Townsville Theatrical Society Rope June 1952

“Rope” was performed onThursday 5, Friday 6, and Saturday 7 June at the Theatre Royal.

Rope advert Townsville Daily Bulletin Wed 4 June 1952

Townsville Theatrical Society
‘Rope’, Theatre Royal
Thursday 5, Friday 6, and Saturday 7 June 1952
Cast
Brandon………………………………………………………….Bill Spencer
Granillo……………………………………………………………Bill Reeves
Ronald Kentley……………………………………………….Ian Bruce
Sabot………………………………………………………………Barrie De Courcey
Raglan…………………………………………………………….Stewart Benson
Leila………………………………………………………………..Beryl Stabler
Sir Johnstone………………………………………………….John Langsford
Mrs De Benham………………………………………….....Mattie Mercer
Rupert Cadell…………………………………………………..Jim Thompson

Producer…………………………………………………….. Roy Holliday
Stage Manager……………………………………………. John Eckersley
Assistant……………………………………………………… R. Jackson
Electrical Effects…………………………………………. Alan Stephenson and Keith Ormes
Musical Effects…………………………………………… Alan Stephenson
Special Effects…………………………………………….. Bob Jackson and Norm Hunter
Wardrobe Mistress…………………………………….. Loan MacKenzie
Orchestra…………………………………………………… (Mrs Summerfield’s) Messrs D. Lloyd, L. Grau,
V. Johnston, W. Newman, F. Feather, J. Phillips, S. Saunders, Mrs L. Benstead.

"Rope" review Townsville Daily Bulletin Fri 6 June 1952

The article on the left reads:
'Rope' Is a Gripping Production
Suspense, sustained with an almost cold-blooded restraint in an atmosphere pregnant with eerie horror made 'Rope', which opened a three-night season at the Theatre Royal on Thursday night, one of the most memorable presentations by the Townsville Theatrical Society for the current season.
Depending for its main power on the remorseless psychological distintegration of Brandon (played by Bill Spencer) as co-author in the Borgia-like murder of a fellow university undergraduate, the strange, yet entirely human half-lights of a murder of pure vanity, with the 'perfect crime' develop in a fascinating pattern of personalities whose interests are united throughout by the sinister trunk which occupies the centre of the stage.
With accomplice Granillo's (Bill Reeves) nerves giving from the outset, Brandon proceeds to 'enjoy' the perfection of his crime by inviting to his rooms, where the body is concealed in the trunk— upon which they will dine— a group of people, including the dead boy's father.
When the guests arrive, Stewart Benson, as Raglan, successfully occupies the attentions of Leila (Beryl Stabler) whose feminine interest in the trunk and its contents heightens the tension of the second act, which is broken only by the laugh stolen by Mrs. De Benson (Mattie Mercer).
John Langsford matures the bibliomaniac, Sir Johnstone, father of the dead boy, in a performance which adds temper to the production, while Jim Thompson as Rupert Cadill, develops a grip on the play through the subtle interpretation of Sabot, given by Barrie De Courcey, which confirms his suspicions of Brandon and Granillo's guilt and enables him to carry the production to its grippingly convincing climax as Brandon's own nerve finally gives way.
The production is by Roy Holliday.

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