The Nuffield Theatre
on30th March to 3rd April 1982
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).
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 Edwards |
| 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 |
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