Thursday 11th January to Saturday 13th January 1979
Directed by Janet Simpson
A miscellany of melodious and mellifluous entertainments selected purely for your pleasure.
This was an umbrella title for an evening of 1890s music-hall-inspired sketches, songs and monologues written by many authors, including some members of the company. It was inspired both by the late Victorian/Edwardian music-hall itself, and by the TV programme The Good Old Days. The show, which revived the Edwardian music-hall tradition, ran for 30 years and was broadcast by the BBC from the Leeds City Varieties Theatre from 1953 until 1983. The programme launched numerous famous faces including Ken Dodd, Barbara Windsor, Roy Hudd, Jimmy Cricket and Les Dawson. Leonard Sachs, who famously fronted The Good Old Days, with his convoluted and alliterative adjectives, became a household name.
A departure from previous 'play-only' Bench productions, this innovative offering included drinks being served throughout the performance, and a supper in the interval in order to more faithfully reproduce the experience. Audiences were encourage to dress appropriate to the period and music and dancing featured across the board.
The programme notes for the following production alluded to the evening's success:" On the subject of that special production [The Night in the Nineties], the three nights of which were completely sold out, we must say a big thank you to all the members of the audience who went to such trouble to dress in the style of the period. This helped to create the right atmosphere for the evening's entertainment and some of the outfits were really superb. As some consolation for the unfortunate many who were unable to obtain tickets, the tremendous success of the Music Hall has prompted discussion of several possible follow-ups. We will keep you posted."
This show was staged at Havant Arts Centre, East Street Havant - Bench Theatre's home since 1977.
Jenny Jones, Robbie Cattermole, Anne Warren
David Penrose, Langley Gifford
Tim Mahoney
Pat Woods, Steve Morgan
Sharon Morris, Paul Morris, Jacquie Penrose, Stuart Sheach
Alan Knight
Terry Cattermole, Paul Morris, Spokey Wheeler, Brian Sweatman
David Penrose
Eve Moore, David Spackman
Janice Lloyd, Robbie Cattermole, Derek Cusdin, Brian Sweatman, Terry Cattermole
Anne Brodrick, Robbie Cattermole, Jenny Jones, Janet Shaw, Julie, Anne Warren
Spokey Wheeler, Robbie Cattermole, Anne Warren, Jenny Jones, Stuart Sheach, Jim Charlton, Alan Knight, Tim Mahoney, Derek Cusdin, Paul Morris
Eve Moore
Alan Knight, Stuart Sheach, Anne Brodrick, Steve Morgan, Jacquie Penrose
Sharon Morris
David Spackman
Brian Sweatman, Terry Cattermole, Spokey Wheeler, David Penrose, Langley Gifford
Director | Janet Simpson |
Stage Manager | John Scadding |
Assistant Stage Manager | Tony Adams |
Lighting | Anthony Elliott |
Costumes | Robbie Cattermole |
Culinary Creations | Sheila Spackman Joyce Cusdin |
Theatrical decor | John Scadding Nicola Fraser Tony Adams Chris Shaw Jill Sawyer |
Props | Mary Lowes |
Head Barman | Peter Duncan |
Waitress | Angela Nelson |
Waitress | Lynda Westbrook |
Waitress | Jaki Curtis |
Waitress | Jill Sawyer |
Waiter | Richard Sandwell |
Photography | Chris Shaw |
Choreography | Anne Warren |