Six of the Best
Venue : Woodrush High School
Date : February 1968
Genre : Farce
Director
Ted Pedvin
Director
Cast
Val Archer
Katie Lawrence
Gerry Solomon
Jack Lawrence
Ray Archer
Mr Best
Brenda Castle
Annie Featherstone
Estelle Shutkever
Ada Heep
Sybil Parr
Louise Monk
Gerry Smith
Aubrey Phelps
Ted Pedvin
Sam Handwich
Stanley Girling
Henry Lush
Jack Parramore
The Reverend Rodney Honeychurch
Dorothy Girling
Dr Gertrude Bludgeon
Jack Parramore
Cecil Honeychurch
Crew
Crew
Production Gallery
Production Reviews
A Greyhound Scene-Stealer
Wythall Dramatic Society’s first play in its tenth anniversary season includes an amazingly well trained greyhound which makes frequent appearances.
But the dog, ‘Nice Boy’, is not the only scene stealer in Ted Pedvin’s fast moving production of ‘Six of the Best,’ at Woodrush County Secondary School.
The play sparkles from the start, mainly due to a vigorous performance from Gerry Soloman, who brings out the humour well.
Valerie Archer gives able support and Jack Parramore does a very nice bit of double characterisation as the Honeychurch brothers.
The six ‘Villains,’ particularly Henry, are very lovable.
P.L., Local Paper
'Six of the Best' was one of their best!
When six old folk find themselves faced with the possibility of having to leave their idyllic surroundings, things begin to happen. And when it is discovered that the old folk are really hardened criminals who try many devious ways of keeping themselves in their present surroundings, the scene, is set for a multitude of laughs up Wythall way.
For this was the theme of John and Jackie Waterhouse's contemporary farce 'Six of the Best," given a three-night's run at Woodrush County Secondary School by the Wythall Dramatic Society. And what start this Society gave themselves to their tenth anniversary. On Thursday's opening night, I nearly split my sides.
Farce is the most difficult of production for an amateur society to present, but Wythall people won over their sizeable audience in less time that it takes to tell. Producer Ted Pedvin, who also took the part of Sam Handwich, one of the old lags, should be well satisfied with the results.
Backed by an excellent set - result of hard work by members of the society and stage manager Ivan Castle - the Society was well work its three curtain calls. As far as the eye could see, there were no hitches - except before the curtain rose when it was realised that fire precaution regulations were not being upheld, and front-of-house members had to rush round through the audience clipping the chairs together.
Brenda Castle, Estelle Shutkever, Sybil Parr, Gerry Smith, Ted Pedvin and Stanley Girling as the criminals stole the show. There could be no doubt about that.
Estelle Shutkever, however, seemed to bely Ada Heep's years in both voice and action. I felt she was too sprightly for an old lady with a limp.
I have to make special mention of Stanley Girling's Henry Lush, the safe-blower of the sextet. Without having a lot to say, he constantly caught my eye by sheer acting ability. He was easily the best of the group.
As the couple who look after the aged crooks at the manor, Valerie Archer and Gerry Solomon portrayed a somewhat happy-go-lucky couple with a slight bent towards crooked play. But Gerry seemed a little over-enthusiastic in places and put unnecessary emphasis on his stage laughter.
Jack Parramore, in his two roles as the Rev. Rodney Honeychurch and his brother Cecil Honeychurch - both as blind as a bat without their spectacles - was grand to watch. I wondered how many hours he had spent perfecting his quick-change act and personality. And his tipsy scene as the vicar was one of the best I have seen.
Completing this magnificent cast were Dorothy Girling as Dr. Gertrude Bludgeon, the M.O.H and Ray Archer as Mr Best, solicitor. Oh, no, there is still one member of the cast not mentioned.
Making his stage debut with the air of a professional was Roy - a seven-year-old greyhound owned by Mr R Haddocks, of Batemans Green Kennels. Roy did not put a paw wrong.
Six of the Best must surely go into Wythall Dramatic Society's annals as on of their big successes.
Unknown, Local Newspaper