GEORGE EDWARDS was a travelling companion of mine and we worked together at Jarrold Printing in Norwich for many years. George was involved with a local amateur theatrical group The Sheringham Players and he was always trying to get me to join the actors.

“Why don’t you come along to one of our meetings,” said George, one night on the train home from Norwich. “After all, you are a designer and you could be a great help to us with the advertising material, and besides, there‘s always plenty of scenery to be painted... and who knows, you might even enjoy yourself.”

Just for a quiet life I went along to the next meeting, but only to help out with the scenery and printed programmes, you understand. However, the meeting didn’t go exactly to plan.

“Unless we can attract more young ladies to the Sheringham Players,” warned June Wade, the Producer, “we cannot possibly even consider putting on our next play!”

All eyes turned on me, for they were certain I would know of some suitable young ‘talent’.

“Beside the Seaside,” continued June, “requires at least two young ladies – one a wayward teenager and the other a newlywed.”

So, that was the play, I thought – a farce written by Leslie Sands and made famous by the great Brian Rix at the Whitehall Theatre in London.

They all thought I must know of someone, but, of course, I didn’t. The girls I knew were interested in the ’60s pop scene and dancing, but when it came to memorising a script and reciting their lines in a convincing manner, well... nooo! They may have been all high kickers, but most of them were one garter short of a chorus line!

The dilemma was solved with the appearance of Aileen Black, a mysterious stranger from ‘foreign’ parts, Solihull, somewhere I’d never, ever, heard of but then I wouldn’t have of course, as I’d rarely ventured south of Norwich!

At last the show could go on, but with a last minute change to the cast. For I – who was only there to paint the scenery and design the programmes (at least that’s what I had been led to believe!) – was offered the part of Henry Pepper, a lead role in the play, opposite Aileen Black from Brum as Daphne Pepper, the other ‘half’ of the honeymoon couple.

As with all new marriages most couples sometimes have their ‘ups and downs’, and with Henry and Daphne Pepper – who were on honeymoon – theirs was no different.

The venue? A typical seaside boarding house, run by a stereotypical battle-axe of a landlady, you know the sort: No washing socks in the hand-basin, no smoking in bed, no entry after 11pm.

In this still from the play, Henry (Ashley) has fallen prey to the lovestruck maid, Florrie (Helen Martin), and Daphne (Aileen ) makes an appearance right at the wrong moment, or did she save her new husband from a fate worse than death?

Sally Pearson (‘Jondy’ Bell), daughter of Wilf and Ethel Pearson (played by Tom Jump and Catherine Gould), arrives at the seaside boarding house to join her parents, who are already there. Her boyfriend, a Serviceman, was expected as well but failed to turn up due to having to serve ‘jankers’ for some misdemeanour in his camp.

In this still, Sally is receiving the attentions, wanted or otherwise, of the resident philanderer, an end-of-the-pier actor called Tony Brett (played by the late-George Edwards).

Florrie considerately provides afternoon tea for Ethel and Wilf Pearson, while the newlyweds indulge in a session of canoodling on the sofa.

Of the two, Henry is henpecked, whilst Daphne is the one who really wears the trousers. Their marriage got off to a bad start as Daphne’s father, Mr Hemingway a builder, didn’t approve of his one and only daughter’s choice of husband – who worked in a Travel Agent’s, no less!

The fearsome landlady of Seaview always liked to see her visitors off the premises. Perhaps it was really to do with the fact that she liked to check that nothing of hers was about to disappear with them – although she missed the solid-silver cruet set being smuggled out by Mr Pearson under his jacket.

The newlyweds, however, were far more thoughtful. Daphne is seen here presenting a ‘gift’, a brown paper parcel tied with string, to Mrs Austin (played by Peggy de Renzi).

Mrs A: “Whatever is it?”

Daphne and Henry: “Bread and butter pudding. Good morning!”

But, how would it all end? Only time would tell!

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Copyright © Ashley Gray 2008

The Webmaster would like to thank the Author of www.landofnurseryrhymes.co.uk and www.ukmagic.co.uk for kindly allowing music to be used from his sites.

The Sheringham Players’ production of Beside the Seaside at the Little Theatre, Sheringham, opened on 4th May 1966 and played to packed houses for three nights.

Ashley had originally been ‘coerced’ into joining the Players as a scenery designer and painter, and to design and produce the programmes and publicity material – but, all on account of a dark stranger from foreign parts by the name of Aileen Black, his aspirations were to lead in a different direction.

Beside the Seaside was produced by June Wade; Stage Manager was Albert Cooper; Assistant Stage Managers were Michael Sales and Susan Bushell.

Lighting and Sound Effects were by Philip Handford-Rice and John Avery.

Special thanks are due to June Cooper for supplying the photographs and kindly granting permission for their use.

 

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Mrs Austin receives an unexpected going-away present from the Peppers.

Also performing in the play, but not shown in the photographs, was Pat Martins as Pat Marlow.

 

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