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 The
Cicala Players in: Down Came a Blackbird by Peter Blackmore
Staged:
- 09-11 May 1962 at Chanticleer
Theatre London
 London’s Chanticleer
Theatre is once more the setting for a Cicala Players production, which in
Spring 1962 is “Down Came a Blackbird” by Peter Blackmore. Martins Bank Magazine is there as usual to
provide a critique of the play, which is a comedy by Peter Blackmore. The Magazine comments on the Cicala
Players’ pension for comedy, and also on how a production of this nature
fares in the particularly intimate and tiny surroundings of the Chanticleer
Theatre. The plot concerns an eminent Egyptologist and his secretary, The
title of the play is none too subtle when we realise that the two leading
characters apparently are “suffering” from what is referred to as the
“handicap” of having large noses! (Also, in commenting that plays about large
noses are not usually comedies, we feel that perhaps the writer of the
article has missed a comparison with another hugely successful comedic nose
story - Cyrano de Bergerac?) Still,
evidently fun was had by all in the intimate setting of London’s Chanticleer
Theatre, a venue at which the Cicala Players have previously staged
successful productions…
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 'Down came a Blackbird', by Peter Blackmore, was
the choice of the Cicala Players for their Spring production. They
presented it on May 9th, 10th and 11th in the intimate atmosphere of the
tiny Chanticleer Theatre, which seats just over one hundred people. Here
the cast and the audience experience a unity which the artistes must find
particularly encouraging. The Cicala Players apparently enjoy doing comedy
and after a rather slow and shaky start, they got into their stride and the
play developed into an amusing and entertaining show.
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Left to Right: Philip Clarke, Hugh Hairs,
Elizabeth Coppins,
Avril Townsend, Rosina O’Brien, Clive Hamilton,
Dorothy Edgar and Peter Henty.
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The action of the play takes place in
the villa in Cairo of Sir Clive Dawson, an eminent Egyptologist. Rosina
O'Brien had the major role as Nora Parker, his efficient secretary,
assistant, friend and organiser of his household. Her most outstanding
feature, however, was her nose, a very ugly one (quite an achievement for
the make-up artist), and the plot was based on this particularly personal
and delicate problem.
Other plays have been based on a
similar theme but it is not usually treated as a comedy. Although at first,
she was not too convincing in her part, Rosina soon settled down to give a
really good performance and not only was she the mainstay of the
Professor's household but also of the cast itself. Clive Hamilton is a stalwart of the Cicala
Players and he was the inevitable choice for the part of Sir Clive
Hamilton.
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It was a rather difficult role and
he made a gallant attempt to portray the absent-minded Professor who has
such a fatal fascination for the opposite sex that no less than three women
are in love with him at the same time—his secretary, a designing
widow and his son's girl friend. Archaeology, his real and first love, wins
in the end, however.
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The widow was played by Dorothy
Elgar.This part contrasted strongly with that of her previous appearance
for the Society and she showed her versatility and acting ability by giving
a sustained and excellent portrayal of the scheming, sophisticated female
who will stop at nothing to get her man but gracefully accepts defeat when
the battle is lost.
Peter Henty played the part of an
American journalist with confidence and authenticity, and he. has a very
natural stage presence. He is attracted and sympathetic towards Nora,
having once suffered from a similar handicap. After an operation on his
nose, his whole life had been altered and he persuades Nora to go away and
have the same operation. She agrees but does not tell anyone else and her
homecoming is a revelation to herself as well as to her friends.
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Rosina O’Brien and Peter Henty
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Everyone has missed the good-natured
Nora and the Professor has missed her most of all, but when she arrives
looking beautiful and also much slimmer, everyone feels she is a stranger
and the Professor's immediate reaction is to examine her new nose as though
it were an archaeological specimen.
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Left to Right: Peter Henty, Dorothy Edgar and Clive Hamilton
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The Professor's son and his girl
friend were played by Philip Clarke and Elizabeth Coppins, two newcomers to
the Society who made successful debuts. Philip has a pleasant stage
personality and Elizabeth will be quite an asset when she has gained more
confidence and overcome her natural shyness.
A very entertaining performance was given
by Hugh Hairs as Ali, the Arab servant. He really made the most of his
lines and had a very easy manner. Avril Townsend nicely portrayed the small
part of the house-girl.
Dai Armstrong was the producer once
again and at the conclusion of the final performance she was presented with
a bouquet by the cast in appreciation of her hard work, and she paid a very
well-earned compliment to the backroom girls and boys when she asked them
to come on to the stage to receive their share of the audience's applause.
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The next production will be in
November and will be a rather special one in celebration of the Society's 25th
Anniversary. They very much hope that the staff in the London District will
make every effort to support them on that occasion.
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 M
Sep3M
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