'The Tempest'

venue

Midland Railway Institute

Dates

26th - 27th November 1909

Directors

 Rev. Alfred Bater & Victor Vaughan

The British Empire Shakespeare Society (Derby Branch), as we were known at the time, staged its first ever full production of a play in 1909 when it brought 'The Tempest' to the stage at the Midland Railway Institute.

The production was lavish, featuring a 26 piece orchestra playing music by Sir Arthur Sullivan, as well as a full vocal chorus.  The programme tells us that the play commenced at 7:30pm and finished in time for "carrriages at 10" - no doubt the riding occupants would have been humming themes from the show as they made their way home!

The society would return to the Railway Institute and perform there many times in the years following the Second World War.

Crew

Directors -  Rev. Alfred Bater & Victor Vaughan
Stage Manager - Victor Vaughan
Dance Arrangement - Miss V. Claye & Miss H. Stevens
Make-up - Mr. S. P. Drew

Orchestra

Conductor -  Mr. A. F. Smith, Mus. Bac. Cantab.
1st Violin - Miss Wilson (Leader), Miss W. Rowse & Mr. W. Wigley
2nd Violin - Miss Hide, Mr. Statham, Mr. E. Morley & Mr. Smith
Viola - Mr. Bowler & Mr. Bonas
Violincello - Mr. Adcock & Mr. Swan
Double Bass - Mr. B. Clef
Flute - Mr. Parker & Mr. Haynes
Oboe - Mr. W. F. Richardson
Clarinet - Mr. Darbyshire & Mr. Wigley
Bassoon - Mr. Boulderstone & Mr. Wadsworth
Horn - Mr. Arthur Wadsworth & Mr. King
Cornet - Mr. H. Evetts
Trombone - Mr. Taylor
Tympani - Mr. R. Britton

Cast

Alonso - Mr. M. H. Matthews
Sebastian - Mr. A. B. Clayton
Prospero - Mr. A. G. Revill
Antonio - Mr. A. H. Brown
Ferdinand - Mr. H. Wilkes
Gonzalo - Mr. A. Riley
Francisco - Mr. C. H. Fisher
Caliban - Mr. J. Clayton
Trinculo - Mr. A. E. Wells
Stephano - Mr. V. Vaughan
Miranda - Miss K. Eaton
Ariel - Miss M. V. Clave
Iris - Miss Q. Wheatley
Ceres - Miss M. E. Piper
Juno - Mrs. H. Wilkes
Nymphs - Miss H. Stevens, Miss Roe, Miss Crowther, Miss L. Fisher, Miss Todd & Miss Hart
Reapers - Miss P. Sowter, Miss Sutherland & Miss A. F. Fisher
Cupid - Miss G. Walton

Chorus

Soprano - Miss E. Abbott, Miss W. Griffiths & Miss E. Sudds
Contralto - Miss Cooper, Miss Startin & Mrs. Horton
Tenor - Mr. Smith, Mr. McCarthy & Mr. J. H, Dodsworth
Bass - Mr. T. Harvey, Mr. Bannister & Mr. J. W. Swann
Duet - Miss Wilson & Mrs. W. H. Richardson