Let Right Be Done: a classic play about justice without a courtroom.
Those who devise the programme at the GWT aim for variety. Some protest about recent programme choice is about to be answered with our next production which playwright Terence Rattigan declared in 1945 when he was writing 'The Winslow Boy' that it was 'a domestic drama in the Edwardian style of Maugham and Galsworthy'. Ever since 'The Merchant of Venice' plays with contests of Justice have almost always had the climax of the court room scene. Rattigan, however, had all the major legal events happen off stage and reported in the Winslow family sitting room. The major writing was completed in six and a half weeks. After a short tour the play opened in May 1946 at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue and ran for nearly 500 performances before New York and innumerable foreign productions.
Although taken from a true case Rattigan made some significant changes particularly to the Winslow family, their social standing, religion and political affiliations, all of which would have confused the straight-forward case of 'Let Right be Done'. Rattigan explained this soon after the play opened: 'The drama of injustice and of a little man's dedication to setting things right seemed to have more pathos and validity just because it involved an inconsequential individual'.
The decade after the war saw Rattigan at his peak. Not only in the theatre but his screenplays had achieved exceptional success. 'The Way to the Stars' at the end of the war, 'Brighton Rock', an Oscar nomination for 'The Sound Barrier' as well as the film versions of his plays, 'Separate Tables', 'The Deep Blue Sea', 'The Winslow Boy' and 'The Prince and the Showgirl' with Olivier and Marilyn Monroe all added to his reputation. All seemed well until 1956 when John Osborne's 'Look Back in Anger' heralded a new era in British Theatre. As he said himself; 'There I was in 1956, a reasonably successful playwright when suddenly the whole Royal Court thing exploded and Coward and Priestley and I were dismissed, sacked by the critics.' He was relegated to critical oblivion at the height of his career.
For a number of reasons he had collected enemies since his time at Oxford when George Devine was Chairman of OUDS and was now Director of the English Stage Company at the Royal Court and the pair did not get on. Critic Kenneth Tynan also championed the new wave against the theatre establishment and 'thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges'. Rattigan continued to write with some success but he never returned to centre stage in British theatre although his biographical play 'Ross' about Lawrence of Arabia had some success in 1960. He died in 1977.
Harold Pinter had been an actor in rep and had played in 'Separate Tables' in Torquay in 1957. With his wife, Vivien Merchant, he met Rattigan in 1965 and they became good friends. Pinter realised that Rattigan's style was out of fashion but he recognised the expertise in his writing and commented, 'He was an extremely nice man with true charm but was suffering from the way he was being treated and was somewhat rueful and bitter'. The GWT is fortunate to be able revive plays from all periods and revisit the work of a major figure in twentieth century theatre.
Bill Bray
It will be 30 years ago this May that I stepped onto the GWT stage for the first time in front of an audience to audition. As I recall, my left leg was shaking, I was wearing a brown army-style jumper (I always was a trend setter) and the audience consisted of a number of members, some of whom I knew slightly, but mostly it was a sea of faces who were, as I thought, scrutinising my every move. The play I was sweating about was of course "The Winslow Boy", Terence Rattigan's masterly play about right, justice and the duty everyone has to call bureaucracy to account.
At the time of course, I just thought the play was about a five shilling postal order, and whether Ronnie Winslow had or hadn't stolen it. I was only 14, so perhaps you will forgive me.
When it came to suggesting plays for the current season, I re-read the play and was stunned to find that, not only was there a whole cast of other people in the play, but that it was about something so much more than a court case. I found it by turns moving, funny, astounding and heartening. It made me angry with Administrators, admiring of those who have the passion to fight them and finally resigned that, in 100 years nothing seems to have changed. The words, written in 1945 about a court case from 1908, were as important now as they were in either of those years.
We have for you an impressive cast of "knowns and unknowns". Appearing as Ronnie is Glen Chute, a bright young actor who started in our Youth Group a few years ago, but has already been seen in the main season in Medea, and was in the Youth Group production of "The Dining Room" last year. As his sister Catherine, I am pleased to welcome Charlotte Bacon, a very talented actress who I am sure will become a firm favourite at the GWT. Dan Smith, who has given a fantastic performance already this year in "Mary Stuart" is playing Dickie, his elder brother.
We have Len Wooding as his father Arthur, and Eileen Brooks as his mother Grace, Mike Weaver as Catherine's fiancée John, Ian Pring as Desmond, the family solicitor and Lesley Robins as the in-between parlour maid Violet. Carol Gray makes a brief but memorable appearance as Miss Barnes, the reporter and Harry Dunphy re-creates his rôle from 30 years ago as Fred, the Photographer. Completing the cast as Sir Robert Morton, the Barrister and MP who takes up the case, is Maurice Tripp.
Those of you who have been coming for a while will know that I did in fact get the part of Ronnie all those years ago (actually, I seem to recall I was the only one who auditioned, which makes it less impressive). It was the start of my love-affair with theatre, and with the GWT in particular, and my journey through from childhood to the present has been shared with many of you. Come and join us in celebrating 60 years since the inception of the New Theatre Group (now the GWT), and prepare to see a well known play with fresh eyes.
Director, Ross Holland |