Theatre Guild

There were at least four companies which went by a name including the phrase "Theatre Guild"

THIS ARTICLE IS STILL BEING EDITED

Theatre Guild - Johannesburg

Presented The Lady of the Rose in 1946.

The Theatre Guild - East London

The East London Theatre Guild Association was an organisation of local societies established to raise funds for the building of a theatre in East London, later called the Guild Theatre.

For more information, see the East London Theatre Guild Association

Theatre Guild in Port Elizabeth

Sources suggest three groups in Port Elizabeth using the name Theatre Guild over a period of twenty years in the 20th century, or the name appears in three variations:

Theatre Guild (1952-1958)

This group appears to be associated with/inaugurated by a theatre company called The Company of Four. Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild Foundation Members included Andre Huguenet, Will Jamieson, Gladys Baynes, Helen Wilkins and Noel Cudmore.

Productions produced by the Theatre Guild:

1952: A Phoenix Too Frequent for The Company of Four.

1953: Private Lives as their entry for Pemads Salter's Cup.

1954: Sorry, Wrong Number as their entry for Pemads Salter's Cup.

1955: The Snow Goose as their entry for Pemads Salter's Cup. They also produced Home and Beauty for the Port Elizabeth Jewish Guild.

1956: Miranda.

1957: Hands Across the Sea for the Salter's Cup.

1958: A Child is Born.

1959: Dial M for Murder for The Company of Four.

The Amateur Theatre Guild (1960-1963)

Port Elizabeth's Amateur Theatre Guild was founded in 1960 by Helen Mann, Bruce Mann and other members of the cast of King Lear which was produced at the Port Elizabeth Opera House in that year. The group cooperated so well together that they decided to form a new organisation under the name Amateur Theatre Guild.

During their first year they produced Our Town, Rope, Tea and Sympathy, and The Lark. Hundreds of people were unable to see The Lark because the season, fully booked, could not be extended as no other suitable venue could be found. These four productions raised well over R4 000-00 for various charities.

Founding "members" included Christine Roberts, George Jones, Jill Shepherd, Alan Williams, and David Hemmings. The Amateur Theatre Guild was unique in South Africa as it had no funds, no members as such, no committee, no secretary and no constitution.

By August 1962, the Amateur Theatre Guild was calling itself the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild.

The Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild (1962-1972)

From 1960 to 1966, the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild presented a number of productions for a variety of organisations and charities, including the Red Cross, the Hellenic Community, the University of Port Elizabeth. From 1966 to 1971, the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild entered into an association with the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society, producing joint productions. From 1971, the Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival began to operate independently, with the two organisations essentially absorbing the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild.

Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild productions:

1960: King Lear, presented by the Theatre Guild for the Red Cross, directed by Will Jamieson, with John Hamber, Helen Mann, Andre Huguenet, Gordon Roberts, Lorna Levenson, Paddye Bunce.

1960: Our Town, Rope

1961: The Lark, Tea and Sympathy

1962: Five Finger Exercise at the Port Elizabeth City Hall (February 20 - 24), Rape of the Belt, Death of a Salesman at the Port Elizabeth City Hall, directed by David Barnett - producer, with setting by Patsy Barnett, with David Barnett (Willy Loman), Helen Mann (Linda), Brian Gaven (Biff), Colin Ward (Happy), Alan Williams (Bernard), Ursula Burnett (Woman), John Hamber (Charley), Raymond Howell (Uncle Ben), Gerry Baker (Howard Wagner), Antoinette Assemaine (Jenny), Tommy Walker (Stanley), Jill Shepherd (Miss Forsythe), Cynthia Harvey (Letta) and Rob Binnell (Waiter).

1963: The Queen and the Rebels

1963: Hamlet, presented by the Theatre Guild for the Red Cross, directed by Will Jamieson. Starring: John Hamber, Helen Mann, Helen Wilkins, Philip Jackson, Alf Porter, Jim Shorrock.

1964: The Taming of the Shrew, presented by the Theatre Guild for the Hellenic Community, directed by Will Jamieson. Starring John Hamber, Helen Mann, Helen Wilkins, Roy Williams, Alf Porter, and Gordon Roberts.

1964: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (for the P E Civic Theatre Fund),

1965: Much Ado About Nothing, presented by the Theatre Guild for the University of Port Elizabeth. Directed by Margaret Inglis. Starring John Hambler, Helen Mann, Clive Selley, Derek Scarr, Alf Porter, Gordon Roberts.

1966: The Mikado, (with the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.)

1967: Oklahoma!, (with the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.)

1967: The King and I (with the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.)

1968: Brigadoon (with the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.)

1969: The Student Prince '(with the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.)

1969: Romeo and Juliet (presented with Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society), directed by Helen Mann, with Edith Porter, Jeremy Baylis, Colin Stevens, Roy Williams, Alf Porter, Alice Krige.

1970: The Desert Song (with the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.)

1970: Twelfth Night (presented with the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society), directed by Leslie French. Starring: Jeremy Baylis, Helen Mann, Roy Williams, Alf Porter, Leslie French.

1971: The Merchant of Venice (for the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.) Directed by Leslie French. Starring: Jeremy Baylis, Helen Mann, Roy Williams, Alf Porter, Leslie French.

1972: Everyman

Note:

According to the March 1985, edition of Scenaria magazine (Issue no 50) and Wright and Gubb's article in Shakespeare in Southem Africa, The Company of Four assumed the name of the Amateur Theatre Guild from 1951 till 1958 when it became the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild.

Sources

Sunday Tribune, February 11, 1962.

Evening Post, April 10, 1963.

Eastern Province Herald April 20, April 17, 1963.

Percy Tucker, 1997

The Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival - book, 1982.

Laurence Wright and Lin Gubb. 'A Tribute to "Stratford-on-Baakens": Thirty Years of the Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival'. Shakespeare in Southem Africa Vol. 3. 1989. 1-8.

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