Retro: Reading Rep again

David Cliffe • Published 31 Jul 2009 09:00 0 Comments

BACK on May 28, the Retro page carried an article about the Reading Repertory Company, with some splendid photographs.

The owner of the photographs had sent them to The Chronicle and asked for them to be sent on to the Central Library for safe storage once the article had appeared.

Adam Hewitt, who looks after the Retro page, delivered them safely to me two weeks ago and since then, I have been at work on them.

Most of the photographs show scenes from productions, spanning the years from the 1930s to the 1950s.

I have been amazed to find that the Reading Rep was in fact an amateur company, because the standard of the costumes and sets was what you might expect from professionals.

What a pity you can't assess the standard of acting just by looking at the photographs!

The company performed in the Palmer Hall, West Street, though during the war years they had to use temporary accommodation in London Street. Eventually, all the photographs will be viewable on the library's website, and I shall probably be asking for help in identifying some of the productions, because usually, there's nothing written on the backs.

But this week, my request for information concerns the identity of these two characters.

The arched doorway in the background gives just an idea of the quality of the set construction and painting.

The man in the clown's make-up is presumably one of the actors, and the man on the right looks like the director.

Could it be Bill Bristow, who according to the programmes directed some of the productions and designed the wonderful sets?

Please get in touch if you recognise either of the men. Call Adam Hewitt on 0118 955 3303.

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