A Variety Programme

Reviews and Cuttings

From the Totnes Times of February 13, 1937

Gypsies’ Fair at South Brent

Mr Arthur Manning’s latest presentation, a concert in the Church Hall South Brent, in aid of Church Sunday School funds, attracted a full house. The chief item was a revue number ‘The Gypsies’ Fair’ in several scenes in which a Romany fair was made the excuse for the introduction of such old favourites as ‘Hey Ho! Come to the Fair’, ‘Widecombe Fair’, ‘The Raggle Taggle Gypsies’ and recitations. The evening opened with a two act play by the Brownies, ‘The Golden Goose’, followed by an action song ‘Lullaby’. Mr F Jordan of Totnes at very short notice took part in the programme as many intended items had to be dropped owing to influenza. He contributed several Devonshire recitations and a humorous song ‘Mother and Me’. He kept his best number to the end, a musical medley ‘The Operatic Policeman’. Mr G Hodson sang ‘Did your Mother come from Ireland’, the audience joining enthusiastically in the chorus, and the concert ended with an item by Mr Manning’s Juvenile Band. The Vicar (Rev WK Gallagher) thanked Mr Jordan and Mr Manning, and Mr Manning intimated that thanks were also due to Mr K Knott, Miss E Catt, Miss N Cranch, Miss R Pulleybank and Mrs Briggs. The Players in ‘The Golden Goose’ were Margaret Winzer, Vera Karkeek, Lorna Lang, Phyllis Fox, Nellie Wembridge, Joyce Dee, Molly Andrews, Maureen Hard and Thelma Hard, and the tots were Joyce lang, Ernest Catt, Brenda Newman, Peter Hoskin, Barbara Symons, Francis Watts, John Mead, Pearl White, Betty Stanley, John Salter, Ruby Field, Walter Field, Derek Pulleybank, Barbara Mead, Kathleen Wembridge and William Watts. The gypsies were Hilda Quirk, Joan Quirk, Mona lang, Barbara Lang, Lorna Catt, Ernie Wills, Gwennie may, Doreen Stanley, Kathleen Rowlands, Barbara sleep and Miss Cranch, The vocalists who sang with the band were Irvine Woods, Francis manning and Vera Pinhey, and the instrumentalists were Mrs C Standlick, R Warner, R Manning, S Retter, R Retter, J Spiller, M Taverner, T Skinner, K Perryman and T Rendle. Mr Manning was at the piano.