifts to local charities last year. A greater measure of support from the public in making our shows financial successes would enable us to support lavishly our deserving charitable organisations. . .            Six full houses would enable us to give to local charities £350

Last year, I believe, I marred an acceptable review of “Viktoria and Her Hussar” by a little tactlessness about Wombwell’s lack of urban charm. I cannot conscientiously retract that: rather I say that the Society ought to be worshipped in Wombwell for giving residents a chance to escape for a night into a good theatre and a very pleasant theatrical world, full of colour, song, youth, gaiety, and (if it is not going too far) beauty. Surely those six full houses will be realised.

A good musical play is like an escalator it starts suddenly, climbs and climbs, then neatly folds up under your feet and leaves you standing on a higher spiritual level than when you started. From this point of view, “New Moon” compares favourably with anything the L.P.T.B. know about. You sit on the plush and the moment the lights go you feel the seat starting snappily on its ascent to the moment when everything magically straightens out.

Catchy Music.

Sigmund Romberg has followed up his performance in “Desert Song” with a sequence of tunes that are easily caught and worth the catching, and the usual Limited Company have linked them up with a tolerable plot and some dialogue which has light and shade without ever being shady. The actual plot has some concern with a French revolution, and if there is equal accuracy I am certain the “New Moon” would be better for use in schools than Thomas Carlyle on the same theme. Anyhow, French atmosphere, French villainy, French quin-quiremes and packets, French sailors, dances, and so on help the show to provide an astonishing range of scene and costume. Of these dressing opportunities the Society took full advantage, and it would be interesting to know precisely how many dresses the company of sixty players wore.

On one score the Wombwell Company are immensely better off than many  South Yorkshire Societies: they have a well-designed theatre in which to work. Too many producers have to make shift with halls which are too small, badly shaped, or lacking in facilities.    The  Wombwell Empire, on the other hand, is a cheerful cosy place with a broad, deep state, good lighting arrangements, and with room for setting off scenery.

These are factors which make an important difference. To the facts that the Society are using a properly designed theatre and are professonally produced by Miss Maisie Griffiths attribute a fair proportion of their success.        Miss Griffiths has a profound sense of theatre allied to a wide knowledge of technique, and through her the players or unable to use the good stage and its facilities to the full.

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