Before the war. The start of the Society:
It is 1936. Storm clouds are building over Europe. Hitler, Germany's Reichsfuhrer, is mopping up Germany's unemployed by expanding the armaments industry; he has overseen the military re-occupation of the Rhineland and has formed an alliance with Mussolini's Italy - the "Axis". Across Europe people are becoming more and more alarmed by his persecution of the Jews in Germany.
In England, the country is in mourning following the death of King George V in January. In the same month Rudyard Kipling also died. Edward VIII will be king for only 11 months, abdicating in December. Here in Totnes, you can buy a pound of bacon for seven and a half pence and a pound of butter for six and a half pence . The soup kitchen is open every Tuesday and applicants can have a quart of soup and a loaf of bread. King Edward VI Grammar School is charging day pupils £3.80 and boarders £16 a term. New double fronted detached bungalows at Follaton are for sale at £500. The deposit is £25 and your mortgage payments are 12/4 per week - about £2.70 per month. An evening return ticket on the train to Newton Abbot is 4p. Traffic was a problem in the town (fancy that!). The Westerly by-pass was being surveyed; a tender of £12 000 was accepted for the construction of the Northerly by-pass, and the council was discussing widening the Narrows to ease the traffic (try that today!!!). The owners of 65 and 67 High Street had agreed the sale of their properties for widening demolition.
For entertainment you can go and see the Gracie Fields or Laurel and Hardy film showing at the Totnes Cinema for just two and a half pence! The 1936 Totnes pantomime was Jack and the Beanstalk produced by Mr Frank Jordan in Bridgetown Parish Hall. South Brent Amateur Dramatic Society and Brixham Operatic Society provided local amateur entertainment, and the Townswomens Guild met regularly in the Temperance Hall. Then, on 3rd November 1936 the TOTNES AMATEUR OPERATIC AND MUSICAL SOCIETY was formed (3/- annual membership). The town's mayor, Captain Holdsworth became its first president, the chairman was Mr T.F. Reeves, Mr W.T. Hall was treasurer and secretary was Joseph Smith of Bridgetown the (Borough of Totnes Engineer). Other committee members were Ms J.C.Nott, J.S.Hall, W.R.Massey, Grace Reeves and Mr G Mendham. It quickly got underway with its first rehearsal one week later on 10th November in the Baptist Schoolroom. The show was to be performed the following Easter.
The spring of 1937 saw Brixham A.O.S. performing "Rookery Nook", Paignton Operatic mounting the "Maid of the Mountains" and Dartmouth Players producing Noel Coward's "Family Album". Further competition came from Totnes cinema which was screening Bing Crosby's "Rhythm of the Range", and the excitement of Dartmouth Choral Society which was taking part in an experimental radio broadcast with the BBC. The T.A.O.M.S. production was Pirates of Penzance, tickets at 3/- 2/- and 1/- (unreserved) from the offices of the Totnes Times. To be performed at the assembly rooms of the Royal Seven Stars from Tuesday 20th to Saturday 24th April at 7.45pm with a matinee on Saturday.
Mademoiselle FiFine de la Cote (who???) was hon musical director with a 15 piece orchestra; costumes were hired from London; Mr Harry Leffler produced and of course it was a sell out.
The society had arrived.
The second night was inspected by members from the Ashburton, Brixham, Exeter and Paignton rival societies. All agreed it was a magnificent production! The Totnes Times gave a rave review.
Later on that year, saw the "Dive" bar opened in the Seymour Hotel; lectures on what to do during an air raid; milk up to 3p a quart; the death of Totnes' oldest man, Mr Samuel Wellington at 93, and Ramsey Macdonald also died.
At the start of 1938 TAOMS produced the Mikado. This time, the producer was Mr Harry Arnold who had spent thirty years with D'Oyly Carte, understudying Sir Henry Lytton, playing all the leading comedy and baritone parts, and then as stage manager he toured both the UK and America with the opera company. He was to produce TAODS G & S productions for many years. The cost of mounting the Mikado was £195 and including fund raising events, they took £199. £4 in the bank for the next one!
1938 also saw Field Marshal Birdwood elevated to the peerage as Lord Birdwood of Anzac and Totnes in the new year's honours list. South Devon planning committee recommended a bridge across the Dart at Dartmouth in the region of Admiralty Lane. The new Northerly bypass (Coronation Rd) had failed to reduce traffic congestion in the Narrows. The council discussed the demolition of 63 to 71 High St to create a car park, and was urged to hasten the construction of the Westerly bypass. Station Rd by the King Bill become one way, and toilets were planned with a bus stop on Coronation Rd.
The "greatest motion picture of the decade" was playing locally - "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs".
More ominously, the press were reporting plans to evacuate London children, and the issue of gas masks. There were appeals for volunteers for the Air Raid Precaution (ARP) service. People were being urged not to hoard food.
Cunard launched its new liner, the Queen Elizabeth, and TAOMS, now re-named TAODS, went into rehearsal for the Gondoliers.
The first night at the Royal Seven Stars on 23rd January 1939 played to a full house - the inmates of the Public Assistance Institution, Tuesday was a bad night, but the rest of the run saw full houses with people being turned away on the last two nights, even though the ticket prices had risen to 3/-, 2/6 and 2/- (improved seating was to blame!).
February saw the second TAODS annual dance to the music of Albert Hosie and his Orchestra. The Totnes Times said TAODS was definitely here to stay! A second production was mounted in 1939 - "Lucky Dip".
1940 saw "Young Person in Pink" and a series of one act plays, but the war was making it increasingly difficult to mount productions and in 1941 the last wartime production, "Tons of Money" was performed.
After the war. Let play commence!
In 1946 the Old Market Hall built 1828 was converted to a theatre. Shortages of material after the war meant much make do and mend. An asbestos roof, tasteful iron girders, and a stage made with the materials used to construct the temporary platform in the Royal Seven Stars. The wiring was courtesy of George - still wiring away for us right up to 2000! A mix of members from the town's professional and business circles meant there was always someone from whom to beg, and borrow if not steal, enabling the Society to function with no visible means of support.
The first post-war production was "Quiet Weekend" in 1947, then the Society began putting on two plays a year to finance the loss-making annual musical, which then was always a Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta. Mr Harry Arnold
1948, This Happy Breed and Candied Peel financed the Mikado.
1949 it was Lady Windermere's Fan and The Middle Watch to subsidise Iolanthe,
1950 Murder at the Ministry and Yellow Sands helped out with Pirates of Penzance (when the lights went out and the audience sat patiently in the dark for quarter of an hour or so). Our George Martin was at the controls with John Rumbelow.
1951 saw Blithe Spirit and Rookery Nook with the Gondoliers.
1952 is was London Wall and Patience, and so it went on...
There was a pantomime too. Cinderella, which opened on Boxing day to a full house in 1953 was the very first and the last in the old hall - it burnt down in 1955! Now came four years with no hall and no venue to perform. The Society became a wandering band of minstrels. St John's Ambulance hall in Station Rd was used for a pantomime; the Mikado and Pirates of Penzance were performed in the Barn Theatre, Dartington and another panto was put on at KEVICC - then Redworth Secondary Modern School.
In 1959 the new Civic Hall opened - our present home. Our grand opening performance was Pinafore and Trial by Jury. Again these were subsidised by plays, usually comedies. Audiences for the G & S productions were beginning to fall. Costs were rising and musicals had to be cancelled (does this sound familiar?). By the late 60's the society was producing plays and an annual pantomime but no musicals - although there was a locally written musical comedy.
For over ten years, the society languished until in 1983 we once again tried a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta the Mikado. This was to be our very last G & S. The only other time we tried (1998) we were unable to cast it, but it was the start of the annual musical, subsidised by the annual panto which has been the pattern from then right up to now.©Copyright Totnes Amateur Operatic Dramatic Society 2008
It is 1936. Storm clouds are building over Europe. Hitler, Germany's Reichsfuhrer, is mopping up Germany's unemployed by expanding the armaments industry; he has overseen the military re-occupation of the Rhineland and has formed an alliance with Mussolini's Italy - the "Axis". Across Europe people are becoming more and more alarmed by his persecution of the Jews in Germany.
In England, the country is in mourning following the death of King George V in January. In the same month Rudyard Kipling also died. Edward VIII will be king for only 11 months, abdicating in December. Here in Totnes, you can buy a pound of bacon for seven and a half pence and a pound of butter for six and a half pence . The soup kitchen is open every Tuesday and applicants can have a quart of soup and a loaf of bread. King Edward VI Grammar School is charging day pupils £3.80 and boarders £16 a term. New double fronted detached bungalows at Follaton are for sale at £500. The deposit is £25 and your mortgage payments are 12/4 per week - about £2.70 per month. An evening return ticket on the train to Newton Abbot is 4p. Traffic was a problem in the town (fancy that!). The Westerly by-pass was being surveyed; a tender of £12 000 was accepted for the construction of the Northerly by-pass, and the council was discussing widening the Narrows to ease the traffic (try that today!!!). The owners of 65 and 67 High Street had agreed the sale of their properties for widening demolition.
For entertainment you can go and see the Gracie Fields or Laurel and Hardy film showing at the Totnes Cinema for just two and a half pence! The 1936 Totnes pantomime was Jack and the Beanstalk produced by Mr Frank Jordan in Bridgetown Parish Hall. South Brent Amateur Dramatic Society and Brixham Operatic Society provided local amateur entertainment, and the Townswomens Guild met regularly in the Temperance Hall. Then, on 3rd November 1936 the TOTNES AMATEUR OPERATIC AND MUSICAL SOCIETY was formed (3/- annual membership). The town's mayor, Captain Holdsworth became its first president, the chairman was Mr T.F. Reeves, Mr W.T. Hall was treasurer and secretary was Joseph Smith of Bridgetown the (Borough of Totnes Engineer). Other committee members were Ms J.C.Nott, J.S.Hall, W.R.Massey, Grace Reeves and Mr G Mendham. It quickly got underway with its first rehearsal one week later on 10th November in the Baptist Schoolroom. The show was to be performed the following Easter.
The spring of 1937 saw Brixham A.O.S. performing "Rookery Nook", Paignton Operatic mounting the "Maid of the Mountains" and Dartmouth Players producing Noel Coward's "Family Album". Further competition came from Totnes cinema which was screening Bing Crosby's "Rhythm of the Range", and the excitement of Dartmouth Choral Society which was taking part in an experimental radio broadcast with the BBC. The T.A.O.M.S. production was Pirates of Penzance, tickets at 3/- 2/- and 1/- (unreserved) from the offices of the Totnes Times. To be performed at the assembly rooms of the Royal Seven Stars from Tuesday 20th to Saturday 24th April at 7.45pm with a matinee on Saturday.
Mademoiselle FiFine de la Cote (who???) was hon musical director with a 15 piece orchestra; costumes were hired from London; Mr Harry Leffler produced and of course it was a sell out.
The society had arrived.
The second night was inspected by members from the Ashburton, Brixham, Exeter and Paignton rival societies. All agreed it was a magnificent production! The Totnes Times gave a rave review.
Later on that year, saw the "Dive" bar opened in the Seymour Hotel; lectures on what to do during an air raid; milk up to 3p a quart; the death of Totnes' oldest man, Mr Samuel Wellington at 93, and Ramsey Macdonald also died.
At the start of 1938 TAOMS produced the Mikado. This time, the producer was Mr Harry Arnold who had spent thirty years with D'Oyly Carte, understudying Sir Henry Lytton, playing all the leading comedy and baritone parts, and then as stage manager he toured both the UK and America with the opera company. He was to produce TAODS G & S productions for many years. The cost of mounting the Mikado was £195 and including fund raising events, they took £199. £4 in the bank for the next one!
1938 also saw Field Marshal Birdwood elevated to the peerage as Lord Birdwood of Anzac and Totnes in the new year's honours list. South Devon planning committee recommended a bridge across the Dart at Dartmouth in the region of Admiralty Lane. The new Northerly bypass (Coronation Rd) had failed to reduce traffic congestion in the Narrows. The council discussed the demolition of 63 to 71 High St to create a car park, and was urged to hasten the construction of the Westerly bypass. Station Rd by the King Bill become one way, and toilets were planned with a bus stop on Coronation Rd.
The "greatest motion picture of the decade" was playing locally - "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs".
More ominously, the press were reporting plans to evacuate London children, and the issue of gas masks. There were appeals for volunteers for the Air Raid Precaution (ARP) service. People were being urged not to hoard food.
Cunard launched its new liner, the Queen Elizabeth, and TAOMS, now re-named TAODS, went into rehearsal for the Gondoliers.
The first night at the Royal Seven Stars on 23rd January 1939 played to a full house - the inmates of the Public Assistance Institution, Tuesday was a bad night, but the rest of the run saw full houses with people being turned away on the last two nights, even though the ticket prices had risen to 3/-, 2/6 and 2/- (improved seating was to blame!).
February saw the second TAODS annual dance to the music of Albert Hosie and his Orchestra. The Totnes Times said TAODS was definitely here to stay! A second production was mounted in 1939 - "Lucky Dip".
1940 saw "Young Person in Pink" and a series of one act plays, but the war was making it increasingly difficult to mount productions and in 1941 the last wartime production, "Tons of Money" was performed.
After the war. Let play commence!
In 1946 the Old Market Hall built 1828 was converted to a theatre. Shortages of material after the war meant much make do and mend. An asbestos roof, tasteful iron girders, and a stage made with the materials used to construct the temporary platform in the Royal Seven Stars. The wiring was courtesy of George - still wiring away for us right up to 2000! A mix of members from the town's professional and business circles meant there was always someone from whom to beg, and borrow if not steal, enabling the Society to function with no visible means of support.
The first post-war production was "Quiet Weekend" in 1947, then the Society began putting on two plays a year to finance the loss-making annual musical, which then was always a Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta. Mr Harry Arnold
1948, This Happy Breed and Candied Peel financed the Mikado.
1949 it was Lady Windermere's Fan and The Middle Watch to subsidise Iolanthe,
1950 Murder at the Ministry and Yellow Sands helped out with Pirates of Penzance (when the lights went out and the audience sat patiently in the dark for quarter of an hour or so). Our George Martin was at the controls with John Rumbelow.
1951 saw Blithe Spirit and Rookery Nook with the Gondoliers.
1952 is was London Wall and Patience, and so it went on...
There was a pantomime too. Cinderella, which opened on Boxing day to a full house in 1953 was the very first and the last in the old hall - it burnt down in 1955! Now came four years with no hall and no venue to perform. The Society became a wandering band of minstrels. St John's Ambulance hall in Station Rd was used for a pantomime; the Mikado and Pirates of Penzance were performed in the Barn Theatre, Dartington and another panto was put on at KEVICC - then Redworth Secondary Modern School.
In 1959 the new Civic Hall opened - our present home. Our grand opening performance was Pinafore and Trial by Jury. Again these were subsidised by plays, usually comedies. Audiences for the G & S productions were beginning to fall. Costs were rising and musicals had to be cancelled (does this sound familiar?). By the late 60's the society was producing plays and an annual pantomime but no musicals - although there was a locally written musical comedy.
For over ten years, the society languished until in 1983 we once again tried a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta the Mikado. This was to be our very last G & S. The only other time we tried (1998) we were unable to cast it, but it was the start of the annual musical, subsidised by the annual panto which has been the pattern from then right up to now.©Copyright Totnes Amateur Operatic Dramatic Society 2008