Student Actress Was Member Of English Repertory Society

Press, Volume C, Issue 29548, 24 June 1961, Page 2

Student Actress Was Member Of English Repertory Society

Miss Margaret Atherton, of Moncks Spur, who will play Joan—the female lead in the University Drama Club's forthcoming production of “The Lark”—has been enthusiastic about theatre since she was a very young schoolgirl in England. Until 14 months ago. Miss Atherton thought nothing of cycling 20 miles from her home in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, to queue for hours at the Stratford Memorial Theatre, and then paying 5s for a seat or standing room to watch the performances of some of England’s greatest actors.

"We would get up at 3 a.m to get to the queue by 5 a m.” she said. ‘That was for matinee seats. For evening performances people would camp out all night. We would camp, too. on the paving surrounds outside the theatre “It was all worth it. I saw Charles Laughton as Lear and again as Bottom in 'Mid summer Night's Dream.’ I saw Laurence Olivier as Corialanus and Albert Fin r.ey twice—as Quinee in ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream' and as Cassio in 'Othello'."

All through school Miss Atherton was actively interested in drama and though she missed two major productions through a change of schools, she took part in many one-act plays and b?gan to learn general: theatre-era ft AMATEUR SOCIETY When her family moved to Kenilworth they found a flourishing amateur reper-l tory society and Miss Atherton joined a grouo of student acto-s attached to it. “The training for a group was sponsored by the county council adult education which supplied tutors. They were paid bv the societv through its membership and student fees." she said. “At first we all went along once a week I was the vouneest at 15 ’ears and the oldest was about 60 years. Then the older Students drifted out and the young people got so keen thev went whenever they could. “The group met in a rehearsal room and this and the society’s theatre had just been finished. It was built entirely by members ” The students presented Noel Coward's “Still Life"! and Miss Atherton was given!

a small part. After this she i was chosen to play Ariel in i the society's production of “The Tempest." It was not usual for the . society to do Shakespeare. It ■ concentrated mainly on plays i by Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and other modern playwrights. These were ■ interspersed with such plays as “Home at Seven” and "Charley's Aunt” to boost . society funds. “They really enjoyed doing the modern plays even if there were only 20 people watching each performance." Miss Atherton said. “But usually they got very good support from their audiences." BACKSTAGE JOBS Painting scenery and other backstage jobs were given i 'he students so they could learn stagecraft and also share in each performance, whether they had a part or j not There we r e not more I ! than 20 in the group “Our repertory was unusual even in England in that it had a choice of so many good producers. Members came from other towns Hke Coventry. Leamington Sna and Birmingham and among them there were some excellent producers. Some had even worked in America ” But the society had one thing in common with mos’ others: It was always short of male actors. So the boys among the students were often called on more thar the girls for small parts In productions. The society had made an impression with the standard of its’ work and a recent letter from a member told o' the visit of the well-knowr actres'. Dorothv Tutin. whr ■ met the cast hacksta«e afte:

a performance. Miss Tutin was at the Memorial Theatre in Stratford for the season and travelled to Kenilworth for the amateur show. In Christchurch Miss Atherton has been attending classes at the Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society's studio and was a student at the University Drama Club’s school during the last May holidays. A student at the university. she is also at the Teachers' Training College and hopes to work as a soeech therapist later on Hopes for further travel abroad are there, too. but she has no definite plans beyond qualifying as o teacher.