St. Joan

(Harrow County School production 1958)

Click here to hear an extract from the original sound recording of St. Joan!
(Sound recording provided by David Buckley)

The photograph was sent in by John Lever.

Click for the St Joan programme.

The critic of any production of a play by Shaw is all too liable to end by writing a criticism of the work of the greatest literary-political writer of our age...   Clear-minded in his intentions, Shaw is not always so firm in his presentation of a drama of ideas.  St. Joan is no exception.  This play, of all his works, is probably the surest basis of his popularity with the theatre-going public...  The producer is faced with the problem: Realism - i.e. Shaw's rejection of the mystique of the medieval saint, or Romance - the girl who cannot give up "the wind in the trees, the larks in the sunshine, the young lambs crying through the healthy frost."

Mr. Golland chose to offer a production which acknowledged both elements, but which avoided dogmatic statement of either view.  The result was, I feel, his most stimulating and rewarding production to date.

Yet the curtain rose on a first scene that did not wholly please.  Franklin's Robert de Baudricourt was perhaps too monotonous in the playing, his storming pitched too oppressively on one loud note.  The character is admittedly a simple one in conception, but may be over-simplified in acting.  Childerhouse's Steward, played with admirable gusto, did not quite succeed: the verbal and physical writhing of Shaw's "trodden worm" became too much of a comic end in themselves.  But the production quickly settled down with the entry of Joan.  We have become accustomed to seeing an entirely malleable Henly in recent years - producer's clay, and well handled at that.  With age, however, his acting has achieved more independent authority.   His ease on the stage is such that one almost forgets the sustained and tremendous effort that must go into such a part.  That the dramatic society in comparatively few years, can produce so accomplished a young actor is high tribute to the long months of work by the producers.

Yet, for the writer, at least, the high point of the evening's acting was Veltman's Peter Cauchon.  here, I felt, was near mastery the more surprising in that it was his first venture on to the stage.  Two scenes dominated the play - that in the English Camp and  the Trial scene, and it is the former that remains most satisfyingly in the mind.  Veltman and Graham Morris caught beautifully the edge of the long dialogue between Cauchon and Richard de Beauchamp.  Both actors possess a clarity of speech that allows the ear gratefully to relax: both moved and spoke with the confidence of long rehearsal and full understanding.  The Trial Scene, fascinating as an example of dramatic forensic not equalled elsewhere in Shaw. surprisingly made slightly less impression on the writer...  Christopher Treble, an old hand after two previous productions, achieved his best characterisation as the Inquisitor.

... Norman Biggs, first noticed in last year's House entertainment, hit off the Dauphin with a performance of some perfection... a blend of cheeky humour, quiet pathos and occasional good sense that grew rapidly into a sensitively felt part.  Christopher Grey quickly and attractively established the sympathetic relationship between the Bastard of Orleans and Joan.  Peter Hay's Tremouille was a firm projection of the part.   Here is an actor who has assets enough in voice and presence to play leading roles.   It will be interesting to see him extend his range.  Ian Andrew's performance gained strength after a hesitancy of the first night: his Archbishop was, when I saw it, a figure of impressive integrity.  Of the remainder of the parts the impression remains of a high level of competence, rising sometimes to more than this.  Adler's "Bluebeard," undertaken at short notice was perhaps too youthful, a fault shared by Owen's Captain La Hire: make up did not achieve the necessary maturity.  Both parts were well spoken.  Ibberson's palely ascetic Brother martin conveyed most convincing sincerity.  Ware's English soldier cam off as pure Shaw in the Epilogue.   Colledge as the Chaplain de Stogumber conveyed well the fervour of the honest but lamentably insular cleric, but tended to neglect Hamlet's advice to the players, and in the torrent of passion sometimes forgot the temperence which gives smoothness.  If one is to indulge in the pleasant game of talent-spotting, the youthful Clive Newton asserts himself as promising producer's material.  In the River Loire scene he showed us how to sit still and act.  The Court Page, played by Marshall, was I felt, too distracting for a minor part, but here again is strength for the future.

...

Make-up was, as always, in the very safe hands of Mr. Attridge, who was helped by parents and friends...  Finally, Mr. Kincaid's background and prefatory music unobtrusively but firmly reinforced the emotional appeal of the play.

It remains to observe what the programme revealed with silent eloquence in its list of credits.  The Dramatic Society's production was indeed, a school effort.  No fewer than twenty-one members of staff were in Mr. Golland's team or in close association with the play, and it would be a lengthy reckoning to arrive at the total number of boys involved.  The Society has arrived at that point where we may confidently speak of "Tradition."  We have come to expect high standards.

G. R. Yelland

(Gaytonian 1958)

return HOME