PBGS 50 Years Singing #6: Back at Buxton with Princess Ida

On stage at the Festival

In 2000 PBGS performed for the first time at the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Buxton and in 2004 we returned to Derbyshire to compete once again against G&S Societies from all around the UK and abroad. This time we took a production of Princess Ida. Produced by Paula Fraser, who also played our Princess Ida, the show was hugely well received by an enthusiastic audience at the Buxton Opera House. Performing at the Festival is a massive challenge for every society with only one rehearsal on the stage before the performance (where you start with Act 2 and finish with Act 1!), a set you’ve never seen, a steeply raked stage to adapt to and a full orchestra that you meet on the night! But PBGS likes a challenge...

All the photos are from the video of our Buxton performance.

 

PBGS 50 Years Singing: Peter Jenkyn's account of how PBGS began in 1971

June Pickard (centre L) and Peter Jenkyns (centre) with pianist June Game (centre R) in our 1987 Pirates

Many thanks to Life-Member Helen Farmer-Butler who has rustled up this lovely account of how PBGS started in 1971, written by our first MD, Peter Jenkyns, for our 21st Anniversary programme. It’s fascinating!

“Twenty five years ago Putteridge Bury was a ‘College of Education’, training teachers in an attempt to rectify a serious shortage of teachers in the area. Most of the students were ‘mature’ having had previous careers or, in the case of many women students, having raised a family and seeking the challenge of a professional career.

Into this atmosphere came a fifty-year old student straight from the Air Force (and, moreover, of ‘exalted rank’ as Gilbert might have put it!). His name was Brian Champion and he approached me one day (I was music lecturer on the staff) with the proposition that if I were to conduct “The Pirates of Penzance”, he would organise the whole affair. I agreed and called upon a very talented student of mine to produce the opera and sing the part of Mabel. Her name was June Pickard…

True to his word, Brian set to work. His method was similar to that adopted in a military campaign. His production office had huge charts on the wall into which were stuck coloured flags. On another wall was a ‘flow chart’. I had the feeling (shared by others I am sure) that, if we were behind schedule with any aspect of the production, there was quite a danger of being shot! In the event, the whole thing went with a precision which, I am sure, was unmatched by any other society in the land. As if the role of Generalissimo was not enough for him, Brian gave a memorable account of the Sergeant of Police!”

The 21st Anniversary programme

 

PBGS 50 Years Singing #5: We go to Buxton!

Our 2000 Gondoliers

In 2000 PBGS extended its horizons further under the leadership of our then Chairwoman, Dorothy Williams. Dorothy believed that the Society now had the confidence, reputation and skill to apply for the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival, which took place every year in Buxton. We applied with a video of our 1999 production of Ruddigore, were accepted, and the following year we appeared in competition there at the Buxton Opera House with our 2000 production of The Gondoliers. 

Produced by Gabriel Butler, who also played the Duke of Plaza Toro, and Conducted by Margaret Blenkin, the production was very well received by both the enthusiastic audience and the adjudicator and was a great start to the new Millenium for the Society!

PBGS 50 Years Singing #4: Moving to Campus West

Yeomen at Campus West in 1996

Throughout the 1990s PBGS continued to grow in reputation and in membership. In 1996 we made the ambitious decision to move our bigger spring shows to the larger venue of the Campus West Theatre, Welwyn Garden City, opening with a large-scale production of Yeomen of the Guard. For the first time we had the space to sing with a ‘full band’, to quote the Duchess of Plaza Toro, and enjoyed singing this wonderful score with a full orchestra. The larger stage and better facilities also offered scope for ambitious productions such as Carmen (1997) and The Merry Widow (1999). As our horizons expanded we found new audiences and drew our growing membership from throughout Herts and Beds, with some members coming from even further afield.

PBGS 50 Years Singing #3: Expanding our horizons

Brigadoon 1993

By 1979 PBGS was expanding rapidly so the decision was made to move productions from the refectory at Putteridge Bury to Luton Library Theatre. Our first show there was a production of The Mikado, although rehearsals continued at Putteridge Bury until it became part of the University of Luton (now the University of Bedfordshire) in 1992. 

After Peter Jenkyn's retirement, Margaret Blenkin (then Patterson) became MD and then our Chairwoman. Under her leadership the Society's horizons expanded further and PBGS diversified to perform its first non-G&S shows, always playing to the Society's strengths of strong operatic soloists and wonderful chorus sound. Our first foray outside the G&S Genre was Brigadoon in 1993, followed over the next few years by Die Fledermaus, Orpheus in the Underworld and Carmen. But the core of our repertoire was, and still is, Gilbert & Sullivan.

Die Fledermaus 1994

Orpehus in the Underworld 1995

PBGS 50 Years singing #2: Early days at Putteridge Bury

After being founded at the Putteridge Bury Teacher Training College in 1971, early G&S productions took place in the College Refectory during the October half-term holidays. The Society's growing reputation for high musical standards and witty productions meant it expanded beyond a College Society, drawing its membership from across three counties! Even when the Society moved its main productions to Luton Library Theatre (now St Georges), we still performed summer concerts at Putteridge Bury and rehearsed there until 1992. It was a great pleasure to work in such a beautiful building surrounded by lovely grounds. Here are some photos of ‘The Crowd’ from our 1978 Trial by Jury (performed at Putteridge Bury) and our 1980 production of The Pirates of Penzance at Luton Library Theatre.

1980 Pirates of Penzance

1980 Pirates of Penzance

1980 Pirates of Penzance

1978 Trial by Jury - 'The Crowd'

 

PBGS 50 Years Singing #1: How PBGS started!

Peter Jenkyns, Ruddigore 1983

As this is PBGS’s 50th Anniversary we will be posting some snippets about our history throughout the year, so look out for our ‘PBGS 50 Years Singing’ Specials! So – how did our Society start? PBGS was founded in 1971 by Peter Jenkyns, lecturer at what was then the Putteridge Bury Teacher Training College just outside Luton, and June Pickard who was studying to become a teacher there. Peter was an accomplished singer, composer of children's vocal music and MD - even sought after by the D'Oyly Carte as a patter baritone - and June was an experienced performer and producer who had trained at the Royal College of Music. The first PBGS members were all students who were part of the Department known as 'Music Main' and their very first production was that perennial favourite, The Pirates of Penzance. Above is Peter, in a great photo taken by The Luton News in 1983 to promote Ruddigore, and below a programme from our 1973 Gondoliers and a photo from our 1976 production of The Yeomen of the Guard!

 

Photo of Peter Jenkyns © The Luton News