Our great thanks to Paul Sparrowham who attended our World War 2 evening and kindly took a photographic record of proceedings for us.
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Club Chairman, and the evening's compere, William Wells opens proceedings
A view of our audience - seated, cabaret style, around tables, drinking wine and munching nibbles
Our band for the evening - 'The Nightingales' with lead singer the very talented Amy Hollingsworth
Next came Margaret Corry's first playlet, written especially for the evening. 'The Judgment at Ellery Hall' - was a play within a play - with 'The Woodstock Players' a proxy for the Marlborough Dramatic Club of the WW2 era, performing their last show before war begins in summer 1939. Here club veterans Juliette Bird and James Biddles argue as only a married couple can.
Laura Kelly returns to the Marlborough stage after an absence of 20 years, with a non-speaking, yet beautifully acted role as the maid 'Partridge', alongside Karol Patten, already a tireless member of the Marlborough committee, making her excellent acting debut for the Club in the role of Lady Primrose.
Richard Spong, who recently starred in his first Marlborough show, the Spring 2025 production of 'The Ladykillers', returns here as Lord William alongside another newbie in her first role for the Club, Lucy May Fuller as Lady Susan.
Karol as Woodstock Player 'Miranda' - who was a film actress from the 1930s don't you know, loves you all!
Alan Thorley reads (awaiting details)
Laura Kelly reads "Song of the Dying Gunner A.A.1" by Charles Causley
Karol Patten reads (awaiting details)
James Biddles tells a personal anecdote of his uncle George
Margaret Corry reads (awaiting details)
William Wells reads (awaiting details)
Kerry Cooke joined us for the evening and provided a stunning rendition of "The White Cliffs of Dover"
Andrew Chesney marched amongst the audience during the evening with a rousing speech from Shakespeare's historical play, Henry V, complete with sounds of a medieval battlefield.
Margaret Corry's second playlet featured The Woodstock Players trying to get back into the swing of things after the end of WW2, with Dorothy (played by Club newcomer Lucy May Fuller) meeting up with Len (Richard Spong) again after his return from being an RAF fighter pilot.
The rest of The Woodstock Players advise Dorothy that Len had in fact been killed in air combat.
Dorothy realises that the visit she received from Len was from beyond the grave. "For the one that shot you down was the one you never saw"
James Biddles (as himself) pays tribute to all those airmen who lost their lives in WW2, represented by the Marlborough through the character Len (Richard Spong).
Norma Jennings performs a piece she wrote featuring some personal memories of her and her husband's families
Norma Jennings with her friend Clara Greenaway waiting to perform.
Richard Spong reads a letter from a paratrooper serviceman home to his sweetheart, Connie
Juliette Bird presents the personal recollections of a soldier who took part in Operation Market Garden in Arnhem, Holland in 1944.
Alan Thorley reads (awaiting details)
James Biddles reads poem "Vergissmeinnicht" by Keith Douglas
The Nightingales - Double Bass player Florian Fardel
The Nightingales - Piano player Michael Horner
The Nightingales - Drums player Lindsay Hollingsworth
Kerry Cooke joins Amy Hollingsworth to perform the Andrews Sisters' 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy'
The cast join The Nightingales to perform a medley singalong of popular WW2 era songs, like Run Rabbit Run, The Lambeth Walk and of course We'll Meet Again, joined in full voice by the audience!
The evening is completed with Martin Henry sounding The Last Post, followed by a two minute silence and then the Reveille, on his Tenor Horn.
