Wigan Album

What a lovely, happy photo, Peter....you all look as if you were thoroughly enjoying your participation in the production, and how good-looking you and Alwyn are!

It looks a great production and the youth of yesterday full of life and fun. How I would like to turn the clock back for a while. Beautiful girls and handsome lads.

I was The Prime minister in that show Peter and Alle Hakim in Oklahoma some photos on the site on the Ritz page, good to remanice

Billy Mather 3rd from right back row. Worked with him at John England's

Erene, thanks for your comment, we did enjoy it, they were good times.
Veronica, it was a good production, surrounded by nice people.
George, We remember you well, always admired your performances and as Alwyn said nobody could have played Chulalongkorn better than you did. Great article about the Ritz. If we do not reminisce we will forget all our happy times and there is no finer place than Wigan World stage to remember them.
Ron. It is Bill Mather, a friend, with Brian Bithell and George Bennet next to him. We were once at the Court School of Dance with our partners and were asked to leave because Bill and Beryl danced a pasodoble that was too advanced.

Just found out Bill Collins has died. He is back row No. 2 next to Arthur Bannister. Bill was a true friend to Alwyn and I and for many years Sad news.

Oh my word, I hadn't realised that was Bill Collins! Such a lovely man. I appeared in two plays at WLT many years ago and Bill was the director both times and showed me great respect and such patience, (I was in my early fifties and had never acted before but he made it such fun!). Thankfully, acting still goes on in Wigan and my son is in a play in October at WLT. He also remembers Bill with much affection.

I played Will Scarlet in Robin Hood and The captain in HMS Pinafore both at a school and after ..the photos are on Album ( I think) it was..I've been trying to remember the choreographers name ....I'm sure it was Ken ??? I can still hear him saying "come on girls get those legs lifted" this would have been in the fifties- sixties...he was well known at the time...can anyone help please.

Maureen, whereabouts on Album are those photos please? Are they under "schools" or "assorted" or some other category? I would love to see them.

The name that I was trying to bring to mind was Ken Parry..it was there at the back of my mind..but according to Wikipedia he was known as an actor,so I wonder how come he was acting as our choreographer..it's very strange.

Irene,theyre under Schools..St Joseph..there's a nativity play also I was in,then HMS Pinafore ,so they're in the one with 4 photos in and one with 29 photos in.im going to try and find the Robin Hood one...God knows why they were split up .lol.

Irene,I cannot remember where the Robin Hood one is..I've just been looking again..I joined WW in 2008 so the memory has dimmed slightly since then..I think Cliff put them on as I wouldn't have known how to..mind you I don't know how to yet..but ne-er mind eh.lol

I've found the Nativity and HMS Pinafore photos, Maureen, (I'd have sent you a bouquet if I'd known!), and I've found a Robin Hood one but you don't appear to be on it. Ken Parry was an actor from Lower Ince....he played the Pawnbroker in the 1970 film "Spring and Port Wine". A lot of theatrical people do all kinds of jobs as well as acting so he could well have been your choreographer. My family have grown up with Spring and Port Wine as it is one of my favourite films; they can recite a lot of it as they saw it so often on video when they were children! When Our Jamie first acted at WLT in his early twenties, I often wished they would do "Spring and Port Wine" so he could be one of the sons.....they actually DID do it earlier this year but unfortunately Jamie had too many commitments at the time to audition for it, but he would now have been old enough to play the Dad!! However, we all went to see it and it was very good.

Irene,where did you find the Robin Hood one..I haven't seen that I'm sure.

You have brought memories back to me Irene/ Maureen. My daughter played the nozy neighbour in Spring and Port Wine . She based the character on my mam ( who wasn’t nozy I have to say) but had all her mannerisms off to a tee. She got really good marks in Literature in her leaving year at St Joseph’s School Horwich. I have never been as proud. There was a photo in the newspaper and I still have it and she’s wearing a turban. It was a brilliant play and my dad saw it as well just before he died - he was proud as punch as well.
I will look for th3 photos Maureen.. ;o))

Maureen, I apologise....there IS "Robin Hood Production" photo on the page showing 29 photos, BUT it's a 1932 one, so long before your time. I had only glanced at it before hunting for your name amongst the cast or I would have realised. Sorry, Maureen! Veronica, I bet your daughter was brilliant as the nosey neighbour! The lady who played her at WLT was very good too...it's a brilliant part. "I'll show 'im 'e can't buy ME wi' a bottle o' Guinness!"

EEh! I wonder if I can post a photo of a Wigan born mum’s daughter, born in Howfen playing the nosy neighbour in a Bolton born playwright’s drama!…. … phew!!!if I can find it! BUT would it be allowed? No- ok…

Brian Bithell used to be choreographer for Hindley Operatic Society back in the 70,s.

Irene,I've just been looking through my forty thousand photos and found the original Robin Hood photo..next time I see Ron I'll ask him if he will put it on 'Album' for me.

Irene,Ron did put the photo of'Robin Hood' panto on but I can't find it now.

Due to the problem with the server the last few images etc weren't saved I'll dig it out and put it on again

You're a bobby dazzler.