" Iolanthe " at Ardrossan Academy in 1971

Post about your old school - ask about old school pals
Post Reply
User avatar
down south
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3534
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:18 pm
Location: Cheshire,formerly Saltcoats

" Iolanthe " at Ardrossan Academy in 1971

Post by down south »

After hearing about Stevenston Higher Grade's Gilbert and Sullivan shows, here's a picture of the principal singers in Ardrossan Academy's 1971 production of " Iolanthe ". The Academy took particular pride in its music, but this was the first full-scale production of its kind they put on; there were several more I believe in later years, under the auspices of Mr Hetherington.
Iolanthe principals.jpg


Back row from L : Barclay Duff ( Lord Chancellor ); Stephen Carter ( Earl of Mountararat ); Humphrey Robertson ( Strephon ); Brian Hayton ( Earl Tolloller ); Trevor Jones ( Private Willis ).

Front row : Lyn Robertson ( Celia ); Fiona MacDonald ( Iolanthe ); Sheena Gordon ( Phyllis ); Tom Kavanagh ( Pageboy ); Catherine Brooks ( Leila ); Janice Galloway ( Queen of the Fairies ).

Of course several of these people are from outlandish places like Largs and West Kilbride and beneath the notice of threetowners; but we do have the future famous ( ? ) author from Saltcoats, Janice Galloway in a leading role.

There were also choruses of Fairies and Peers. Quite a few of my classmates were fairies, but not me , thank goodness...I did go and see the show though, and very good it was too. Due to a shortage of suitable boys some of the peers were played by senior girls. The boys got their revenge the next year, when Mr Brown put on a production of " Macbeth "; there were precisely three parts for girls in that , with even the Three Witches being played by boys.

Susan

.
Last edited by down south on Sun Feb 12, 2017 4:29 pm, edited 3 times in total.
User avatar
Meg
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6131
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 10:18 am
Location: Formerly Ardrossan, now Ayr

Re: " Iolanthe " at Ardrossan Academy in 1971

Post by Meg »

I was one of the chorus Susan ........

Thank goodness we weren't important enough to be in a photo for the Herald
User avatar
down south
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3534
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:18 pm
Location: Cheshire,formerly Saltcoats

Re: " Iolanthe " at Ardrossan Academy in 1971

Post by down south »

I had wondered if you might have been in it, Meg, but I scoured the cast list in my programme for you in vain . You must have been " lurking " when they wrote that down ! ( It was a pretty haphazard list I must admit, very easy to leave someone out. )

Susan
scarter
New Poster
New Poster
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 4:16 pm

Re: " Iolanthe " at Ardrossan Academy in 1971

Post by scarter »

Just visited this page after a very long absence.

If anyone is interested I have a complete set of photographs of all the cast, including all the fairies!!!
I remember the likes of Sarah Mortimer and some of her friends being coerced into wearing false mustaches and joining the ranks of the "Peers" because we didn't have enough Tenors.

Happy days!
User avatar
down south
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3534
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:18 pm
Location: Cheshire,formerly Saltcoats

Re: " Iolanthe " at Ardrossan Academy in 1971

Post by down south »

Would be great to see those, Stephen. I knew a lot of the fairies and I'd love to be reminded how they looked in costume; not to mention the " peeresses " !

Susan
User avatar
down south
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3534
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:18 pm
Location: Cheshire,formerly Saltcoats

Re: " Iolanthe " at Ardrossan Academy in 1971

Post by down south »

I find I have after all got a photo featuring some of the Iolanthe chorus; albeit not, alas, in costume. It was taken at a concert earlier in the year, partly aimed at raising funds for the production ( £60 was realised ). At this ,among other items including a display of country dancing and a musical play , there was a " preview " of some of the Iolanthe songs given by the cast and chorus.

Of course not everyone is in the photo; they would have filled the whole width of the stage and no normal photo could accommodate that. As it is, the attempt to fit in as many as possible has left it of rather poor quality , which is the main reason why I haven't posted it up till now. Nevertheless, I can still identify most of the girls in the picture, if not many of the boys. It helps at least to know from the Iolanthe programme roughly who's supposed to be there ( though there's at least one who's not in the programme, backing up what I said earlier ).
Iolanthe preview concert 1971.jpg
At the back left-hand corner, we have a half-invisible unknown, and then comes the boy with the Afro, Janice Galloway's " Jacob ". I'll follow her in not revealing his true identity. Next to him are Leslie Duncan and John Lyon. Then next in the back row, beyond the foreground figure, might be James Smith, though I can't swear to it.The next two at the back I can't identify, but the boy in the glasses I think is Richard Darroch. And slightly forward of him I think that's Christopher Seabury .

The next two, also wearing glasses, are girls ; June McCallum and Nicola McKinnon, both of whom were " lady peers " as mentioned above. Two unidentifiable parts of heads follow, and then we come to Paul Corney. That could be Sarah Mortimer just in front of him, but it's hard to tell from half a face. And the rest of the back row I'll have to leave blank.

Turning to the front row, in foreground at left is Sheena Gordon. Behind her are Annette Brown and Beth Macdonald. Foreground again are Brian Hayton and Stephen Carter, and in the background between them is Morag MacColl. Then behind Stephen's shoulder we have Irene Elder, Fiona Maclean, and I think Catherine Craig ( ? )

Next we have Margaret Brown; just behind her I think that's Alison Caldwell, and then comes Jan Mitchell. Margaret Stirton next, half-obscuring Lucy Robertson; then Jean Fry, Evelyn Malcolm and Betty McKay. Next to Betty we have Joan Geddes, then Ray McKell, Agnes Wilson, Janessa Armstrong and Sandra McMillan.

In the foreground again we have Fiona Macdonald and Barclay Duff; between them the person on the left is unidentifiable, but on the right I can just make out Catherine Brooks.

Susan
Post Reply