Hamlet, Prince of Denmark 1959

The programme

AIREBOROUGH GRAMMAR SCHOOL "HAMLET" by William Shakespeare in the SCHOOL HALL THURSDAY. 19th MARCH FRIDAY. 20th MARCH SATURDAY. 21st MARCH, 1959 at 7-15 p.m. || || Price 6d. John S. Speight Ltd., Printers, Hcnsbaw Lane, Yeadon. Tel. Rawdon 881.

THE STORY Within a month of the death of Hamlet, King of Denmark, his widowed Queen, Gertrude, has married the late King's brother, Claudius, who has seized the throne before his nephew, Prince Hamlet, could occupy it. The young Hamlet is already horrified by the speed of his mother's incestuous marriage, when he is told by a ghost, claiming to be his father's spirit, that Queen Gertrude has been seduced and that his father was murdered by Claudius, Young Hamlet is ordered to avenge his father's death. He loves Ophelia, the daughter of the Royal Chamberlain, Polonius, but she in obedience to her father, rejects his love and consequently Hamlet finds himself isolated and abandoned by everybody except his one friend; Horatio. He arranges for some travelling actors to give a court performance of a play in which the murder of his father is staged in the closest detail. Claudius betrays his guilt, but Hamlet, with his doubts as to the honesty of the Ghost cleared, still fails to take his revenge. Polonius is spying on him continually and is accidentally killed by Hamlet. This gives Claudius an excuse to banish Hamlet to England where his murder has been arranged. The plan fails and Hamlet returns to Denmark. Laertes, the son of Polonius, has returned from France to find his father dead and his sister, Ophelia, drowned, in a fit of madness. Claudius plans a fencing match between Laertes and Hamlet in which Laertes uses a poisoned foil. Accidentally the weapons are exchanged and Laertes is wounded and dies of his own treachery. Hamlet is also hit but before he dies he slays Claudius whose villainy has caused so much tragedy.

CHARACTERS IN THE ORDER OF THEIR APPEARANCE Francisco, a soldier ... ... Tony Brook, V A. Bernardo } Officers Malcolm French, V Sc. Marcellus } Michael Clark, IV G. Horatio, friend to Hamlet ... P. Neil Smith, V A. Ghost of Hamlet's father ... David Smith, VI A. Claudius, King of Denmark Bernard Harris V Sc. Gertrude, Queen of Denmark { Susan Schofield V A. { J. Elain Ogden, IV A. Polonius, the Royal Chamberlain ... Eric Milne, III G. Laertes, his son ... Roger Greenacre, V Sc. Ophelia, daughter of Polonius ... Patricia Dixon, V A. B. Catherine Binns, III A. Hamlet ... ... Russell Peakman, VI T. Osric ... ... Peter Teal, III S. Reynaldo ... ... Vivian Barley, IV G Rosencrantz ... ... Robert Walker, VI T. Guildenstern ... David Hutchinson, VI A. First Player ... ... Roger Jones, V A. Player King … … Peter Reeve, IV G Player Queen … … Christopher Rowland, III A. Second Player .... .,. Leslie Collins, II A. Lady, attending the Queen .:. Susan Fawcett II A. { Christopher Rowland, III A. Sailors { Roland Brindley, III A. { Donald Micklethwaite, III A. First Gravedigger ... ... Malcolm French, V Sc. Second Gravedigger ... Malcolm Laughton, VI T. Priest ... ... ... Roger Jones, V A. { David Girt, IV G. Attendants { Peter Swales, IV G. { Helen Anderson, III S. Musicians { Marjorie Emsley, VI B. { Janet Myers, V A. The action takes place at Elsinore in Denmark. '_______________________________ . * ! , ' There will be one interval of fifteen minutes during which coffee will be served.

Producer : Mrs. M. L. Curry. Stage Manager : Mr. A. E. B. Brown, assisted by Geoffrey Bottomley, David Beeken and Michael Thompson. Costumes : Miss J. Harrison, assisted by Mrs. M. L. Curry, Brenda Wiggins, Elisabeth Milnes, Amelia Penny, Kay Spencer, Carol Wright, Anne Smith and Miss E. Hodgson. Scenery : Designed and painted by Mr. A. E. B. Brown, assisted by members of the Fifth Form. Lighting : Mr H P Pollard assisted by John Credland, Brian Blackburn, Alistair Milner and David Brook. Make-up : Messrs. G. E. C. Robinson, G. P. White, M. Beezer and Miss M. Robinson. Fight : arranged by Miss A. Dean. Properties : Mr. C. Northin and Mr. B. Gaunt. Business Manager : Mr. E. Tillotson, assisted by Peter Denbigh. Prompter : Judith Henderson.

Press report (from the “Wharfedale”)

'HAMLET" AT AIREBORO' GRAMMAR SCHOOL

The three performances of William Shakespeare's tragedy, "Hamlet," given by members of Aireborough Grammar School Dramatic Society in the school hall on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, were watched on each evening by large and appreciative audiences.

The play was well acted by all members of the cast but outstanding was Russell Peakman, who played Hamlet, a very arduous and long part. He showed great acting ability and gave an excellent performance.

Claudius, Hamlet's tyrannical uncle, who seized the throne on the death of Hamlet's father, was admirably portrayed by Bernard Harris.

Another of the leading parts, that of Polonius, the royal chamberlain, was played by Eric Milne, Polonius's son, Laertes, was played by Roger Greenacre, and Ophelia, his daughter, by Catherine Binns.

All the members of the cast portrayed their parts admirably and were a credit to the producer of the play, Mrs. M. L. Curry.

Other members of the cast were Tony Brook, Malcolm French, Michael Clark, P. Neail Smith, David Smith, Susan Schofield, J Elain Ogden, Patricia Dixon, Peter Teal, Vivian Barley, Robert

Walker, David Hutchinson, Roger Jones, Peter Reeve, Christopher Rowland, Leslie Collins, Susan Fawcett, Donald Micklethwaite, Malcolm Laughton, David Girt, Peter Swales, Helen Anderson, Marjorie Emsley and Janet Myers.

Those behind the scenes were: stage manager, Mr. A. E. B. Brown, assisted by Geoffrey Bottomley, David Beeken and Michael Thompson; costumes. Miss J. Harrison, assisted by Mrs. M. L. Curry, Brenda Wiggins, Elizabeth Milnes, Amelia Penny, Kay Spencer, Carol Wright, Anne Smith and Miss E. Hodgson; scenery designed and painted by Mr. Brown, assisted by members of the fifth form; lighting Mr. H. P. Pollard, assisted by John Credland, Brian Blackburn, Alistair Milner and David Brook; make-up, Messrs. G. E. C. Robinson, G. P. White, M. Beezer and Miss M. Robinson; properties, Mr. C. Northin and Mr. B. Gaunt; business manager, Mr. E. Tillotson, assisted by Peter Denbeigh; prompter, Judith Henderson. The fight was arranged by Miss A. Dean.

Photos

The full cast
	Back Row: D A (Tony) Brook, Michael Clark (hidden), David Girt, Eric Milne, Roger Jones, Peter Swales, Peter Teal, Vivian Barley, Robert Walker, David Hutchinson. Middle Row: Roger Greenacre, Malcolm French, Russell Peakman, Bernard Harris, Elaine Ogden, Pat Dixon, Catherine Binns, Susan Schofield, Susan Fawcett, Helen Anderson, Leslie Collins, David Smith, Mrs M L Curry Front Row: Peter Reeve, Roland Brindley, Donald Micklethwaite, Marjorie Emsley, Janet Myers, Christopher Rowland
Bernard, Eric Milne, Elaine Ogden, Susan	Bernard, Elaine, Roger
(room for more photos!)

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