the Nuffield Theatre
on11st to 14th April 1973
| Cast | played by: |
| Henry Drummond | David Pike |
| Matthew Harrison Brady | Kenneth Spencer |
| The Judge | Peter Syvret |
| Bertram Cates | Ray Green |
| E.K. Hornbeck | Graham Buchanan |
| Tom Davenport | Richard Bowen |
| Rev. Jeremiah Brown | David Jupp |
| The Mayor | Harry Manns |
| Meeker | Geoff Wharam |
| Sillers | John Hamon |
| Phil | Chris Boxall |
| Reuter's Man | Chris Boxall |
| Dunlap | David Dudley |
| Bannister | Mike Shailer |
| Radio Man | Steve Rake |
| Rachel Brown | Sheana Carrington |
| Mrs. Brady | Molly Manns |
| Mrs. Blair | Avril Woodward |
| Mrs. Krebs | Shieila Clarke |
| Mrs. McLain | Betty Green |
| The Mayor's Wife | Jenni Rodway |
| Hot-Dog Senior | Anne Kitchen |
| Howard | Stephen Murray |
| Timmy | Toby Manns |
| Melinda | Gail Woodward |
| Sunny | Karen Bartlett |
| Children | Tanya Stephens, David Brown |
| Jurors, Townsfolk | Ena Hamon, Angela Dean, Rosemary Tanner, Linda Winwood, Anita Pope, Therese Collings, Phyl Boniface and Gentlemen From The Maskers |
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The Maskers are presenting Jerome Lawrence’s “Inherit the Wind” at the Nuffield theatre this week. The play is based on the Scopes “monkey” trial in Tennessee in 1925. The director, Roy Tabor has kept the production in America of the twenties with light American accents. Too often in such productions, the accent intrudes and irritates. The accent here never intrudes. The unusual use of the forestage, which is almost at floor level, for the court room scenes – with the town scenes on a permanent set on the main stage works well. The lighting is subdued, deepening the effect of the oppressive, omnipresent small-town atmosphere.
David Pike is Drummond the defending lawyer – the agnostic, who proves to have more faith than his opponent. It is a quiet, thoughtful performance, made up with many tiny touches from the odd movement like plunging his hands in his pockets, scratching his nose, culminating in a superb exit.
His vanquished foe, blind, opinionated ignorance is represented by Brady, a lawyer who has thrice been runner-up to the presidency – played by Ken Spencer. Graham Buchanan has a gift of a part as the cynical, wisecracking Baltimore journalist (“Hillsborough is the buckle on the Bible belt.”) But that does not detract from his wry performance which could so easily have been overdone.
Sheana Carrington – as always – is good value as the bible-thumping preacher’s daughter, Rachael, in whom the whole conflict is crystalised.
I liked Peter Syvret as the judge, young Stephen Murray as the schoolboy Howard on the witness stand and Geoff Wharam as the stoical Meeker.
An excellent play, well worth a visit, it runs to the end of the week.
- Jasmine Profit.
| For the Maskers | |
| Directed by | Roy Tabor |
| Stage Manager | Keith Hooper |
| Production Assistants | Bob Wilson, Pete White |
| Assistant to the Director | Liz Fanner |
| Set Design | Kenneth Spencer |
| Costume Hire | Bristol Old Vic |
| Wardrobe Mistress | Gladys Knight |
| Lighting Design | Derek Jones |
| Lighting | Ivan White |
| Sound | Geoff Grandy, Ron Tillyer |
| Properties | Angela Stephens |
| Business Management & Publicity | John Paget, Graham Buchanan |
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