Harrow County School for Boys
Julius Caesar, School Play 15th-18th March 1967It is the actors, of course, that we remember. But let no-one forget that the real triumph in this play was the act of dedication by one man, Mr. G. Lafferty, who gave himself - body and soul - at grave risk to his health, to the perfecting of this production and to the welding together of so many diverse elements. Let no-one minimise the enormity of this task in making his debut as a producer. He was not, after all, working with the National Theatre at the Old Vic. Admittedly Brian Gilbert was magnificent; his beautifully modulated speech and sense of timing were a lesson to us all. Bill Davies made Brutus a noble Roman indeed, one given to lofty thoughts and gracious living, used to reading books and listening to music.
Francis Matthews turned Anthony into a spitfire who chastised the crowd rather than wooed them, and showing amazing virtuosity. Our charming visitors from our sister school moved and spoke with grace and, of course, an economy of movement. To these, and others like them, all credit is due; to produce them was a delight, a creative process that filled the imagination and challenged the intellect. But there were many in the cast who were inexperienced and had no natural grace or love for the stage, schoolboys more used to shouting on the rugby field than declaiming in blank verse.
Yet for three magnificent hours, "G. L." held them together, urged, encouraged, persuaded them into giving more than they knew they had in themselves.
For the audience, Mr. Lafferty had prepared a commentary of deep understanding and scholarship. For the cast, however, he provided an opportunity to take part in an artistic creation of the highest order, calling for self-discipline, team-work, careful thought and an emotional release that was ennobling and uplifting to all concerned.
There were many moments of pure delight, such as the first entry of Caesar, the tempting of Brutus by Cassius, the erection of the tent and the scene inside it, and the glorious reds of the soldiers' costumes: but the real miracle was the transformation of callow youths into artists for an evening. Those who saw the play came to know it a little better, which is good; but those who took part in it came to know themselves better, and that is far more important.
Jim Golland
The bloody, corpulent carcass of Julius Salter seemingly oozing from the labyrinth-like stage set, already saturated with a hundred huddled howling extras. Such was the bloodcurdling background to Francis Matthews' superbly emotional rending of the "Friends, Romans, Countrymen.." speech, which must be regarded as the most memorable sequence of Mr. Lafferty's epic scale production.
Kenneth Elvy
Julius Caesar - 15th-18th March 1967
Produced by Mr. G. Lafferty
Stage Director: Mr. N. H. Tyrwhitt
| Flavious: | L. Webb | Octavious: | A. Mansell | Cinna (Conspirator): | M. Prue |
| Commoners: | R. Dennis | Lucilius: | M. Devonald | Decius: | G. Serota |
| N. Gilliland | Messala: | S. Games | Trebonius: | A. Barton | |
| Caesar: | R. Salter | Claudious: | S. Dresner | Ligarius: | J. Thorn |
| Mark Antony: | F. Matthews | Pindarus: | C. Upton | Artemidorous: | R. Samuels |
| Brutus: | W. Davies | Dardanius: | N. Grady | Cinna (Poet) | G. Jones |
| Cicero: | R. Baron | Strato: | D. Passingham | Lepidus: | J. Ryder |
| Lucius: | C. Tobin | Marullus: | L. Smith | Poet: | R. Masters |
| Cimber: | S. Adamson | Casca: | B. Lidington | Varro: | M. Robinson |
| Portia: | Mary Goff | Calpurnia: | Ann Goff | Titinius: | A. Taylor |
| Publius: | S. Dresner | Soothsayer: | T. Bloomer | Cato: | M. Woods |
| Popilius: | M. Robinson | Cassius: | B. Gilbert | Clitus: | R. Wallace |
| Volumnius: | J. Taylor | ||||
| Servants, Soldiers, Citizens and Mob: | H. Aitken, R. Amy, R. Mason, C. Michaels, P. Chernett, C.
Stanley, N. Thompson, M. Rix, M. Cove, R. Baron, D. King, L. Webb, L.
Smith, S. Adamson, M. Prue, P. Bowen, G. Guildford, D. Brown, S. West,
J. Farrow, A. Atkins, S. Fischer, P. Lloyd, D. Murdie, K. Browne, M.
DeLange, R. Wallace, G. Tennant, R. Mayer, R. Crouch, D. Brown, C.
Wyman, A. Boxall, M. Woods, S. Frost. Elizabeth Bass, Linda Daysh, Gill brown, Margaret Young, Alison Bayliss, Jenny Crump, Barbara Korrison, Judith Warren. |
||||
| Stage: | Mr. B. E. Williams, David Munns, D. Gordon, A. Nurse, J. White, J. Morrell, S. Richards, J. Krause, G. Bartlett, K. Thomasson, P. Thomas, G. Jenkins, R. Milstead. | ||||
| Decor and Properties: | Mr. A. N. Anderson. Set built by Mr. H. J. Mees. | ||||
| Set: | J. Webb, A. Bradley, K. Elvy, R. Elkan, A. Graham, C. Kinman, R. masters, R. Miller, J. Thorn, D. Pearce, C. Upton, R. VanOostrum, C. Wyman. | ||||
| Lights: | Mr. N. H. Tyrwhitt, B. Varley, R. Fowler, T. Bush, A. Munns, C. McManus, H. Weisbaum. | ||||
| Sound: | Mr. J. S. Golland, G. Leach, E. Devonald, A. Guthrie, J. Roe. | ||||
| Costumes: | Mrs. n. Atkins, Mrs. D. M. Steward, A. Read, C. Maddocks. | ||||
| Make-up: | Mrs. J. Eisner, Julia Munns, Rosalind Patchett, Janet Warner, Sally Lofting, Lucy Lofting. | ||||
| Box Office and sales: | Mr. B. M. Morley, Mr. D. R. Burt, P. Barnett, D. Reast, D. Elson | ||||
| Front of House: | Mr. C. I. Anderson and Mr. J. S. Golland. | ||||
| Refreshments: | Parents union, Mr. R. S. Hartley, M. Russell. | ||||
| Programmes and Tickets: | Mr. K. R. Davis, Mr. H. W. Collins, R. Bayly, M. Bidnell, P. Gunner, M. Goodman, N. Haselden, D. Hawtin, J. Mulligan, J. Sinfield, S. Yates, P. Chernett, S. Games. | ||||
Source: Gaytonian, 1967