“Every year for many years, Mr Perry, our inspirational and idolised music teacher, masterminded a musical production at Hazel Grove to inspire as many children as possible and entertain the youngest children and all the parents. Often it was a Gilbert and Sullivan production, well-rehearsed and executed! Teachers, parents and the fantastic School Caretaker Mr Eames, and children created the scenery and parents (mums) made a lot of the costumes and did the make-up. Minor characters were often “multiplied” to allow as many children as possible to participate! For example the Operetta HMS Pinafore includes a cousin “Hebe” but in 1968 we had Hebe, Phoebe, Thebe, Willbe and Maybe! Mr Perry achieved amazing things with quite ordinary kids and my memories of the music, singing, choir competitions and trying hard to learn to play a recorder (and maracas!) will be with me for life.”
“In the full cast pictures there are too many to name but in the Main Character pictures we have Gaynor Richards as Buttercup and Andrew Roberts as Ralph Rackstraw on the left, and Paula Garn as Josephine and Keith Chandler as the Right Honourable Sir Joseph Porter KCB on the right.”
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Amazing ! I remember the Jack Tar hat my Dad made, the songs, the rehearsals and quite a few of the names.
My first country dance was with Gaynor at Hatfield School. We never observed any 2 metre distance nor sanitised hands.
Remember it well .. I was Captain Corcoran and still remember the songs great memories
There’s a few names to conjure with here!! I remember 90% at least. Great school, great school mates!
What memories this brought back. I was the ‘Bumboat Woman’ – a label that caused much hilarity at the time! The character standing next to me in the first photograph is not Andrew Roberts but Richard Everett who charismatically played the character of Captain Corcoran.
I remember Mr Perry and also the amazing Mrs Ford who was an extraordinary pianist with a huge repertoire yet never appeared to use any sheet music!. All those songs were in her head! She played while looking over one shoulder, reprimanding anyone messing about at the back! Both teachers gave up so much time and energy to put on this incredible production. So much fun!
Gaynor Warlow ( Richards)
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