No 8 — November 1977 Edited by Michael Walters
LETTER FROM DAVID TAYLOR (which should have got into last issue) 26 April 1977.
Dear Michael, Many thanks for the latest newsletter (No. 6) which has prompted me to send you the enclosed programme. As you can see I have made another foray into the civilised world.... Having said that I find that there is little to actually say about the performance. Unfortunately I made no notes at the time and coming back to it after several weeks I find that it has retreated into the distant past. However, a few things still spring to mind. Firstly as ever with LUGS [Liverpool University G & S Soc.], the performance was very enthusiastic, with in enormous female chorus (21) which meant that in the finales there were as many as 41 people on the small stage in the Stanley Theatre. It says quite a lot for the producer that the stage did not appear cluttered at any point in the action. The production was generally very good with good use of groups and intelligent movements for the principals. There was one very funny piece of business in the second act following the Glee. Pooh–Bah sinks onto a seat on the side of the set which had been sat on many times by other people, the seat collapsed under the weight depositing Pooh–Bah onto the ground. Normally I disapprove of slapstick comedy in G & S, but this piece seemed totally in keeping with the scene. The band were as good as ever although I hardly recognised anyone, and Wally kept the tempi up throughout. ... The principals were adequate without being outstanding and I can't bring myself to say anything about them individually ... Yours, Dave.
[David Taylor was for some years a leading member of Liverpool University G&S Soc. playing the "Sandford" roles.]
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