SEPARATE TABLES

 

 Performed at The Nuffield Theatre on 30th March to 3rd April, 1982

 

Table By The Window

 

Cast In Order Of Speaking

Mabel

Philippa Taylor

Lady Matheson

Ann Dalgleish

Mrs. Railton-Bell

Avril Woodward

Miss Meacham

Chris Baker

Doreen

Jenni Watson

Mr. Fowler

Douglas Coates

Mrs. Shankland

Mollie. Manns

Miss Cooper

Sheena Carrington

Mr. Malcolm

David Pike

Mr. Stratton

Ken Hann

Miss Tanner

Angela Stansbridge

 

Table Number Seven

 

Cast in Order of Speaking

Mrs. Stratton

Angela Stansbridge

Mr. Stratton

Ken Hann

Major Pollock

Ken Spencer

Mr. Fowler

Douglas Coates

Miss Cooper

Sheena Caprington

Mrs. Railton-Bell

Avril Woodward

Miss Railton-Bell

Lynda Edward@s

Lady Matheson

Ann Dalgliesh

Miss Meacham

Chris Baker

Mabel

Philippa Taylor

Doreen

Jenni Watson

 

For The Maskers

Directed By

Graham Buchanan

Stage Management

Mike Patterson

Properties And Furniture

Joy Wingfield (Co-ordinator), Allison Heys, Tamar Thomas, Ann Archer, Margaret House, Valerie Barwell, Sue Parkes

Lighting Design

Derek Jones

Assisted By

Greg Head

Lighting

Mike McDermid, Clive Weeks

Wardrobe

Gill Buchanan, Chris Baker, Philippa Taylor, Kay Hann, Julia Patterson, Lillian Gunstone

Set Construction

Ken Spencer, Alan Baker, Alan Watson, Geoff Wharam

Sound

Chris Jones

Stage Crew

Sarah Buchanan, Simon Waller, Tim Williams, John Carrington, Roger Lockett, Keith Hooper, Ivan White, Geoff Wharam, Ron Tillyer

 

Terence Rattigan

Terence Rattigan was born in London, on June 10, 1911, the son of a diplomat. He went to Oxford with a history scholarship to prepare himself for the diplomatic service, but his early interest in the theatre soon reengaged him completely. He joined the Oxford University Dramatic Society and played a small part in a production of Romeo and Juliet staged by John Gielgud. His first play, First Episode,written in collaboration with Philip Heimann, was performed in London in 1933. It failed, but Rattigan left Oxford determined to become a professional dramatist.

 

Within the next two years he wrote five plays, none of which was produced. Then, in 1936, his farcical comedy French Without Tears was staged. It enjoyed an immediate success and one of the longest runs in British theatrical history. His next three plays failed, however.

 

During World War II, Rattigan served as an air gunner in the Royal Air Force, from 1940 to 1945. His romantic drama Flare Path was successfully produced in 1942. This was followed by the comedy While the Sun Shines, in 1943, and the popular hit Love in Idleness (O Mistress Mine) in 1944. But not until 1946, with the Winslow Boy did Rattigan convince the critics that he merited serious attention. A popular success, the play won the Ellen Terry Award in London; and when it was produced in New York the following year, the New York Drama Critics Circle acclaimed it the best foreign play of the year. Rattigan again received the Ellen Terry Award in 1948, for The Browning Version. The Deep Blue Sea (1952) had a modest reception from public and critics alike, but Separate Tables was the biggest hit of the London season in 1954-1955 and was successfully produced in New York in 1956.

 

Rattigan has also written several original film scenarios as well as the screen versions of The Winslow Boy, The Browning Version, and The Prince and the Showgirl (from his own play The Sleeping Prince).