The Metamorphosis of The Tab Operatic Society
Written by Mr Geoffrey E Hodgetts

The Tab Operatic Society developed from very inauspicious beginnings to one of the most prestigious
operatic societies in the Black Country. It started with a young lady named Winifred Carter, who at the
age of 19 started producing Sunday school musical plays in the school buildings at the side of the
Tabernacle Primitive Methodist Church in High Street, Old Hill, now Highgate Street, Cradley Heath.

These early musicals although the genre contained their fair share of schmaltz were extremely tuneful and
drew huge audiences in these pre-radio/television days.

The first produced by Winifred was The Maid of Sherwood in 1909 with Joe and Clara Hyde as Robin
Hood and Maid Marion and Harry Carter (Richard) and George Carter who was Friar Tuck trained the
singers. This was followed in the subsequent years by the Magic Ruby and the Nautical Knot .

The following ladies remember with fond affection playing parts: Dorothy Andrews was a rose, Margaret
Jackson was a fairy, Sheila Woolley was a daffodil and Beryl Evans was the lilac fairy. Christine
Shakespeare and Winifred’s daughter Doreen Turbin played leading parts.

A big event each year was the Band of Hope Festival held at the Whitley memorial schools, St Anne’s
Road Cradley Heath. All the local chapels took part and entered items such as solo singers, recitations,
choral singing, skipping to music and plays performed by children on the Band of Hope theme.
The villains were always called Gin and Whisky. The event took place over three nights and the items
were judged by professional adjudicators; Charles Hedges was one. One of the children who
recited a poem was aged 5. He was a budding actor, singer and producer. He was Frank Richards.

Joseph Perry who kept the Reddall Hill Post Office was a keen Rechabite. He wrote a pageant called
the Templar Knights to further his temperance convictions. Winifred helped Joseph to produce the
pageant at the Whitley Memorial Schools and her husband, Ernest Skitt, made the knight’s armour.
The last time I saw Joseph Perry was when he came to our house to promote a book he had written
called In the Steps of St Paul, which was an account of a visit he had undertaken to the Holy Land.

The plays created great interest and soon incorporated the Youth Fellowship which was very strong
in the Tabernacle Church at this time. It was 1946 that Edith decided to produce something more
ambitious. The choir joined too, and so an adult society was formed as membership was restricted to
members over the age of 16. Zurika was chosen as the first venture and the leading parts were played
by Margaret Cooper and Eric Beasley. The musical accompaniment was a solo piano.
The production met with great success and so it was decided to produce another show the following
year. This show was San Marino which had been performed earlier as a Sunday school play with
Ethel Hobbs in the lead. Rehearsals were started in 1947 with Edith (Guest) Edgar as the leading lady
and Roy Bennett as the leading man, Olwen Homer as the Court Jester and other parts were played by
Wendy Mason, Christine Shakespeare, Dorothy Newman, Vernon Mason and William Allbut.
The part of the doctor was played by Richard Edmonds.

It was decided to introduce more instruments to the piano to form a small orchestra. Frank Richards
joined the production team as Assistant Producer and he also played the comedy lead opposite
Doreen Turbin.

These shows could not have been mounted without the great enthusiasm of the gentlemen of the church
who had to labour for weeks before the show to turn the Victoria Schools into a make shift theatre,
although to their great credit this did not interfere with the running of the Sunday school. These stalwarts,
to name a few, were Ernest Skitt, James Griffiths (the caretaker), Frederick Harris, Thomas Cole,
Eric and Norman Beasley and Jack Grainger.

A stage made of planks had to be erected on iron scaffolding and runners and to be placed in the roof
to support the curtains. The back of the auditorium was raised again with planks on scaffolding, similarly
seats at the back of the balcony were raised. Footlights, in Heath Robinsons fashion, were made out of
large tins cut in half. The dressing rooms were made by dividing the back school room with curtains.
Outside the curtains refreshments were served during the interval. This meant the members of the
audience could mingle with the cast. This was hardly professional but it was very “chummy” and we
could hear how the show was progressing.

Two young men who had completed their National Service, though not at the same time, joined the
society. Both were to reach the peak of their field. Alan Horton as actor, singer and producer and
Reg Evans as King of the Fuse Wire.

Alan had a very fine singing voice and on the strength of his talent was given the leading role in
My Lady Jennifer (1949) opposite Dorothy (Boilston) Newman.

The production of My Lady Jennifer created great interest locally because the composer was
Barrs Partridge, a professional musician, who had played in the Hastings and Harrogate Municipal
Orchestras in the 1920s. He was in the B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra and leader of the City of
Birmingham Orchestra. At one time he was the manager and the organist at the Central
(later the Odeon) Cinema, Stourbridge.

The following year Paris in Spring was chosen with Alan and Dorothy again in the leads, The opera
was set in the Napoleonic era. An amusing incident occurred during one of the rehearsals. Napoleon,
played by Colin Richards, had to enter wit his aide-de-camp and sit at a boulevard café table and say
to Jean Woolley, the waitress: “Two cognacs”.
Frank Richards immediately intervened: “You can’t say that, it’s alcohol. We shall have to alter that line”.
Alcohol could not be alluded to in a play and certainly not drunk in a Methodist Church.
“What shall I change it to?” asked Napoleon.
“Say you’ve come for a tete a tete”.
“How do I serve that on a tray?” inquired the waitress.
“Oh, say lemonade, then”.
The mind boggles at Napoleon drinking lemonade for all to see. In any case, the matter was settled
amicably and the sequence in the scene passed unnoticed.

Floradora was produced in 1950. This was a very famous musical in its day: it was the rage of London
and New York as the 20th Century dawned. It played at the Lyric Theatre in the West End in 1899,
where it ran for an incredible (for the time) 455 performances. The main attraction was the Floradora
Girls who twirled their parasols partnered by straw-hatted young men who sang “Tell Me Pretty Maiden”
(are there any more at home like you?). The song swept the country. It was written by Leslie Stuart.
However, the libretto had a bizarre plot about phrenology, perfume manufactured in the Phillipines, a
private investigator and a romantic entanglement at a castle in Wales! The choreography and movement
for the Tabernacle production was taught by Billy and Teddy Farmer who were professional actors a
nd were born in Old Hill. They were known as The Farmer Twins when they toured the music halls.
The twins were in the first production of Floradora in London and used the same choreography that
was used in the original production. They also did the make-up.

In 1952 another West End success was chosen. The Damask Rose played at the Savoy Theatre
in 1930 and was produced by Robert Courtneige. The music was written by G. H. Clutsam based
on themes by Frederick Chopin. A Little Dutch Girl followed in 1953 and The Rose of Araby in 1954.

In 1955 it was decided to be a little more ambitious and mount a French classic: Veronique, composed
by Andre Messager. In this production Margaret Shaw gave one of her best characterisations as the
haughty aristocrat. In between the main shows variety concerts were given, usually in the summer months,
then a selection of songs from the shows were given. One song was a perennial; it was “If I were not
upon the stage” which went on ad infinitum. I wrote the sketches.
Some were potted pantomimes with Allen Tipton always playing the Demon King.

One year the Borough Council decided in implement a scheme called Holidays at Home. These were
still the days of austerity. All the local Societies were asked to take part. They erected a marquee with
a temporary stage in Haden Hill Park. The Tabernacle agreed to do a one night stand.
We sang the inevitable concerted number from the Desert Song Let Love Come as Some Rare Treasure,
Frank sang the Cobbler’s Song, Doreen Turbin and I, in an effort to do something different danced the
Trepak from the Nutcracker Suite.

In 1957 Alan Horton showed that he was a master of comedy as well as being a romantic leading man.
In the Arcadians he played the jockey Peter Doody when with impeccable comic timing when he sang
“I’ve gotter Motter”. In 1958 it was back to
high romantic drama with The Desert Song when he played the Red Shadow. This was repeated in 1967
and could always be relied on to be a sell out but after this, the huge popularity of the show declined as
the sheik myth, inspired by Rudolph Valentine began to get dated and the camp humour old hat.


Rose Marie was the choice for 1959 and Alan Horton was given the part of the leading man but,
unfortunately, sustained an injury in a road accident and was unable to carry on. Trevor Guest stepped
into the role and subsequently played many leading parts in other productions. Notable was his return
to the society in 2000 to play the King in the King and I.
 

The Student Prince was very popular with Tabernacle audiences. It was possible for the society to
produce this show  (1960, 1971 and 1983) because it had a large contingent of male singers.
The shortage of men willing to sing or dance, in most societies, determines which show can be put on.
Next was Wild Violets, a story of two generations set in Switzerland; this show is noted for its
tuneful score.

On the 14th September 1963 a new Primary Sunday School was opened by
Michael J A Partridge, MA .The cost of the new school was £9000 and after the service of
dedication led by the Rev R Clemitson there was a musical evening given by the Operatic Society.
The society had accumulated enough money to enlarge the stage, a move that became necessary
because the number of people wanting tickets could not be accommodated.

Putting the show on for two weeks plus and extra Saturday proved to be very arduous for the cast
and helpers.
The only answer was to make the auditorium larger. Part of the back wall was removed to make a
permanent proscenium. The new stage was built in the back school room where the dressing rooms
used to be, the new dressing rooms were built under this. The resulting stage was very much larger
than the original and the space at the back and sides created huge wings where it was possible to
store large props until they were required on stage. Work was commenced after the 1962 show,
Our Miss Gibbs, when Ernest Webb, one of the finest comedy actors in the Black Country,
took part. Work on the stage was not completed for the 1963 show, Mr Cinders, so it was
booked into the Netherton Arts Centre which has a very small stage.

Back on home ground the productions of The Quaker Girl and The Merry Widow (1965) made
good use of the extra space.1966 brought a new venture for the Tabernacle. A new show called
The Valley of Song had been written and the society’s production was the Midlands Premiere.
The score used music written by Ivor Novello. It told a poignant First World War story set in
Wales. The show stopping number was the Soldier Lad performed in an apparition scene and
given a contrapuntal treatment with Keep the Home Fires burning. The latter was the song which
brought Ivor Novello to the attention of the musical world in 1914.

In 1968 it was back to an Ivor Novello original – The Dancing Years. This show was his greatest
success as it was written before the Second World War and continued to tour after war broke
out in spite of the bombing.

Chu Chin Chow was given in 1972. This show held the record for the longest running show for
many years and was a great favourite with the soldiers on leave in 1916 when it opened at
Drury Lane. It ran for 2235 performances, finally finishing on 22 July 1921. The Cobblers
song became Frank Richard’s signature tune. In 1978 the Tabernacle decided to produce another
first, by performing Oh Susanna!, giving the show its Midlands Premiere. Unfortunately, the
question of demon drink arose again. The operetta is based on the life and music of Stephen
Foster who is portrayed as a drunkard. The President of the Society was the Rev. Broadhurst and it
was his job to peruse the libretto to see if it had to be censored. Times were changing and people
were becoming more broad minded (no pun intended) and Mr Broadhurst, to his great credit,
decided that provided the plot conveyed that over indulgence was evil and that drunkards are fools
to themselves there was nothing to alter. Norman Lloyd played the part with great delicacy and it
proved to be one of his best portrayals.

Die Fledermaus was the choice for 1979. There was doubt about the title initially because the German
title was unfamiliar with local audiences three decades ago but the reason the society decided to
proceed with the original Strauss version instead of the simplified version, Gay Rosalinda, or the new
professional version, Pink Champagne, was because Judith Horton possessed a voice of a high enough
calibre needed for the leading role. Judith was the consummate diva. Die Fledermaus was followed by
the blockbuster My Fair Lady, then Fiddler on the Roof and The Merry Widow. In 1983 The Student
Prince was reprised but it turned out to be a very sad occasion. The congregation of the church was
dwindling (as with many other churches) and it was decided to amalgamate with the other churches
in the circuit; It was hoped that the Tabernacle Church would be the venue for the joint venture because
it possessed a beautiful church, school rooms and the huge stage; but it was not to be. It was decided
to demolish the three churches and build a new one in Lawrence lane. I wrote a letter to Sandwell
Council to try to retain the school room and the stage but I received no reply.
The Student Prince was as successful as ever but the last night was a very emotional evening.
Many were in tears.

So after 113 years the Tabernacle was forced to close its doors and so ended its efforts to bring a little
culture to Old Hill. Of course the society could no longer be called the Tabernacle Society, so because
it was always known affectionately as “The Tab” it was passed that this should be its new name and
the society had to sever its links with the Methodist Church. A discussion was held to decide the new
venue. This was where the society had scored over all other societies; it always had a home.
Reluctantly the Civic Hall was decided upon although we lost many older members who felt they
could not travel to Brierley Hill.

The first show at Brierley Hill was a repeat of The Dancing Years which brought up the inevitable
question: How do we get the grand piano on to the stage? (The Civic hall has no wings to speak of)
more popular American shows followed: - Fiddler on the Roof and The Most Happy Fella which
could be almost described as a grand opera as it is a tragedy and has virtually no dialogue.
Oklahoma (1993) had sold out notices on display two weeks before it opened. Call Me Madam
was a huge success with Julia Ann Williams playing the Ethel Merman role. It was in 1995 when the
producer, Audree Henwood, scored her great success as a chorographer with 42nd Street.
The opening number was amazing to behold, the curtain went up very slowly on the words:
“Julian Marsh is puttin’ on a show” showing every member of the company (about 60 members) tap
dancing to the title song. The entire company had six months intensive lessons in tap dancing. Estelle
Williams playing the Ruby Keeler part was very effective. The new shows of today required
younger leads who can not only sing but be accomplished dancers, for instance Leon Davies in
42nd Street and Richard Cope in Half a Sixpence. The King and I was another sell out. Judith
Horton was Anna Leonowens with Trevor Guest as the King. Audree came into her own again with
the Uncle Thomas ballet. It is very unusual for a dancer to graduate to the position of Chairman and
then to President. This is the case of David Watton who has proved to be indispensable in both
positions and an asset to the society.

The society is busy preparing its next venture Me & My Girl. During my 57 years as a member of
The Tab there have been many superb productions which have brought to the fore a wealth of talent.

Here’s to the next sixty years!!

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