THE 1950's

After the war, in 1952, the Society reformed again and, as it was Coronation year in 1953, the Society presented 'The Gondoliers" - with the wonderful quartet 'A Regular Royal Queen'.  Ted Robertson, the son of the Musical Director, took the part of Francesco and his wife Betty was a beautiful Tessa. Derek Hetherington, Joe Arrighi, Richard Cradduck,  and Gordon McKee, a future Chairman of the Society, all made their debuts in this show.

 In 1954 'The Desert Song" included the comic timing of Joe Arrighi and Betty Robertson with the 'neatly portrayed Captain Fontaine' and future President of the Society - Robert Crosbie.

The Society's time in the Queens Theatre was drawing to a close and a new home for our productions was found in the Kells Community Centre.  Due to the size pf the hall the shows presented were limited to those with little or no scene changes.  A young Elizabeth Robertson (nee Simpson) daughter of the Musical Director and still a stalwart of the Society nearly 50 years later took her first leading role as Yum-Yum (after only six weeks rehearsal) in "The Mikado", the first show produced at Kells in 1955.

The Society was the first group in the country to stage "Old Chelsea" in 1956 and it was produced by John Dennis who took the part of Peter Crawley playing opposite Richard Tauber in the 1943 London production. The 'burly silver voiced tenor Tom Murphy has a Tauber touch' according to the Whitehaven News and Tom would continue to take leading roles in several of the Society's productions.

The 1958 production of "No, No, Nanette" was the last time the Society had the services of a professional producer for their shows.