St James Players

The History

St James’ Players was started by ex-professional actor, an Englishman named Mr John Langsford, in early 1952 to help promote culture in Townsville, to encourage younger players, and to help financially the Organ Fund of St. James’ Cathedral. (The Townsville Daily Bulletin printed an announcement about the formation of the group on Friday 8 Feb 1952 and said the group was already in rehearsal of two one-act plays). The group was non-denominational, but was fortunate to be able to use the Anglican Synod Hall for rehearsals, the first productions, and storage purposes. Rehearsals were also held at St Mark’s Hall in Belgian Gardens. The first productions were staged in the Synod Hall, where members gained valuable experience in all phases of stage-craft. However the hall proved too small for the audiences which attended the shows so the productions were then moved to the Theatre Royal. As the group expanded, a committee was formed and a constitution was drawn up. The late Archdeacon Hohenhouse, Subdean of the Cathedral of St James, was the first President until his death in August 1964. His place was taken by the Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Reverend Bernard Tringham in 1965. The group continually attracted new players and attempted more challenging productions. Four full-length plays were staged in the Theatre Royal each year and an evening of one-act plays was presented at the Synod Hall each February. Bookings for the plays were handled by Vera Smith of the Vogue Dress Salon in the foyer of the Theatre Royal, then by the Town Hall Newsagency, and finally by Gray’s Newsagency next to Carfoot’s Furniture Store in Flinders Street. In the Theatre Royal, the St James’ Players handled the Front of House and Box Office duties on performance nights. Backstage, the group provided their own Stage Manager, Electrician and Stage Crew, as well as providing some stage lighting, which they had bought themselves. In 1959, the group entered the play “The Killer Dies Twice” by Lynne Reid Banks into the Queensland Drama Festival for the first time. The play was produced by Mrs Helga Walker and was placed second in the state wide festival. In 1960, a Theatre Workshop was started. This was to train young people in all aspects of the theatre. Mr Ron Hamilton was the director of the workshop. Also in 1960, St James’ Players formed a sub-committee to inaugurate a North Queensland Drama Festival. Since that time the Festival has been an annual event, with as many as seventeen entries of one-act plays. Players from as far away as Mt Isa, Cairns, and Rockhampton have taken part in the Festivals. The group also assisted to makeup players in school, choral, and ballet productions. The group also assisted by providing one-act plays etc for charity fun raisers and entertainment. (notes above compiled from history of the St James’ Players by Barbara Chandler, Ron Hamilton, and from the files of the Performing Arts Historical Society Townsville )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past Performances